FTA-TV The X-Files

[Drummond]

There was a thread for the show like 10 years ago, so I thought it was worthy of a new one.

I never watched this growing up. Even though I've always appreciated sci-fi, I never gave it a run and was never really interested in doing so. That was until recently when they had a sale on DVD’S so I figured what have I got to lose.

9 episodes in and I'm really enjoying it, loving Mulder so much. Recently watched the episode 'Ice', what an absolute cracker! Of course it's basically 'The Thing', but it really was a masterpiece. This was followed up by ‘Space’, which I actually really enjoyed then I read reviews and it seems I was alone!

Question to fans of the show, does it remain a ‘freak of the week’, or does an overarching story line develop? And secondly, what would you consider the ‘peak’ seasons?

 

[Pugsley]

The truth is out there.

 

[GROTTO]

The truth is out there.

You're deceiving us with Beautiful Lies.

 

[DIG]

From memory there was nearly always a new x file each week, but an overarching story does develop pretty early on.

 

[GROTTO]

From memory there was nearly always a new x file each week, but an overarching story does develop pretty early on.

For its time, it did spoke a lot of people. Great series. Not a great few last seasons, but definitely better than a lot of shit on today.

 

[JackOutback]

From memory there was nearly always a new x file each week, but an overarching story does develop pretty early on.

One of the rare series where the stamdalone episodes were stronger than the overarching ones. Usually a good ongoing storyline offers much more. And for the first three or four seasons, it did pretty well. Then it got far too complicated and even the writers seemed to have no idea where to take it.

 

[DIG]

One of the rare series where the stamdalone episodes were stronger than the overarching ones. Usually a good ongoing storyline offers much more. And for the first three or four seasons, it did pretty well. Then it got far too complicated and even the writers seemed to have no idea where to take it.

Yep, bang on. And it became pretty clear after a while that they were making it up as they went.

In the reboot last year which the OP will get to eventually (if he sticks with it!) there was a couple of really good eps I thought.

 

[Flandersss]

Recently brought the first 4 seasons.

Love the smoking man.

 

[dart]

Question to fans of the show, does it remain a ‘freak of the week’, or does an overarching story line develop? And secondly, what would you consider the ‘peak’ seasons?

There's an overall story arc which revolves around alien mythology, which is/was really good up until a certain point (this certain point I've discovered is different for a lot of people).

The great thing for me is when re-watching you can pick what mood you're into, watch all the alien mythology episodes, or watch the stand alone episodes, there are some absolute crackers - including "Home" (season 4), that scared the hell out of us when we watched it the first time.

I remember this being a fixture of my Wednesday nights ~94/95 or so, it was The Simpsons followed by the X-files, followed by Need For Speed on the PC.

 

[footyfan1978]

Yep, bang on. And it became pretty clear after a while that they were making it up as they went.

In the reboot last year which the OP will get to eventually (if he sticks with it!) there was a couple of really good eps I thought.

There was but the overall story line sucked in the end. The end was so bad it sticks in the mind more than a few good episodes. Basically it became a show caught in the trap of knowing if they were intent on making each episode itself be it's strength or an overall storyline to connect it all together.
For mid 1990's it did offer something on tv a bit different from the norm. For me having discovered Fringe as a sci-fi show just over 5 years ago it did this type of niche sci-fi tv show a lot better than X-Files. I would still watch new episodes if they tried to fix up the mess ending of last year but if they are done with it more than happy to leave it as a show that was decent for it's time period of mid 1990s.
I stopped watching it at one point in 1990s and never bothered with later seasons. Just ended up not being compelling viewing as you knew the writers were struggling what to do with it after a while.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

They had wrapped up most, if not all, relevant things by the end of Season 7. I think they actually intended to leave it right there but the studio had other ideas. Seasons 8 and 9 just felt 'tacked on' even though there were some good episodes to be had. I've rewatched Season 10 and I still don't know what to make of it except that the Lizard Man episode kicks all kinds of arse.

Comfortably inside my top 10 of all episodes.

 

[JackOutback]

They had wrapped up most, if not all, relevant things by the end of Season 7. I think they actually intended to leave it right there but the studio had other ideas. Seasons 8 and 9 just felt 'tacked on' even though there were some good episodes to be had. I've rewatched Season 10 and I still don't know what to make of it except that the Lizard Man episode kicks all kinds of arse.

Comfortably inside my top 10 of all episodes.

Writer Darin Morgan would probably have a lock on several of those top 10 episodes.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Watched some of this as a kid including the first movie. It seemed pretty good and at times scary. I watched the first two episodes of season 10 (2016) but they didn't do much for me... not sure the style they were going for worked in the present day. 1990s before the internet and smartphones exploded, yeah.

I downloaded season 1 last year thinking "Yeah, I'll watch all of The X-Files!" but the bloody files (not a pun) wouldn't work on the TV Maybe some day I'll get around to redownloading or get a better TV.

Seasons 8 and 9 seem the least popular because Duchvony left to be a movie star or Fox didn't want to pay him what he was worth (or both). Anderson also appeared less.

Question to fans of the show, does it remain a ‘freak of the week’, or does an overarching story line develop? And secondly, what would you consider the ‘peak’ seasons?

Wikipedia has a symbol next to the episodes that are part of the long term story https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_X-Files_episodes#Series_overview I assume the rest are 'monster of the week'.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

There was a 13-episode spin off with the three computer nerds. Never watched it. Was probably buried in the middle of the night by the time it aired here.

 

[JackOutback]

There was a 13-episode spin off with the three computer nerds. Never watched it. Was probably buried in the middle of the night by the time it aired here.

Famously predicted 9/11, sort of.

 

[Neese]

They had wrapped up most, if not all, relevant things by the end of Season 7. I think they actually intended to leave it right there but the studio had other ideas. Seasons 8 and 9 just felt 'tacked on' even though there were some good episodes to be had. I've rewatched Season 10 and I still don't know what to make of it except that the Lizard Man episode kicks all kinds of arse.

Comfortably inside my top 10 of all episodes.

I really liked the Trashman one too

 

[peternorth]

It is on SBS viceland now.

the pilot is on.

dana scully just got undressed....well down to undergarments. shes asking mulder to look at something on her lower back.

 

[GROTTO]

It is on SBS viceland now.

the pilot is on.

dana scully just got undressed....well down to undergarments. shes asking mulder to look at something on her lower back.

Gillian Anderson in her 40s would put her 20s version to complete shame.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I downloaded season 1 last year thinking "Yeah, I'll watch all of The X-Files!" but the bloody files (not a pun) wouldn't work on the TV Maybe some day I'll get around to redownloading or get a better TV.

Spoiler

I haven't done either.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Gillian Anderson in her 40s would put her 20s version to complete shame.

Dunno how much nip and tuck work she's had done but she has aged REALLY well. I mean, look at this bit of footage from the series reboot episode Mulder and Scully meet the Weremonster;

 

[GROTTO]

Dunno how much nip and tuck work she's had done but she has aged REALLY well. I mean, look at this bit of footage from the series reboot episode Mulder and Scully meet the Weremonster;

Credit to her though she did lose weight, had a lot of puffy fat in her early years of the X Files esp when you compare that to her latter years on the show.

 

[peternorth]

Back in 2


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[peternorth]

Was on again tonight

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Was on again tonight

It is on every weeknight. I'm not sure, but episodes may also be streamed on demand via the SBS viceland app.

They're doing the first Lone Gunmen episode now.

 

[Drummond]

Slowly working my way through it. Up to season 6 now, and gotta say, it’s almost a completely different feel to season 5. I’m not sure I like it...