Should I get into The X-Files?

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Living Dead Boy

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So, I've been trying to decide what show I should get into next, and it got me thinking. In order to be considered a true "geek", one must surely have seen even a little bit of The X-Files right? Wrong. I have never watched a single episode of the show until last night. It was only the pilot, and it wasn't that bad. Yet this is a series that has 10 seasons and two movies. I also have a life, so devoting that much time into something should definitely be worth it. I know there's gotta be some fans of the show on the boards, so my question before the court is, is the X-Files worth watching?
 
The first two seasons are definitely worth watching. They were filmed in the forests of British Columbia and that added to the sense of foreboding and the idea that there is plenty out there that has not been seen. The rest of it was filmed in California and you just don't get the sense of nature being greater than man after that. The rest of the seasons have their ups and downs but they are not as consistently good. The movies were OK but no more than OK.
 
You bring up a good point. I thought the cinematography was excellent for its time period, and it did give a sense of foreboding, which definitely lent to the creepy atmosphere. In the same way that Buffy "declined" during the later seasons, so to speak, is it worth all 10 seasons, or just the first two seasons?
 
I'm rather fond of season 1-3 but it's partly because I remember seeing them on TV, and being freaked out by them, as a kid. I think it's definitely something worth checking into though.
I haven't watched the later seasons in a long while. Not since I saw the first movie in the theater and was like - yeah, this wasn't good, I'm out. 😛 So I can't speak for them... but maybe give the first couple of seasons a try?
 
It's one of my favorites. I really think that seasons 2 through 6 has some of the best television ever made. Season 1 is a little hit and miss (darkness falls, Ice and the two Eugene Tooms episodes are the best imo) but once you get into S2 the main arc gets rolling and the show becomes very entertaining, with excellent monster of the weeks and a compelling main story arc. I do feel it fizzles around the end of S6, but S2-S5 or so is classic television.

So yes, I beseech you to watch the show.

Also, check this blog out. She used to post on the old X-files forums back in the day and she has interesting perspectives:

About
 
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GwenRaiden
GwenRaiden
Tooms! I still have nightmares.
I loved a lot of X-Files, but even I have no plans to see all of it. You'll definitely find it dated, but that's not a problem for me. There are some that I loved on first viewing, but quickly fell apart for me when I watched it again (though other episodes seem to get better with each viewing). I guess as a very loose statement with plenty of exceptions, I primarily liked the first 2 seasons, but after that the appeal of the show began to slowly fade for me until I dropped it altogether...but some of my favorite episodes are are in later seasons, and there are episodes in the first 2 seasons that I have no interest in seeing again.

Be sure to see Deep Throat (right after the pilot) for a guest appearance by Oz. 😉

I don't know about requiring X-Files viewing for geek-cred. I recall when I realized I was a geek (which was no shame to me, I just wondered why I hadn't already realized it). YouTube was, IIRC, in its first year and someone edited footage to make it look like Darth Vader and Dark Willow were fighting, which created a lot of commentary on how it would go. No one had mentioned how sensitive Darth Vader (more specifically, his cybernetic devices that kept him alive) was to electricity (and thus why he couldn't use Force Lightning, and even picking up Palpatine as he used it was deadly). So I commented how only one lightning bolt from Dark Willow would finish Vader...and as I did, I realized I'd just commented on a video crossing Star Wars and Buffy...and the fact that I'm not even a Star Wars fan (though I've read more than one novel and anthology, a few of which I loved) and yet still knew that about Darth Vader only emphasized that I was a geek, because only a geek would know such trivia and comment on a video of that nature (again, there was no shame, other than wondering why I hadn't realized that about myself before then). And I'd have felt the same even if I'd never seen a single episode of the X-Files. 😛
 
Ethan Reigns said:
The first two seasons are definitely worth watching. They were filmed in the forests of British Columbia and that added to the sense of foreboding and the idea that there is plenty out there that has not been seen. The rest of it was filmed in California and you just don't get the sense of nature being greater than man after that. The rest of the seasons have their ups and downs but they are not as consistently good. The movies were OK but no more than OK.
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I'm fairly certain that season 1 - 5 was filmed in British Columbia.
I agree that the quality dropped after the move to California though.

Season 6 and 7 isn't as great as the other seasons to me.
Even though I found them better than I remembered during my latest re-watch a few years ago.

I'm also one of few that love season 8.
The introduction of Doggett and the return to more darker monster of the week stories did wonders to series imho.

/SK
 
AnthonyCordova
AnthonyCordova
I liked Doggett too. I liked how scully assumed the believer role
The X Files is so good. I watched a lot of it in my teenage years and some episodes stick out more than others (Home, Squeeze, The Post-Modern Prometheus are a few off the top of my head)

I never watched the Doggett years. No Mulder, no Athena; thems the rules.
 
AnthonyCordova
AnthonyCordova
Home is so gruesome
I've recently re-watched seasons 1-9 and loved them. The early seasons are dated, especially the technology, but they work on a nostalgic level and the story telling is always interesting. Scully and what I call 'the baby nonsense' slowed the show down a little, but they do try to make her maternal angst watchable. My favourite season was probably 7, and I enjoyed the Doggett years too. I really would highly recommend The X-Files and even though it's 10 seasons, it's well worth devoting some time to it 😀
 
One of my favourite ever shows even if they dragged it out too much. The first five seasons are pretty exceptional and there are even some choice moments from the later seasons.

Its a unique concept and at its best balances thriller, and Sci-Fi very effectively. The lead characters and their relationship is wonderful too.
 
Living Dead Boy said:
So, I've been trying to decide what show I should get into next, and it got me thinking. In order to be considered a true "geek", one must surely have seen even a little bit of The X-Files right? Wrong. I have never watched a single episode of the show until last night. It was only the pilot, and it wasn't that bad. Yet this is a series that has 10 seasons and two movies. I also have a life, so devoting that much time into something should definitely be worth it. I know there's gotta be some fans of the show on the boards, so my question before the court is, is the X-Files worth watching?
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There is no way to be a true geek. There are various types of geek. You don't be one type. I many types of geek. From musical theater to music. You don't need to watch something geek to be a geek. 😀
 
I love X-Files 🙂

Its been a little while since I have watched it, but from what I remember, seasons 1 - 7 are really good. I think the show progressively gets better with every season up until around season 5 or 6. The earlier seasons are a bit dated, as others have said, but its easily overlooked.

Season 8 isn't too bad, but I haven't actually watched most of season 9. I have it on dvd and have always skipped the majority of it except for a few episodes here and there and the finale episodes.

I thought season 10 was pretty average. I really don't remember anything about it except for the goofy episode with that Kiwi actor from Flight of the Conchords 😛

While I enjoy the main story arcs, my favorite episodes have always been the random stand alone ones, the "monster of the week" episodes. There are so many great episodes that don't have much to do with the main plot that are creepy, funny or are just a really interesting or cool idea.

So yes, @Living Dead Boy , I do think you should give it a try 🙂
 
AnthonyCordova
AnthonyCordova
I agree with this post a lot
Ok, so I've been unusually busy these last few weeks, so I haven't really gotten that far, but I'm at episode four of season one, and so far so good. I'm loving the chemistry between Fox and Mulder, and how their differences in ideology makes for an interesting meeting of the minds. I feel like they're going to learn a lot from each other. If they can compromise and work together despite their differences, why can't everyone else? 😛 Oh, and the Seth Green cameo was definitely cool. Very unlike Oz. And with the hair....that whole "stoner" topic seems a lot more applicable now. Haha. I can't wait to see some of the more acclaimed episodes everyone always talks about. Thanks for the input guys! I probably won't finish this until the next millennium but I'm ready to embark on my journey. 😀
 
Living Dead Boy said:
Ok, so I've been unusually busy these last few weeks, so I haven't really gotten that far, but I'm at episode four of season one, and so far so good. I'm loving the chemistry between Fox and Mulder, and how their differences in ideology makes for an interesting meeting of the minds. I feel like they're going to learn a lot from each other. If they can compromise and work together despite their differences, why can't everyone else? 😛 Oh, and the Seth Green cameo was definitely cool. Very unlike Oz. And with the hair....that whole "stoner" topic seems a lot more applicable now. Haha. I can't wait to see some of the more acclaimed episodes everyone always talks about. Thanks for the input guys! I probably won't finish this until the next millennium but I'm ready to embark on my journey. 😀
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You've definitely made the right choice 🙂 Please let us know your feelings about the show as you go on, I'd really like to hear what you think
 
Yes. Watch it. I find it such a great comfort show and watch it whenever I feel like I need my favourite married couple bicker about aliens! There is many ways to watch this show, but just start and see what happens. I love all the seasons equally and I think the revival is really nice actually! I am looking forward to the next season!

Can I just boast that I saw David Duchovny in person. I was at his concert in Amsterdam and I was 1 metre away from him!
 
Mr Trick
Mr Trick
Also its cool that he returned for the new Twin Peaks!
Foxy said:
Yes. Watch it. I find it such a great comfort show and watch it whenever I feel like I need my favourite married couple bicker about aliens! There is many ways to watch this show, but just start and see what happens. I love all the seasons equally and I think the revival is really nice actually! I am looking forward to the next season!

Can I just boast that I saw David Duchovny in person. I was at his concert in Amsterdam and I was 1 metre away from him!
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Wow! That is super cool. Just for the Mulder character he is a bit of a idol of mine. So I am supremely jealous🙂 He always comes across cool and laid back in the interviews just like the character😎
 
Foxy
Foxy
He was really great! He was lovely to the fans as well :)
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