TV: The X Files

[bada]

I prefer monster of the week episodes over mythology ones typically.

[Harry Lime]

first few seasons aren't as interesting as far as connected story lines, but otherwise they were fun. it's not until they start getting into the main plot that it becomes worthy of cult like following

what??

What do you think the main plot was?

your face

goddamn it

I think she's talking about the mythology stuff

Spoiler: show

the Syndicate and the Invasion and all that

.

pretty much- basically, the earlier shows in the series were (to my memory anyway) more involved with establishing the show as weird, edgy, a little gory at times, and 'different' as a tv show - there really wasn't anything else like it anywhere that I can think of at the time - it was a must watch show every week.
some of that effect isn't terribly interesting nowadays though-

the really interesting plot lines that began to bleed through every episode were what remained the most interesting and involving parts of the series, and I could watch those shows a hundred times without being put off by them.

As far as I'm concerned it started with Mulder's sister, which was established by the fourth episode of the first season. And the mythology really began by the second season/third season. All the invasion jargon came later, but it was Mulder's crusade to find his sister that ran the show (and hybrids, dueling aliens). The invasion jargon was just added on and made things more complicated.

As much as there was a hardcore fanbase for the mythology episodes, it's the monster of the week episodes that are remembered most. "Home" being the best example.

[harmless]

"Monster-of-the-Week" episodes I've liked or loved:

"Home", "The Host", "Squeeze / Tooms", "Red Museum", "Die Hand Die Verletzt", "Ice", "Eve", "The Pusher / Kitsunegari", "Miracle Man", "Darkness Falls", "The Calusari", "Humbug", "F. Emasculata", "Soft Light", "Excelsis Dei", "Our Town", "D.P.O" (on my avatar), "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose", "Oubliette", "War of the Coprophages", "Syzygy", "Jose Chung's From Outer Space", "Quagmire", "Small Potatoes", "The Post-Modern Prometheus", "Irresistible" / "Orison", "Bad Blood", "Drive", "The Rain King", "The Unnatural", "X-Cops", "Fresh Bones", "Fearful Symmetry", "Folie a Deux", "Dreamland" (arguably a mythology episode but it isn't, really)... and many more.

[malice]

maybe I'll just stick to General Disorder from now on.

[Harry Lime]

"Clyde Bruckman". Peter Boyle is genius.

[Farmer John]

Is "Home" the one with the inbred family? If so, then yes, that's one of the best.

I was obsessed with this show back in the day. The first episode I ever saw was "darkness falls", the one with the killer bugs in the woods, and I was hooked. I don't think I've seen the last couple seasons though.

[Biff Pocoroba]

Put me in with the Monster of the Week crowd too.

[Norah]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Eve scared the crap out of me back in the day.

[scrub12]

It's been a few years since I've watched the episodes, but this thread is giving me the itch to get back into it, especially with Halloween this week.

My favorite episode was "Humbug", with the carnival people.

[epilogue]

The MotW episodes were outstanding. But I'm a mythology guy through and through. Having said that

Spoiler: show

the resolution to Mulder's sister was probably the most disappointing part of the entire series for me.

[@SkitchP]

munch

[harmless]

The MotW episodes were outstanding. But I'm a mythology guy through and through. Having said that

Spoiler: show

the resolution to Mulder's sister was probably the most disappointing part of the entire series for me.

Yup.

Spoiler: show

And the fact that it was trumped by the ham-fisted handling of Scully's alien child, and the alien colonisation of the planet. The beauty of the X-Files used to be its relative subtlety. It was sci-fi for people cynical of sci-fi, so it was well-balanced with the crime investigation angle. By the end it was all flashing lights and spaceships in full view.

[harmless]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Eve scared the crap out of me back in the day.

Me too. It's a classic.

[epilogue]

The MotW episodes were outstanding. But I'm a mythology guy through and through. Having said that

Spoiler: show

the resolution to Mulder's sister was probably the most disappointing part of the entire series for me.

Yup.

Spoiler: show

And the fact that it was trumped by the ham-fisted handling of Scully's alien child, and the alien colonisation of the planet. The beauty of the X-Files used to be its relative subtlety. It was sci-fi for people cynical of sci-fi, so it was well-balanced with the crime investigation angle. By the end it was all flashing lights and spaceships in full view.

Totally agree.

[bada]

All this talk makes me wanna break out the DVDs!!!

[epilogue]

All this talk makes me wanna break out the DVDs!!!

DO IT

[Harry Lime]

The MotW episodes were outstanding. But I'm a mythology guy through and through. Having said that

Spoiler: show

the resolution to Mulder's sister was probably the most disappointing part of the entire series for me.

Yup.

Spoiler: show

And the fact that it was trumped by the ham-fisted handling of Scully's alien child, and the alien colonisation of the planet. The beauty of the X-Files used to be its relative subtlety. It was sci-fi for people cynical of sci-fi, so it was well-balanced with the crime investigation angle. By the end it was all flashing lights and spaceships in full view.

Yeah. I don't know if there is a correct way to say this, but I kind of wish the UFO mythology was more grounded in reality. Too much information about different alien species etc.

[harmless]

The MotW episodes were outstanding. But I'm a mythology guy through and through. Having said that

Spoiler: show

the resolution to Mulder's sister was probably the most disappointing part of the entire series for me.

Yup.

Spoiler: show

And the fact that it was trumped by the ham-fisted handling of Scully's alien child, and the alien colonisation of the planet. The beauty of the X-Files used to be its relative subtlety. It was sci-fi for people cynical of sci-fi, so it was well-balanced with the crime investigation angle. By the end it was all flashing lights and spaceships in full view.

Yeah. I don't know if there is a correct way to say this, but I kind of wish the UFO mythology was more grounded in reality. Too much information about different alien species etc.

It was to begin with. I can live with the embellishment later on, but it did disappoint at the time.

[@SkitchP]

[zeb]

I was obsessed with this show back in the day. I don't think I've seen the last couple seasons though.