The X-Files

Haha the AV Club's coverage is my favorite:

Making her way to the mic, Anderson stopped for a quick kiss with no warning whatsoever for the innocent, unsuspecting audience members, who instantly lost their shit. “Can we play some real music, please?” Anderson asked. “Can you both chill?” the fandom asked back, collectively hyperventilating. But neither had any chill, as they proceeded to sing a duet of Neil Young’s “Helpless.” After the first chorus, Duchovny whispered something in Anderson’s ear, making her laugh, and making some of us believe in love again. Then they fistbumped. Honestly, how dare they? At least they didn’t kiss again, right? No, they totally did. wrote:

Heeee.

That is very funny. However, people in the AV Club comment section are being pills about it. What happened to that place? It used to be sarcastic, but people are now just bummers.

I think it's been like that for a very long time, but definitely turned that direction when most of the staff left over the last few years. Now you can find decent comment sections for certain TV shows, but otherwise, it's 75% jerks.

Science has established: he called her 'baby' on stage.

Almost as hilarious in all this Double D just tweeted anticipation of being in Vancouver (to sing. with gillian)! Western Canada Remembers David!

And after all that, he just flat-out squashed the relationship rumors in a radio interview.

IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED. I'm more disappointed than I have any earthly right to be, HEE. God, fuck those guys. Leave my feelings alone. HOW DARE YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.

They're allowed to be playful and flirt (or whatever all this has been), but I do hope they don't get all huffy/outraged if there is gossip. It's not as if this has been fabricated by fans out of nothing! Clearly, they had to have known it was going to invite speculation. Even in the late 90s when they seemed to barely tolerate each other, some fans saw proof of a secret relationship, for crying out loud.

blixie wrote:

I really don't think now that they're actually a couple. I DON'T think they're JUST doing it for publicity though? Like I don't think it's all an act.

I think they are at the very best place they have ever been in their long professional and yes *personal* relationship, and are enjoying the hell out of each other to whatever highly to non-existant sexual degree (HEE) and are not at all above using this new found comfort with one another to sell the hell out of their various projects. I would not be surprised if they have been the secrety secret couple of rumors for the last few years, nor would I be surprised that they are no more than the complicated and newly affectionate exes I have always believed them to be.

As always on this topic, we are sharing a brain. I am inclined to think they are doing what they've always done. One or more flings from decades ago went bad, leading to drama back in the day; and they aren't compatible to be together-together as a couple. But after all these years they are very affectionate, and also they still clearly dig each other and get all physical and clingy when in proximity despite their possibly better judgement. Whether this actually translates to a FWB arrangement, I'm not sure.

At this particular point, I think they aren't suppressing things as much, because the publicity as helpful to them. However, given Duchovny's general contrariness, I wouldn't be surprised if he now pulls back a bit or a lot, since the mainstream media is starting to raise an eyebrow.

Shit its actually happening

Starting to go Scully red

Duchovny in a plane

Starting test shots

I love how happy they seem to be about this. Looking back on the last movie it seems that GA and DD only did it out of an feeling of obligation to CC and were not that happy with the finished project. Man I hope this is good but I am so used to disappointment with this show.

You guys I got super tired last night after a Netflix binge, and totally forgot it David and Gillian would be on Kimmel and then attend the Hollywood premiere and apparently they were as the young folks say Gillovny AF.

Our most sacrosanct scientist is entertaining ideas of secret marriage. Hahaha MY GOD I LOVE those two trolls. Also not sure how I am gonna work being in SE Asia when the bulk of the season plays out. Try to watch it on my Mac Air, I don't know if I'll get geoblocked. Buh.

I am getting way too excited over this revival, despite being burnt in the past. The episodes look good, the reviews and word of mouth seems good, and the people involved seem happy with it.

16 year old me cannot believe this is happening. Star Wars and the X-files both coming back and being good? Amazing.

No thoughts on the new series yet? I've only seen the first ep and was pretty underwhelmed. I mean, I was thrilled to see Mulder and Scully back on screen together but the episode itself was a hot mess. I understand that there was going to be some amount of recapping to get people up to speed, but seriously, after everything that Mulder's experienced, some right-wing conspiracy hack and some girl Mulder's met twice are all it takes to convince him "I was wrong all along!" And are we really supposed to take the guy who says 9/11 is a false flag operation seriously? And wtf was with Scully and O'Malley? No way would she be into him, even if he is Joel McHale. I've been told the next episode is way better (I haven't watched it yet) and considering I watched the original run to the bitter end, I'm not going to give up on it, but still. Disappointing.

I did squee a bit when the theme music and title cards came up because this show was such a big part of my life! I can see why people found it underwhelming but when Mulder was off on his CONSPIRACY ALIENS OMG monologue, all I could do was sit there with a smile thinking "God bless him, he hasn't changed a bit", probably much in the way you'd regard a nephew or someone who is a bit off the wall but sure, you're fond of them anyway because they love to talk but you don't pay much heed to them but in the end, sure isn't he a gas lad altogether, the things he comes out with, you couldn't be up to him, pass the spuds thanks, now let's talk about Petunia down the road and her gall bladder removal, etc.

But it was very fast - she's being abducted, she has alien DNA, I ran a test, no she doesn't, wait I spoke too soon, yes she does and so I do, too bad now she's dead, oops, let's stop this from happening again, oh hai X-Files office! Like, okay?

But I am looking forward to episode 2 and it's not like I won't be watching all the episodes. Can I add how much I *heart* RTE 2 right now for showing it so quickly after it airing stateside? That's a huge change from the 1990's!

I thought the first episode was clunky garbage, but that's how I feel about most CC-penned episodes. This one was just worse because it was like he'd come up with some new stupid conspiracy idea and needed to get it all laid out and Mulder onboard in 20 minutes. It made Mulder seem like he was just bored and looking for something to get excited about. I like Joel McHale but he was miscast and that role made no sense, nor did his interactions with Scully.

That said, I'd heard bad things about the first ep, so I didn't let it affect me too much, and I did enjoy the second episode way, way more. It's still odd and clunky in places--they actually switched the order of the episodes, so this one was supposed to be the fourth. That makes for some confusion--why are they suddenly just working an X File again?--but I just didn't care because it was more engaging, fun, creepy, and less awkward. Except

Spoiler:

I'm most excited for the third episode, and a little leery about the last three. Some markets got the fourth one in the "correct" order, and I've seen people who liked it less than the second (which was then also aired in their market). And then 5 & 6 are Chris Carter again, so...

But the ratings have been great, so I'm hoping this won't be the end. I would love it if CC could take a bit of a backseat in any future "seasons" but I won't get my hopes up.

I liked last night's episode most of all so far. I loved the potheads coming back, and the shout out to Kim Manners (and Jack Hardy), and the adorable doggie. And I loved the sheer insanity of it all. Oh, and I was delighted to see Kumail Nanjiani on his beloved X-Files.

My favorite X-Files eps were always the sillyweird ones, so the Werelizard was right up my alley.

I think the new show is entertaining, but mostly from a fanservice perspective. If this were brand new skiffy I would be underwhelmed.

"That's the way I like my Mulder."

I could watch a whole show of Scully reaction shots.  The expressions on her face while Mulder was providing the pro/con arguments for both of them were priceless.  

I prefer the lighter, non-conspiracy episodes too -- I thought I was the only one!  But then again, "Beer Bad" is also one of my favorite Buffy episodes....

I'm enjoying it for nostalgia's sake but I thought that this lighter episode was almost...unearned? The first ep was awful, the second one was better and I just think there needed to be a bit more tension and pressure before we get a silly episode. Right now, this season's tone seems to be all over the place. Of course I'm going to continue watching.

There was an interview with David Duchovny in Saturday's Guardian that was pretty interesting in regards to the show.

That Duchovny still has to answer questions about their relationship visibly frustrates him. “Gillian and I are not lovers, or boyfriend and girlfriend,” he says. “There seems to be a certain kind of Twitter contingent that wants us to be together. It’s odd to me, because I’ve never had the fantasy of wanting two people together that aren’t, or are.”

Uh...huh.

And also:

“Mulder was always the engine and Scully was like the brake,” Duchovny says. “And now we had the guy who wasn’t putting his foot on the gas and she’s not putting her foot on the gas, either. I thought, ‘Well, where is the energy coming from?’ We had to get moving, and it was hard for me to try to figure out how to drive the show without being the guy who’s driving the show. I’m not sure if I succeeded.”

Having only seen the first episode, I'm not sure he succeeded either.

The energy between Mulder and Scully is definitely different, which is a bit unsettling, but if the characters were back to the exact same shenanigans, given what happened in the last few seasons, it would feel odd. At least, it would feel extremely contrived given all the time that has passed in their lives. In that sense, it might be a bit of a no-win situation to try to recapture the feeling of those first seasons. The first episode of this new series is definitely not good, but through the 4 episodes that have aired so far in North America, I feel each has gotten stronger than the last. I don't know if it has to do with me as a viewer adapting to this slightly different dynamic, the writers having figured it out/building on the different episodes,... However, the 2nd episode to air was the 5th shot so I am not sure how purposeful it all was.

As far as his relationship with Gillian, I get that it is creepy to have people invested in your personal life, but to be fair, they've been teasing/encouraging/trolling those people hard lately. Even I, who has never thought anything was going on between them & never really cared either, was left a bit puzzled by all the stuff that pops up in the media. You can't have it both ways.

I LOVED last nights episode about the garbage dude protecting the homeless, in particular the whole dismemberment to Downtown, perfect X Files moment. I thought it felt 100% like the olden times of the 90's, and all the MSR parts hit me so hard in the feels, One Breath flash backs, and Maggie, and WILLIAM :sigh::

I feel like, blessedly, these episodes have been mythology lite, but this was how I liked my myth episodes more woven into the emotional textures of the characterization, and IF the final two episodes wind us back around to the ALIENS are all your base, than I hope we see William again, or are building to Mulder and Scully searching for him, he'd be a teen now and a "real" character, rather than just a dumb problematic endangered baby. I'd love if he were like a John Connor type kid, aka conscious of who he is in the scheme of things and aware of who his parents really are, I'd prefer him to seek them out.

Last night's episode was definitely my favourite so far. As much as I delight in many lighter episodes (they were often great and a necessary change of pace when you had a season of 22 episodes), the really dark and sad episodes have often been the most powerful X-Files episodes for me. This felt meaningful for Mulder & Scully, and had a nice paranormal angle woven in. Gillian, in particular, just killed it in this episode.

Yes, I have to think we're headed toward a quest for William. Otherwise, if it is all just alien technology and conspiracy mumbo jumbo like in the first episode... eh. (In that sense, one of the previews I saw did nothing to alleviate my fears.)

I think CC's big problem was that he was initially really fascinated by how many things are weird but like still have legit scientific explanations, it allowed him to play around in nice "grey" area for all those MotW, and the same for conspiracy theories and aliens, but I think he increasingly became fixated on the conspiracy and how you can ever know THE TRUTH v. if you are being lied to and less about maybe Aliens are colonizing the earth....maybe it's just something weird we don't understand yet. Somehow he landed both on ALIENS are REAL and also ALIENS they were all just a lie to manipulate one dumb guy in the FBI with sister and daddy issues who loses his gun all the time.

Hahaha. Spot on. This ambivalence was certainly the Achilles' heel of the whole mythology. The addition of new (some would say nonsensical!) pieces like the Super Soldiers certainly didn't help. I see why the writers felt they needed to keep the mythology going in the context of churning out 22 episodes of TV each season and needing big arcs, but pretty much anything pertaining to the conspiracy that happened after the first movie is underwhelming.

The brutal murder set to "Downtown" was the best. Classic X-Files.

I too think the last two episodes are going to be the two of them looking for William, which, UGH.

How many more BSG alumni do you think they will meet along the way?

After really enjoying last week's episode, I absolutely hated this one. That dance scene went on waaaaaay too long.