Fox: The X-Files

[keg in kc]

Seem like I'm about 23 years behind on this one?

(Jesus, 23 years?!)

Apparently not. Fox is in talks with Chris Carter to bring it back, including having David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise Scully and Mulder. Nothing creative yet, just seeing how schedules line up, but still...

Also having (unrelated of course) talks about bringing back Prison Break and running a Kiefer-free version of 24 (not sure how that would work; he was that snow).

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Jamie

I don't know, that SD shittiness might be what I'm missing. The X-Files in my memory had a drab moodiness that the new episodes don't. I have liked them overall though (even the first one).

1993 & 1994 were definitely "drab" looking. I don't think they were particularly "moody" but the night time scenes weren't exactly well lit and clear and the overall production level was far below today's standards.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I've been a fan since the day it premiered back in '93 but I don't think I've ever considered it cinematic in any way. .

There are a number of episodes that I think are top notch compared to any TV show when it comes to cinematography. "Triangle" and "Post-Modern Prometheus" are the big two that come to mind.

They actually won a bundle of awards for lighting, camera work, cinematography, ect., especially in the middle 4 seasons.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The first few seasons look pretty bad. Washed out, standard def, 4:3. The DVD's are nearly unwatchable.

After about 1998 or so, the colors were much better and deeper but I think that has more to do with Post Production. I remember a time when Da Vince cost $1 million dollars. Now, everyone has it as a plugin on their Avid rig.

The new episodes look fine to me.

After season 5 they moved to LA from Vancouver. There is a clear change in how it's produced and filmed.

TBH, when it comes to the MOTW episodes, I prefered the dark, raw feel of the first 5 seasons. I'm sure the quality of the episodes plays into it as well, but I really think they have the best feel to them.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

There are a number of episodes that I think are top notch compared to any TV show when it comes to cinematography. "Triangle" and "Post-Modern Prometheus" are the big two that come to mind.

They actually won a bundle of awards for lighting, camera work, cinematography, ect., especially in the middle 4 seasons.



After season 5 they moved to LA from Vancouver. There is a clear change in how it's produced and filmed.

TBH, when it comes to the MOTW episodes, I prefered the dark, raw feel of the first 5 seasons. I'm sure the quality of the episodes plays into it as well, but I really think they have the best feel to them.

Yeah I was going to go into the production changes around the time of the movie but figured I was getting a little too inside baseball.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

After season 5 they moved to LA from Vancouver. There is a clear change in how it's produced and filmed.

And that's right around the time I lost interest in the show. The first movie was such a disappointment and the series, at least IMO, seemed to follow.

There were still some good episodes (the Garry Shandling arc is still one of my favorites) but for the most part, it was terribly inconsistent.

And once Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish joined the show, I had all but tuned out. I think I saw the last episode but missed nearly every one with Reyes and whatever his character's named.

I find this new season to be closer to the first five, in terms of my personal enjoyment.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The first few seasons look pretty bad. Washed out, standard def, 4:3. The DVD's are nearly unwatchable.

After about 1998 or so, the colors were much better and deeper but I think that has more to do with Post Production. I remember a time when Da Vince cost $1 million dollars. Now, everyone has it as a plugin on their Avid rig.

The new episodes look fine to me.

Wasnt that when the production moved from Vancouver to LA?

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And that's right around the time I lost interest in the show. The first movie was such a disappointment and the series, at least IMO, seemed to follow.

There were still some good episodes (the Garry Shandling arc is still one of my favorites) but for the most part, it was terribly inconsistent.

And once Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish joined the show, I had all but tuned out. I think I saw the last episode but missed nearly every one with Reyes and whatever his character's named.

I find this new season to be closer to the first five, in terms of my personal enjoyment.

Have you ever gone back and watched the Robert Patrick episodes a second time? I actually enjoyed them a little more the second time. The first time, I was bitter while I watched them. Once I gave them an honest chance, some were better than I realized.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

Have you ever gone back and watched the Robert Patrick episodes a second time? I actually enjoyed them a little more the second time. The first time, I was bitter while I watched them. Once I gave them an honest chance, some were better than I realized.

I never have. Maybe I'll get to it someday but as I mentioned earlier, my interest began waning after the first movie (which was such a mess, IMO) and once they switched cast members, I was pretty much out.

I remember seeing ads for the series finale and I had about zero interest. I'm not even sure that I know what happened or even watched it because it was so long ago.

[Mennonite]

The series finale was awful. The Mytharc stuff had completely gone off the rails by that point.

There were several good (not necessarily great) monster of the week episodes in seasons 8 and 9. Honestly, all of the MOTW episodes from season 8 (besides "Medusa") are worth a watch, imo.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

The series finale was awful. The Mytharc stuff had completely gone off the rails by that point.

There were several good (not necessarily great) monster of the week episodes in seasons 8 and 9. Honestly, all of the MOTW episodes from season 8 (besides "Medusa") are worth a watch, imo.

As meaningless as the super-soldiers were, they at least went back to the invasion stuff in the finale. At the time I didn't mind the finale because 3 movies were supposed to follow.

The only issue I have with the current season is the possibility that they will claim the mythology from seasons 1-6 were meaningless. I'm assuming that won't play out, but I am concerned considering how the first episode went.

I personally like Fight the Future. I Want to Believe however, was a disaster. I actually just had to google the name to make sure that's what it was called.

[Mennonite]

Wasn't there already a story line in the original series where Fox became convinced that all of his alien theories were b.s. and that he was being misled all along? It's been so long since I've watched those old mytharc episodes that I can't remember.


I wish they had just kept the single alien invasion/secret cabal of collaborators story line. The black oil, alien rebels, multiple explanations for Samantha, a second set of conspirators and the other stuff just made it way too convoluted.


Edit: I think "Gethsemane" may have been the crisis of faith episode I mentioned above.

[Sure-Oz]

Just finished episode 3...wth is up with the comedy? I thought it was funny but not what I expected from X-Files. Did the original throw in random comedy eps? I assume episode 4 will be back to the serious dark gloomy eps

[Third Eye]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Just finished episode 3...wth is up with the comedy? I thought it was funny but not what I expected from X-Files. Did the original throw in random comedy eps? I assume episode 4 will be back to the serious dark gloomy eps

There were a few, most of which were directed by the guy who did this episode. Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space' is one of my absolute favorite episodes, and it featured a lot of oddball humor including casting Alex Trebek and Jesse Ventura as Men in Black.

Edit: I misspoke. Darin Morgan directed this episode, but he was just a writer on some of the more humorous episodes of the original run.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

Wasn't there already a story line in the original series where Fox became convinced that all of his alien theories were b.s. and that he was being misled all along? It's been so long since I've watched those old mytharc episodes that I can't remember.


I wish they had just kept the single alien invasion/secret cabal of collaborators story line. The black oil, alien rebels, multiple explanations for Samantha, a second set of conspirators and the other stuff just made it way too convoluted.


Edit: I think "Gethsemane" may have been the crisis of faith episode I mentioned above.

Redux and Redux II start season 5 and involve Kryitschgau(spelling?). He is from the Pentagon, and convinces Mulder that he has been fed a lie.

[Mennonite]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

Redux and Redux II start season 5 and involve Kryitschgau(spelling?). He is from the Pentagon, and convinces Mulder that he has been fed a lie.

There we go. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Third Eye

There were a few, most of which were directed by the guy who did this episode. Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space' is one of my absolute favorite episodes, and it featured a lot of oddball humor including casting Alex Trebek and Jesse Ventura as Men in Black.

Edit: I misspoke. Darin Morgan directed this episode, but he was just a writer on some of the more humorous episodes of the original run.

I'm not a huge fan of some of the comedy episodes. Sometimes they just got a little too far out for me. I find them amusing, but they really aren't why I tune in to the X Files.

Did you see the Millennium episode "Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense"? I thought it was even better than "From Outer Space."

[notorious]

It doesn't look like Vince Gilligan is going to write for the X-Files.