[X Fool]

So far 6 eps in s6 doesn't appear to have any marked decline, not when we now that a decline generally did happen towards the later seasons. It just doesn't seem the same compared to the innocence of s1 and 2. A lot of it is tongue in cheek but also self-deprecated. However, there is a feel of the show knowing it has no competition at this point. 18m viewers per week is presumably still v good in the US snd the popularity was still at its height. There is a huge confidence but i need to see where i can find that confidence lost in later eps or seasons to identify the turning point to the decline. Possibly losing Duchovny is the most obvious reason but also writing out the Syndicate left them with a hole in the mythology maybe?

[reason to believe]

The only thing I heard fans were fussy about it was not only did the location change to CA, but a few of the episodes in a row were more comedic than serious.

And a big part of the decline was DD leaving because to me, the whole show was about both Mulder and Scully with their dynamic together working together as a team. They were non replaceable without the other to play off of!

The mythology is all over the place.

I was always more into the stand alone MOTW episodes.

[X Fool]

The mythology is laughable sometimes and you lose the will to find it believable. They ran out of ideas with it. All the poor dialogue in the Syndicate room got very tefious by s5. The well manicured man was a very intriguing character and seriously should not have been killed off. A waste just like mr x and deep throat.

Motw eps are still fresh by this stage in s6. Just watched Terms of Endearment

Quality ep. Good twist. Brave plotline.

[X Fool]

Just watched SR819, Tithonus, Two Fathers/One Son

SR819
Liked this at the time but almost looks like its filmed/written out of sync as its not mentioned in Krycek's next appearance in 2 episodes time. Its obvious every time you see the long haired man that its Krycek, but the idea and concept are actually good, you get the feeling old Walter wanted his own episodes at least once a series which he seemed to get, but again its just another quality episode they were churning out at this point. M&S are vital to its resolution even though they are largely on the periphery. A good twist that its going to recur in future episodes but as i said it seems a little bit of a wasted opportunity not to mention it in Two Fathers. 7/10

Tithonus
This a class. A quality episode with twists and turns and originality. Love the bit when the pimp says 'its not my gun red' to which Scully just back hands him. They really are trying to discredit M&S, trying any tactics but they keep coming through and their relationship though struggling by the end of s5 is now starting to grow again. This is proved in the next eps when Mulder chooses to go with Scully over Dirty Diana. Scully makes being shot look sexy. Love the gradual realisation that this guy is over 100 years old and when the cop rings Mulder he just says simply 'dont try to do the math.....' this is a classic x file. Suddenly the boot is back on the other foot as they have solved yet another case while split and have grown stronger as a result. 10/10

Two Fathers / One Son
I've chosen to do these together. Might be controversial but the series could have ended here. All the main characters are around (apart actually from Two Mothers funnily enough.......) and it was really brave to bring the Syndicate arc to a final end. I think 'killing off' Chris Owens was ultimately a mistake as the actor and character still had a lot to offer. Could have been useful in s8 and 9. This story is great though. Watching every episode since Pilot up to this point as i have done as a binge since s11 finished, i now see how important this storyline was. It really was the end of everything that Deep Throat and Mr X had been involved in. Mulder finally learned the truth about the conspiracy, about the black oil, the abductions, the rebel aliens (which i believe were a good plot addition). Brave to reveal Cancer Mans name. Yet he gets away and lives to fight another battle. Kirsch almost apologising to Mulder, Skinner standing firm that this did happen and there's no ignoring Mulder's evidence. Krycek is at his brilliant best in episode, one step behind CSM yet one ahead of Jeffrey. He was always an anti-hero for me as you felt he could be one of the good guys but you never forget how he murdered Mulders father. Great Marita make up as well. Like i said it could have all ended here.

10/10 benefits massively from watching the previous 100+ episodes in quick succesion.

[reason to believe]

I like Tithonus! It was an intriguing mystery! Wasn’t expecting Scully to get shot

Also was funny, when she slapped that guy for mouthing off She didn’t even look down at him when she did it!

[X Fool]

Yeah that bit did make me laugh and wind it back to watch again

Just watched :


Agua Mala
Summary : Arthur Dales pops up again ( He's quite a welcome addition ) it feels wet wherever you go in this episode. A tentacle monster attacks people through the water. They kill it by......not really sure. Rain i think.

Spooky Crusader
Mulder is still in awe of Arthur. He accepts and ignores his alcoholism and totally buys into the X File. He gets bitten by the monster but survives because of the cat.

Worlds Worst Debunker
Scully is dubious of Arthurs credibility. She gets extremely wet. She also becomes a midwife. She doesn't want to drink water at the end.

Overall : Guilty pleasure alert. I like this episode. Sorry if you don't. It seems too simple and ends as though they ran out of people to kill or couldn't think of how to realise the full creature reveal we were waiting for. We're all just damn lucky the creature is killed by rain otherwise we'd all be dead. Someone really should have told him (her? It?) that rain doesn't have salt in it. I don't think it would have bothered. Its tense. Good balance of comedy and 'horror' not too silly. Slightly annoying mum to be but good claustrophobic episode. The man on the toilet was a good image and a good Alien like shock tentacle attack on the Deputy. Hmm 8.5/10

[reason to believe]

I wonder if any of the cast got sick by being so wet during the filming of that episode!



I like good old monsters in episodes.


It was so weird that Scully left Mulder out in the hallway to potentially die!


The pregnant mother was rather annoying to me. Didn't like her constant whining voice!

[X Fool]

S6 coming to an end, running currently 9 motw eps on the bounce, not a cigarette to be seen.

Monday
Summary : Ground Hog Day that happens to someone else.

Spooky Crusader
Mulder owns a water bed, floods his landlords ceiling, floods his phone, misses a meeting, trips over shoes, dies 17 times. Only Mulder would start to see through it. The look of faint realisation actually gives Pam (who doesn't look like a Pam, more a Molly, maybe. .....) the hope she can actually get through to him. Mulder even mutters the words 'he's got a bomb ' to himself as he knows he's got another go at this at 7.15 again.

Worlds worst debunker
Cleverest episode to date? Not really but who cares. She is pretty much on the periphery of this one but still manages to contribute. Some eps are Scully eps and some aren't.

Overall
Love this. Again show it to a non fan and i challenge anyone to not get it after 5 minutes but also to stick with it just to see how......
It had to be the typical X Files tragedy that the sympathy character cops it to save the day. Very well realised and some good sfx and explosions, little or no CGI so it still stands up as realism today. Still churning em out. Small lack of depth from Pam and Bernard but I'm being picky. It's a lot to cram into 45 mins.

9/10

[reason to believe]

I like Monday, good acting by Gillian when she’s begging to get help for a bleeding out Mulder

Maybe Pam looks like a Carol.

So many explosions over and over. I’m actually amazed they finally got as far as they did to keep living

I like how Mulder gets perpetually grumpier waking up in water!

[X Fool]

Didn't know Carrie Hamilton died 3 years later. One of her last roles

Arcadia

Summary : Monster made of landfill with severe OCD kills the cast of Neighbours if they leave their milk bottles out.

Spooky Crusader
Mulder is married to Scully undercover and really takes pleasure in winding her up at every opportunity. Some of the light comedy interaction between the two in this episode is among the series best, chemistry overload. Duchovny puts in a authoratative performance where he breezes into the plot with such confidence and presence. Its one of those where he walks in to a room and people look up, he says something and people take note. He does this regularly of course, notably in Two Fathers in Spenders briefing at the beginning. This to me shows an actor with total confidence and buy-in to the role, almost as if he is not acting. He was perfect for the Mulder role. Its a rare thing but it does happen. Love the bit where he waits for the monster to come out and mend the post box and it only does when he goes to the loo. and his behaviour at dinner towards Scully.

Worlds worst debunker
Beautiful, face-pulling best in this episode, sharp and witty, almost sniping in her cutting remarks to her 'husband'. Scully tries to come up with the scientific explanation only to be proven wrong, her resilience at being proven wrong on a weekly basis is amazing yet she keeps coming back for more. She is unbelievably courageous, going into a house where she pretty much knows she is going to get her face smashed in (but doesn't ). The partnership can't peak anymore can it? Scully gets the best lines.

Overall
Clever episode. Rare early attempts at X Files CGI, just about stands up 20 yes 20 years later and it helps how dark the series is (lighting). Other series could learn from this by not having rubber monsters in shiny suits with the bright studio lights as though its being filmed at the top of a lighthouse. Feels a bit like Our Town with the main human protagonist killed by what he had created and cultivated. Show this to a non fan. Love how the story starts with M&S already fulky briefed and with aliases fully rehearsed which gives us more time for the plot to take shape at the right pace. Reminiscent of The Burbs. Funny yet dark (content) episode and one my favourites of s6

10/10

[X Fool]

Alpha

Summary
Man becomes dog and we guess who dunnit after about......30 seconds.

Spooky Crusader
The case finds Mulder because of a woman who he met online, but actually acts like she is blind in the first few scenes, she is in awe of him and even managed to nick his poster before the office burned down. So he nicks it back after she sacrifices herself at the end by standing by a window. Mulder respects her and feels her motives are not selfish, only to be proved wrong ultimately. Doesn't really shed a tear when she dies, just nicks her poster.

Worlds worst debunker
Jealous. Scully questions Karin's motives and is right, they are just selfish not necessarily malicious but she still has the insight to try and protect her partner and this another episode where she shows she will push and push to try and persuade him he is wrong about someone.

Overall
Nah. Well realised, decent sfx. Storyline dragged a little. Waiting for the reveal not a surprise, good trailer. Its been done before, shades of the animal episode in s2, i think predictable sums it up.

6/10

[X Fool]

Trevor

Summary
Man gets blown away by tornado only to come back and kill selected people. He can walk through walls but not glass. He has a son he didn't know about and killed people because they called him Trevor.

Spooky Crusader
Mulder is the only person who finds the crumbled wall, handcuffs and bullets. Duchovny is very believable again, convincing the audience that is no feasible reason why this man shouldn't be able to walk through walls. Mulder is one step ahead of everyone else which keeps him just in touching distance of Pinker. Good strong characterisation and strong dynamic performance.

World's Worst Debunker
Scully is skeptical initially then comes round when confronted with irrefutable evidence. Stays within Mulder's belief of this being the only explanation of the murders. Shows great courage and compassion at the end when risking herself to save Trevor in the phone box.

Overall
Very well realised, decent plot, characters with a bit of a back story and a couple of sharp twists for good measure. Pinker is a formidable villain. You can't really feel sorry for him. He tries to connect with Trevor when they meet but is then so violent towards his mother he ruins any chance of 'access' in future. The murders are original and there are plenty of tense scenes. He is like a time bomb waiting to go off and this was an ingenious, scientifically competent way of killing him and resolving the plot. Decent ep, one of the more underrated of s6. Memorable surprisingly.

9/10

[reason to believe]

Arcadia was a lot of fun, good ol’ Mulder and Scully banter. Mulder was really taking advantage of pretending to be Scully’s husband there, having fun with it! I noticed when he was watching the mailbox, he thought about peeing in the carton but then thought better if it cause he didnt quite know where Scully was, I noticed him looking for her

I don’t have too many memories of the other episodes, although the dog ep is kinda scorned as one of the worst episodes.

[X Fool]

Yes i remember the peeing bit now you mention it. Trevor is worth a rewatch.

Milagro

Summary
Man creates a killer through his own writing, becomes obsessed with Scully, almost gets to know her very well.

Spooky Crusader
Mulder believes the hearts are being removed by psychic surgery. Not sure if he's right. The episode dragged for me and is not one i would show a non fan. Mulder is convinced Padgett is the murderer and arrests him and is then forced to release him. He saves Scully in the end but not sure how and she is grateful

World's Worst Debunker
Some decent Scully hair flicks and eye contact in the lift have this man smitten. A different script for our Gillian to get her teeth into. She loves it and it shows, her performance is the shining light in this story. She forgets how to be an FBI agent when she is talking to Padgett in the church and says the word 'heart' at least 12 times. Duh...

Overall
Not a fave of mine apart from the Scully bits. Not believable. How many more traumas can these 2 agents suffer. Same happens again i feel in 2 episodes time.

5/10

[reason to believe]

It seemed out of character to me for Scully to put herself in a dangerous situation like going into the apartment and then into the bedroom of that creepy Padgett. I’m surprised she ignored the atmosphere of creepiness that guy had! it was pretty dramatic that that apparition was trying to rip her heart out.

It was kind of interesting to see an episode that was about a “fan fiction” writer sorta creepy stalker fan fiction writer though. How creepy would it be to have a stalker writing out sexual fantasies with you *shudder* Scully was creeped out when he approached her in the church though.

And it was the episode where a third person finally said what the audience knew, Scully was in love with Mulder.