The X-Files - First Time Watching

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by tomalak301, Dec 14, 2013.

  1. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Just curious, who are fans of The X-Files here. It was quite a popular show in the 90s but I don't see it talked much here. Another reason I ask is because, just completely random, I started watching the show on Netflix this week. I had seen the occasional episode and watched the first movie, but I had never seen the series as a whole.

    I think I'm going to keep going with it. I really liked the first two episodes I watched and there's still 9 more seasons to go. Not sure if this will be a review thread, but I'll post thoughts from time to time. Still, is the show as great and creative as I've heard and is anyone also doing a rewatch?
     
  2. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    I rewatched it when Netflix first added it to their streaming service a few years ago. I've always loved The X-Files.
     
  3. JRS

    JRS Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Glad to hear you are liking it so far:)
    I am currently re-watching the show myself from DVD( not my first time though, this has good replay value)
    It is a great show, then and still now. My one my favorite shows for sure. The show has interesting characters, good cast, mysterious stories(well written), great music, and very unique atmosphere.
    Most fans consider seasons 1-5 to be the best of the show, but I would recommend watching all of it, cause there are good episodes in the later seasons also.

    Same ppl claim that the show has dated too much. I do not think that is the case. Yes the cellphones are bigger and computers look dated..but story wise it still holds it place very well and so on.
     
  4. od0_ital

    od0_ital Admiral Admiral

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    I got to the series late durin' its run on Fox.

    I keep thinkin' about doin' a rewatch since its on Netflix, though, since I still haven't seen it all the way through.
     
  5. Alidar Jarok

    Alidar Jarok Everything in moderation but moderation Moderator

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    I watched it sporadically throughout. When they had the big X-Files summary episode that was supposed to help people catch up, I started watching more regularly, but I stopped after Mulder left. Then I caught a handful of episodes and the finale.

    I almost always enjoyed the show, but I clearly missed a lot of it (both good and bad). I think revisiting it is worthwhile so I wish you the best of luck.
     
  6. sojourner

    sojourner Admiral In Memoriam

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    It's one of the few shows where the stand alone episodes are better than the plot episodes.
     
  7. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The only thing I haven't liked so far is Gillian Anderson's acting. Yeah I'm only 3 episodes in and I think it gets better, but now it's really quite wooden. I guess it goes with the territory of being a new show.
     
  8. DWF

    DWF Admiral Admiral

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    It's an excellent and very addictive series, I've seen it twice all teh way though on DVD and most two discs at a time.
     
  9. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I was under the impression that most of it was standalone. Yeah you have a bit of an overarching story, but it worked like Farscape (In the first two seasons) and DS9, where you had the arc, but it was more subtle in favor of a more episodic nature.
     
  10. Data Holmes

    Data Holmes Admiral Admiral

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    I always loved when they would include some joke/crack about Mulder's liking of porn because at the same time David was doing X-files he was doing Red Shoe Diaries on Showtime. Being a fan of and watching both, I always found that inside joke funny.
     
  11. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    The wife and I are also doing a rewatch. Just finished season 3, and took a break when the new TV season started up again. We still love it, although I'm reminded of how tedious the "mythology" episodes can get. I still think it was at its best with its monster/mystery of the week eps.
     
  12. selina

    selina Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Ha, ha, I thought about rewatching The X-Files a few days ago. I always loved it and it's true, it gets addictive. Maybe not as much as Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, but I remember that I always tried to keep the evening free when it was on TV. But IMHO The X-Files should have ended after season 6. I didn't enjoy the later seasons so much. When "The X-Files" aired for the first time, the show hit a nerve somehow with all the conspiracy talk. Also, the two main characters are great together. I bet no one predicted what a huge success it would become.
     
  13. Lonemagpie

    Lonemagpie Writer Admiral

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    Yeah, I started watching it again recently cos I caught some reruns. I remember it getting steadily better until around season 5/6 then declining over season 7, and I gave up thereafter...
     
  14. Lonemagpie

    Lonemagpie Writer Admiral

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    And Gillian Anderson gets much better as it goes along.
     
  15. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    Season 7 & 9 are clearly a step down from early years, but I think season 8 might actually be the best year of the show. It was certainly my favorite.
     
  16. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Just watched "Conduit" (The one about the missing daughter and the kid who takes static and writes binary code from it) and that was probably my favorite episode so far. We get to see a little about why Mulder is obsessed with this stuff, and one thing I've noticed is each episode seems to grow from the last. The first episode you had Scully pretty much calling out Mulders conspiracy theorys, the second episode we meet an insider guy, and the third episode is the rest of the FBI's reaction to the X-Files division. This episode we even meet the boss who is questioning Mulder's personal feelings versus professional judgement.

    But the thing I love so far is the mystery. It's not too horrific, and there really is no violence so far, but just the mystery of everything and going along for the ride is really interesting so far.
     
  17. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I think I watched my first X-Files dud, Jersey Devil. I'm not sure if it was a dud persay, but it was just dull, and after four really good gripping episodes, this one seemed below those. Also, I hope never to see Scully's hair like the style she had on that date again. I don't remember 90s Hair looking that "bunned". Yeah I know Janeway had something similar for the first two episodes of Voyager, but Scully's was almost like a beehive on top of her head. The normal look is much more pleasing.
     
  18. RoJoHen

    RoJoHen Awesome Admiral

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    "Jersey Devil" is absolutely a dud.
     
  19. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    Indeed. Toronto looks nothing like Atlantic City, and the Jersey Devil legend is from the Pine barrens, which aren't Atlantic city.
     
  20. Forbin

    Forbin Admiral Admiral

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    Gillian got pregnant almost as soon as the series started (or was it 2nd season?), so she spends a lot of time early in the show in that awful big bulky trenchcoat, with a pudgy little babyface :). Afterwards, she starts looking much hotter.