Television The X-Files 30th Anniversary complete rewatch thread

[ChickenBrother]

Overall, however, I have to say the episodes that move along the main story are skippable. After the first two seasons or so, the stuff about aliens, Mulder’s father and the government conspiracy to withhold the truth are, in a word, shit. I’m not sure how they came up with their convoluted explanation, but it’s pretty horrible, and I enjoyed the X-files.

Couldn't agree more. The whole cigarette smoking man arc, government conspiracy, annoying deputy director guy suddenly on their side now. Fuck you Chris Carter and Vince Gilligan, give us more inbred hillbillies with darkman strength because they’re too stupid to know what pain is. The "monster of the week" stuff was the real meat of this show.

 

[MLarson]

If you had to pick one episode that you say is your favorite. Which one would it be?

There's a tournament for you. The Best of X-Files and have the five best episodes of each season and then have best five overall. I'd do it myself but I can't make polls unfortunately.

 

[Ima5starman]

There's a tournament for you. The Best of X-Files and have the five best episodes of each season and then have best five overall. I'd do it myself but I can't make polls unfortunately.

That would be fun. Count me in

 

[Jack Reacheround]

Alexa Chung from Outer Space? Or something like that.
Cold Potatoes.
Clyde Bruckmans Final Repose

Jose Chung. But all of those are amazing episodes.

In the pilot, Mulder is a little too enthusiastic. But they obviously directed Duchovny much better on subsequent episodes.

 

[MLarson]

If you're in the States, it's on Hulu; if you're in the UK, it's on Disney+.

Jose Chung. But all of those are amazing episodes.

In the pilot, Mulder is a little too enthusiastic. But they obviously directed Duchovny much better on subsequent episodes.

Jose Chung is one of my top five episodes.

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

There's a tournament for you. The Best of X-Files and have the five best episodes of each season and then have best five overall. I'd do it myself but I can't make polls unfortunately.

lol I doubt anyone even remembers these episodes.

 

[MLarson]

Some other shows I want binge watch:
X-Files
DCAU
Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Twilight Zone
Game of Thrones

 

[ChickenBrother]

And it's been many years since I've watched the show but I remember K1 Mulder being borderline ridiculous. Like he'd practically get in fistfights with Igor Vovchanchyn and somehow beat their asses.

But they went the other extreme with Agent Doggett. Dude sucked at fighting and got beat down more than Kenny in South Park. Like every episode he was in, someone would kick his ass. In one episode he even got straight up murdered but then eaten by the mystical monster of the week and shat out alive again.

 

[RedFoxOne]

Enjoy!

Modern television owes many thanks to the original run. The X Files isn't perfect! But holy shit, at its best, there isn't anything better!

 

[moreorless87]

Overall, however, I have to say the episodes that move along the main story are skippable. After the first two seasons or so, the stuff about aliens, Mulder’s father and the government conspiracy to withhold the truth are, in a word, shit. I’m not sure how they came up with their convoluted explanation, but it’s pretty horrible, and I enjoyed the X-files.

To be fair I think whilst the X-files got a rep as the start of "serial" TV those episodes were never really that focused on plot but rather style and character, I don't think there as good as the best one off stuff but just taken as mysterious conspiracy episodes rather than a story with a plot that holds together they hold up much better IMHO.

I think actually the X-files stands up as the opposite of what modern shows have shifted towards, a show which uses its mostly non serial nature to cover a hell of a lot of ground in style/tone.

 

[rhayabusabze]

not my favourite but one of, if not the most important episode was Season 6 Episode 2 ''Drive''

whoa, just realized it's Walter White

 

[panem-et-circenses]

To be fair I think whilst the X-files got a rep as the start of "serial" TV those episodes were never really that focused on plot but rather style and character, I don't think there as good as the best one off stuff but just taken as mysterious conspiracy episodes rather than a story with a plot that holds together they hold up much better IMHO.

I think actually the X-files stands up as the opposite of what modern shows have shifted towards, a show which uses its mostly non serial nature to cover a hell of a lot of ground in style/tone.

I shouldve prefaced my post by saying I didn’t watch the X-files during its original run, really. It was before my time, at least what would be considered its prime. I, like a lot of others, watched it during the streaming era, a fact that colors my view of things.

if you had to wait a week in order to see a new episode, the plot holes and redundant crap would be obscured a bit. Like, you wouldn’t find some of the thrown together plot points to be pointless, and might buy into where they took the overarching main story, no matter how cringe it got at times (I like David, think he’s a decent actor all things considered, but he wasn’t believable during some of the sister episodes). So, I don’t completely dismiss the main story, but within the context of rewatching, it has to be pointed out how weak the X-files can get.

The ‘smoking man’ was the main casualty of the aforementioned weakness. In the earlier seasons, he was an interesting character which, if things were written different, could have been a great television character. But they stretched things to the point of being stupid and unbelievable, especially the last season (I won’t spoilt it).

 

[moreorless87]

I shouldve prefaced my post by saying I didn’t watch the X-files during its original run, really. It was before my time, at least what would be considered its prime. I, like a lot of others, watched it during the streaming era, a fact that colors my view of things.

if you had to wait a week in order to see a new episode, the plot holes and redundant crap would be obscured a bit. Like, you wouldn’t find some of the thrown together plot points to be pointless, and might buy into where they took the overarching main story, no matter how cringe it got at times (I like David, think he’s a decent actor all things considered, but he wasn’t believable during some of the sister episodes). So, I don’t completely dismiss the main story, but within the context of rewatching, it has to be pointed out how weak the X-files can get.

The ‘smoking man’ was the main casualty of the aforementioned weakness. In the earlier seasons, he was an interesting character which, if things were written different, could have been a great television character. But they stretched things to the point of being stupid and unbelievable, especially the last season (I won’t spoilt it).

I'd agree in retrospect the overarching plot doesnt have a great deal to it but again I think you could argue that was not really what the show was focused on, it wasnt really interested in building up the exact details of the alien conspiracy so much as it was having them as a reason for the characters to do mysterious thrillerish stuff which wouldnt really work in one off episiodes.

I would say the opposite with the Cig Smoking man, I think he's a great character and I think its actually a good thing he remains quite underdeveloped, we do get some details of his life and drama around him but I think going into too much detail of that and giving him too much of a dramatic arc would probably have spoiled what made him good in the first place.

I feel thats often an issue with modern serial shows, the need to give every character an arc I think often gets in the way of having supporting roles with personality. The Cig Man as a mysterious threatening guy is an iconic role and his having some arc were his personality shifts away from that would likely not have made the series better.

 

[Beau Wring]

3 episodes in and....

Hi, here's a fun fact, my 3rd wife hasn't yet been conceived

 

[Meatspin]

Loved this show back in the day. Unfortunately I don't have the patience for a rewatch, but enjoy.

 

[Beau Wring]

whoa, just realized it's Walter White

hence the importance of the episode, it was a big reason why he got that part.

 

[HARRISON_3]

That incest hillbilly episode still haunted me into my early twenties. I was way too young to watch that shit.

That’s literally the only episode I’ve ever seen.

And it was a sherbro recommendation.

 

[The_Renaissance]

That incest hillbilly episode still haunted me into my early twenties. I was way too young to watch that shit.

'Home'.

Absolute TV gold, phenomenal shit - scary as fuck, when I was a kid. Still grim, as an adult.

Can still remember the first time I watched that live, on it's release.

I rewatch the entire thing, start to finish, about once every two years - I'm actually in the throes of it now. Season 3, I'm on at the moment. Got the whole thing as DVD boxsets.

 

[Tone C]

3 episodes in and....

Tombes?

Says a lot that I remember him from 30 years ago....

 

[Bacco]

Random af, but just finished watch Painkillers on Netflix, end up the cutie is Mulder's daughter