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I've really been enjoying the new series of the X-Files, but episode 3 is without a doubt my favourite so far
Apparently it's been getting slammed quite a bit on facebook and twitter though, and it seems to be a real love it or hate it episode...A lot of the newer fans especially have been dismissing it as too campy and silly which is kind of a bummer, but I guess I can understand why some fans aren't that enthusiastic about having a full-on comedic episode spoofing the show when there are only 6 episodes, those kind of episodes probably were carried off better in a 22 episode season. I am surprised though that many viewers seem opposed to having any comedy episodes at all, I've seen some insistence on the X-Files should stick to aliens and spooky MotW episodes, but it's not like comedy episodes are so unusual for the X-Files? The first largely comedic episode was as early as season 2, and by season 3 it was a tradition for each season to have a fair number of quirkier episodes. Probably it is more jarring to go straight into an episode like that after only two episodes have aired, but for me it felt like a real love-letter to the fans of the original show and I loved every minute of it. There were so many great callbacks too, like Mulder in the red speedo, or Scully missing Queequeg (LMAO at her quick look-around before grabbing her new puppy). And the Kim Manners tombstone tribute was a lovely touch :(
And really it's missing the point of the episode IMO to focus solely on the goofy ~monster~ costume and how the humour didn't work for you, when it actually had a lot of insightful things to say about the characters as well. For a start I loved how it twisted it around so that it was actually a monster turning into a man, and how he was struggling with the horror of being trapped as a human and having to go to work and think about savings, underneath the funny it had a lot to say about what it means to be human and how pointless it can all feel. It tied in beautifully too with Mulder becoming disillusioned and questioning what he ever actually achieved in his search for the truth, which feels like a natural evolution for his character now that he's middle-aged (loved him pausing at "middle-aged" as if expecting Scully to disagree with him heh). There were so many great character moments, it was good to see Scully really having fun with the case too and admitting that she's "missed this", as well as being awesomely competent at the end when it came to capturing the actual killer. And I liked how it was equal opportunity fan-service lol with the "monster" playing up a fantasy with Scully, but it was Mulder in his red undies that the hotel manager was peeping at
Next episode is looking pretty good too!
If I may nitpick for a moment though, I do think it was a mistake to change the order of episodes 2 and 4, from the trailer it looks like episode 4 is going to be addressing more that this is their first case they've taken back on since the re-opening of the X-Files (the clip of "We used too", and I think that Scully commenting on how she used to run in high heels is also from this episode?) I thought that was what was missing from the second episode, it felt a bit too abrupt to have them straight back on a case without acknowledging that it's been a while. Oh well, I can always watch in the original order on the DVD's anyway! (And David and Gillian have apparently been recording commentary for the DVD's, I do so hope that will include a commentary for this episode XD)
Also smashed worldwide records :D
Apparently it's been getting slammed quite a bit on facebook and twitter though, and it seems to be a real love it or hate it episode...A lot of the newer fans especially have been dismissing it as too campy and silly which is kind of a bummer, but I guess I can understand why some fans aren't that enthusiastic about having a full-on comedic episode spoofing the show when there are only 6 episodes, those kind of episodes probably were carried off better in a 22 episode season. I am surprised though that many viewers seem opposed to having any comedy episodes at all, I've seen some insistence on the X-Files should stick to aliens and spooky MotW episodes, but it's not like comedy episodes are so unusual for the X-Files? The first largely comedic episode was as early as season 2, and by season 3 it was a tradition for each season to have a fair number of quirkier episodes. Probably it is more jarring to go straight into an episode like that after only two episodes have aired, but for me it felt like a real love-letter to the fans of the original show and I loved every minute of it. There were so many great callbacks too, like Mulder in the red speedo, or Scully missing Queequeg (LMAO at her quick look-around before grabbing her new puppy). And the Kim Manners tombstone tribute was a lovely touch :(
And really it's missing the point of the episode IMO to focus solely on the goofy ~monster~ costume and how the humour didn't work for you, when it actually had a lot of insightful things to say about the characters as well. For a start I loved how it twisted it around so that it was actually a monster turning into a man, and how he was struggling with the horror of being trapped as a human and having to go to work and think about savings, underneath the funny it had a lot to say about what it means to be human and how pointless it can all feel. It tied in beautifully too with Mulder becoming disillusioned and questioning what he ever actually achieved in his search for the truth, which feels like a natural evolution for his character now that he's middle-aged (loved him pausing at "middle-aged" as if expecting Scully to disagree with him heh). There were so many great character moments, it was good to see Scully really having fun with the case too and admitting that she's "missed this", as well as being awesomely competent at the end when it came to capturing the actual killer. And I liked how it was equal opportunity fan-service lol with the "monster" playing up a fantasy with Scully, but it was Mulder in his red undies that the hotel manager was peeping at
Next episode is looking pretty good too!
If I may nitpick for a moment though, I do think it was a mistake to change the order of episodes 2 and 4, from the trailer it looks like episode 4 is going to be addressing more that this is their first case they've taken back on since the re-opening of the X-Files (the clip of "We used too", and I think that Scully commenting on how she used to run in high heels is also from this episode?) I thought that was what was missing from the second episode, it felt a bit too abrupt to have them straight back on a case without acknowledging that it's been a while. Oh well, I can always watch in the original order on the DVD's anyway! (And David and Gillian have apparently been recording commentary for the DVD's, I do so hope that will include a commentary for this episode XD)
Also smashed worldwide records :D
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(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 04:25 pm (UTC)But it's the X-Files and a wacky episode like this is part of why this show is so amazing.
Guess I'm just biased when it comes to this show.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 04:46 pm (UTC)Guess I'm just biased when it comes to this show.
Right there with you :P
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 05:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 06:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 05:15 pm (UTC)The best part, though, was Mulder's ring tone being the show theme. <3
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 06:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 05:33 pm (UTC)Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ (https://www.dreamwidth.org/support/faqbrowse?faqid=303).
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 07:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 08:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-02 09:46 pm (UTC)And the Kim Manners tombstone tribute was a lovely touch :(
It really was. I kind of assume he and Darin Morgan were good friends, since Morgan named the "bleeping" detective in "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" after him. On a happier note, I also thought it was cool that they cast Kumail Nanjiani was the animal control guy. He hosts an X-Files podcast and is a huge fan of the show.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 04:28 pm (UTC)My expectations for this episode were definitely high as soon as I heard that he was finally going to be writing another one
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 04:58 am (UTC)I nearly lost it when Mulder put his hand on Kim Manners' gravestone. So glad they got him on the show somehow.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 04:30 pm (UTC)And that moment was really sweet, I liked how much the camera was lingering on the gravestone and making sure it was in the frame
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 07:50 am (UTC)Let's say that I don't hate it...
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 04:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 12:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 04:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 05:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-03 05:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-04 03:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-04 11:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-05 12:01 pm (UTC)As for this last episode, I adored it. I didn't see people knocking it, but I did hear about it in comment sections, like on The AV Club people were talking about how their friends hated it and thought it was silly. And of course it is! That doesn't mean it's not awesome and doesn't have something important to say. I'm the biggest fan of Darin Morgan. His episodes are the ones I'm most likely to rewatch, because I love when X-files would lampshade itself. I suppose I get why those people might not want comedy mixing into their sci-fi, if they prefer a drama to be all serious, but we're talking about a show full of aliens, ghoulies, and beasties. For a show like that not to step back and have some fun with itself would be almost a too grim (Buffy also balanced this well, but in individual episodes, where X-Files took episodic departures). We're asked to suspend our disbelief constantly with genre shows and sometimes they need to embrace that crazy world and poke some fun.
I think this episode did that perfectly and even gave us some character development we needed. Mulder's belief can't always be about "The sky is falling and I'm the only one who sees it! OMG!" Sometimes, we need him to remind us that his search for the weird and unexplained isn't always about fear of what's coming, but some childlike wonder at the possibilities. This whole episode was a love letter to that side of belief and that side of Mulder, and Scully agreed.
Scully was awesome in this one, too, just reminding us that she also isn't the same person she was when this all started. She appreciates her work more than she did and has, despite what she's gone through, the ability to squeeze more joy out of it and enjoy the process of explaining the unexplained for the sake of it. And that dog stealing moment was adorable!
And RHYS DARBY! He was perfect for this. His delivery, ,matter-of-fact. but always sort of surprised at what he's saying, was just perfect for this. And did you notice he was in Kolchak the Night Stalker cosplay? I'm going to need to watch a few more times to find all the easter eggs Morgan included.
I loved the subversion of the man-to-monster trope! New werewolfs rarely need to training to be all wolfy, so it's hilarious to see that weremen also instinctually settle right in. LOL!
Okay. That's enough out of me. TL;DR: Love this one! I'm only sad we didn't get a Darin Morgan episode for every season (though some had his flavor). If it comes back, I want another, darn it!
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-05 01:53 pm (UTC)I thought that it was something like that, but yeah I would rather they keep character continuity straight, rather than swap the episode order around from the way that it was originally filmed
In my rewatch, there are so many times when too many comedic or fantasy based episodes are grouped together and the same with the more grim outings and I wish he'd instead struggled for a balance because there were certain lighter or goofier episodes that would have been more well-received if they weren't coming off another light departure
Definitely, I think that was a big problem in season 6 too with so many lighter episodes right at the beginning, some of them would have been better-received if it didn't come across like goofy episodes are all that the X-Files is doing now
That doesn't mean it's not awesome and doesn't have something important to say.
Totally, it was hysterically funny in many places of course, but it also had a lot of interesting commentary if people were willing to look beyond their surface impressions
And did you notice he was in Kolchak the Night Stalker cosplay? I'm going to need to watch a few more times to find all the easter eggs Morgan included.
I read somewhere that this script was actually written originally for the remake of that show, before it was reworked for The X-Files?
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-07 02:25 am (UTC):-D
ET: I especially liked when the killed wanted to make his Great Confession and she was all pretty much like, "Oh, honey save it for your Twitter feed." It's not what she said but it was implied, IMHO. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-07 07:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2016-02-07 07:15 pm (UTC)