The X-Files Returns: Inconsistent, Messy, And Promising

Megalith

Megalith

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I am bummed that the overall reception to the X-Files miniseries has been lukewarm. Maybe it’s best to just leave things alone (not that Hollywood would ever consider that).

It’s little wonder then that things start out slow, especially given all the setup the show needs to do justifying its own existence. But don’t be discouraged by the utter incoherence of the first hour: The spirit of the show is still here, waiting to be drawn out, and each installment is better than the last. It’s not ideal, given the brevity of this installment, but since there hasn’t been a consistent season of The X-Files since the 1990s, it’s probably the best anyone could hope for.
 
It's not even on yet so it's hard to take some critics word for it. I guess I'll have to watch it to see.
I did enjoy it 12+ years ago but can't say I remember much about it.
 
i watched this religiously back in the day, got 7.5 hrs to go for the premiere
 
Great show. It's already a classic and it's on Netflix.
Critics be critics. X-Files fans are not likely to be disappointed.
 
PVR set to record. Thanks for the heads up.

I remember this from back in the 90s. Was pretty cool at the time. I'll be giving it a shot.
 
Yeah, like Im gonna take some snooty Hollywood critics advice on one of the best shows in TV history. I guess everyones gotta pay the bills though. Chris Carter wouldn't disappoint his fans.
 
ep0x73 said:
It's not even on yet so it's hard to take some critics word for it. I guess I'll have to watch it to see.
I did enjoy it 12+ years ago but can't say I remember much about it.
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They've seen the first 3 episodes, so they know more than we'll know on Tuesday. Truth is that Carter has had more X-Files misses than post 1997.

I hope it's better than they say, because there's no excuse for filler in a 6 episode arc. Then again, I'm not sure why they bothered with mixing MoW with the on going stories. Either do MoW or do the conspiracy. It's 6 episodes. We're either going to watch them all or stop watching after tonight or tomorrow.
 
Spoiler alert.

Something strange happens.
Mulder thinks it's supernatural /extraterrestrial.
Scully thinks there's a logical explanation.
It's something supernatural /extraterrestrial.


Actually, I haven't seen it, but this is probably how it will go.
 
Despotes said:
Great show. It's already a classic and it's on Netflix.
Critics be critics. X-Files fans are not likely to be disappointed.
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it's in 16:9 HD as well. I started watching it again from episode 1 a few weeks ago.
 
I never did watch this back during its original run, should probably add that to my list of things to do during free time along with 1000 hours of other shows and movies I have on a list to watch.

That said, never really agree with critics. They can love a show but fans hate it and vice versa.
 
Just watched the new episode and it was excellent.
 
Exavior said:
I never did watch this back during its original run, should probably add that to my list of things to do during free time along with 1000 hours of other shows and movies I have on a list to watch.

That said, never really agree with critics. They can love a show but fans hate it and vice versa.
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Speed things up and get a list of the mythology episodes and binge those. The rest you can watch whenever (not that they're not worth watching)
 
2016 is surely a strange year. X-Files and Guns N Roses coming back? 90's nostalgia overload incoming.
I loved the show back in the day, and even now i re-watch few episodes every now and then. I'm looking forward to this, hopefully the don't mess it up.
Damn, Scully still got it, you go girl.
 
I just watched the final double-episode of the old series (2002) and the "I Want To Believe" movie (2008) to catch up.

I actually quit watching the old series several episodes into the last season because it got that bad, so I had never seen the old series finale. It was pretty bad, with a ridiculous trial with flashbacks and stupid appearances by certain characters from earlier in the series, but it does at least get you up to speed on the mythology storyline without having to re-watch the entire series.

"I Want To Believe" is like an extended version of a below-average episode of the old series. I don't know if the new miniseries will refer to it or not. It's probably not necessary to watch it if it's difficult for you to see it.

If you didn't know it, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon are now streaming the entire original series in remastered 16:9 HD, even the first few seasons that were aired in 4:3.
 
I loved it, can't wait for the remaining episodes, and hope that the ratings are good enough for Fox to order a full season for 2017!
 
I was rewatched all of X-files when I heard it was going to come back. I was reminded of how bad they ended X-files.
 
Scully is a fox!


Looking back it's humorous the subtle jokes in a couple X-Files episodes about Duchovaney's life devolving into sexual exploits. Which wasn't too unheard of given his previous acting before X-Files. But it sounded like he was a known horn dog even back then.
 
nilepez said:
Speed things up and get a list of the mythology episodes and binge those. The rest you can watch whenever (not that they're not worth watching)
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I was going to ask if there was some way to speed watch this show and still understand most of what is going on. I think I will look up those and try that.
 
Watched last night and I liked it. Back in the day I was a sporadic watcher so I mostly saw the MotW episodes with some mythology sprinkled in. May go back and re-watch them in order.

As someone pointed out you can watch the MoWs at anytime in any order.

I still can't figure out if this is just six episodes for the fans or if it is an attempt to bring the show back.
 
XvMMvX said:
Watched last night and I liked it. Back in the day I was a sporadic watcher so I mostly saw the MotW episodes with some mythology sprinkled in. May go back and re-watch them in order.

As someone pointed out you can watch the MoWs at anytime in any order.

I still can't figure out if this is just six episodes for the fans or if it is an attempt to bring the show back.
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They did the same thing with Heroes and I had wondered the same thing. Was it an attempt to bring the show back or fan service.
 
Enjoyed it, Scully is still hot as hell, holy crap.

The main issue I had with it was Joel McHale. And it wasn't even that his acting was bad; I just have him so typecast as the Soup/Community guy that even though he was supposed to be seen as half-crazy/perhaps half right, I just couldn't make the jump to take him at all seriously. Thankfully just a guest spot in the first episode.
 
did mulder ever ge to find out what happened to his sister? i kinda stoped watching around the time QuakeWorld and ulima online took over my life
 
Exavior said:
I was going to ask if there was some way to speed watch this show and still understand most of what is going on. I think I will look up those and try that.
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I would just read a Wiki page before watching those. I've been doing a rewatch of the "mythology' episodes, but I ran out of time and only made it up through the beginning of Season 7. So I went and watched the Season 9 finale and the 2008 movie -- and was reminded that it was holy crap all sorts of terrible. I think the first 5 or 6 seasons still hold up great and are worth a rewatch, but the show really got rough at the end.

If you still want to watch something, then just watch the finale and skip the 2008 movie. It is almost completely pointless to the story arc, and the description by evilsofa of it as "an extended version of a below-average episode of the old series" is spot on. You will not be confused at all by skipping the 2008 movie.

TwistedAegis said:
Enjoyed it, Scully is still hot as hell, holy crap.

The main issue I had with it was Joel McHale. And it wasn't even that his acting was bad; I just have him so typecast as the Soup/Community guy that even though he was supposed to be seen as half-crazy/perhaps half right, I just couldn't make the jump to take him at all seriously. Thankfully just a guest spot in the first episode.
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Agree re Joel McHale -- I could not take him seriously at all and it really broke the immersion. The episode itself was okay -- it felt a little forced at times, but I'm still hopeful they can make the next episodes fun.
 
I liked the episode.

Scully has had way too many surgeries. Not my coup of tea. Sveta, on the other had, now that's a woman.
 
I don't watch a lot of "live TV" as Most watching is through netflix now when it gets there (or if). I left this on after the Football Game and watched... 5 mins later commercial, then show, 5 mins later commercial... I flipped it off when Scully told them they can't go forward with it.

Meh
 
Yaka said:
did mulder ever ge to find out what happened to his sister? i kinda stoped watching around the time QuakeWorld and ulima online took over my life
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The old series finale very briefly explained that while he did find several clones of his sister, the original died in 1987, or at least, that was what was learned. In the 2008 movie, Scully accuses him of still looking for his sister because he still believes that she's actually alive somewhere, and who's to say they won't pull that idea out for a really final finale?
 
evilsofa said:
The old series finale very briefly explained that while he did find several clones of his sister, the original died in 1987, or at least, that was what was learned. In the 2008 movie, Scully accuses him of still looking for his sister because he still believes that she's actually alive somewhere, and who's to say they won't pull that idea out for a really final finale?
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I thought that the episode Closure from the 7th season had definitively answered that question?
 
Exavior said:
They did the same thing with Heroes and I had wondered the same thing. Was it an attempt to bring the show back or fan service.
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Based on interviews, it's clear that if there's more after this, it will be more short runs. Nobody wants to do a 22 episode series.
 
Lucas Hood said:
^^ Would love to see the Lone Gunmen make an appearance, but then I remembered why they won't.
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They may show up. Apparently they aren't actually dead. I didn't read comics or books, so I don't know how that was explained away, so there's still hope.
 
Was never a fan of the original series but I watched enough episodes now and again to keep up with situations and characters. I did watch the first episode of this short revival and I swear, I had to wonder what the fuck those people were thinking when they decided to bring this back to life because for me it was a cold dead fish from start to finish. Duchovny was boring, Anderson has seen better days (as an actress, she's still quite a looker), and the rest were just meh. It was just lifeless and stale to me but maybe that was the entire purpose. I see the second episode is available so I may check it out but really, this was a money grab more than anything else for FOX, Chris Carter, and anybody involved.

I mean really: The Smoking Man, with a trachea windpipe (which typically would require such a person to use a voicebox from that moment on), speaking perfectly on a smartphone (meaning he can breathe through his mouth/nose just fine, yet smoking a cigarette through the windpipe attachment?

Seriously? :confused:
 
SLee said:
I thought that the episode Closure from the 7th season had definitively answered that question?
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In that episode, Mulder has an ethereal vision that convinces him that she's dead and in a better place. Not exactly convincing when so many other characters who were absolutely, certainly supposed to be dead keep showing up still alive after all.
 
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