X-Files returns

[Sugar Ape]

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2016/jan/12/the-x-files-12-episodes-to-get-you-ready-for-mulder-and-scullys-new-series?CMP=twt_gu

 

The X-Files: 12 episodes to get you ready for Mulder and Scully's new series

 

The first minute of the new miniseries reminds us what to expect: UFOs, freaky monsters and government conspiracies. But if you don’t fancy binge-watching all 202 episodes before it starts, which are the best ones to dip into?

 

 

“My name is Fox Mulder. Since my childhood I’ve been obsessed by a controversial global phenomenon.”

 

The new X-Files miniseries starts on 24 January on Fox in the US, and will be showing in early February in the UK on Channel 5. As posted by X-Files site Do You Still Believe?, Mulder’s opening monologue in the first minute also serves as a handy recap of the show’s premise.

 

We are reminded that Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) has believed in UFOs and a far-reaching alien conspiracy since his sister disappeared when they were kids; he joined the FBI as a way to keep searching for her as an adult. Working out of the FBI’s X-Files department, along the way he encounters a lot of other spooky stuff. His new partner, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), was initially the scientific rationalist sent to curb his enthusiasm for paranormal explanations, but she finds it hard to maintain that level of scepticism when she’s dealing with X-Files every week; by the end, they’re pretty much on the same page.

 

If you’re planning on reacquainting yourself with the Cigarette Smoking Man, black oil, the Lone Gunmen and the rest of the men in black/government alien coverup conspiracy before it starts, the repeats are out there – in the UK, Amazon Prime is streaming all nine seasons; it’s on Hulu in the US.

 

There’s a lot to get through: 202 episodes (plus two films). So, here’s a quick primer.

 

 

Pilot

 

“Agent Mulder, I’m Dana Scully, I’ve been assigned to work with you …”

 

 

Beyond the Sea

 

Where Mulder had aliens, Scully had God; their different versions of faith and belief provided some of the most interesting personal tension between the two as the series went on. This season-one episode had a great performance from Brad Dourif as a serial killer who claimed his clairvoyant powers allowed him to speak to Scully’s late father.

 

 

Home

 

The X-Files also took in some of the darker tropes from horror. This episode made more than the most of its deserted-house premise to mine one of our most primal fears: something under the bed.

 

 

EBE

 

That’s Extra Biological Entity (a bit like a grownup ET). Mulder gets tantalisingly close to the truth in an episode that also introduces Langly, Frohike and Byers AKA the Lone Gunmen, probably the only people in The X-Files who know more about conspiracy theories than Mulder.

 

 

Bad Blood

 

“It’s obviously not a vampire.” “Why not?” “Well, because they don’t exist?” Some people with very large incisors have the duo thinking otherwise.

 

 

Squeeze

 

An early freak-of-the-week episode that proved The X-Files was more than capable of coming up with some intriguing urban myths of its own.

 

 

Drive

 

A one-off that riffs on the film Speed (a man hijacks a car with Mulder in it, insisting that he will die if the car slows down) – Drive is also now notable for being the first time X-Files writer Vince Gilligan spotted Bryan Cranston; he remembered him when he was casting Walter White in Breaking Bad.

 

 

The Host

 

Fears about radiation fallout from Chernobyl and the idea that there might be things living in the sewers combine to great effect for Flukeman, a distinctive looking sewer-dweller.

 

 

Triangle

 

Never afraid of taking on the big guns of the paranormal, Mulder and Scully venture into the Bermuda Triangle, and find themselves in a weird time-travel alternative reality.

 

 

Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man

 

An insight into the backstory of one of the series’ most enigmatic characters. Played with relish by William B Davis – who is returning for the new episodes – it turns out the sinister Cancer Man has been working on the shady side of FBI since the JFK assassination.

 

 

X Cops

 

By season seven, Chris Carter and the team were more than confident enough to play with the form of the show. Here, they teamed up with reality show Cops for a postmodern twist. See also Jose Chung’s From Outer Space.

 

 

Paper Clip

 

Truth or answers? That’s the question explored in the season-three finale, as The X-Files’ internal mythology ramps up a gear with an episode that takes in Nazi scientists, Mulder’s parents, the smallpox vaccination conspiracy, UFOs and a showdown with Skinner (Mitch Pileggi – another member of the returning cast).

[Red Phoenix]

A couple of extra clips here. I've been trying to avoid these as there's often short clips that don't really add much, but I can hack a couple. The 2nd one is part interview and focuses on a character that helps get the mythology part restarted (although the previous 20 min re-opened clip might have already covered that, haven't seen it.)

 

Just over a week away and still trying not to think that much about it, it'll just bug me. If it does badly though I didn't get around to reading those comics/graphic novels, so I can do that, and I have all of the previous on DVD too, so might watch some older episodes if it gets annoying waiting.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi_9YuMynW0

 

[skend04]

I was a massive fan of the original show but the reviews of at least the first new episode aren't inspiring which is disappointing. I'll await a few more before jumping into it.

[Red Phoenix]

More news that I don't like the sound of : The X-Files Revival Will End on a ‘Huge Cliffhanger’

 

So for a mythology fan, not so good. Sunday and monday night when the first 2 episodes are on will probably be a high point, then the last episode concludes the mythology for these shows with a massive cliffhanger, so I can't really get into the idea of that. It says on that page that Carter wants another big budget film, and I do like the sound of that because I enjoyed the first film. Just wanted some of this stuff resolved too though, but it looks like that's not going to happen any time soon.

 

But still, it should be great to see it back over the weekend. It was probably my all time favourite show when it was at its peak, which for me wasn't any particular series, it was various mythology episodes scattered throughout. So to see that back in action shortly could be truly awesome.

[kidney]

I really hope that in either this series of 'x' files or the new series of 'The Fall' that Duchovny and Dornan appear with some rope, cable ties and duct tape and then give Gillian an almighty seeing to!!

en 

[Red Phoenix]

9 hours left until I start hunting around for torrents of the 1st episode, it's going to pass annoyingly slowly. When does it air in this country? 2020 or something?

[RedKnight]

February.

[Red Phoenix]

February.

 

Wow, not bad! I thought it'd be the same bullshit routine with most shows, and was thinking of how Agents of Shield aired this month with the 1st episode of season 3, after originally airing in Sept last year.

[Red Phoenix]

Not sure if there's any other mythology freaks around, but incase there is, this is the best page I found for covering it a few years back : http://www.themareks.com/xf/conspiracy.shtml

 

It's long, and yeah, green text. Still insane detail though.

 

For those that want a shorter version, this was what reminded me of the first link : http://screenrant.com/x-files-complete-guid-mythology-tv-reboot/?view=all

 

edit - shorter here too : http://www.themareks.com/xf/finale.shtml

[RedKnight]

Wow, not bad! I thought it'd be the same bullshit routine with most shows, and was thinking of how Agents of Shield aired this month with the 1st episode of season 3, after originally airing in Sept last year.

 

Agents of Shield doesn't deliver ratings and it's broadcast stop/starts so C4 decided to cut out that and just air it complete.

[Red Phoenix]

Agents of Shield doesn't deliver ratings and it's broadcast stop/starts so C4 decided to cut out that and just air it complete.

 

Ah ok, thanks. I've had it before in the past with other programs like Smallville, but I suppose once that going it wasn't huge with ratings either. Especially as time passed, it was approaching its 10th series, and also kind of dragged out and not great in several places.

 

edit : fucking edits. I edited my post with the links back there and included a good short mythology summary link if anyone's interested.

[Red Phoenix]

Have seen the 1st episode, awesome beyond words having it back! Thought the pacing was good too, quite a few things going on there. Might post in more detail after tomorrow with what I think, seeing as that'll be the last mythology episode until the end, and will make sure it's inside spoiler tags.

[Red Phoenix]

@TheJediTurtle

When you read a bad review @thexfiles #XFiles :

 

 

[skend04]

I'll wait until the whole series has been on. The reviews have been pretty bad so far.

[Red Phoenix]

I'll wait until the whole series has been on. The reviews have been pretty bad so far.

 

The reviews might be based on the 1st episode, which is kind of bringing things up to date and might be a bit information overload-ish for some. I'm fine with it though, as are a lot of other fans after looking around. Waiting for the 1080p version to download now before watching it in better quality. You're probably best just ignoring critics and judging it for yourself though (a lot of them only got the 1st episode to watch from what I've seen so far.) If you're an old fan it definitely shouldn't be an issue either.

[Frankenhooker]

I've always been a fan of The X Files, I have the whole lot on VHS, DVD and now Bluray.  I've read, and own, the 'season 10' comics, when I read that both The X Files and Twin Peaks were coming back I was made up.  I watched the first episode and thought it was incredibly flat, clunky and quite messy.

 

Overall I still enjoyed it, but I don't know if that's nostalgia playing a part, Mark Snow's theme certainly took me back.  I'll certainly be watching next week, but then I saw the second movie a handful of times in the cinema and that film got a right kicking.

[Red Phoenix]

I'll certainly be watching next week, but then I saw the second movie a handful of times in the cinema and that film got a right kicking.

 

The next one is on tonight in the US, 8pm eastern time. Then it's every week after that.

[Frankenhooker]

Didn't know that.  Hopefully ep 1 was just laying groundwork for the uninitiated and tonight's is better.

[setreal]

Did you guys like the second movie that came out a few years ago?

[Red Phoenix]

Did you guys like the second movie that came out a few years ago?

 

I didn't like it that much. Thought the first film was way better. It did have Amanda Peet in it though, so not all bad.

[Frankenhooker]

Did you guys like the second movie that came out a few years ago?

I enjoyed it, it was certainly flawed though.

[redheart]

The Guardian reviewer watched a few Episodes of the X-Files.

 

It stated that the first episode or two were clunky and were TV programmes made for 2002.

 

It stated that the episodes following were rather good

[Hades]

The Guardian reviewer watched a few Episodes of the X-Files.

 

It stated that the first episode or two were clunky and were TV programmes made for 2002.

 

It stated that the episodes following were rather good

I wish. TV was miles better in 2002.

[setreal]

I didn't like it that much. Thought the first film was way better. It did have Amanda Peet in it though, so not all bad.

 

 

I enjoyed it, it was certainly flawed though.

 

I thought it was OK, but I'm a bit more generous here because Scully and Mulder. And yes, Peet should have been in it more.

 

My main problem with it was that in essence it was the type of episode I like least from the XFiles: a standalone case involving some kind of rednecks and/or cult that is played completely straight. My favorite episodes were the more light hearted ones scattered around the show that try to take the piss out of themselves a bit. Generally, I preferred the weird ones to the dark ones. Like the time travel episode on the ship, or the one where they make a movie (or tv show) about Scully and Mulder.

[Red Phoenix]

My favorite episodes were the more light hearted ones scattered around the show that try to take the piss out of themselves a bit.

 

 

Liked some or maybe most of them too. Can't remember much of them as it's been quite a while since I've had an X-Files binge, but am sure I cracked up at some of them. That episode for this series is on next week as well. As for preferring weird instead of dark ones in the stand-alone episodes, I might be about the same in most cases. The strangeness/originality of a lot of those was one of the big reasons that I liked the series so much.

 

My memory is shocking actually when it comes to the stand-alone episodes, am really going to have to start rewatching some. Probably by finding the ones I want to see again, then downloading the 1080 versions to see them in their best quality for the first time. Should help the days pass more easily between new episodes as well.