The X-Files

For me, The X-Files are a religion. I loved the show when I was little (I could watch it only occasionally, when I didn’t misbehave) and I still vividly remember stuff that happened around several of the episodes, like what I had that day for dinner, what I was playing with before, etc. Back then, I even named my hamsters Dana and Fox… I simply loved it. And I still do (I’m planning to go through all the seasons), even though I now watch it with a more critical eye than 12 years ago. Season 1: It has very memorable episodes and several duds. The mythology at the beginning is only hinted at, it is much better in the following seasons. Best episodes: Squeeze, Ice, Darkness Falls. Season 2: The episodes have a very high level, with only few that are weak. The mythology is already well developed. Best episodes: Die Hand Die Verletzt, Død Kalm, Humbug. Season 3: The number of good and bad episodes is balanced, and there are more with humour (which I don’t like much). The mythology is very good. Best episodes: Grotesque, Pusher, Oubliette. Season 4: Very good quality episodes and a good atmosphere in most of them. Mulder’s wisecracks aren’t a hindrance, they are like a spice in parts that are not precisely funny. The mythology remains very good. Best episodes: Home, Small Potatoes, Leonard Betts. I’m working on the remaining seasons :) Edit: After several years I’ve finally watched it all. I won’t comment individually on the seasons, all of them have great episodes, but it’s not like at the beginning. The mythology, in particular, becomes too contrived, confusing and boring, with one conspiracy over another, and God knows whether any of that makes sense. Otherwise, the weakest season is the seventh, I watched it at a pace of one episode a month and I really felt like giving up on it. The addition of new characters in the eight season gives the show a breath of fresh air, and that season is also great. Unfortunately, however, in the ninth and final season, the quality drops again. (08/14/2007)

Save for a couple of exceptions, the mythology episodes of The X-Files were always annoying, and the same goes for the first episode of the revival. The problem is mostly how confusing it is. Honestly, I am convinced that not even the showrunners – or Christ Carter even – are fully on top of all these conspiracies. Everyone is always ranting about something, talking in riddles, nobody gives a clear answer to anything, everything is in doubt, and it has never, and will never, lead to any proper conclusion. Nevertheless, is nostalgia as hell; the feeling of the 1990s is tangible, Mulder is Mulder, Scully is Scully, Skinner is Skinner… Basically, it’s The X-Files. I’m looking forward to the next episodes, in its way, this one has been a “necessary evil”. (01/27/2016)

During the cold opening I told myself “oh, oh! this is not for me”. The funny episodes of The X-Files never were my favourite and I had the creeping feeling that this one would be a disappointment, that it was taking valuable space in the limited scope of a six-episode revival. But after a while, it started to work on me and I had a lot of fun. The entire climax that begins with the meeting in the graveyard was hilarious and exceeded my expectations. (02/02/2016)

Finally a proper monster of the week horror episode? Partially. It’s beginning to be clear what the biggest problem of revivals is, that the creators want to do too much. They want to reminisce all the tones of the original series, but six episodes is not enough to achieve it. And that’s why this terrifying thriller with a potentially cult monster is watered down with the family drama of Agent Scully, which itself is quite effective in the end, of course, but the case is pushed to the sides and takes place as if by the way, and that’s definitely a mistake. In the end, both storylines are tied with a common motif, so it sort of works out, but I can’t get rid of the impression that this could have been two five stars episodes, instead of one worthy of four stars. (02/09/2016)

Chris Carter has gone mad! Or how to totally ruin the opportunity to make loyal fans happy after 15 years. Did the creators really believe that this is what we wanted? A stupidly written story about Muslim terrorists, where the paranormal is almost absent, a cringe-worthy trip on ‘shrooms and Mulder and Scully almost without any scenes together. A pointless loss of one episode of six. Sad. (02/16/2016)

Positives: It isn’t boring. Negatives: All the rest. If My Struggle II took place across the six episodes of the miniseries, it could be fine, but in this way it’s such a rushed chaos that it’s almost ridiculous. The twists are haphazard, Jeff from Community is the one informing about the apocalypse, Scully is forging something in the lab with an unlikeable prude, and I don’t think anyone can know exactly what (of course, an antidote…). I’m willing to forgive the deviation from the mythology, but I won’t forgive what they’ve done with Monica Reyes. And the ending, a not very carefully put together cliffhanger that cuts something in half, as if the power went out. Carter, you’ve really pissed me off. (02/26/2016)