Reasoner says “An X Files fan am I.” Even moreso now that it is available for less than half it's original retail price. Here are some compelling reasons to revisit one of the key series in the history of sci-fi horror TV. And though the X Files didn't resolve it's governmental conspiracy theory satisfactorily it did more than just promote cynicism pointing to the individuals role in holding government accountable. Okay...maybe a tiny bit overstated but not much for those who saw the X Files as embraced by a public whose ever increasing awareness of government lies and hypocracy left voters wanting more. These streamlined editions are just what fans ordered.
1. What tends to get lost in the justified complaints about the shows last two seasons is the quality of the first seven. The X Files was often thought provoking, genuinely frightening and sparked the current boom of TV horror. And what better place to start than at the beginning. Season One lacked the self satire and mythic thread the series later developed but what a pleasure to see the characters grow and develop into what became a cultural phenomenon. The Second Season began to move out from the one shot monster of the week format and by Season Three everyone was asking exactly the same question, “When would Mulder and Scully get it on!?” No wait… I mean the other question about the government and aliens and conspiracies and stuff.
2. Did I say half the retail price? Just wait until the secondary market drops these down even further. Yeah they left off the extras disc for each season but so what. It's the Episodes you want and they all have the same commentary's etc. Right now you'll drop slightly less than $40 but I predict these will be even cheaper- perhaps as low as $30. The entire series will be had for under $300.
3. The new mini cases mean you'll have the shelf space for all the X Files all three seasons of Millenium, the complete Lone Gunmen and the complete Kolchak The Night Stalker which was a primary inspiration for the series.
4. You can cheaply buy the status that comes with pointing to something that looks expensive while saying “Yeah of course I never watch those anymore.”
5. You can get them out when noone is looking and go on monster hunts together. Sometimes my wife even pretends to be Fox (actually she doesn't have to pretend to be a fox.)
6. You can look at them and think "Thank God I'm not a Trekkie."
7. You can also look at them and think "God, please don't let LOST leave me hanging.
Man, I was a die hard X-phile for years but those last two seasons left such a bitter taste that I can't even watch the early stuff any more. It just seems pointless knowing that it all leads precisely nowhere ...
i didnt watch the last two seasons, not after those opening double-episode films that finally fulfilled the style of 'happily going nowhere for no apparent reason'. early on i would regularly catch the show on sunday nights after returning from the pub, and its style suited that 'comfortably numb, had a few' mood of late nights, but its one show that falls apart from repetition and drifting forever.... i bought the seasons as they appeared on DVD and its remains one of the key shows that signifies the mood and interests of the 90s for most people of my age group or similar, and i found it harder to stomach and much more patchy when i was sobre. now i dont drink any more, the show is a good memory, but i can't imagine it having any historical worth beyond nostalgia - it was great while it lasted, but its over now.
Well there are some really great episodes in the first 4 seasons... just little scifi and horror tales that aren't anything epic or amazing, but good for what they are. Just solid enjoyable tales--kinda like a lot of Stephen King's short stories (he has a few deep ones, but most are happily just scifi horror fun). The actual "story" episodes of the series are where I agree with Logboy.
When they were first airing, the "mythology" episodes worked--they were captivating and you never knew what mysteries they would unearth... But now we know that the creators basically had no idea where the series as a whole was going or even the basic facts behind the mysteries. Now looking back at those episodes, they are kinda silly because they just swing wildly everywhich way, revealing more conspiracies and mysteries to cover up the inability to solve the previously revealed mysteries and conspiracies. The suspense is gone, and even worse, it seems so inane when you know that eveything is just going down the tubes in the last two seasons.
I still enjoy watching episodes of the show from the first four seasons.
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