so what didn't you like about the x-files episode?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Jan : One Thread

(yes, I know, I'm seriously goofing off) I liked the x-files episode this week, I thought it was hilarious. Not that I'm a big x-files fan, mebbe that's the issue.

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2000

Answers

So, uh, I'm lame. Which night has the "real" episode? I saw Friday night's "blind girl 'sees' murders" episode and thought it was pretty good....but I don't think that's the one you're referring to. :D

Actually, to be honest, I really don't like the X-Files. Scully makes me want to gnaw my own leg off and beat myself about the head with it. That in turn makes me feel guily, like I'm a bad geek grrl. Why, Chris Carter, why couldn't you have at least given her an *iota* of character development?

Any given X-Files episode:
Mulder: Look at this unbelieveable event!
Scully: This is not logical. I will explain the event using my intellect.
Mulder: But forget about logic! It is an example of some amazing paranormal event!
Scully: That's impossible. Paranormal events don't exist. There must be a logical explanation.
45 minutes later Mulder: Oh look! I was right again this episode! It was all an example of some amazing paranormal event!
Scully: That's amazing. <-- is genuinely awed.

This happens *every episode*. You'd think that at least *once*, the woman would say, "gee, you're right, since paranormal events have happened to me CONTINUALLY since meeting you, I should strive to use my intellect in a CHARACTER-BUILDING and DETECTIVE-like sense, rather than standing here looking like a ruler is shoved up my ass, stoically denying everything!"

I'm just sayin'.

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2000


I believe the new x-files episode is shown on Sunday evenings on Fox (A switch on the Bean cable) (not FX, which is reshowing them all (B switch on the Bean cable)). At least that's my impression for our viewing area.

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2000

New X-Files happen on Sunday nights.

As for what I thought was crappy about this week's X-Files, I just thought it reeked of stupid. I have to confess that I didn't watch the entire thing (I shut it off at the half-hour mark), but the entire episode up to that point was just a little too precious for me.

I mean, come on. Look, it's Mulder's real-life wife, playing Scully in a movie on the TV show! And they're kissing, making the real-life (well, the TV show -- argh, you know what I mean) Mulder and Scully highly uncomfortable! And a kitschy screenwriter is following them around making pithy comments!

The part that really did me in was the Amazin' Dancin' Skeleton. I mean, give me a friggin' break already. It just looked dumb. And if you were that guy wouldn't you have bolted and run, rather than standing there staring at the cute lil' ol' dancing bones? And what about when that corpse sat up on Scully's operating table and she just stood there talking to it?

I just thought the whole thing was mega-silly.

Oh, and Carolyn, in your synopsis, you forgot the later episodes, wherein:

Something weird happens. Mulder expresses disbelief. Scully expresses disbelief at Mulder's disbelief and makes comments about how there are more things in this world, Horatio, etc. The audience becomes confused. Chris Carter cackles evilly at stringing us along like he does. The End.

(So why, you ask, do I keep watching the show? Because I can't help it, that's why!)

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2000


Ok, For one ya'll missed the whole point of the episode. It wasn't supposed to be some laugh-o-rama.. it's a commentary from David's point of view on the poeple he has to put up with and work with in show business. I think it gave a nice and candid view of how he looks down on them to be honest. The showbiz agent/producer guy was an obviously blown out of proportion to make a point. Frankly I thought he was the most humorous part of the episode. Notice how the majority of the interaction with the producer type was with Mulder/David? Again, done for a reason - the banter back and forth is a playing or acting out ( no pun intended) of the struggle David has in reality with the types of people he has to deal with in his line of work. It was witty at moment, cheezy in others and very smartly done overall.

The overall story line, The Lazarus Bowl, was a fairly good plot device which lent itself to the "cheezy" skeleton bones scene. Newsflash, it was supposed to be cheezy. The whole episode was meant to have an overall cheeze factor but still deliver the main idea : show biz can be superficial and demeaning. Why not add your wife and close friend, Gary Shandling, to the episode - it's your final hurrah on the x-files, why the hell not? And to answer the question that just popped into your minds, David has not renewed his contract for next season. Gillian has signed on for two more years, but David has not as of the end of April. I think taking this episode, like any X-files, at face value is a grave mistake.. the writers are far more intricate and complex.. not to mention that when David writes an episode, EVERYTHING means something. I could go on a tangent about all the x-files he has written and directed but that would make a book in and of itself.. and I have already written more than I wanted to. One last point - the whole Scully/Mulder in the movie kissing stuff - it didn't make them uncomfortable, it raised the tension that already exists. You didn't happen to catch the innuendo about Scully and Skinner that the producer type tried to insinuate did you? Did you notice Mulder's accusing/hurtful glance at Scully? 'Nuff said ... they are the best couple in love that ever 'denied everything'.

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000


Well, OK, maybe it was supposed to be cheesy, but it just wasn't working for me.

But on a more important topic -- WHAT DO YOU MEAN DAVID DUCHOVNY IS LEAVING THE XFILES???? How can there be Scully with no Mulder? What the hell?? What's the point of even continuing the show?!?

Sigh.

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000



Yeah sources report he wants out to be in more movies, do more directing etc. It's true he has not renewed his contract for the tv show, although he has been quoted as saying he'd do another x-files movie. This was supposed to be the last season.. there is a rumor of the Lone Gunmen doing a spin off. I don't know it all sounds pretty lame.. Mulder is the X-files, the X-files is Mulder. Lets hope he renews.

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000

Oh and one more thing - I am so damn glad they are getting back to some of the Arc episodes in the coming weeks!!!! They haven't had an alien episode in FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000

Isn't the Lone Gunmen spinoff a done deal? Not that I am by any stretch of the imagination in on this sort of info, but that's what I heard.

I'll consider watching it; they're cute.

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000


Didn't Duchovny direct that last episode? If so, he should keep his day job. That episode sucked.

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000

The Lone Gunmen spinoff would be OK. I like 'em, especially the scraggly blond guy who has a crush on Scully (or do they all have a crush on Scully?).

I just think it's ridiculous to try to do the X-Files without Mulder, just as it would be ridiculous to do it without Scully. Pretty much all the other characters could be killed off (I mean, they did it to Cancer Man, they could do it again), but Mulder? Or Scully?

I agree that it's about time to get back into arc episodes, too. I can only take so many monster of the week episodes. (Incidentally, that episode with the hallucinogenic mushrooms that eat people STILL freaks me out.)

-- Anonymous, May 02, 2000



i skim through alt.tv.x-files occasionally, and as of a few weeks ago, fox hadn't even announced whether or not there's going to be an eighth season at all, with or without duchovny. frankly, i hope they just cancel the damn thing. most of the episodes have sucked ass this season. i thought this week's was okay; no big deal...one of those silly throwaway episodes.

(the one who likes scully is the older, somewhat grotty guy, named frohike. the younger blond long-haired AD&D-type is langly...the short-haired bearded one is byers. now you know. and knowing is half the battle.)

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2000


I have forced myself, and I do mean forced myself, to watch a few complete episodes of the X-files, hoping I would figure out what people see in it. It is just plain awful. Talk about pointless.

It's filmed here in Vancouver (or, at least it was), and there was a big ruckus when Duchovny said he hated it here. Too much rain for him.

Did you catch Duchovny on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? He had $250,000 but lost it when he took a wild guess on the $500,000 question so he ended up with $32,000. Rosie O'Donnell later called him an idiot for it. I felt the same way.

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2000


In response to Dave's post ( last on the page) I have to admit I am a die hard x-phile and *I* had to force myself to finish watching a few of them. It's time to end this show or at least get back to the arc episodes. As for the comment by Rosie O'donnell.. she can shove it up her ass. That loud mouth soapbox instigator ought to be strung up and forced to watch her own absurd talk show. I've never seen such a blatant abuse of a forum to push her own views and loads of unbacked horseshit on the public as I have seen on that show. That woman is a menace. If I was Dave, knowing I had at least 32k in the bag, I would of gone for the question too.

I disagree that David "should keep his day job". His directing and writing are tremendous - if you didn't get the Hollywood episode or didnt like it thats fine, but to pan it completely is to have been blind to any of its content.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000


i'll add to spooky's comments on duchovny--although i've been dubious of his acting skills outside of x-files in the past, i saw return to me last week and was pleasantly surprised. i wish him well on his post-XF career.

and as far as being an "idiot" is concerned, he's actually quite intelligent (although sometimes undiplomatic). rosie o'donnell is CERTAINLY not one to be talking.

and no, i'm not just sneering at her for her moronic lawsuit against a certain portland-based radio station...

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000


Moderation questions? read the FAQ