Twenty Years On: The X-Files Premier September 10, 1993

Self ^ | 9/10/13 | Joe 6-pack

[Joe 6-pack]

Twenty years ago tonight, I sat down on the couch in my little apartment in Ogden, KS, and flipped on the TV to watch the debut of a new show. The promotion blitz for the show had been dark and mysterious, and apart from some vague references to UFOs and the FBI, gave little idea as to what the show was actually going to be about. It had piqued my interest, as it was no doubt intended to do, and I figured with much of my life still ahead of me, I could spare an hour to check it out. At the end of that hour, as the eerie theme whistled the credits away, I sat there. Hooked.

The premiere of the show could not have been timed more perfectly. About a year before the show premiered, there had been a bloody standoff at Ruby Ridge, and that very spring, the siege at Waco. Institutions and organizations that had long been highly regarded by most Americans had shown a darker, seamier side, and now there was a show that pitted two young, idealistic agents working from inside the system, taking a stand against internal conspiracies and unknown forces. On the entertainment scene, the quirky “Twin Peaks,” had established a niche with most Gen Xers a few years earlier, and nothing had come to fill the vacuum left when it went off the air. The X-Files stood perfectly poised to become something of an enigma if the writers and actors could deliver, and they did.

During the next nine years, faithful followers (“X-philes”) followed the exploits of Scully and Mulder as they investigated fluke men, aliens, conspiracies dating back to the cold war, and the mysterious “Cigarette Smoking Man.” The pairing of Scully and Mulder was an act of genius. While most people at a gut level tend to regard the notions of faith and science as competing interests, Mulder and Scully demonstrated ultimately, the inseparable nature of the two, and how they complement one another. The show did not shy from objective morality and pointed out that sometimes evil just is. It cannot be understood, reasoned with or de-escalated, only dealt with head on. The show was not without humor, and the protagonists were at times all too human and vulnerable to the forces around them.

Many critics came down hard on the show in its later years. Admittedly, one of the strengths of earlier seasons was that in spite of the fantastic plot lines, they seemed all too real. In the last few years, some episodes pushed the bounds of credibility, but having said that, some of the very best episodes were in the final few seasons. Upon David Duchovny’s departure, it was a little hard to get used to Special Agent John Doggett. Nonetheless, Robert Patrick, no doubt aware of the shoes he was going to have to fill, rose to the challenge, and became an incredibly sympathetic character.

As a conservative, I often wondered why the show appealed to me so much - it seemed ideologically neutral, but in fact, it had its subtle conservative and libertarian messages. In 2008, at the release of the second X-Files feature film, I found the following article which smartly articulates the show's appeal to the right:

The Truth About "The X-Files"
Tom Piatak

[BenLurkin]

“Frbble smmf geagle, Scully. Bramuffle zizllepah.”

[Joe 6-pack]

[BenLurkin]

Yowza!

[Ransomed]

They had to deliver the phonebooks soon after that episode came out. I can’t believe they used a real little town like that. Wiki says they actually shot it in B.C.

Freegards

[Joe 6-pack]

Yep. Home PA is located on US Route 119. In the episode somebody mentions, “the 119,” which is a very west coast way of identifying a roadway. Nobody in PA would say, “The 119.”

[jodyel]

My fave episode was the one about the black baseball player.

I think I watch some shows more for the emotional impact they have on me and not for the sci-fi angle itself.

My fave Star Trek is Voyager and I loved Janeway. Somebody here was bashing that character the other day but I loved her. Socialism aside, I do like to see good in all people even though it is not always present in all. I also have a sense of fairness and ST encompasses that for me.

But, when the SHTF, I am also not averse to kicking butt if need be. So those are my two fave shows...Voyager (and any other version except DS9) and the X-Files...the best TV shows ever!!

Thanks for posting, Joe.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[jodyel]

“That was truly one of the gnarliest episodes of prime time ever... :-)”

So agree!!

And the one about the elephant boy who loved Cher was too.

Anyone watch The Lone Gunmen? Loved these guys too!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lone_Gunmen

[Ransomed]

I recently checked out Ehrenfeld Pa because I was in the area and wanted to see where Charles Bronson was born. It was pretty rough, at least from what I saw.

It’s been a while since I saw the Home episode, years. Now I want to watch it!

Freegards

[jodyel]

I’m with you...one of the best shows ever!

[Joe 6-pack]

"My fave episode was the one about the black baseball player."

I was given a copy of the studio script for that episode, "The Unnatural." It was the first episode written by Duchovny, who is in real life, a huge baseball fan and who holds a masters in English Lit from Yale. Starting with the title of the episode (a clear play on "The Natural" baseball movie) there are all kinds of very subtle puns that weave UFO and baseball lore together. It's a very clever episode and one of my very favorites, too. Jesse Martin, who played Josh Exley also did the lead vocals in the rendition of "Come and Go With Me," that closes the episode...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8PjOXN5kEg

[trisham]

I watched it mostly in reruns. The movie was good, too. There was something about the two characters that rang true, and it was artfully done.

[Skooz]

I was a late comer to the X Files. Started watching it about halfway through its run. But, once I did, I was all in.

I rarely became addicted to a TV show. but I was addicted to this one.

[jodyel]

Brings a tear to my eye.

Just love it!

You have great taste, Joe!

[Joe 6-pack]

If you haven’t read the article I linked at the end of the initial thread, it’s well worth a read. Wish I had written it:

http://takimag.com/article/the_truth_about_the_x-files/print#axzz2eWt0voqG

[Joe 6-pack]

Why thank you!

[trisham]

I read part of it, and I’m bookmarking it to read the rest tomorrow. It’s exceptionally well-written. Thanks!

[V K Lee]

Absolutely an X Files fan. Friday nights were stay at home nights in order not to miss it. When it moved to Sunday evening, there was rejoice on the prairie Some episodes better than others. Some will forever be remembered...if not the title, or guest star, but for the premise/plot it presented. Fox was a hottee and Dana as his skeptic foil was perfect. Toward the end of the series, things did seem to slack, but we still were glued to the tube afraid we’d miss something.

[iceskater]

One of my favorite shows.

[Joe 6-pack]

IMHO it has few rivals in terms of writing, acting, sets, wardrobe, character development, etc. All were of the very highest order...