They can't take away the X-Files, Scully. They tried.
March 24, 2015 10:25 AM Subscribe
In more "the 90s really are back" news, Fox has just officially announced it has placed a order for a new, six-episode limited series of The X-Files. Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will be reprising their roles.
Six hours of Mulder rambling about chemtrails
posted by The Whelk at 10:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [57 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 10:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [57 favorites]
Excuse me while I go into a corner and ramble incoherently.
posted by 1adam12 at 10:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by 1adam12 at 10:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
And they'll be married and bitter and old!
posted by Seamus at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [15 favorites]
posted by Seamus at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [15 favorites]
An X-Files for me to relate to in my dotage.
posted by Seamus at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Seamus at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am really on the fence about this, but there is one sentence that would definitely tip me over into screaming glee:
"Chris Carter has confirmed that Darin Morgan will write an episode."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:30 AM on March 24, 2015 [29 favorites]
"Chris Carter has confirmed that Darin Morgan will write an episode."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:30 AM on March 24, 2015 [29 favorites]
The truth is out there...
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:31 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:31 AM on March 24, 2015
Huh. I... don't know how I feel about this. Skeptical, I guess -- which is appropriate for the X-Files, and because if I have a spirit animal, it's Dana Scully.
posted by suelac at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by suelac at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
And they'll be married and bitter and old!
Not only will they be married, bitter and old, they will have a child from their failed marriage that they shuffle back and forth to their respective homes, all the while they try to have "relationships" and hold down their careers.
I think the kid is a boy and he sees things.
posted by bricksNmortar at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
Not only will they be married, bitter and old, they will have a child from their failed marriage that they shuffle back and forth to their respective homes, all the while they try to have "relationships" and hold down their careers.
I think the kid is a boy and he sees things.
posted by bricksNmortar at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [9 favorites]
And they'll be married and bitter and old!
They're divorced and the story is about how they're getting on when they're put back in the same office, nothing supernatural whatsoever occurs.
the Ex-Files
posted by The Whelk at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [81 favorites]
They're divorced and the story is about how they're getting on when they're put back in the same office, nothing supernatural whatsoever occurs.
the Ex-Files
posted by The Whelk at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [81 favorites]
I want to believe that this will be good.
posted by googly at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [20 favorites]
posted by googly at 10:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [20 favorites]
the Ex-Files
I think it's the Ex-Fillies. Mulder and Scully were both a little horse for a while.
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:35 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
I think it's the Ex-Fillies. Mulder and Scully were both a little horse for a while.
posted by GenjiandProust at 10:35 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
What would be awesome would be if they sort of quietly pretended that nothing after, like, season 4 or 5 happened.
posted by brennen at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015 [36 favorites]
posted by brennen at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015 [36 favorites]
Sure. Fine. Whatev-
-I give up. I can't even pretend not be excited about this. Hooray!
From the six episode format I am expecting that they will just solve one case across the entire series which I am down with - I like the emotional and narrative depths you can plumb with sticking to one case across an entire series cf. the Killing, the Bridge, Broadchurch etc.
Considering what the second movie was like, my excitement about this feels like the triumph of hope over experience.
posted by Ziggy500 at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
-I give up. I can't even pretend not be excited about this. Hooray!
From the six episode format I am expecting that they will just solve one case across the entire series which I am down with - I like the emotional and narrative depths you can plumb with sticking to one case across an entire series cf. the Killing, the Bridge, Broadchurch etc.
Considering what the second movie was like, my excitement about this feels like the triumph of hope over experience.
posted by Ziggy500 at 10:36 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
"Isn't it obvious why he won't show his birth certificate, Scully?"
posted by Behemoth at 10:39 AM on March 24, 2015 [51 favorites]
posted by Behemoth at 10:39 AM on March 24, 2015 [51 favorites]
They have so much to work with now in terms of government secrecy; if Mulder doesn't wind up jailed/tortured for leaking info I will be surprised
posted by Hoopo at 10:40 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by Hoopo at 10:40 AM on March 24, 2015
Can they bring in Walter, and/or Walternate? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
I would also delight in an Observer cameo.
posted by rtha at 10:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [15 favorites]
I would also delight in an Observer cameo.
posted by rtha at 10:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [15 favorites]
The only correct response to this news is YASSSSSSSSSSSSSS BITCHES!!!
posted by ersatzkat at 10:42 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by ersatzkat at 10:42 AM on March 24, 2015
"He's called the slender man, Scully. He's real. I can feel it"
[EYEROLLING INTENSIFIES]
posted by boo_radley at 10:43 AM on March 24, 2015 [38 favorites]
[EYEROLLING INTENSIFIES]
posted by boo_radley at 10:43 AM on March 24, 2015 [38 favorites]
I actually liked the second movie. Am hoping for a Frank Black cameo.
posted by asfuller at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by asfuller at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I NEED HELP REACTING TO SOMETHING
posted by skycrashesdown at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by skycrashesdown at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I'm on board more for the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson. They already had great rapport in the original series, and the work they've done since (Californication, The Fall, to name two) could nicely color the performances of older, more world-weary Mulder and Scully.
posted by echocollate at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by echocollate at 10:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
What would be awesome would be if they sort of quietly pretended that nothing after, like, season 4 or 5 happened.
There's one tossed off line "Hey remember when he used that device to watch alternate dimension versions of ourselves?" Cut to the events of post season five "Wow, those Mulder and Scullys got up to some crazy adventures!" "good thing that didn't happen here, am I right?"
Then subtle nods that this is an alternate timeline, like everyone loves blueberry coffee and Fringe was a ten season hit. Something like that.
posted by The Whelk at 10:46 AM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
There's one tossed off line "Hey remember when he used that device to watch alternate dimension versions of ourselves?" Cut to the events of post season five "Wow, those Mulder and Scullys got up to some crazy adventures!" "good thing that didn't happen here, am I right?"
Then subtle nods that this is an alternate timeline, like everyone loves blueberry coffee and Fringe was a ten season hit. Something like that.
posted by The Whelk at 10:46 AM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
No Lone Gunmen, no deal.
posted by mhoye at 10:47 AM on March 24, 2015 [20 favorites]
posted by mhoye at 10:47 AM on March 24, 2015 [20 favorites]
I'm embarrassed about how excited I am about this. I watched until the end. X-Files has disappointed me so many times.
Honestly, a lot of my excitement is for the potential of X-Files fandom to come roaring back to the internet? It was my first fandom and I miss it all the time.
posted by town of cats at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Honestly, a lot of my excitement is for the potential of X-Files fandom to come roaring back to the internet? It was my first fandom and I miss it all the time.
posted by town of cats at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
I can see from some of the comments that I am still in the minority, but I enjoyed the second movie X-Files: I Want To Believe, and like the late Roger Ebert consider it underrated.
posted by fairmettle at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by fairmettle at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
The Whelk: "What would be awesome would be if they sort of quietly pretended that nothing after, like, season 4 or 5 happened.
There's one tossed off line "Hey remember when he used that device to watch alternate dimension versions of ourselves?" Cut to the events of post season five "Wow, those Mulder and Scullys got up to some crazy adventures!" "good thing that didn't happen here, am I right?"
Then subtle nods that this is an alternate timeline, like everyone loves blueberry coffee and Fringe was a ten season hit. Something like that."
Oh! and you could have filler episodes of shorts where altMullys gets gruesomely murdered in dumb ways.
posted by boo_radley at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
There's one tossed off line "Hey remember when he used that device to watch alternate dimension versions of ourselves?" Cut to the events of post season five "Wow, those Mulder and Scullys got up to some crazy adventures!" "good thing that didn't happen here, am I right?"
Then subtle nods that this is an alternate timeline, like everyone loves blueberry coffee and Fringe was a ten season hit. Something like that."
Oh! and you could have filler episodes of shorts where altMullys gets gruesomely murdered in dumb ways.
posted by boo_radley at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh man, I hope they can get Vince Gilligan to write an episode! So excited for this.
posted by dialetheia at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by dialetheia at 10:48 AM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
Fox presents a little bit of anti-science to flavor the cultural atmosphere as the various Republican candidates reveal their presidential aspirations.
posted by fredludd at 10:50 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by fredludd at 10:50 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
The “X-Files” revival follows last spring’s return of “24,” as a 13-episode limited series
That should satisfy the Conservation of Suck law, leaving room for this reboot or whatever to be good.
posted by thelonius at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2015
That should satisfy the Conservation of Suck law, leaving room for this reboot or whatever to be good.
posted by thelonius at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2015
I can only think of one thing that Fox could announce to top this, and that would be 12 more episodes of Firefly.
posted by valkane at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2015 [24 favorites]
posted by valkane at 10:52 AM on March 24, 2015 [24 favorites]
I am twelve years old again. This is wonderful.
posted by theartandsound at 10:56 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by theartandsound at 10:56 AM on March 24, 2015
A new X-Files series means more anti-vaccination hysteria, conspiracy paranoia, and general pseudoscience! Perfect for Fox!
posted by Doktor Zed at 10:57 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Doktor Zed at 10:57 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Worst-case scenario: "First Person Shooter," but with, like, better graphics!
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
They need to bring back the Lone Gunmen as they were on the original X-Files and not the bumbling fools from their own "Lone Gunmen" tv show.
posted by I-baLL at 10:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by I-baLL at 10:58 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
that would be 12 more episodes of Firefly.
Wash is dead man, miss him, miss him.
posted by anastasiav at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Wash is dead man, miss him, miss him.
posted by anastasiav at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Paranormal events are a lot less plausible in the cellphone age, I'm afraid.... Everyone has a decent video camera, all the time!
posted by kaibutsu at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kaibutsu at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
So I rewatched Twin Peaks over the course of last year (and spilling into this one) and then it turned out a creepy throw-away line was actually foreshadowing for Twin Peaks II: OWLectric BOBaloo (shush) and the show is going through a revival now.
Which felt weird. So I've also kind of been watching The X-Files in the same slow way this year. And now this happens.
It's obvious I have supernatural powers. Any other 90s shows you guys want to see resurrected? I can't guarantee they won't come back as monsters or anything, so think about it carefully.
posted by byanyothername at 11:01 AM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
Which felt weird. So I've also kind of been watching The X-Files in the same slow way this year. And now this happens.
It's obvious I have supernatural powers. Any other 90s shows you guys want to see resurrected? I can't guarantee they won't come back as monsters or anything, so think about it carefully.
posted by byanyothername at 11:01 AM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
"Jet fuel can't melt steel girders, Scully."
posted by charred husk at 11:02 AM on March 24, 2015 [28 favorites]
posted by charred husk at 11:02 AM on March 24, 2015 [28 favorites]
It's worth noting this was somewhat kicked-off by Gillian Anderson's recent appearance on The Nerdist podcast, which caused a little grassroots Twitter action.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:03 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 11:03 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Wash is dead man, miss him, miss him.
Point of order: this did not happen. You can tell because anything in which Wash dies is automatically not cannon. No true Firefly!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:05 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Point of order: this did not happen. You can tell because anything in which Wash dies is automatically not cannon. No true Firefly!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:05 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Spooky.
posted by Fizz at 11:05 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 11:05 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
It's worth noting this was somewhat kicked-off by Gillian Anderson's recent appearance on The Nerdist podcast, which caused a little grassroots Twitter action.
Moreso, I think, from Kumail Nanjiani's X-Files Files and the general background pro-X-Files radiation of the internet. The same internet that, at a time Kumail should be crowing from the rafters, managed to suck away his enjoyment of the show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:09 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Moreso, I think, from Kumail Nanjiani's X-Files Files and the general background pro-X-Files radiation of the internet. The same internet that, at a time Kumail should be crowing from the rafters, managed to suck away his enjoyment of the show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:09 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
anything in which Wash dies is automatically not cannon.
It wasn't a cannon, it was a harpoon.
But if Joss could reincarnate Agent Coulson, he could do anything, right? But then, that was in the Marvel Universe, where that kind of thing happens all the time.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:12 AM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
It wasn't a cannon, it was a harpoon.
But if Joss could reincarnate Agent Coulson, he could do anything, right? But then, that was in the Marvel Universe, where that kind of thing happens all the time.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:12 AM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
It's a magical place.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:14 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 11:14 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
anything in which Wash dies is automatically not cannon.
It wasn't a cannon, it was a harpoon.
LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:18 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
It wasn't a cannon, it was a harpoon.
LALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:18 AM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Due to my girlfriend starting grad school, we fell about 10 episodes behind on the x files files. I'm so not shocked that kumail is taking a break, though. The internets is harsh. Its a very entertaining way to rewatch the series.
posted by lownote at 11:25 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by lownote at 11:25 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
If I had my druthers, I'd have Ben Edlund write all six episodes.
posted by Ber at 11:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Ber at 11:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I think the kid is a boy and he sees things.
[whispers] "I see Metafilter. Posting SLYTs and celebrity gossip just like regular filters."
posted by CynicalKnight at 11:29 AM on March 24, 2015
[whispers] "I see Metafilter. Posting SLYTs and celebrity gossip just like regular filters."
posted by CynicalKnight at 11:29 AM on March 24, 2015
I think I was born a few years too early to really "get" all the X-Files love. Or more to the point, I'd already read all my Robert Anton Wilson essentials, so I already had a grasp on my Illuminati, conspiracy, black helicopters, menINblack, Area 51, etc stuff.
I do remember seeing Mr. Wilson give a talk back in the 90s. Someone asked him what he thought about X-Files. He shrugged, mumbled a few things about it not being funny enough and then said, "Repo Man is much more to my liking."
posted by philip-random at 11:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I do remember seeing Mr. Wilson give a talk back in the 90s. Someone asked him what he thought about X-Files. He shrugged, mumbled a few things about it not being funny enough and then said, "Repo Man is much more to my liking."
posted by philip-random at 11:29 AM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
They need to bring back the Lone Gunmen as they were on the original X-Files from the dead
There ya go
posted by tzikeh at 11:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
There ya go
posted by tzikeh at 11:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
If I had my druthers, I'd have Ben Edlund write all six episodes.
They investigate a big blue guy who claims to be a superhero.....
posted by The Whelk at 11:32 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Bring Krycek back pls
posted by extramundane at 11:33 AM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by extramundane at 11:33 AM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
Nonono, just his arm.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:34 AM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:34 AM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
Yeah, getting Krycek back would be a plus. I'm starting to think a retcon back to season four or five is the best solution.
posted by Ber at 11:36 AM on March 24, 2015
posted by Ber at 11:36 AM on March 24, 2015
They need to bring back the Lone Gunmen as they were on the original X-Files from the dead
A memory:
During the original run, a friend and I co-hosted viewing parties for the season premieres and finales at his place. The first time we did that it was the finale for Season 2, which saw Mulder trapped in a buried boxcar and Cancer Man throwing a ginormous bomb inside it and blowing the thing to smithereens; we all sat there with jaws open, all, "they....they KILLED HIM? Bwuh???"
But then he was fine and it was all good.
Cut ahead to the season finale for season 4, which ended with Scully addressing a panel of men and reporting: "Agent Mulder died at approximately 5 this morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head." Fade to black, closing credits.
A moment's silence in the room.
Broken by one of my friends saying, "Pfft - he's been dead before."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on March 24, 2015 [13 favorites]
A memory:
During the original run, a friend and I co-hosted viewing parties for the season premieres and finales at his place. The first time we did that it was the finale for Season 2, which saw Mulder trapped in a buried boxcar and Cancer Man throwing a ginormous bomb inside it and blowing the thing to smithereens; we all sat there with jaws open, all, "they....they KILLED HIM? Bwuh???"
But then he was fine and it was all good.
Cut ahead to the season finale for season 4, which ended with Scully addressing a panel of men and reporting: "Agent Mulder died at approximately 5 this morning of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head." Fade to black, closing credits.
A moment's silence in the room.
Broken by one of my friends saying, "Pfft - he's been dead before."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on March 24, 2015 [13 favorites]
Nothing ever dies.
Just like Fluke Boy.
posted by Chitownfats at 11:39 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Just like Fluke Boy.
posted by Chitownfats at 11:39 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm starting to think a retcon back to season four or five is the best solution.
God, yes. Doggett was a perfectly fine character, but the storyline post-season 5 was truly a mess.
posted by extramundane at 11:40 AM on March 24, 2015
God, yes. Doggett was a perfectly fine character, but the storyline post-season 5 was truly a mess.
posted by extramundane at 11:40 AM on March 24, 2015
I can't wait for all the fic where Scully runs off into the sunset with Skinner.
Memail me recs, plz. Scully running off into the sunset with herself is also good. TYIA.
posted by Lemmy Caution at 11:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Memail me recs, plz. Scully running off into the sunset with herself is also good. TYIA.
posted by Lemmy Caution at 11:41 AM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Just spotted on Twitter:
"David Duchovny came out of his house and saw his shadow and that's why we get six more episodes!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:42 AM on March 24, 2015 [22 favorites]
"David Duchovny came out of his house and saw his shadow and that's why we get six more episodes!"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:42 AM on March 24, 2015 [22 favorites]
Chemistry and comedy between the leads was always great, and will still be great.
The writers were always just bluffing about the overall storyline and really had no idea where they were going with it, and will still have none.
If they can make that not matter, it'll probably be fine. If they try to orchestrate some kind of Grand Resolution, it'll probably be a mess.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 11:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The writers were always just bluffing about the overall storyline and really had no idea where they were going with it, and will still have none.
If they can make that not matter, it'll probably be fine. If they try to orchestrate some kind of Grand Resolution, it'll probably be a mess.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 11:44 AM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
somewhere there is a writer's room with a whiteboard. On the writeboard is written "X-FILES 2010s"
Underneath it, underlined and in bold is:
EVIL UBER???
posted by The Whelk at 11:52 AM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
Underneath it, underlined and in bold is:
posted by The Whelk at 11:52 AM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
Seconding the liking of the second movie.
posted by Billiken at 12:05 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Billiken at 12:05 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Whatever happens, we will never see anything as gloriously silly from the X-Files crew as this gem.
posted by Ber at 12:06 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Ber at 12:06 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'd like to see Evan Dorkin write some episodes. "We've got a bloody baseball bat, gin and some spoiled dairy here Mulder."
I've watched some episodes on netflix. The old stuff dosen't seem to hold up well. Not b/c of the cell phones, etc.
But you look at these wildly paranoid conspiracy theories about the U.S. government and you think - man, you people are really f'ing naive.
posted by Smedleyman at 12:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I've watched some episodes on netflix. The old stuff dosen't seem to hold up well. Not b/c of the cell phones, etc.
But you look at these wildly paranoid conspiracy theories about the U.S. government and you think - man, you people are really f'ing naive.
posted by Smedleyman at 12:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Hmm, I co-hosted a chat on the aol xf forum for a bit during the original run (I want to say s2-s5.)
Please don't let this suck.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:12 PM on March 24, 2015
Please don't let this suck.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:12 PM on March 24, 2015
I know self-linking is a big no-no, but I figure it can't hurt to toot my own horn in a comment. My friend and I have been rewatching the show for the past year and a half and writing up our thoughts on our blog called Apt. 42 Revisited. We're in the eighth season, but plan on covering these new episodes!
Pinch me, it is actually happening!!!!!
posted by theartandsound at 12:13 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Pinch me, it is actually happening!!!!!
posted by theartandsound at 12:13 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Episode 5: Jack Bauer bursts in, shoots and kills Mulder.
Episode 6: Mulder is back. No explanation is given for the events of the previous episode.
posted by schmod at 12:23 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Episode 6: Mulder is back. No explanation is given for the events of the previous episode.
posted by schmod at 12:23 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Paranormal events are a lot less plausible in the cellphone age, I'm afraid.... Everyone has a decent video camera, all the time!
And yet the believers in woo do not seem to have gone down in number. Hmmmmm.
posted by Seamus at 12:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
And yet the believers in woo do not seem to have gone down in number. Hmmmmm.
posted by Seamus at 12:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nah, they already had a kid.
Part of me hopes that they bring him back - he'd be turning 14 this year and that could make things interesting.
posted by Lucinda at 12:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Part of me hopes that they bring him back - he'd be turning 14 this year and that could make things interesting.
posted by Lucinda at 12:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
What with all that there readily available internet porn these days, good luck with Mulder getting any work done.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:30 PM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:30 PM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
I wonder what they're going to do with this. It seems like 90s-style conspiracy culture is long dead. As posters have noted above, the ubiquity of recording and network technology killed it. And modern government conspiracies are so boring and mundane: the NSA isn't hiding psychic alien vampire ghosts, it's just listening to our conversations.
I hope they keep the weird Fortean elements of the old show and don't go for a topical thriller. And avoid the shit of the second movie.
Also, I really wish Mulder and Scully had made a brief, unnamed cameo on True Detective. An occult-tinged murder in a small town in the 90s? Come on!
posted by Sangermaine at 12:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I hope they keep the weird Fortean elements of the old show and don't go for a topical thriller. And avoid the shit of the second movie.
Also, I really wish Mulder and Scully had made a brief, unnamed cameo on True Detective. An occult-tinged murder in a small town in the 90s? Come on!
posted by Sangermaine at 12:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Skinner has quit the FBI and moved to the Great American North West in order to pursue his family trade - hunting Sasquatches. However, he finds that times have changed since he last drew a bead on a 'squatch - factory farming has taken over, freezing out the private operator. Teaming up with the daughter he never knew, can gruff, usually furious Walter Skinner transition his family business to the modern age?
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:44 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:44 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
It seems like 90s-style conspiracy culture is long dead. As posters have noted above, the ubiquity of recording and network technology killed it.
It probably also didn't hurt that the conspiracies of the early aughts (9/11 truthers and the like) were so plain ugly. There's something fun about imagining a world where aliens are sneaking around among us (and the gov'ment is covering it up). Not so much with the murder of three thousand folks at home.
posted by sparklemotion at 12:46 PM on March 24, 2015
It probably also didn't hurt that the conspiracies of the early aughts (9/11 truthers and the like) were so plain ugly. There's something fun about imagining a world where aliens are sneaking around among us (and the gov'ment is covering it up). Not so much with the murder of three thousand folks at home.
posted by sparklemotion at 12:46 PM on March 24, 2015
A government that is plotting with aliens to something something black oil and bees is better than one killing kids with drones. Whatever it was that their fake government was doing (I quit watching long before any kind of reveal), our real government tortures people and keeps them in forever prison. It's not so much fun when the conspiracies are right out in the open and nobody cares.
posted by Legomancer at 12:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by Legomancer at 12:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
Back in the 90s, I didn't care for the Monster of the Week episodes and preferred the conspiracy arc. Last time I rewatched it, I didn't care for the conspiracy arcs and preferred the Monsters of the Week.
posted by entropicamericana at 12:53 PM on March 24, 2015 [17 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 12:53 PM on March 24, 2015 [17 favorites]
The big problem with the X-Files that I found on rewatching an episode or three was the whole idea that they couldn't kill Mulder or he'd become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. I get that you have no show if you off the main character, but the degree to which that logic contorted the story got quite ridiculous.
posted by kokaku at 12:54 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kokaku at 12:54 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
It also had to both have an ongoing mystery AND have everything kinda reset after each mystery, which had long-acting story problems.
posted by The Whelk at 12:57 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by The Whelk at 12:57 PM on March 24, 2015
The big problem with the X-Files that I found on rewatching an episode or three was the whole idea that they couldn't kill Mulder or he'd become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
I'd actually point to the show suffering from what I've previously called the Winchester Mystery House Syndrome, where the writers just plain didn't know how much longer they'd have to up the stakes and so things just kept getting more and more baroque. That's one thing that I really respected about Lost and Babylon 5 - there was a definitive end in sight, so the writers knew what pace they should set. (I also respect that the ending they did come up with for Lost was unsatisfying, but at least the construction leading up to that ending was well paced and didn't have too much excess nonsense built upon it.)
I'm hoping that this six-episode series is itself a sort of six-episode mini-mytharc, a self-contained thing in and of itself, like the Doctor Who serials where you deal with one big "mythos" over the course of the season that you can deal with or not in a given episode, but is wrapped up pretty much by the end of the season.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:01 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'd actually point to the show suffering from what I've previously called the Winchester Mystery House Syndrome, where the writers just plain didn't know how much longer they'd have to up the stakes and so things just kept getting more and more baroque. That's one thing that I really respected about Lost and Babylon 5 - there was a definitive end in sight, so the writers knew what pace they should set. (I also respect that the ending they did come up with for Lost was unsatisfying, but at least the construction leading up to that ending was well paced and didn't have too much excess nonsense built upon it.)
I'm hoping that this six-episode series is itself a sort of six-episode mini-mytharc, a self-contained thing in and of itself, like the Doctor Who serials where you deal with one big "mythos" over the course of the season that you can deal with or not in a given episode, but is wrapped up pretty much by the end of the season.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:01 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I enjoyed the second movie X-Files: I Want To Believe
Me too, though some of that might have been lowered expectations from having so thoroughly hated the first X-Files movie.
posted by phearlez at 1:08 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Me too, though some of that might have been lowered expectations from having so thoroughly hated the first X-Files movie.
posted by phearlez at 1:08 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'd watch Gillian Anderson read the phone book for six hours, so this is super exciting news.
posted by desjardins at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [16 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2015 [16 favorites]
A new X-Files series means more anti-vaccination hysteria, conspiracy paranoia, and general pseudoscience! Perfect for Fox!
I've always entertained a theory that The X-Files was so popular in the '90s partly because the '90s were (relatively speaking, if you lived in the US) an optimistic time. When it looked like the world was on the road to swellness the conspiracies were fun. But when it became increasingly hard to distinguish The X-Files from the nightly news or any other unhinged rant on the internet, it was all a lot less thrilling.
About a return, I have mixed feelings. OTOH, X-F was one of the few TV shows I was really nuts over. Duchovny and Anderson are always great together. And I'd like to see an aging Mulder and Scully take on a world where hysteria and paranoia are everywhere. OTOH, at this point, my confidence in the brand (not to mention Chris Carter) is practically nill.
posted by octobersurprise at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
I've always entertained a theory that The X-Files was so popular in the '90s partly because the '90s were (relatively speaking, if you lived in the US) an optimistic time. When it looked like the world was on the road to swellness the conspiracies were fun. But when it became increasingly hard to distinguish The X-Files from the nightly news or any other unhinged rant on the internet, it was all a lot less thrilling.
About a return, I have mixed feelings. OTOH, X-F was one of the few TV shows I was really nuts over. Duchovny and Anderson are always great together. And I'd like to see an aging Mulder and Scully take on a world where hysteria and paranoia are everywhere. OTOH, at this point, my confidence in the brand (not to mention Chris Carter) is practically nill.
posted by octobersurprise at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
According to the rumor mill, the two stars are dating these days. I don't know which is cause and which is effect in this situation.
posted by w0mbat at 1:21 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by w0mbat at 1:21 PM on March 24, 2015
There is no way they are dating each other. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE.
posted by desjardins at 1:30 PM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 1:30 PM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
I think in retrospect the most plausible explanation for the whole series is that 1) Mulder is a paranoid schizophrenic, and 2) the government kept him on the payroll (and actively fed his paranoid fantasies with fake conspiracies, monsters, and UFOs) because he was a harmless nutjob who could easily be manipulated to provide cover for actual covert activities. Need to make a big shipment of unregistered firearms to Syrian rebels? No problem! Dress some guys up as aliens in a warehouse on the edge of town and feed an anonymous tip to Mulder. The tinfoil hat crowd stays distracted, and the more level-headed civilians have all the more reason to dismiss conspiracy theories as crazy.
posted by dephlogisticated at 1:38 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by dephlogisticated at 1:38 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
According to the rumor mill, the two stars are dating these days.
There have been claims that they were dating almost as long as the show has existed.
In reality - while working on the show their off-screen relations were more like "work friends" - a lot of respect, an appreciation for the onscreen rapport they share, but "not sure I'd wanna have a beer and, like, hang out." Instead, she hooked up with a cameraman on the show, and he first brought one of his girlfriends in for an episode (she played a vampire in that episode in season 2) and then met Tea Leoni. So the "ooh they're dating" has always pretty much just been rumor.
And anyway, as for now, I think she lives in England and that'd be one hell of a long-distance relationship.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:42 PM on March 24, 2015
There have been claims that they were dating almost as long as the show has existed.
In reality - while working on the show their off-screen relations were more like "work friends" - a lot of respect, an appreciation for the onscreen rapport they share, but "not sure I'd wanna have a beer and, like, hang out." Instead, she hooked up with a cameraman on the show, and he first brought one of his girlfriends in for an episode (she played a vampire in that episode in season 2) and then met Tea Leoni. So the "ooh they're dating" has always pretty much just been rumor.
And anyway, as for now, I think she lives in England and that'd be one hell of a long-distance relationship.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:42 PM on March 24, 2015
Am hoping for a Frank Black cameo.
Both of them.
(Actually, the Frank Black/Black Francis of Pixies fame is a huge UFO buff, so it wouldn't be a stretch to have him guest star ... pretty please?)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Both of them.
(Actually, the Frank Black/Black Francis of Pixies fame is a huge UFO buff, so it wouldn't be a stretch to have him guest star ... pretty please?)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
octobersurprise:
"No! You're just imagining patters to make yourself feel better! Don't make the same mistake I made!"
posted by charred husk at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
"But when it became increasingly hard to distinguish The X-Files from the nightly news or any other unhinged rant on the internet, it was all a lot less thrilling. "This is exactly how I feel. I was a big conspiracy guy in the 90's (not a believer, more aficionado) but once it began seeping into real life it stopped being fun. I only think this will work if they somehow turn the X-Files on its head somehow to match the current climate where everyone is Mulder in one way or another. Like Mulder and Scully go all Focault's Pendulum on the world.
"No! You're just imagining patters to make yourself feel better! Don't make the same mistake I made!"
posted by charred husk at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
A new X-Files series means more anti-vaccination hysteria, conspiracy paranoia, and general pseudoscience! Perfect for Fox!
They tend to put the Hey, Did You Know The US Government is Evil? stuff on FX these days: The Americans, Archer. Both, like The X-Files, quite enjoyable cloak-and-dagger shows, and to the extent that they illuminate America's crimes, I don't object. But it's kind of weird that these kinds of shows seem to only ever come from Fox, and only when there's a Democrat in the White House...
posted by Sys Rq at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
They tend to put the Hey, Did You Know The US Government is Evil? stuff on FX these days: The Americans, Archer. Both, like The X-Files, quite enjoyable cloak-and-dagger shows, and to the extent that they illuminate America's crimes, I don't object. But it's kind of weird that these kinds of shows seem to only ever come from Fox, and only when there's a Democrat in the White House...
posted by Sys Rq at 1:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
the government kept him on the payroll (and actively fed his paranoid fantasies with fake conspiracies, monsters, and UFOs) because he was a harmless nutjob who could easily be manipulated to provide cover for actual covert activities.
I don't know if the writers could write this believably or if Duchovny could play it convincingly, but I would watch an X-Files premised on the idea that nearly everything Mulder thought was happening in the first series was madness.
posted by octobersurprise at 1:56 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I don't know if the writers could write this believably or if Duchovny could play it convincingly, but I would watch an X-Files premised on the idea that nearly everything Mulder thought was happening in the first series was madness.
posted by octobersurprise at 1:56 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I need Morgan and Wong to be involved to be really happy with this.
posted by OolooKitty at 1:58 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by OolooKitty at 1:58 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
But it's kind of weird that these kinds of shows seem to only ever come from Fox, and only when there's a Democrat in the White House...
Then again, the second movie had a throwaway political observation.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:58 PM on March 24, 2015
Then again, the second movie had a throwaway political observation.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:58 PM on March 24, 2015
How are they going to explain Scully's ridiculous British accent?
posted by stargell at 2:04 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by stargell at 2:04 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
According to today's Evening Standard Anderson is single but is hoping her next relationship is with The One.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 2:06 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 2:06 PM on March 24, 2015
stargell:
posted by charred husk at 2:06 PM on March 24, 2015 [23 favorites]
"How are they going to explain Scully's ridiculous British accent?"Ahem.
posted by charred husk at 2:06 PM on March 24, 2015 [23 favorites]
"Part of me hopes that they bring him back - he'd be turning 14 this year and that could make things interesting."
Back when the return of X-Files was just a possibility, I was discussing potential directions the new series could go with... someone. (Can't remember who, exactly, but it was in a grey room and they had really big eyes.) Anyway, the big, unanswered question in the series is 2012. That's when the aliens were supposed to return and kill everybody, then take the Earth for themselves. And the other big problem with returning to series status quo is William, their miracle baby who would, as you say, be a teenager now.
So how do we get back to Mulder and Scully investigating strangeness while still having a lively character dynamic? (That is, what would motivate Scully to be skeptical again after all she's seen?) Simple, just use one problem to cancel out the other. In 2012 the aliens came just like they said they would, and Mulder and Scully tried to stop them. They would have been squashed like flies, but Mulder brought 11 year old William into the fight, and somehow William used his miracle baby powers to stop the aliens dead. But in the process, they got him too.
And that's it. 2012 happened, and William died saving the world. They don't need to ever show it, just referencing what happened within the show would be enough. And even though it was necessary and voluntary, the sacrifice of William shattered their relationship. Now, three years later, Mulder has found some weirdness out there and needs to get Scully out on the road with him to check it out. She resists because she blames him for what happened, but eventually joins him as a very reluctant, skeptical partner. It's not that she doesn't believe in aliens and weirdness - it's that she longer trusts Mulder. Him trying to regain her trust would be the main emotional throughline of the series.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:10 PM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
Back when the return of X-Files was just a possibility, I was discussing potential directions the new series could go with... someone. (Can't remember who, exactly, but it was in a grey room and they had really big eyes.) Anyway, the big, unanswered question in the series is 2012. That's when the aliens were supposed to return and kill everybody, then take the Earth for themselves. And the other big problem with returning to series status quo is William, their miracle baby who would, as you say, be a teenager now.
So how do we get back to Mulder and Scully investigating strangeness while still having a lively character dynamic? (That is, what would motivate Scully to be skeptical again after all she's seen?) Simple, just use one problem to cancel out the other. In 2012 the aliens came just like they said they would, and Mulder and Scully tried to stop them. They would have been squashed like flies, but Mulder brought 11 year old William into the fight, and somehow William used his miracle baby powers to stop the aliens dead. But in the process, they got him too.
And that's it. 2012 happened, and William died saving the world. They don't need to ever show it, just referencing what happened within the show would be enough. And even though it was necessary and voluntary, the sacrifice of William shattered their relationship. Now, three years later, Mulder has found some weirdness out there and needs to get Scully out on the road with him to check it out. She resists because she blames him for what happened, but eventually joins him as a very reluctant, skeptical partner. It's not that she doesn't believe in aliens and weirdness - it's that she longer trusts Mulder. Him trying to regain her trust would be the main emotional throughline of the series.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:10 PM on March 24, 2015 [12 favorites]
Watching the skies for a sign
The FBI's on my mind
I've waited for this day
When my lucky stars align!
posted by nicebookrack at 2:15 PM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
The FBI's on my mind
I've waited for this day
When my lucky stars align!
posted by nicebookrack at 2:15 PM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
I'm excited and also worried about this.
But now I want some sort of cgi-manufactured scene between Scully and Anderson's "Stella Gibson" character from "The Fall", just to have all the badassery in one place.
posted by rmd1023 at 2:19 PM on March 24, 2015
But now I want some sort of cgi-manufactured scene between Scully and Anderson's "Stella Gibson" character from "The Fall", just to have all the badassery in one place.
posted by rmd1023 at 2:19 PM on March 24, 2015
This is exactly how I feel. I was a big conspiracy guy in the 90's (not a believer, more aficionado) but once it began seeping into real life it stopped being fun. I only think this will work if they somehow turn the X-Files on its head somehow to match the current climate where everyone is Mulder in one way or another. Like Mulder and Scully go all Focault's Pendulum on the world.
charred husk
Or go the other route: the core of the show has always been "the truth is out there", with the implication that the truth will set you free. Mulder would expose the Truth and the world would be shocked.
So in this new series have Mulder expose the Truth...and no one really cares, in the same way that the public seems largely indifferent to the Snowden and other NSA revelations. He expects massive change and resistance, and instead he gets indifference.
The show ends with Mulder sitting broken and alone in his office while a TV shows a Fox show where some corporate/government mouthpiece is arguing with some activist about whether alien colonization is a good thing for America, and the host urging viewers to "tell us what you think on Twitter!"
posted by Sangermaine at 2:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
charred husk
Or go the other route: the core of the show has always been "the truth is out there", with the implication that the truth will set you free. Mulder would expose the Truth and the world would be shocked.
So in this new series have Mulder expose the Truth...and no one really cares, in the same way that the public seems largely indifferent to the Snowden and other NSA revelations. He expects massive change and resistance, and instead he gets indifference.
The show ends with Mulder sitting broken and alone in his office while a TV shows a Fox show where some corporate/government mouthpiece is arguing with some activist about whether alien colonization is a good thing for America, and the host urging viewers to "tell us what you think on Twitter!"
posted by Sangermaine at 2:27 PM on March 24, 2015 [18 favorites]
The only plot point I have a burning desire to see resolved is whether Mulder ever fixed that hole in his water bed.
posted by invitapriore at 2:29 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by invitapriore at 2:29 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs Obama birthers
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs the Men's Rights Movement
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs gluten-free vegan paleo chelation diets
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs Sandy Hook truthers
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs the entirety of Reddit
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs creepypasta
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs homeopathy (EVIL homeopathy)
posted by nicebookrack at 2:35 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs the Men's Rights Movement
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs gluten-free vegan paleo chelation diets
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs Sandy Hook truthers
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs the entirety of Reddit
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs creepypasta
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs homeopathy (EVIL homeopathy)
posted by nicebookrack at 2:35 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
It's worth noting this was somewhat kicked-off by Gillian Anderson's recent appearance on The Nerdist podcast, which caused a little grassroots Twitter action.
I just listened to this last night (as an infrequent podcast listener), and had no idea the #xfiles2015 campaign was happening. The entire genesis is right there and you can hear everyone getting more excited about the prospect.
(And David Duchovny's jeans, but that's neither hear nor there.)
If you haven't listened to the podcast, and have any interest at all in the new season, go listen. It's great. They even discuss hypotheticals about how they could deal with Mulder and his porn addiction in the 21st century. :)
I am over the moon about this.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 2:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I just listened to this last night (as an infrequent podcast listener), and had no idea the #xfiles2015 campaign was happening. The entire genesis is right there and you can hear everyone getting more excited about the prospect.
(And David Duchovny's jeans, but that's neither hear nor there.)
If you haven't listened to the podcast, and have any interest at all in the new season, go listen. It's great. They even discuss hypotheticals about how they could deal with Mulder and his porn addiction in the 21st century. :)
I am over the moon about this.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 2:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
stargell: How are they going to explain Scully's ridiculous British accent?
Gillian Anderson grew up in North London and currently lives there.
posted by tzikeh at 2:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
Gillian Anderson grew up in North London and currently lives there.
posted by tzikeh at 2:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I am over the moon about this.
Alien colonist confirmed.
posted by Sangermaine at 2:41 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Alien colonist confirmed.
posted by Sangermaine at 2:41 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Somebody needs to do a supercut of all the times Scully says "are you saying," "are you telling me," and "are you suggesting." I remember a brief one on a behind-the-scenes special or something from back in the day, but we need a complete one.
posted by entropicamericana at 2:41 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by entropicamericana at 2:41 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I can't decide whether I want them to go "everything after episode X never happened" or to embrace the whole lot. Because on the one hand, so much of the later seasons was terrible. But on the other hand, in real life the baby William would now be 14-15(!) years old. The thought of Mulder as the well-meaning but kinda-terrible dad to a smart teenager is just too irresistible.
"WILL! Come down for a minute and show your mom and me how to use Tumblr, THERE'S A MONSTER LOOSE ON IT."
posted by nicebookrack at 2:43 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
"WILL! Come down for a minute and show your mom and me how to use Tumblr, THERE'S A MONSTER LOOSE ON IT."
posted by nicebookrack at 2:43 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
"WILL! Come down for a minute and show your mom and me how to use Tumblr, THERE'S A MONSTER LOOSE ON IT."
Oh, yes, please!
I'd love to see Skinner again as well. His appearance in I Want to Believe still makes me grin.
posted by wiskunde at 2:46 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Oh, yes, please!
I'd love to see Skinner again as well. His appearance in I Want to Believe still makes me grin.
posted by wiskunde at 2:46 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
(In my dream world, they'd have Charlie Brooker consult to help with some of the modern logistics.)
posted by [insert clever name here] at 2:47 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 2:47 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
"Somebody needs to do a supercut of all the times Scully says "are you saying," "are you telling me," and "are you suggesting.""
That's one of my favorite things about their relationship. Mulder comes up with some half-formed, half-baked theory, then Scully tries to summarize it to make him see how ridiculous it sounds (in the process connecting ideas together in a way he never actually bothered to do) and he's like "Yeah, that's what I meant!" When we all know he never thought it through that far.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:47 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
That's one of my favorite things about their relationship. Mulder comes up with some half-formed, half-baked theory, then Scully tries to summarize it to make him see how ridiculous it sounds (in the process connecting ideas together in a way he never actually bothered to do) and he's like "Yeah, that's what I meant!" When we all know he never thought it through that far.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:47 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Gillian Anderson grew up in North London and currently lives there.
I know. I'm still not buying that accent.
posted by stargell at 2:53 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hm. It's possible you might not know how accents work.
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:59 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:59 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
(On the other hand, I recently tried to imitate the accent I was raised with and most of my family members still speak with, and wasn't quite able to pull it off. So you might have a point.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:02 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by Atom Eyes at 3:02 PM on March 24, 2015
Bonus William thoughts: any teen raised by Scully and Mulder would be like a classier version of baby Sam and Dean on Supernatural. Look both ways before you cross the street, but run directly toward danger. Finish your epidemiology homework before videogames. Record all conversations with authorities. Just say no to drugs you haven't tested for adulterants. If it attacks you, shoot it, burn it, salt the ashes.
posted by nicebookrack at 3:05 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 3:05 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
I'm just looking forward to a Mefi thread or two looking like the old Usenet channels, lighting up like a Christmas tree after the end of an episode: the meticulous, pedantic nitpicking, the deadly serious analysis of plot lines, the swoon of shippers over the slightest physical contact between the series regulars, the delirious speculations on future contact between same, and of course, every conceivable oddball pairing-off of the characters having their own small but endlessly vocal devotees. Heh. Good times.
Has too much time passed for that to happen? Have we gotten too old for this shit?
I sure hope not.
posted by KHAAAN! at 3:19 PM on March 24, 2015 [19 favorites]
Has too much time passed for that to happen? Have we gotten too old for this shit?
I sure hope not.
posted by KHAAAN! at 3:19 PM on March 24, 2015 [19 favorites]
Niiice! Even more uncomfortable stills for Texts from the X-Files to use!
posted by Zack_Replica at 3:21 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by Zack_Replica at 3:21 PM on March 24, 2015
No, not just the Lone Gunmen but the Lone Gunmen as they were in the X-Files. Like when they got introduced in E.B.E. Incredibly competent, yet funny, people with weird ideas and a zine. The "Lone Gunmen" of their own tv show, on the other hand, were bumbling fools who usually relied on others to get them out of bad situations. Yes, I was bitterly disappointed by the show except for when their pilot episode predicted 9/11.
posted by I-baLL at 3:31 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by I-baLL at 3:31 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm just looking forward to a Mefi thread or two looking like the old Usenet channels
"Last night's X-Files was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured I was on MetaFilter within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world."
posted by entropicamericana at 3:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
"Last night's X-Files was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured I was on MetaFilter within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world."
posted by entropicamericana at 3:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]
I hope the Smoking Man's in this one.
posted by officer_fred at 3:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by officer_fred at 3:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [13 favorites]
Also the 2012 thing is easily explained away as the aliens not fully understanding our calendar system when they calculated the original date:
"Some months have thirty one days!? And one of them has 28!? Fucking humans..."
posted by Sangermaine at 3:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
"Some months have thirty one days!? And one of them has 28!? Fucking humans..."
posted by Sangermaine at 3:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I want a followup episode to see how those wacky Peacock brothers are a'doin!
posted by Poldo at 3:49 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by Poldo at 3:49 PM on March 24, 2015
Lord Kinbote hosts a panel discussion show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:56 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:56 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
Headcanon: The Lone Gunmen became surprise millionaires based on early contributions to blogging software and the viral popularity of some of their post-apocalyptic survivalist websites. They invested half of their cash in gold and colloidal silver and now live in uncomfortable bourgeoisie as, if not members of the 1%, certainly members of the upper 40%.
Byers is investigating the attempts to assassinate Harrison Ford in order to conceal the subconscious propaganda messages that will be embedded in the new Star Wars movie. Frohike trolls jihadi websites to keep track of the agents provocateurs working with a white supremacist doomsday cult linked with 4chan's /pol/. Langley is really into vocaloids for some reason.
posted by nicebookrack at 4:12 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
Byers is investigating the attempts to assassinate Harrison Ford in order to conceal the subconscious propaganda messages that will be embedded in the new Star Wars movie. Frohike trolls jihadi websites to keep track of the agents provocateurs working with a white supremacist doomsday cult linked with 4chan's /pol/. Langley is really into vocaloids for some reason.
posted by nicebookrack at 4:12 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
The thought of Mulder as the well-meaning but kinda-terrible dad to a smart teenager is just too irresistible.
If you're going to do that you might as well lever in Will Wheaton somewhere. ("I was a miracle kid once and look where it's got me.")
posted by octobersurprise at 4:26 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you're going to do that you might as well lever in Will Wheaton somewhere. ("I was a miracle kid once and look where it's got me.")
posted by octobersurprise at 4:26 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
"Frohike trolls jihadi websites to keep track of the agents provocateurs working with a white surpremacist doomsday cult linked with 4chan's /pol/."
Eh, real life is a bit weirder than that. Anons on 4chan got pissed off a Hal Turner, a neo-nazi radio host, who was talkin crap about them on the radio so they began to harass him. Eventually they ended up hacking into his email only to find out....that he was a government informant.
Waitaminute, maybe the new X-Files will be like Law & Order where they take stuff from the headlines and base their shows around that. There are a ton of conspiracy theories that turned out to be true and and writers for the X-Files miniseries will just need to cherry pick them out. Hell, even 9/11 truthers were kinda vindicated as the official story is basically that the NSA knew of the whole 9/11 plot from basically the beginning. PBS' Nova covered this.
posted by I-baLL at 4:28 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Eh, real life is a bit weirder than that. Anons on 4chan got pissed off a Hal Turner, a neo-nazi radio host, who was talkin crap about them on the radio so they began to harass him. Eventually they ended up hacking into his email only to find out....that he was a government informant.
Waitaminute, maybe the new X-Files will be like Law & Order where they take stuff from the headlines and base their shows around that. There are a ton of conspiracy theories that turned out to be true and and writers for the X-Files miniseries will just need to cherry pick them out. Hell, even 9/11 truthers were kinda vindicated as the official story is basically that the NSA knew of the whole 9/11 plot from basically the beginning. PBS' Nova covered this.
posted by I-baLL at 4:28 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I wonder if The Smoking Man has switched to e-cigs. "Men can never be free. Because they're weak, corrupt ...man this rootbeer flavour is the tits. oh and worthless and restless."
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:33 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:33 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
I'm pretty sure The Smoking Man no longer has to worry about what kind of cigarettes to smoke. Given that he is no longer a Corporeal-American.
posted by Justinian at 4:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Justinian at 4:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I just want Mulder to answer the question: "so why male models?"
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 4:46 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 4:46 PM on March 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
The whole thing should be a History Channel production about "weird history" hosted and narrated by the Stupendous Yappi and Fox and Dana (and other characters) are the expert consultants.
They could get all kinds of great actors to do the "Dramatic reenactments" of stuff
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 5:29 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
They could get all kinds of great actors to do the "Dramatic reenactments" of stuff
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 5:29 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
> Gillian Anderson grew up in North London and currently lives there.
I know. I'm still not buying that accent.
Okay:
She was born in Michigan, but then her family moved to North London when she was really little and lived there until she was about 11. So her whole childhood was growing up with an American accent when she was really little, and gradually switching to English to fit in.
Then her family moved back to the US, and she first hung on to the London accent to try to be "cool" but then gradually picked the American accent back up as her teens went on.
Today she's kind of like John Barrowman in that she can switch back and forth depending on who she's talking to and where she's performing. Actually, she gets into that (in a sort of mid-way accent) on this Graham Norton episode. (She also has a fantastic X-Files-related anecdote from a Comic-Con panel.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:15 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
I know. I'm still not buying that accent.
Okay:
She was born in Michigan, but then her family moved to North London when she was really little and lived there until she was about 11. So her whole childhood was growing up with an American accent when she was really little, and gradually switching to English to fit in.
Then her family moved back to the US, and she first hung on to the London accent to try to be "cool" but then gradually picked the American accent back up as her teens went on.
Today she's kind of like John Barrowman in that she can switch back and forth depending on who she's talking to and where she's performing. Actually, she gets into that (in a sort of mid-way accent) on this Graham Norton episode. (She also has a fantastic X-Files-related anecdote from a Comic-Con panel.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:15 PM on March 24, 2015 [5 favorites]
The second movie was very low key and is so much the better for it.
posted by jabah at 6:31 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jabah at 6:31 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed the second movie X-Files: I Want To Believe
I was a believer back in the 20th century, but seeing that second movie actually made me kinda care less now. Like Phil says, I Don't Care Anymore. (But if it was on Netflix, I'd watch it.)
posted by ovvl at 6:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was a believer back in the 20th century, but seeing that second movie actually made me kinda care less now. Like Phil says, I Don't Care Anymore. (But if it was on Netflix, I'd watch it.)
posted by ovvl at 6:39 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
EmpressCallipygos: "The big problem with the X-Files that I found on rewatching an episode or three was the whole idea that they couldn't kill Mulder or he'd become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
I'd actually point to the show suffering from what I've previously called the Winchester Mystery House Syndrome, where the writers just plain didn't know how much longer they'd have to up the stakes and so things just kept getting more and more baroque. That's one thing that I really respected about Lost and Babylon 5 - there was a definitive end in sight, so the writers knew what pace they should set. (I also respect that the ending they did come up with for Lost was unsatisfying, but at least the construction leading up to that ending was well paced and didn't have too much excess nonsense built upon it.)
I'm hoping that this six-episode series is itself a sort of six-episode mini-mytharc, a self-contained thing in and of itself, like the Doctor Who serials where you deal with one big "mythos" over the course of the season that you can deal with or not in a given episode, but is wrapped up pretty much by the end of the season."
Seriously? Lost? Planned? Even one of the writers doesn't agree with you.
posted by Samizdata at 6:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'd actually point to the show suffering from what I've previously called the Winchester Mystery House Syndrome, where the writers just plain didn't know how much longer they'd have to up the stakes and so things just kept getting more and more baroque. That's one thing that I really respected about Lost and Babylon 5 - there was a definitive end in sight, so the writers knew what pace they should set. (I also respect that the ending they did come up with for Lost was unsatisfying, but at least the construction leading up to that ending was well paced and didn't have too much excess nonsense built upon it.)
I'm hoping that this six-episode series is itself a sort of six-episode mini-mytharc, a self-contained thing in and of itself, like the Doctor Who serials where you deal with one big "mythos" over the course of the season that you can deal with or not in a given episode, but is wrapped up pretty much by the end of the season."
Seriously? Lost? Planned? Even one of the writers doesn't agree with you.
posted by Samizdata at 6:51 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I didn't say everything was planned, I said the end date was established (during the 3rd season in LOST'S case, but still).
That does make a difference when you're writing - if you're in the middle of your fourth season and there's no end in sight, you get panicky because you know "holy shit we may have to keep this going for YEARS" and so when you get the crazy ideas you have nothing stopping you from throwing them in. But if you're in the middle of your fourth season and you have a crazy idea, but you know that "hang on, we're ending a year and a half from now and there is NO WAY we would be able to wrap that plot line up that fast", that stops you.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:10 PM on March 24, 2015
That does make a difference when you're writing - if you're in the middle of your fourth season and there's no end in sight, you get panicky because you know "holy shit we may have to keep this going for YEARS" and so when you get the crazy ideas you have nothing stopping you from throwing them in. But if you're in the middle of your fourth season and you have a crazy idea, but you know that "hang on, we're ending a year and a half from now and there is NO WAY we would be able to wrap that plot line up that fast", that stops you.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:10 PM on March 24, 2015
When I saw that X-Files was top of the trending list on Twitter, I thought, hey, they must be doing another movie, great! A six episode mini-season was even better news, because it means more Scully and Mulder on screen time and the X-Files team couldn't seem to figure out how to do a movie properly, but do know how to do episodes. I hope they come up with a new, self-contained story arc for this six episode run, as that would work best. Trying to resurrect some of the old plots would be a bad idea, given that all the baddies got killed off and they never really had a firm grasp on the alien conspiracy stuff anyway.
Now excuse me while I go faint for joy.
posted by orange swan at 7:22 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Now excuse me while I go faint for joy.
posted by orange swan at 7:22 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
uuuggghhh fiiiiiiine, I will dig out my modem and dial-up the X-Files bbs to chat about this until the small hours IF I HAVE TO.
posted by um at 7:44 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by um at 7:44 PM on March 24, 2015 [6 favorites]
So apparently there has been an X-Files comic being published since 2013 called: "The X-Files Season 10." It looks like they are continuing with both the conspiracy and monster of the week stories. The series is planned to lead up to the new TV show. Also, it looks like Krycek, Cigarette-Smoking Man, and the Lone Gunmen have all made comebacks. So if I remember correctly we never saw Krycek's or the TLG's bodies so I could roll with it, but in the case of the CSM's demise I don't see how someone can come back from a hellfire missile to the chest. I'm guessing he's some kind of alien clone. Anyways.....THE X-FILES IS COMING BACK.....YOU ARE GOD DAMN RIGHT IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ONEONEELEVEN!
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 7:48 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 7:48 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I want a followup episode to see how those wacky Peacock brothers are a'doin!
Well, you know what they say "you can't keep a Peacock down".
*shudder*
Seriously though, Home was a heck of an episode.
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 7:54 PM on March 24, 2015
Well, you know what they say "you can't keep a Peacock down".
*shudder*
Seriously though, Home was a heck of an episode.
posted by The Legit Republic of Blanketsburg at 7:54 PM on March 24, 2015
Judging from the comics' plot summaries, it looks like Skinner, Dogget, and Reyes are all still in the picture as well.
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 8:01 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 8:01 PM on March 24, 2015
I am jazzed.
X-files was such a big thing for me in the 90s. I used to come home from work for lunch and eat while checking alt.tv.x-files. I just went to Google Groups and poked around a bit for old times sake. I googled a few names I remembered and wow, Gizzie is on Facebook! She wrote the funniest recaps.
And then whatserface came on, the not-Scully. She made whale noises when Scully was in labor. They'd better not bring her back.
posted by Biblio at 8:11 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
X-files was such a big thing for me in the 90s. I used to come home from work for lunch and eat while checking alt.tv.x-files. I just went to Google Groups and poked around a bit for old times sake. I googled a few names I remembered and wow, Gizzie is on Facebook! She wrote the funniest recaps.
And then whatserface came on, the not-Scully. She made whale noises when Scully was in labor. They'd better not bring her back.
posted by Biblio at 8:11 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
And hopefully Duchovny gets to be in the Twin Peaks revival too!
posted by mazola at 8:12 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by mazola at 8:12 PM on March 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm just hoping that, with the benefit of hindsight, everyone involved understands that the show was always about the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson, and not about aliens. This is one of those situations where six episodes of being chased by shapeshifting alien bounty hunters could be less entertaining than six episodes of the lead actors remodeling their kitchen and helping their kid with his science fair project. And the times that the conspiracy episodes worked best were when they were self-contained and human scale. My favorite mythology episodes were Duane Barry/Ascension (a hostage drama) and Tempus Fugit/Max (a plane crash mystery that has nothing to do with the fate of the world). I'm hoping that the writers deal with the 2012 date and baby William quickly and then move on to a mystery with smaller stakes than the fate of human civilization, and preferably lots of opportunities for awesome guest actors to give Duchovny and Anderson funny material to bounce off of. But early signs don't make me optimistic in that regard.
And most of all, I hope they finally realize that Scully was always the main character. I submit that Mulder doesn't actually exist- he's an archetype, an automaton that responds identically to every stimulus, there to transport Dana Scully to various locations where she undergoes various kinds of personal growth. Scully was the actual human being, with doubts and relatable reasoning and motivations. One of the things that bothered me about the final episode was how, even though he'd been essentially gone for two years, as soon as he came back all of a sudden everything became all about Mulder again. Hopefully this will provide an opportunity for Scully to get some more of the credit she deserves.
posted by gsteff at 8:18 PM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
And most of all, I hope they finally realize that Scully was always the main character. I submit that Mulder doesn't actually exist- he's an archetype, an automaton that responds identically to every stimulus, there to transport Dana Scully to various locations where she undergoes various kinds of personal growth. Scully was the actual human being, with doubts and relatable reasoning and motivations. One of the things that bothered me about the final episode was how, even though he'd been essentially gone for two years, as soon as he came back all of a sudden everything became all about Mulder again. Hopefully this will provide an opportunity for Scully to get some more of the credit she deserves.
posted by gsteff at 8:18 PM on March 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
Gsteff,,you've reminded me of one of the best wacky fan theories I heard back in the day -
It was about the claim Clyde Bruckman made, saying that she "didn't die". So - say that she doesn't. She ends up outliving Mulder, and going on to play a pivotal role in whatever future mankind had against the aliens, and was a great leader.
So good, in fact, that the aliens wanted to take her out - and did a whole sort of TERMINATOR thing where they went back in time to kill her then. So they needed some way to protect Past Scully.
And the idea they concocted was - Future Scully would go back in time and save her own self. Disguised, maybe. Maybe even gender-swapped. And Future Scully could also gradually break her past self in to the idea of the paranormal or supernatural, to brace herself for the time ahead...
...in other words, this theory claimed, Mulder IS Scully.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
It was about the claim Clyde Bruckman made, saying that she "didn't die". So - say that she doesn't. She ends up outliving Mulder, and going on to play a pivotal role in whatever future mankind had against the aliens, and was a great leader.
So good, in fact, that the aliens wanted to take her out - and did a whole sort of TERMINATOR thing where they went back in time to kill her then. So they needed some way to protect Past Scully.
And the idea they concocted was - Future Scully would go back in time and save her own self. Disguised, maybe. Maybe even gender-swapped. And Future Scully could also gradually break her past self in to the idea of the paranormal or supernatural, to brace herself for the time ahead...
...in other words, this theory claimed, Mulder IS Scully.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:40 PM on March 24, 2015 [11 favorites]
Another fun note on .twitter - Duchovny has just tweeted a response to the news that he hopes his suits still fit after 13 years.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:41 PM on March 24, 2015
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:41 PM on March 24, 2015
dephlogisticated: "Dress some guys up as aliens in a warehouse on the edge of town and feed an anonymous tip to Mulder. The tinfoil hat crowd stays distracted, and the more level-headed civilians have all the more reason to dismiss conspiracy theories as crazy."
Similar things are said about the Men in Black. They purposely behave strangely so that if anyone describes an encounter with them they sound like a lunatic.
posted by RobotHero at 9:07 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Similar things are said about the Men in Black. They purposely behave strangely so that if anyone describes an encounter with them they sound like a lunatic.
posted by RobotHero at 9:07 PM on March 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
I find absolutely no reason why anyone would think you crazy if you described this meeting of ours.
posted by entropicamericana at 9:34 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by entropicamericana at 9:34 PM on March 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was about the claim Clyde Bruckman made, saying that she "didn't die". So - say that she doesn't. She ends up outliving Mulder, and going on to play a pivotal role in whatever future mankind had against the aliens, and was a great leader.
EmpressCallipygos
I know you're just repeating a fan theory, but if you haven't listened to the X-Files Files episode where Nanjiani interviews Darin Morgan you should. Morgan talks about that episode and says that line about Scully not dying didn't mean anything; Bruckman was just being nice to Scully. Morgan goes on to laugh a little about fans creating these crazy theories out of every little bit of information or dialogue on the show.
posted by Sangermaine at 9:49 PM on March 24, 2015
EmpressCallipygos
I know you're just repeating a fan theory, but if you haven't listened to the X-Files Files episode where Nanjiani interviews Darin Morgan you should. Morgan talks about that episode and says that line about Scully not dying didn't mean anything; Bruckman was just being nice to Scully. Morgan goes on to laugh a little about fans creating these crazy theories out of every little bit of information or dialogue on the show.
posted by Sangermaine at 9:49 PM on March 24, 2015
But... but... I have been working my way through what is branded a complete box set of The X-Files! They can't add more, then it won't be complete!
Honestly, I am divided. Unlike some others above, I'm finding it stands up ok on a re-watch, as long as you take it as a product of its time (which isn't hard to do, there's heaps of reminders from fashion to hair to technology). But I've only re-watched S1-3 so far and am nowhere near the point at which I gave up when it first aired because it was just becoming bad, or at least more bad than good.
But I do agree that trying to revive the conspiracy thing will really not work very well. I'll probably watch, just because of Anderson if nothing else, but I'm not expecting greatness.
posted by Athanassiel at 12:06 AM on March 25, 2015
Honestly, I am divided. Unlike some others above, I'm finding it stands up ok on a re-watch, as long as you take it as a product of its time (which isn't hard to do, there's heaps of reminders from fashion to hair to technology). But I've only re-watched S1-3 so far and am nowhere near the point at which I gave up when it first aired because it was just becoming bad, or at least more bad than good.
But I do agree that trying to revive the conspiracy thing will really not work very well. I'll probably watch, just because of Anderson if nothing else, but I'm not expecting greatness.
posted by Athanassiel at 12:06 AM on March 25, 2015
YES. Now work on Firefly, plz.
posted by amy27 at 2:54 AM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by amy27 at 2:54 AM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Skeptical Scully Eyebrow vs gluten-free vegan paleo chelation diets
Given her penchant for yoghurt with bee pollen and non-fat Tofutti rice dreamsicles, maybe not.
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 3:24 AM on March 25, 2015 [4 favorites]
Given her penchant for yoghurt with bee pollen and non-fat Tofutti rice dreamsicles, maybe not.
posted by brushtailedphascogale at 3:24 AM on March 25, 2015 [4 favorites]
I bet Mulder would be a big Firefly fan
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:29 AM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:29 AM on March 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
"How can it be Lost Cause mythology, Scully, it's in outer space!"
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:34 AM on March 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 3:34 AM on March 25, 2015 [2 favorites]
Has anyone been cast to play Cousin Oliver yet? They could even have him age mysteriously rapidly as part of the woo woo of the show.
posted by pracowity at 4:49 AM on March 25, 2015
posted by pracowity at 4:49 AM on March 25, 2015
Morgan talks about that episode and says that line about Scully not dying didn't mean anything; Bruckman was just being nice to Scully. Morgan goes on to laugh a little about fans creating these crazy theories out of every little bit of information or dialogue on the show.
Oh, I know, and I kind of agree. I'm more appreciative of the lengths the fans' imaginations can stretch myself.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:54 AM on March 25, 2015
Oh, I know, and I kind of agree. I'm more appreciative of the lengths the fans' imaginations can stretch myself.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:54 AM on March 25, 2015
And modern government conspiracies are so boring and mundane: the NSA isn't hiding psychic alien vampire ghosts, it's just listening to our conversations.
But the NSA has to listen to our conversations to make sure we're not talking about the psychic alien vampire ghosts.
posted by nobody at 6:04 AM on March 25, 2015
But the NSA has to listen to our conversations to make sure we're not talking about the psychic alien vampire ghosts.
posted by nobody at 6:04 AM on March 25, 2015
I'm torn, I really am. I was a hardcore fan until season 5 or 6 and by then neither Mulder nor Scully was full-time on the show and there had been so many crazy things done to the conspiracy that it didn't seem like they could ever resolve it in a way that made sense and didn't leave a dozen loose threads hanging. That was why I quit.
Of course, when the writing wasn't a hot mess, it was amazing, and that's what keeps me in hope for the project.
posted by koucha at 7:28 AM on March 25, 2015
Of course, when the writing wasn't a hot mess, it was amazing, and that's what keeps me in hope for the project.
posted by koucha at 7:28 AM on March 25, 2015
That's a new bleepin season all right.
posted by Smedleyman at 8:40 AM on March 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Smedleyman at 8:40 AM on March 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
I was a hardcore fan until season 5 or 6 and by then neither Mulder nor Scully was full-time on the show
But... Mulder was full time until the end of season 7 and Scully was full-time until the end of season 8.
posted by Justinian at 9:52 AM on March 25, 2015
But... Mulder was full time until the end of season 7 and Scully was full-time until the end of season 8.
posted by Justinian at 9:52 AM on March 25, 2015
Just spotted on Twitter:
From Gillian Anderson:
Mulder, it's me. Are you ready?
From David Duchovny:
@GillianA I'm ready G woman
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:10 AM on March 25, 2015 [7 favorites]
From Gillian Anderson:
Mulder, it's me. Are you ready?
From David Duchovny:
@GillianA I'm ready G woman
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:10 AM on March 25, 2015 [7 favorites]
If you're never read the Grantland article about the X-Files and its importance to 90s culture and outlook, you've robbed yourself.
There is so much excellence in this article I can't do it justice, but here's a good snippet:
The X-Files was probably the first great TV show to be galvanized by the Internet and the last great TV show to depict a world in which the Internet played no part. Its fan culture found a home online early in the series’ run, but though the role of computers became both more central and more realistic as the show progressed,3 it was possible at least through the fifth season or so to see the Web as a distraction, something with no important bearing on anyone’s life. Remember when you could turn it on and off? We often credit the Internet with the disintegration of the old American monoculture, because it liberated us to be absorbed by our own interests, to spend our time downloading obscure anime, say, rather than caring about Madonna or ABC. But the Internet also created a new type of monoculture: It made every place accessible to every other place. We could no longer assume that the peculiarities of our own environments were private. Our hometown murders might appear on CNN.com. The world of small-town X-Files episodes is still that older world of extreme locality, where everyone in town grows up knowing that the rules here are different and we handle it ourselves. Children vanish or trees kill people or bright lights appear in the sky, but there is no higher authority to appeal to and it has nothing to do with what goes on 10 miles down the road.
posted by GreyboxHero at 11:59 AM on March 25, 2015 [18 favorites]
There is so much excellence in this article I can't do it justice, but here's a good snippet:
The X-Files was probably the first great TV show to be galvanized by the Internet and the last great TV show to depict a world in which the Internet played no part. Its fan culture found a home online early in the series’ run, but though the role of computers became both more central and more realistic as the show progressed,3 it was possible at least through the fifth season or so to see the Web as a distraction, something with no important bearing on anyone’s life. Remember when you could turn it on and off? We often credit the Internet with the disintegration of the old American monoculture, because it liberated us to be absorbed by our own interests, to spend our time downloading obscure anime, say, rather than caring about Madonna or ABC. But the Internet also created a new type of monoculture: It made every place accessible to every other place. We could no longer assume that the peculiarities of our own environments were private. Our hometown murders might appear on CNN.com. The world of small-town X-Files episodes is still that older world of extreme locality, where everyone in town grows up knowing that the rules here are different and we handle it ourselves. Children vanish or trees kill people or bright lights appear in the sky, but there is no higher authority to appeal to and it has nothing to do with what goes on 10 miles down the road.
posted by GreyboxHero at 11:59 AM on March 25, 2015 [18 favorites]
Thanks for reminding me of that one, GreyboxHero. Destined to be remembered as a minor classic of its genre, I think.
posted by brennen at 1:00 PM on March 25, 2015
posted by brennen at 1:00 PM on March 25, 2015
Thank you robocop is bleeding for the link to X Files Files, and thank you GreyboxHero for the link to that Grantland article. This discussion has brought up some great links to check out!
There was a time when I could confidently say I'd been to every important X Files site and seen all the nitpicks, reviews, screencaps and jokes. But that time is almost a decade and a half in the past now.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:14 PM on March 25, 2015
There was a time when I could confidently say I'd been to every important X Files site and seen all the nitpicks, reviews, screencaps and jokes. But that time is almost a decade and a half in the past now.
posted by Kevin Street at 1:14 PM on March 25, 2015
Has anyone been cast to play Cousin Oliver yet?
I hear they've signed a certain selachimorphic alumnus of Happy Days.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:18 PM on March 25, 2015
I hear they've signed a certain selachimorphic alumnus of Happy Days.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:18 PM on March 25, 2015
Yes, I knew there was a reason I woke up feeling unusually frisky yesterday. I followed this faithfully as a teen. When Thursday night came my friends and I would all get on the phone and watch together in silence (okay maybe some heavy breathing) and then spend the entire week talking about what we saw in school until the next episode rolled around.
I never faltered in my X-Files love and would pray the re-boot does not ignore what is going on in the (apparently canon) X-Files Season 10 comic series that came out out a few years back and may shortly wrap up.
In true X-Files tradition, of course the Lone Gunmen are not dead - they never were you fools!!! Also, there are some great storylines with Krycek, the Flukeman creature - even Doggett and Reyes were back... Plus a bit more detail about William. Go pick up some back issues at your local comic shop! Well worth it! I have like five copies of each issue and like to stare lovingly at them every date night :D
I know a lot of people despise Doggett but he was such a well written and well acted character (especially in comparison to Reyes, who seemed like an afterthought writing wise although the actress did a great job) - it would be great if there was some reference to him/ Reyes. Doggett did bring a nice common sense balance (practical like Scully, openminded like Mulder) without becoming extreme in any direction. When the character was first introduced I hated him but on subsequent re-watches I was impressed by how cleverly he was written and (please don't stone me) I enjoyed being surprised by his on screen choices as he was not as predictable... So I grew to like him the best of all the recurring characters. Yes, the Peacocks would be interesting to revisit (they are still out there) but it might dilute the impact of "Home". It would be fun if the Enigma and the blockhead made a cameo in the background... Or maybe Donny Pfaster coming back (possibly from Hell).
I have not owned a television or watched cable in years - maybe decades at this point. When I mentioned this to my mom (also an X-Phile) we both wondered if this was a smart marketing move to get people to start purchasing TVs and subscribing to cable again. Sweet Cthulhu, I am ready to do so and yes I will be booking the next day off work after each entry until the series is done because each episode will be a cause for drunken celebration.
posted by partly squamous and partly rugose at 6:00 PM on March 25, 2015
I never faltered in my X-Files love and would pray the re-boot does not ignore what is going on in the (apparently canon) X-Files Season 10 comic series that came out out a few years back and may shortly wrap up.
In true X-Files tradition, of course the Lone Gunmen are not dead - they never were you fools!!! Also, there are some great storylines with Krycek, the Flukeman creature - even Doggett and Reyes were back... Plus a bit more detail about William. Go pick up some back issues at your local comic shop! Well worth it! I have like five copies of each issue and like to stare lovingly at them every date night :D
I know a lot of people despise Doggett but he was such a well written and well acted character (especially in comparison to Reyes, who seemed like an afterthought writing wise although the actress did a great job) - it would be great if there was some reference to him/ Reyes. Doggett did bring a nice common sense balance (practical like Scully, openminded like Mulder) without becoming extreme in any direction. When the character was first introduced I hated him but on subsequent re-watches I was impressed by how cleverly he was written and (please don't stone me) I enjoyed being surprised by his on screen choices as he was not as predictable... So I grew to like him the best of all the recurring characters. Yes, the Peacocks would be interesting to revisit (they are still out there) but it might dilute the impact of "Home". It would be fun if the Enigma and the blockhead made a cameo in the background... Or maybe Donny Pfaster coming back (possibly from Hell).
I have not owned a television or watched cable in years - maybe decades at this point. When I mentioned this to my mom (also an X-Phile) we both wondered if this was a smart marketing move to get people to start purchasing TVs and subscribing to cable again. Sweet Cthulhu, I am ready to do so and yes I will be booking the next day off work after each entry until the series is done because each episode will be a cause for drunken celebration.
posted by partly squamous and partly rugose at 6:00 PM on March 25, 2015
Me and the wife just rewatched Tooms for the first time in a bunch of years, which is an interesting place to pick back up after a long time away; late in season 1 so they've developed the Scully's Skepticism Is Crumbling thing and the weird flirty-but-friendish chemistry between her and Mulder, and dialing in the bureau pressure on the dynamic duo's X-Files work as the Smoking Man becomes increasingly a looming presence in Skinner's office. Really right on the cusp of winding up that first season on the way into being the longer (for better and for worse) series it became.
I liked the second movie; I liked them older and out of the habit of being X-Filers, I liked the unstated nuances of their relationship years later, the odd tensions between their characters that came from giving that whole episode-to-episode, season-to-season Will They Or Won't They tension an actual rest for some unstated number of years. It was in a way just a longish, late monster of the week episode, but that was actually fine. That made more sense for the characters than some over-the-top spectacular.
And so I'm hopeful for the new stuff. I'm hopeful that whatever it will be—something different from the old show, something that reflects the passage of time and the changes in television and Duchovny and Anderson growing as actors and growing older—it'll have some of those same strengths the second movie had, the sense that characters who have lived longer have more to bring to the table, the feeling that the passage of time tempers things that used to feel definitive. I love the old X-Files, but I want some new X-Files, for a lot of different meanings of "new".
Also, in Tooms, the old wheelchair detective is named Briggs, which is also the name that Scully's dad used in his secret second life in Twin Peaks as colonel-instead-of-captain, which town Mulder spent a couple days of his secret second life in as a trans woman DEA-instead-of-FBI agent. It's all connected. It's all right there if you're just willing to look.
posted by cortex at 12:07 AM on March 26, 2015 [7 favorites]
I liked the second movie; I liked them older and out of the habit of being X-Filers, I liked the unstated nuances of their relationship years later, the odd tensions between their characters that came from giving that whole episode-to-episode, season-to-season Will They Or Won't They tension an actual rest for some unstated number of years. It was in a way just a longish, late monster of the week episode, but that was actually fine. That made more sense for the characters than some over-the-top spectacular.
And so I'm hopeful for the new stuff. I'm hopeful that whatever it will be—something different from the old show, something that reflects the passage of time and the changes in television and Duchovny and Anderson growing as actors and growing older—it'll have some of those same strengths the second movie had, the sense that characters who have lived longer have more to bring to the table, the feeling that the passage of time tempers things that used to feel definitive. I love the old X-Files, but I want some new X-Files, for a lot of different meanings of "new".
Also, in Tooms, the old wheelchair detective is named Briggs, which is also the name that Scully's dad used in his secret second life in Twin Peaks as colonel-instead-of-captain, which town Mulder spent a couple days of his secret second life in as a trans woman DEA-instead-of-FBI agent. It's all connected. It's all right there if you're just willing to look.
posted by cortex at 12:07 AM on March 26, 2015 [7 favorites]
Okay, this is reaching deep into fanlore:
I found Gizzie.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:05 AM on March 26, 2015
I found Gizzie.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:05 AM on March 26, 2015
It's all connected. It's all right there if you're just willing to look.
Exactly! The owls are not what they seem. Major Briggs is definitely the key.
I chose Tooms as my very first internet username back in the day! I was 11 years old. I had no conception of what a weird creepy username that was for an 11-year-old girl until much, much later.
posted by dialetheia at 9:08 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Exactly! The owls are not what they seem. Major Briggs is definitely the key.
I chose Tooms as my very first internet username back in the day! I was 11 years old. I had no conception of what a weird creepy username that was for an 11-year-old girl until much, much later.
posted by dialetheia at 9:08 AM on March 26, 2015 [1 favorite]
Spotted on Mitch Pileggi's Twitter feed yesterday:
Very happy to announce that Walter Skinner will once again be getting all grumpy and bitchy with his two wayward kids.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on April 21, 2015 [6 favorites]
Very happy to announce that Walter Skinner will once again be getting all grumpy and bitchy with his two wayward kids.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:09 PM on April 21, 2015 [6 favorites]
I only just saw this over the weekend, but it mentions: "while writers and producers Glen Morgan, Darin Morgan and Jim Wong will all return"
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
posted by sparkletone at 6:31 PM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
posted by sparkletone at 6:31 PM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
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As long it's not like the latest movie.
Please don't screw this up.
posted by FallowKing at 10:28 AM on March 24, 2015 [8 favorites]