lollies

Today marks the day that a little show known as The X-Files made its debut on the FOX network on Friday September 10 1993 at 9pm. I think I wilL watch the "Pilot" for the 200th time to celebrate

These articles were posted over at “The Haven” forums, but I thought I would share for those of you who are not members.


Variety
September 13, 1993

THE X-FILES
Fox, Fri. Sept. 10, 9 p.m.

Filmed on location in British Columbia by Ten Thirteen Prods. And Fox Broadcasting Co. Executive producer, writer, Chris Carter. Supervising producer, Daniel Sackheim. Director, Robert Mandel. Camera, Thomas Del Ruth; editor, Stephen Mark; art director, Sheila Haley; sound, Michael Williamson; music, Mark Snow; production designer, Michael Nemirsky. 60 MIN.

Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Charles Cioffi, Cliff DeYoung, Sarah Koskoff, Leon Russom, Zachary Ansley, Stephen E. Miller, Malcolm Stewart, Alexander Berlin, Jim Jansen, Ken Camroux, Doug Abrams, William B. Davis, Katya Gardener, Ric Reid, Lesley Ewen, J.B. Bivens.

Looks like sci-fi/mystery fans have something they can sharpen their teeth on with this new series about an FBI agent specializing in unexplained phenomena and a doubting agent sent along to keep an eye on him. If succeeding chapters can keep the pace, the well-produced entry could be this season's UFO highflier.

FBI agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) explores paranormal operations shoved into the back files – "X-files" – by the bureau, apparently so they can keep their eye on what he might uncover. Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), sent to document Mulder's activities, also is recording whatever she finds out of order.

Their initial foray involves four odd, separate deaths in an Oregon forest. All of the dead were students from the same class. All of them hit the woods and, after experiencing a flood of white light, were found dead with two odd spots on their corpses. Mulder links the deaths with two other students in a psychiatric hospital, while Scully begins witnessing stuff too tough to explain in her reports.

Experiences with the local constabulary, the county medical examiner (Cliff DeYoung) and his daughter, while digging up one of the bodies add up to what some may consider hokum and others will get a kick from the shenanigans. Writer Chris Carter and director Robert Mandel build the suspense despite using reworked concepts and familiar visual effects.

Duchovny's serious scientist with a sense of humor should win him partisans, and Anderson's wavering doubter connect well. They're a solid team, no matter how exhausted the subject matter.

Mandel's cool direction of Carter's ingenious script and the artful presentation itself give TV sci-fi a boost. A couple of red herrings about a phony white light and mosquito bites are annoyances, but the material as a whole has been artfully rearranged,. Carter's dialogue is fresh without being self-conscious, and the characters are involving. Series kicks off with drive and imagination, both innovative in recent TV.

- Tony Scott

lollies

Entertainment Weekly
THE 1993 FALL TV PREVIEW: FRIDAY

The X-Files (Fox, 9-10 p.m.) Concept: FBI plus UFO.

Our Take: X-Files posits that the FBI keeps secret records of paranormal activities-no, not the peccadilloes of Heidi Fleiss' customers. This eccentric weekly drama follows the investigations of agents-David Duchovny (Kalifornia) and Gillian Anderson-who bicker and flirt as they sniff out UFOs, alien beings, and other items of questionable reality. The fellow Duchovny plays is the only character on television named after his network: Fox Mulder.

Behind the Scenes: The plots of X-Files can get pretty convoluted-even for the actors. "There is lots of exposition," Duchovny says, admitting he sometimes has to have the stories explained to him to keep track of "how I know what I know. I mean, there are things I'm not supposed to know I know, you know?" Here's another thing Duchovny doesn't know: how his show will fare in its Friday-night, ABC-friendly time slot. "Personally, I'm not home Friday to watch TV myself usually," he says. "But if it doesn't work out, and if Fox likes it, they'll hang on to it and move it someplace else, I'm sure. Who knows?"

Prediction: We know-this show's a goner.

-CherryPixie-

Oh my gosh, 11 years already !! That's a really long time!!!
So, let's party :alien2:

C&L shipper

lollies- Thanks for the heads up. I love the pic!!!!! Happy B-day TXF!!!!!!

girl in a cardigan

Man, they were both *so* young! It's funny to think that when Gillian started she was my age now

pandora13

WOW, that was so many years ago. I am definitely going to watch the pilot and maybe *the truth* tonight. it's gonna be a nostalgic night

TheCheshireKitten

Gillian really grew up on screen. David didn't change too much.

11 years, it's so hard to believe.

lollies

No Problem

Does anyone else love this prediction at the bottom of the EW article:

How wrong were they!

TheCheshireKitten

EW: They were definitely wrong. I can't remember how many times X-Files showed up on the cover of TV guide, and they had several covers on EW, too, didn't they?


And not to mention there's the fact that it lasted for nine seasons....

Cathangel

Oh my God! I just realised something spooky! I was eight years old when the show started! The age of doom on that show! Spooky!

TheCheshireKitten

I was almost ten. That was so long ago....

lollies

I was eight as well. Although the show didn't start in Australia for another five months in which time I turned Nine, but it's still a scary thought

Ice Queen follower

I cant believe I forgot that was yesterday!! I had to work all day, no fair.

I can't believe its been 11 years, wow. Only if the show was still on air that would kick some major butt!