The X-Files
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The X-Files: ‘Musings’ of a Not-So-Wonderful Life
The following contains spoilers for The X-Files “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” (directed by James Wong and written by Glen Morgan). “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” – Clarence (It’s a Wonderful Life) “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man” […] More
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These Iconic Scenes From The X-Files Ask if We Are Alone in the Universe
The X-Files has its fair share of great monologues, and those that close ‘Jose Chung’s From Outer Space’ and ‘Max’ are among the most beloved. The former is a wry narration of how the residents of Klass County went on with their lives following a close encounter—this ranges from starting a cult to becoming an […] More
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in Featured Shows, Series
Essentialism and Existentialism in The X-Files and Its Fandom
A clickbait article about an X-Files reboot recently did the rounds on Twitter, and it had some fans reeling. Twitter user @KaryGetz wrote, “There’s no X Files without Mulder and Scully. Doing something without them is not understanding the essence of the show,” and the word “essence” stood out to me. Being part of the […] More
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TV Taught Me It’s Okay for Things To Change
Recently I was, not for the first time, watching the Friends series finale. I watched Monica and Chandler pack up and move out of the iconic apartment, knowing that this was the end of an era; for both the characters and the viewer, things could never go back to the way they had been for […] More
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in Larks & Recs
Recommendations: Winning Time, 1883, Millennium, and You Are Not My Mother
Each week our writers gather in this space to let you know what we’ve been into lately, in something of an attempt to filter through the noise of everything that’s out there on the basis of our collective taste. It’s not about what’s new, but about what we think is worth your time, or at least […] More
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There Is No Truth About Alex Krycek
A rat is said to variously symbolise cowardice, impoverishment, tenacity, and intelligence. Certainly “rat boy” is meant as an insult by many (and an endearment by some) though it may be the perfect epithet for The X-Files’ wiliest character. Alex Krycek first appeared in Season 2, and despite the fact he was only meant to […] More
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My Favourite Monsters, or 7 Ways of Looking at The X-Files
It always seems that someone somewhere has something new to say about The X-Files. Why is that? Part of its charm, and certainly the strength of its format, is that it is both one continuous story and a hundred little stories stitched together. Combine this with the millions of personalities in the fanbase, and it […] More
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in SeriesBeyond the Screen #1: Star Trek Picard’s Future Tapestry
In a new weekly column called Beyond the Screen, author A. J. Black unpacks what we’re all discussing from the world of cinema and television. This time, he takes a look at the second season of Star Trek: Picard after a brand new trailer… Everything about Star Trek in the modern era, nay the Alex […] More
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Variables Approaching an Event Horizon: Inside the Anomaly of The X-Files Season 6
A major motion picture was always going to be a tough act to follow, but Season 6 of The X-Files reminded audiences why the medium of television works so well. Every episode is a colourful pocket of drama and character—despite being dubbed, apparently derogatorily, ‘X-Files Lite’, it is a season that perhaps doesn’t get enough […] More
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The X-Files Season 8 and the Tragedy of the ‘MSR’
For many a fan of the MSR (Mulder-Scully Romance), there exists no eighth and ninth season of The X-Files in conventional terms. While such fans appreciate aspects of the second movie, I Want to Believe, and the subsequent revival seasons, for them the classic era of the series ends with ‘Requiem’. The seventh season finale […] More
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in Compelling Characters, Featured ShowsMulder and Scully: Believer and Sceptic, Gender, and Faith
Content Warning: This article makes reference to rape, sexual assault, misogyny, blood, capital punishment, and family death. Everyone who knows about The X-Files, often even if they haven’t watched the show, is aware of the roles that Mulder and Scully inhabit: believer and sceptic respectively. It’s the core identity of both characters, and is drilled […] More
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in Featured Shows, Standout SeasonsThe X-Files Season 7 and the ‘MSR’ Maturation
If we are to consider the sixth season of The X-Files to be the year the show comes to terms with the Mulder-Scully Romance, the subsequent Season 7 could be seen as the year their relationship grows up. The seventh season of The X-Files is generally considered the series on autopilot. Until the 2016 revival, […] More