Random TV Show Review - The X-Files (Seasons 1-12 + Films)

 

It's kind of scary how shows such as The X-Files are becoming more and more relevent as the years go on. I mean, people want to know certain truths that our governments are keeping to themselves and also if there is trully life out there in space. As Star Trek was enjoying a revival in the 90s, Fox had their own hit show which was this. It's basically a crime drama mixed with sci-fi and the supernatural that helped boost the careers of actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. But unlike most shows, there is a bit of a gender reversal in that Duchovny's character is the believer and Anderson's character is at first the sceptical one. It's also (as far as I know) the only known crime drama to have feature films and spin-offs (the latter of which we may look at whenever Disney+ decides to add them). Like 24 it had a number of seasons before reaching its original finale. Then it returned years later with a limited series and then one final season before coming to a close. Like Game of Thrones, its one of those shows that is beloved at first, but starts to receive some hate towards the end. This will probably be my longest review yet, so let's get right to it and find out the truth because it is out there:

Season 1

Agent Dana Scully (played by Anderson) of the FBI is assigned to Agent Fox Mulder (played by Duchovny) who believes in the paranormal and wants to finally solve the unsolved cases known as the X-files. Scully remains sceptical and initially sets out to debunk his work, so he can move back to doing mainstream cases. But as time progresses, she too becomes fascinated by these files and the pair soon find themselves taking on numerous unsolved cases, much to the displeasure of their superiors (well for now anyway). For a first season, it's good. It does what all first seasons do with establishing characters, settings, story and in this case a sense of mythology as far as aliens are concerned. 9/10

Season 2

Following the first season's events, Scully is reassigned to teach at the FBI Academy while Mulder is given lowly surveillance assignments alongside his new partner Agent Alex Krycek (played by Nicholas Lea). As a plot that sees Scully's life in danger unfolds, it's up to Mulder to rescue her while dealing with family matters and other things too. Another solid season which does well to account for Anderson's pregnancy at the time and adding some more alien mythos to the mix. 9/10

Season 3

As the pair continue to investigate X-File cases, Mulder finds himself in a desert and Scully investigates some Nazi shenanigans. Other highlights see the pair taking on members of a group called the Syndicate and a World War II ship mysteriously resurfaces. This season of the show has been widely regarded as one of the best ones not just in the series but overall television wise and I agree. Also worth mentioning is that there is an episode written by Vince Gilligan who you may know as the creator of the Breaking Bad franchise. It's action packed, full of suspense and thrills, and just good old fun here and there as the truth becomes more and more clear. 9/10

Season 4

As the Syndicate becomes vulnerable due to one member possibly feeding information to Mulder and Scully, the life of a person known only as X (played by Steven Williams) becomes threatened. Also Mulder pays a visit to Russia and Scully gets diagnosed with cancer that may be the result of an alien abduction earlier on. Although this is not the best season of the show, it does its best to keep us invested and fascinated even during the frustrating bits. 8/10

Season 5

With Scully slowly dying from cancer, Mulder makes a desperate attempt to save her life which leads into making a deal with the Syndicate and venturing into the Pentagon before ultimately losing faith in alien beings. That soon changes when an alien rebel race starts attacking former alien abductees which causes the agents to find ways to stop it and also uncover the truth regarding Scully's own abduction. So this season is basically the prologue of the first feature film as it sets out to basically build up to it. Very rare do shows that make it to the big screen, do this and it kind of works in a way. Some of the episodes in this season are quite the standouts and considered classics by many fans. Yep just another great season and a great way to build into the first feature film. 9/10

Fight the Future

Set appropriately between the end of season 5 and the start of season 6, the agents get removed from the X-Files and investigate the bombing of a building and the subsequent destruction of criminal evidence. Leading into them uncovering a government conspiracy that seems to be hiding the truth about a hidden alien colonization. This is very much a film for the fans, but also a film that gets people interested in watching the show themselves (as was the case with Gene Siskel's analysis of the film). Some may call it just a glorified two-hour episode of the show, and sure it may look like as such. But its alright and it does answer the big question of is the government actually hiding evidence of alien civilization (even though its all fictional) and you bet your a** they are. 7/10

Season 6

The pair of agents start this season dealing with the aftermath of the film's events. As such, the two are told that they are no longer working on X-Files, but choose to pursue an escaped alien anyway with the main villain of the show the Cigarette Smoking Man (played by William B. Davis), giving chase. Other highlights of the season see the pair's superior agent Walter Skinner (played by Mitch Pileggi) get his life in danger, some more encounters with the Syndicate and alien rebels. Plus Mulder begins to start having abilities of his own. The move to Los Angeles for continued filming of the show, has made this season good, but lacking the familiar tone that it was known for previously. Despite this, with more romance and humour than before, this makes season 6 OK at best. Some big changes just don't work out as well as they should. 7/10

Season 7

The Cigerette Smoking Man makes things quite difficult for Skinner, Mulder and Scully at the start of this season. Scully tries to find alien life in Africa, Skinner desperately tries to find the truth behind a so-called alien object and Mulder is in his own little world and soon becomes obsessed with an incident tied to his own past regarding the disappearance of children. This season ends with Mulder being abducted and Scully getting pregnant. This season is another OK season. It's now at a point where it can't be taken seriously and the self-parody episode and a crossover with some kind of cop show, kinda makes that point taken quite well. But despite all that, there are still some great episodes that come out of this season, even if the ending makes out that things are going to change for the foreseeable future.

Season 8

With Mulder having been abducted by aliens, Scully is given a new partner in the form of Special Agent John Doggett (played by Robert Patrick) who initially works with her to find Mulder before being assigned to the X-Files to work on several cases. Scully begins to question her pregnancy after alien babies become a thing of sorts. Mulder mysteriously returns and becomes involved with the X-Files, albeit in an unofficial capacity, and some alien activity takes place within the US government. Although Doggett is basically the stereotypical sceptic of the pair, unlike in the past, he is a welcome addition to the show. Lots of great episodes and a very strong story arc that involves Mulder, makes this season one of the strongest, even though there are some stinkers in it too. 8/10

Season 9

With Mulder gone into hiding and Scully reassigned yet again to the FBI Academy, Doggett is given Special Agent Monica Reyes (played by Annabeth Gish) as his new X-Files partner and much of this season focuses on them with Mulder and Scully making occasional appearances. Some more trouble occurs for Scully's child who she calls William as connections to him and certain experiments become linked. All this and plenty of other things happening leading into Mulder being tried in front of a military tribunal that may determine his and Scully's future and fate in the original series finale. This original final season is not very good. The limits of the imagination have been reached and its kind of apparent as to why so many didn't like this season. Don't get me wrong, there are a few standout episodes. But the overall story arc to do with super soldiers (not the ones you may be thinking of Marvel fans) and the ending, just didn't work for me. But it's not the end yet and the truth is still out there. 6/10

I Want To Believe

So unlike the first film where it was very much tied to the ongoing TV show, this film feels more stand alone this time around. Which of course was the intention given that it came out years after the show came to its original end. Following the last season, Mulder is a fugitive and Scully has taken up work as a staff physicain. The FBI soon call her to help locate her partner who want their help in investigating the mysterious disappearances of one of their agents. Despite some reluctance, they agree to do it in exchange for all charges dropped on Mulder. They learn that a former Catholic priest (played by Billy Conholly) has some physic connection to the agent and some pretty intense stuff takes place. It is difficult to tell what the film wants us to believe in even though the duo we've come to know and love are perhaps the best and only best thing about this film. It's not the best film in the world, and it does often miss the mark it's trying to get across. Yeah this is one for those that like watching Mulder and Scully do what they do best. For the rest of us, better stuff out there but its not as bad as certain other films such as that one based on a popular trend and one trying to do autism without anybody on the spectrum being involved. 6/10

Season 10

And just like 24, The X-Files has an event series for its revival. 14 years since season 9 and 7 since the last film, the pair return to work when an alien conspiracy is about to be revealed to the world with them playing a part in it. But this proves fruitless when everything about it is then suddenly sweeped away. As they take on new assignments following the revival of the X-Files unit, people from their past begin to appear, monsters are unleashed and a gravely ill desiese starts spreading (that last sounds all too familiar). As the shortest season of the show, its very clear that its trying to keep the franchise alive with the only good thing about it being Anderson and Duchovny's chemistry which hasn't been tarnished for quite a long time. But as an event series, it feels kind of disjointed in each episode's connection to one another at least at first. The future looks bleak, but let's see how the true final season plays out. 7/10

Season 11

William has gone missing so the pair team up to find him using all the resources they can muster. This leads into encounters with old friends and foes, some hidden truthes being revealed and the origins of the X-Files finally coming to light. Plus some other stuff too that all ends with someone dying. For this final season, its actually feels more like how the show was during its early days. Back to basics is clearly the way to go even though its probably highly unlikely that we will see any more of the show again. But I remain hopeful. 8/10

What a show this is. Something trully remarkable that did have quite a few misteps, but is otherwise one of those rare shows that defies stereotypes and comes close to answering the questions we all want answers to. Did they answer them? Well that's up to you to decide. For me, maybe some could've been answered better than others. A great show that slowly went downhill, but rose up again right towards the end. 8/10