Rediscovering the X-Files: A Photo Essay

[elliotsmelliot]

Catching up on S1 of Fringe recently did more than simply fill the speculative fiction hole in my TV schedule. Watching Olivia and the Bishops race against time to solve supernatural mysteries was awfully familiar and yet not. It filled me with a certain nostalgia that led me to be reunited with my past love and first fandom experience, The X-Files

Comments

[elliotsmelliot]

Growing up I was fascinated/terrified by the idea of alien abductions, so XF hit a real nerve for me. The show definitely has a formula - investigate something spooky - but the format for how that happened was never fixed.

Did you start watching S1? I imagine it is hard to get into the series right away because there is slow build to the serialized story and character relationships. Plus now the early years look so dated. For me, the show didn't really find its pacing until S3, but that is not to say there are not great moments early on too.

[elliotsmelliot]

If you ever give it another shot, I recommend starting with a season 4 episode called Paper Hearts as it gives a good sense of the show at its best. That's the first episode I saw and I was hooked.

[vaznetti]

Well, this takes me back...

[elliotsmelliot]

Doesn't it? I've been reminiscing a lot about our time together in RaTales.

[ozmissage]

Your nostalgia is making me nostalgic. ;)

(This time around the number of cases dealing with rape or attempted rape really bothered me, especially since it was really only a backdrop for something else or used in the playful episodes like Small Potatoes or Post-Modern Prometheus.)

I've always considered "Post-Modern Prometheus" my favorite episode. It made a big impression on me when it aired the first time and the experience of watching it stuck with me over the years. The thing is, I was ten/eleven the first time I saw it. I remember seeing it a few times when I was teenager, but it wasn't until I revisited it on Netflix recently and watched it as an adult that I picked up on the disturbing themes of the ep. It makes me sad because I feel like all of the things that I loved about it (the use of b&w, the playful narrative) have been tainted now.

I loved XF for a lot of reasons, and a big one was because I completely believed that Mulder and Scully belonged together and the series was their journey to that point. Don’t dare tell

[elliotsmelliot]

I would count Post-Modern Prometheus among my favourites too. I really love the style of the episode. However, watching it so soon after Small Potatoes rubbed me the wrong way. In both episodes rape is simply the backdrop to tell a sympathetic and playful story about the "monster" rapist. And to make that story work, all the women have to end up content because it gave them a baby. Really? (Though I am never clear if it is Mutato or his grandfather who is doing the impregnating and if it was through sex at all.)Anyway, it is a really weird choice, especially given how fertility and medical rape is portrayed with Scully. Hmmm...maybe I have enough for another academic article here!

I blame them for every friend/partner ship I've obsessed over since. But in a good way. :)

It's funny, I have become less obsessive. Maybe that is because I have yet to feel as strongly toward another couple - though Jim/Pam, Roslin/Adama, Josh/Donna and Ned/Chuck came close.

It would be interesting to know if Krycek catches your eye in the future!

[elliotsmelliot]

Well, now you can forever bring up my shippy past whenever I say I don't understand you!

The Chrissy and Harold episode are among my top 3! Aw, you BF is an XF fan.

[luna481516]

I enjoyed your retrospective so much! I had small children during the X-Files run, and there was NO way I was going to have those monsters on the TV screen while they were still up (and I raised night owls so they were frequently up at 9 pm on Sundays) so I didn't see it consistently but always liked it. In recent years I've caught up on SciFi reruns and committed a lot to DVD - all out of order, though, which doesn't help understand the alien mythology much - but after asking an X-Phile friend for an explanation, I realized it didn't make much sense anyway.

During my first time watching XF, Scully was a revelation to me and still remains so today. She is a scientist and a scholar. She values critical thinking. She is determined, loyal, and brave.
This continues to be my conception of Scully and I didn't notice the few times she was made into a damsel in distress. Maybe because Mulder was missing and on the edge of death just as many times - it seemed pretty equal opportunity jeopardy.

In my re-watch I was most disturbed by the

[elliotsmelliot]

XF is definitely not kid friendly! It's a wonder you saw any episodes at all!

all out of order, though, which doesn't help understand the alien mythology much - but after asking an X-Phile friend for an explanation, I realized it didn't make much sense anyway.

For a while I thought I got it, but there were too many retcons with the CSM/consortium folk to make it work.

That is an interesting symbolism with the cellphones about them never connecting.

My re-watch is out of order because I was missing several S3 episodes, so I think the last episode I watch will my Clyde Bruckman which will be very fitting.

I don't watch V, but I was flipping channels and was like what is Krycek doing with Juliet? Except the scene I saw does not suggest he will be back! Too bad, he is a good actor.

Thanks for reading!