The X-Files - First Time Watching

[tomalak301]

Mulder needs an inside man, someone who can pass on information to him, that Mulder wouldn't get otherwise. I doubt it that he trusts Mr X, but X has a better outlook on everything that is happening behind closed doors. So, Mulder needs him.

I was very surprised to see Tony Shalhoub (Monk) in the role of Banton. Funny, how some actors who appeared on the X-Files became famous later on.

I understand that, but I think my issue right now is we're almost done with Season 2 and I don't feel like we know more about X now than we did when we first met him. Some episodes he's very helpful, and some episodes it's almost like he wants nothing to do with Mulder (And even avoiding Scully and Skinner, who almost kicks his ass by the way) and some times he does come across as an Ally. It's been established that he has his own agenda and he's there to meet his own interests (And I get that) but he might as well continue to be that faceless guy on the phone. I guess maybe I just want some kind of bombshell for him before this season ends and we're probably not going to get that.

 

[selina]

Ah okay, I misread your earlier post then. Well, one thing that was important to the creator Chris Carter was to keep certain characters anonymous. For instance, cancer man doesn't have a proper name nor does X. I believe this all adds to feeling of being powerless. Because - as you already indicated - the main characters are up against a faceless crowd / group of people they know nothing about. And if you feel a sense frustration, you probably know how Mulder and Scully feel .

If there's a bombshell or not only time (and more episodes) will tell .

 

[tomalak301]

Our Town

So, who couldn't eat chicken after watching an episode like "Our Town"? It took on a whole new meaning to the phrase, "It tastes like chicken".

Anyway, interesting take on the cannabalism thing. Loved the bit where Scully was holding onto a tub of fried chicken and then looked at it and put it down. So subtle, yet so perfect all the same.

Looking forward to the finale but it's part of a 3 episode arc I found out so might watch it this weekend.

 

[tomalak301]

Anasazi/The Blessing Way/Paper Clip

OH. MY. GOD.

I was wondering if the X-Files was going to top how they ended season 1, and they not only topped, they exceeded it in a big EPIC way. I don't know what it must of been like back in 1994 (?) having to wait a summer to find out where Mulder was, the shock of all those Alien bodies in the train, and just what the heck happened next. Still, it felt like a set up episode, and after this portion of the arc, it was. If Flask was kind of closing the book on Season 1 and taking a new direction, Anasazi felt more like DS9's "Call to Arms", taking what the series has given us so far and exceeded all those expectations to get to part two of this Drama. There wasn't Arc based storytelling in the 90s? Yeah right. One could say X-Files helped give birth to that type of storytelling today, and thanks to Netflix, it's fun to binge watch the series when you get to those really exciting parts, like these three episodes.

Anyway, I'm sorry for rambling, but these episodes gave so much. We learned about the consortium (Of global interests) doing experimentation for human/alien hybrids, we met a new shady character who pretty much told us what this group was (Even though this early in the game, I don't believe his entire story), we had two major major deaths in Bill Mulder and Melissa Scully (The latter which shocked the heck out of me), and we also saw the Return of Krychek (Thank god I didn't have to wait long and despite the mini spoiler when I started season 2, it was awesome to see him back). We also have a new awesome character in Albert Hosteen (The Navajo who I was really impressed with the entire arc) and we also saw the return of Deep Throat in a hallucination. How did this arc end, with a classic Chris Carter saying We've given so much information but we can't give everything so let's kind of dial it back, but it made Mulder and Scully that much stronger in a scene that kind of echoed back to Little Green Men when they admitted that they were the only people they could trust.

Those three episodes were freaking incredible and now we enter a new phase of this journey. Season 2 on a whole was a little iffy for me (I actually got a little tired of all those magic vodoo, Scully gets captured episodes) but these three episodes reminded me of how excited I was at the beginning of season 2. I know they can't keep that momentum, but if season 3 is going to live up to half of what these episodes gave me tonight, I can't wait. What a ride that was.

I forgot one thing. Skinner continues to be badass. That negotiation scene was all kinds of amazing. For the recent beatings he's taken at the hands of Mr. X and the various assassins, he comes through in a huge way more often than not.

 

[selina]

Anasazi was a great episode. Seeing Mulder irrational and aggressive creates a lovely suspense for the audience. And Scully shooting at him ... OMG . Furthermore, I think Melissa's death in The Blessing Way is still one of the most surprising ones on the entire show. And Scully missed the flying UFO in Paper Clip, of course .

A lot was going on in these episodes. All in all they were exciting and coherent, but I am a little bit annoyed by the fact that some questions were raised and not properly answered, e.g. how did Mulder manage to get out of the train in Anasazi. Besides, to contaminate the water of Mulder's whole house seems a bit too radical. Being sneaky is certainly not the bad guys strongest quality. I believe that a writer would give the villains more credit today, even if their ruthlessness is a major point.

That being said, season 3 has some really great episodes. As I've mentioned before, Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose is certainly my favorite one.

 

[tomalak301]

Scully's reason for shooting Mulder made all too much sense. Most times in TV, if someone shoots someone else, it's to kill them. Scully shot Mulder to protect him. Who knew shooting someone else would be doing that someone a favor.

As for the whole train thing, I wonder if he took the alien head, and just kind of ran in the cars before the explosion. Remember he pointed out the head to Scully, then the cover closed. There was time to escape that part of the train somehow. As for contaminating the water, was it Mulder's room only or the entire apartment? There was just so much going on that these small details are easily forgettable in the grand scheme of things.

 

[selina]

Scully's reason for shooting Mulder made all too much sense. Most times in TV, if someone shoots someone else, it's to kill them. Scully shot Mulder to protect him. Who knew shooting someone else would be doing that someone a favor.

I can see it. Scully: "Mulder, no christmas gift from me this year. You still owe me anyway because I shot you."

As for the whole train thing, I wonder if he took the alien head, and just kind of ran in the cars before the explosion. Remember he pointed out the head to Scully, then the cover closed. There was time to escape that part of the train somehow.

No, I dont remember. Even with alien head, the scenario feels a little bit like cheating.

As for contaminating the water, was it Mulder's room only or the entire apartment? There was just so much going on that these small details are easily forgettable in the grand scheme of things.

The water in the whole building was affected. Remember that there were neighbours shooting at each other? Or the wife shot her husband or something like that. That was a result of the contaminated water.

 

[RoJoHen]

Scully's reason for shooting Mulder made all too much sense. Most times in TV, if someone shoots someone else, it's to kill them. Scully shot Mulder to protect him. Who knew shooting someone else would be doing that someone a favor.

Clearly someone has never seen "Speed."

 

[tomalak301]

Scully's reason for shooting Mulder made all too much sense. Most times in TV, if someone shoots someone else, it's to kill them. Scully shot Mulder to protect him. Who knew shooting someone else would be doing that someone a favor.

Clearly someone has never seen "Speed."

I have seen Speed but it was a while ago.

 

[tomalak301]

Season 3 is getting off to a rocking start. I've mainly been really excited for the mythological episodes, but I really want to talk about the next two episodes of this season, and if things are going like this for the rest of the season, I might talk about the rest:

DPO

How was X-Files going to follow up one of their biggest arcs up to this point? I was amazed at the Season 2 finale and the first two episodes of Season 3 that I was wondering if I was bound to be let down. Well, no I wasn't. Maybe it was waiting a few days to see this episode, but the episode featured a really cool plot, with some great characters and a very young Jack Black. That Darrin guy was crazy, but in a cool way. A guy who is pretty much a human lightning rod causing some chaos in that town. The actor played him so well that I was revited the whole way through. My only criticism was the Town seemed too gullible to not actually further investigate these crimes. Their excuse was Lightning, yet did no one find it odd and statistically impossible that these murders were lightning based? Other than that, great episode.

Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose

Some posters in this thread have called this episode one of the best episodes of the series, and I think I have to agree. This episode was brilliant, with some great work done by Peter Boyle as Clyde. He was a likeable character, not the freak we've come to expect from characters with super powers in this series, and I actually had to watch the ending a few times to put the things together. All of his predictions came true, especially the one with him and Scully in Bed and that scene was incredibly powerful. To see a character like that commit suicide was hard, but it made for a perfect ending, especially seeing Scully throw the phone at the TV. Also, while it was Dark, I didn't feel depressed watching this. There was humor, action, and then sadness but it wasn't slitting my wrist depressed.

Everyone seems to like Dark TV now (heck even talk about making Star Trek incredibly Dark) but I don't mind Dark as long as there is some levity to it. That's why I didn't really like Battlestar Galactica all that much. That's a show where everyone was so unlikable and depressing where it was hard to really get behind the characters. If they did Dark TV with a mood of a show like this episode, and Farscape, I would welcome it and enjoy it. This episode felt like it had everything, and I was very much entertained.

 

[selina]

Clyde Bruckman: You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than autoerotic asphyxiation.

That ^ became a classic line somehow. I bet most X-File fans could tell from which episode this line is. Having said that, I always liked this dialogue the most:

Clyde Bruckman: You're looking down. You stepped in a pie that's fallen to the floor. The killer comes up to you and... coconut cream.
Mulder: What?
Clyde Bruckman: The pie... eh, coconut cream, or, is it lemon meringue? I don't know, it's... not sure, it's, it's hazy. As long as you're looking down, he comes up with the knife and... banana cream! Definitely banana cream.

Yeah, I'm definitely getting nostalgic here.

 

[tomalak301]

Did X Files do ripped from the Headlines episodes that featured a monster of the week? The reason I ask is because I watched 2Shy tonight and it felt like an episode based on the news of the time, how people were worried about meeting other folks through online services because they could be stalkers. This episode was rather creepy and did a good job with that theme. Also, I was trying to think who did I see that actor before and he played Hobson on TNG. The final scene with him and Scully was the best part of the entire episode. Scully has done a lot more ass kicking this season than in Season 2. That's always a good thing.

 

[Forbin]

Yeah, they did an episode on "dark matter" at the time dark matter was first discovered (or postulated), only they ignored science and completely made up their own spooky idea of what dark matter was, and had a guy with a "dark matter" shadow that sucked people into it. That was one of their sillier premises.

 

[Random_Spock]

Ms Anderson actually has/had a bawdy sense of humor. Sometime watch the gag reel from those seasons and you'll see a hysterical gag she and Mulder cooked up in an elevator. I don't think I can get away with a youtube clip of it as it's really naughty.

In real life, it's obvious that their friendship goes deep...so much that they might be dating.

Oh heck yea. I think I might know of which clip you're talking about . A lot from the first season were just downright . Stuff that would make almost anyone blush .

Nah. They're just friends. There's nothing wrong with two people who get along and joke like that . Heck they even did a couple of the cons together last year. It's a damn shame FOX stalled for so long, because those two still have it .

Was a fan back in the day, since season 3. Finally got the series on DVD awhile back. Man I love this show, warts and all . Moose and Squirrel still kick ass. Even like the second movie, for the most part.

Spoiler: some info

They did a good job in it acting wise, so I could appreciate it for that, for what it's worth.

 

[gblews]

Re: your avatar, Random_Spock, "action Scully". I likes, I likes.

 

[Random_Spock]

Re: your avatar, Random_Spock, "action Scully". I likes, I likes.

Thanks gblews . It took me a bit to find a good cap of that scene.

 

[tomalak301]

Oubliette

I've been neglecting X-Files for a while but finally saw one tonight. I was not prepared for how emotional, powerful, and downright disturbing (on a psychological level) that episode was. This was the one where a little girl (Jewel Streit, way before Keylee, even though she hadn't aged that much between roles) is abducted, and that abduction affects another girl miles alway, kind of like an empathic link. I didn't really get how or why they were linked (if anyone knows the episode, could you clarify that) but it almost didn't seem to matter if it helped this wonderful story.

Dechovny was absolutely incredible here, being kind of the sarrogate between Amy and Lucy. There are times when you can see just the FBI Agent or the crazy insane person who believes in Aliens, but here he was a human being showing compassion to someone who really needed it.

This episode also hits home to so many child abduction cases, not just those before 1995, but everyone since. There are times when I think the Death Penalty is warranted, and child abduction, rape, molestation are a few of those instances.

This episode really hit me in a powerful way, and it's a top 5 episode so far. I have a feeling it will stay in the top 5 when all is said and done.

 

[tomalak301]

Nisei/731

Watched the next part of the Mythological arc last night and while it was good, I don't think it was as great as the arc that opened the season. It was nice to know where they took Scully during the Abduction, but I was a little disappointed that the whole Alien Abduction was a smokescreen (Or so this episode told us) and it kind of brings us back to the theme of season 1 of if you believe in something so strongly, the things you witness might just be scenes you want to see or they want you to see. That's pretty much what these episodes are. Mulder sees what looks like Aliens and they are only just lepers that were part of the WWII experiment. These episodes kind of served as another story in the whole Alien thing, and not getting everything so quickly.

I did like X in these episodes though. Maybe it was we finally got to see him do something, weather it was telling Mulder not to board the train or saving Mulder at the end.

Overall, I'm not saying these episodes were bad, because they were very good, but it almost felt like misdirection and another layer to this arc which is already pretty big.

 

[tomalak301]

War of the Coprophages & Syzygy

I'm not sure how much I'm going to talk about these episodes, but I wanted to bring this thread back just to say I'm still watching the series, but I've been sick and busy lately and haven't gotten around to it. It seems like Sunday Nights are the best nights for these episodes (Not much else is on that I'm interested in) but also, I still want this thread to continue, even if I passed some really cool episodes and I was the only one to bring them up. Honestly, I thought there was more of an X-Files following here but maybe not.

Anyway, these two episodes were X-Files goes crazy. One deals with mechanical Cockroaches, and the other deals with Planets aligning and everyone acting crazy. The episodes did have two things in common though, and that was Mulder getting a bit of a love interest making Scully jealous, and the theme of mob mentality (We really haven't changed much in 20 years, unfortunately ) taking center stage. Also, both episodes brought out a bit of humor, with the first episode working more than the second episode did. I will say though, these two episodes makes me wish we had another Mythological episode coming up. The recent two parter kind of turned things inside out that I'm looking forward to some kind of follow through.

 

[Forbin]

Bobbie Phillips.
*sigh*