OT: The X-Files revival

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TheArm
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OT: The X-Files revival

Post by TheArm »

I hope this is ok to post here! Maybe because I was an avid Wrapped in Plastic reader, I have always seen X-Files as a sister show to TP (as WiP gave XF a lot of coverage back in its heyday).

Just curious, has anybody been watching the X-Files revival? Given the excitement for the TP revival, I was curious what people think?

Personally, I love having Mulder & Scully back in my life with new adventures, though on the whole I have found the whole affair to be a disappointment. I have found it to be *incredibly* uneven thus far (even by X-Files standards, as it was always inconsistent even at the best of times), and kicked off with a premiere episode that almost seemed at times like a parody, with long scenes of Mulder and Scully shouting "I want to believe!", "the truth is out there!" and various other catchphrases from the original series at each other and pandering to nostalgia in the dumbest and worst ways before moving the characters basically back into the exact same positions and places they were in back in the '90s and proceeding from there as if the past 14 years (+ seasons 8, 9 & the 2nd movie) mostly never happened. Only this week's has come even a little close to recapturing the old magic.

I'm very, very excited by just how different a beast this new TP seems from the old one (at least from the little we really know thus far), and after cringing my way through the XF revival thus far, I think this can only be a good thing! Trying as hard as possible to recreate the good old days with much older actors, as X-Files has done, is one approach to a revival, I suppose, but it all comes off (to me, at least) as a bit sad and desperate, though the ratings, which have been massive, seem to say that my opinion must be in in the minority. Certainly, its popularity and the excitement around it can only be a good thing for TP, though my disappointment with the quality has made me feel like I need to cautiously lower my expectations a little for TP.
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N. Needleman
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by N. Needleman »

I was never a huge XF fan as a kid though I did watch it a fair bit, and I've come to enjoy it on streaming much more. But I've always regarded it as the same as what this new revival has turned out to be - a very mixed bag of good and bad with two great leads and some great writers and ideas along with some duds. The first episode was awful, the second was pretty decent and I thought the third was excellent. It's been a massive success for FOX (to my surprise, actually) and it will almost certainly get a return engagement, which the network is dying for. And I'm happy for them, despite still not being a major fan.

I think it's fine that it's still the same flawed grab-bag because that's how I've come to view that show, as hopefully greater than just its varied messy parts. But if I was a more devoted fan I might see it differently.

I do think the expectation for say, XF vs. Twin Peaks is very different - I think because while XF was a huge hit and cultural touchstone of the '90s, I don't think it was ever seen as art or a foundation stone of the best of television in the same way as Peaks. It was always a network show with a certain formula which was bound by certain rules, restrictions and weaknesses (Chris Carter's writing) that had every advantage given to it, ran long enough to get old and a bit tired and even got two movies. TP, by comparison, was sort of the auteur's hothouse flower that lived a season and died. I enjoy them both, but I only like XF whereas I worship Peaks. In terms of putting them side-by-side I think it's really apples and oranges. Though Peaks almost certainly influenced it a bit, and they both influenced a ton of other shows.
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WhiteLodge
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by WhiteLodge »

Is it me, or was the ending of X-Files tonight filmed in Kiana lodge, where Laura's body was washed up? Looked very familiar, And I don't know why, but I was getting a peakies vibe from the episode tonight.. :D
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by MasterMastermind »

You can count me as a fan of the new X-Files stuff. The first episode was a bit overstuffed but everything since has been quite good. Fun stories just packed with ideas to mull over afterward. You didn't always get that with standalones back in the day. Duchovny and Anderson have a powerful, lived-in dynamic indicating without over-selling their personal shorthand and vivid inner lives. I've heard people call them "wooden" but it's confusing to me because this is among the most subtle work I've ever seen them do on the show. The fact that Carter and co. are putting Mulder and Scully through the ringer, looking unsparingly at the guilt and regret they've accrued since we last saw them, and exploring how it's affected them, is very powerful to me. I'm glad they aren't just doing tossed-off MOTW stories like Excelsis Dei or Space and running a fanservice victory lap. They're challenging the way we see these characters, and relegating fanservice to little easter eggs. I've missed this show and, frankly, so has tv.
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TheArm
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by TheArm »

WhiteLodge wrote:Is it me, or was the ending of X-Files tonight filmed in Kiana lodge, where Laura's body was washed up? Looked very familiar, And I don't know why, but I was getting a peakies vibe from the episode tonight.. :D
It wasn't; it was all shot in Vancouver. But yes, I agree, that location was very evocative of the spot where Laura's body washed ashore. Even my husband, who frankly isn't a fan of either show, saw me watching that scene and was like "wait, are they in Twin Peaks?"
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by MasterMastermind »

It is where they shot part of the show Arrow, per some people I know who watch Arrow! A seemingly little-commented on similarity between the shows is that ineffable Pacific Northwest atmosphere.
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by TwinPeaksFanatic »

I'm a big X-files fan & I agree it feels a bit choppy. I believe they are airing the episodes differently than orginally planned. I think last nights episode was supposed to air as the second episode but was switched for whatever reason. However I'm still enjoying it & never expected it to be like Twin Peaks. I think TP has a lot more layers, depth and sadness to it & the revival will be on a whole different level.
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Shloogorgh
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by Shloogorgh »

The new season needs more breathing room. The comedic episode is the only one that doesn't feel compromised by its runtime. Maybe with how well it's doing in ratings everyone will clear their schedules out a bit more to make a longer followup.

I'm glad Lynch is getting as many hours as he deems necessary.
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by MasterMastermind »

I wonder if they're feeling the crunch of more ad-time today than in the 90s. Last night's episode would have been better as the second one, no doubt.
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by sneakydave »

I was a massive X-Files fan back in the day. Really enjoyed the mythology up until the end of season 7. That side of it became incredibly convoluted in season 9 which, along with the downturn in quality of the show as a whole, left me with a bitter feeling towards it.

Nevertheless, I was looking forward to the reboot. However, I agree with what other folks are saying. It maybe needed another episode or two to allow for some breathing room. The first episode in particular was an absolute mess. An absolute mess that appeared to take a giant dump on the mythology that was built up over 9 years. The switch around of episodes 2 and 4 has also hurt the continuity of the show a little in terms of how Mulder reacts when Scully is talking about their son, William. Not a massive deal but a certain scene in this week's (otherwise excellent) episode just seemed odd when you compare it to the way Mulder speaks about their son in episode 2.

As much as I have pretty much enjoyed it as a whole (episodes 3 and 4 in particular), the pacing just seems a little off and Duchovny still just seems more Hank Moody than Fox Mulder. I'm incredibly trepidatious abut the last episode however. I just don't trust Chris Carter to write a good hour of mythology anymore. His main job is to clear up the mess he made with episode 1 and get the mythology back on track.

We shall see.
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by Valaquen »

I love The X Files. Recently, I compiled all of the best mythology and standalone episodes (about 85 eps spread from season 1-8) and watched them all and it was fantastic. Some truly great stuff in there, especially when you can avoid the dross. The plot was surprisingly not-so-complicated that way, too.

I read that the show in its original run had next to no time for pre-planning when it came to the writing, and with 23-25 episodes a season, every year for almost a decade... you will get some duds. Hell, Twin Peak's' very own season 2 expanded order, combined with the absence of Lynch, made the show absolutely dovetail until the finale. So I understand and forgive the inconsistencies in quality. You've got got dozens of fantastic television right there, and some great, great characters and villians. When it comes to season 9, though, I don't bother. The ending of season 8 is how it should've ended. That episode's final image perfectly encapsulates the entire show.

As for the miniseries, the opening was very wonky - literally all of Chris Carter's weaknesses were on display and they went nuts with the CGI which made it look bad (the original show had some wonky effects, most usually in its first season, but it also did some amazing practicals too.) Episode 2 was back to business for the show and 3 was classic Darin Morgan. I also loved episode 4, but I agree with another poster that it needed a little more time dedicated to it - the Trashman plot wraps itself very quickly. All in all, I'm so happy it's back and doing great. I saw the preview for episode 5 and it doesn't look so exciting - Chris Carter is directing again and there's an explosion in the teaser which looks awful (compare it to the bank explosion in season 6's 'Monday').

Those are my only complaints, I guess. I'm a dedicated X-Phile :D
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by MasterMastermind »

I have a good feeling about Babylon! I tend to like Carter's weird off-format episodes.
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TheArm
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by TheArm »

Yeah, I didn't love episode 4. I appreciate that they are trying to tell character-driven stories in the episodes AND also do more traditional monster-of-the-week X-Files episodes, but the way in which it was done in eps 2 and 4 seemed pretty sloppy to me. The fantasy sequences in which Mulder and Scully dreamed of a life in which they had raised William made me cringe. And this week, having Scully's mother die and immediately having her go "I HAVE TO WORK, NOW" was laughably absurd; even the great Gillian Anderson couldn't save that one. Nor could she save that last line "I just hope we didn't treat him like trash." You know, because the episode is about how people treat each other like trash. It's just all very ham-fisted, heavy-handed and on-the-nose. The episode doesn't hold a candle to the previous Glen Morgan efforts that it was emulating/referencing ("Beyond the Sea," "Home," etc.).

I'm also a little bewildered by all of the time spent with M&S being maudlin about William, their son, who most casual viewers probably don't even really remember or care about, and whom even the writers shuttled off the show so that they wouldn't have to worry about continuing to write Mulder and Scully's child into the movie franchise that was meant to follow the series. So why so much emphasis is being put on him now is a mystery to me. Either they should just go and look for him (they're FBI agents; surely they can find him!), or they should move on. Scully acts as if she has made a terrible mistake and was selfish to give him up, when, in actuality, she did it to SAVE William and to keep him safe.

Also, "Band Aid Nose Man" was a creepy creation (even if his moniker is dumb), but the case just sort of comes to an abrupt end. So did he just finish killing everyone he wanted to kill and now he's done? Why do M&S just decide they're done investigating the case after a bunch of dead bodies have been left behind? I realize they frequently didn't capture the monster in many classic episodes, but still, they usually found at least a more poignant or mysterious way to resolve the episodes than this.

Anyway, I really love the original series, but I'm mystified by what a mess this mini-series revival is, but that's just my humble opinion! I'm glad others are enjoying and I'm still happy to have the characters back (and, more importantly, back in the cultural conversation), even if the whole affair feels very rushed, under-cooked and slap-dash. I'm choosing to enjoy the small Mulder & Scully moments ("you're a dark wizard, Mulder") that really were the heart of the show all along.
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Shloogorgh
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by Shloogorgh »

They're definitely building up to some kind of William revelation for the finale.

As much as the idea of weaving a larger narrative into these monster of the week episodes is a good idea conceptually, they clearly bit off more than they could chew. Classic x-files knew how to properly pace a story.
TheArm wrote:The episode doesn't hold a candle to the previous Glen Morgan efforts that it was emulating/referencing ("Beyond the Sea," "Home," etc.).
Beyond the Sea is my favorite season 1 episode, it was a shame they couldn't weave Scully's personal tragedy into the storyline as effectively as they did with the death of Scully's father (our very own late Don S Davis)
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TheArm
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Re: OT: The X-Files revival

Post by TheArm »

Shloogorgh wrote:Beyond the Sea is my favorite season 1 episode, it was a shame they couldn't weave Scully's personal tragedy into the storyline as effectively as they did with the death of Scully's father (our very own late Don S Davis)

Agreed. It's one of my absolute favorite episodes of the whole run. I remember it as the episode that I realized that the show had the potential for real greatness (and that GA was a stellar actress). I felt like "Home Again" was reaching for that episode's greatness but it fell quite short of the mark.
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