REVIEW: The X-Files: Origins (Season 1 comic)

Matthew, son of Carl, Sweeney makes his reviewing debut for The X-Cast blog by taking a look at The X-Files: Origins...

Hi, my name is Matthew and I’ve been watching The X-Files for a while now with my dad. I started reading The X-Files Origins comics a few months ago. I am 9 years old.

These comics are 2 in 1, which is great. On one side is Scully’s story and, if you flip over, on the other side is Mulder’s. By the way, these stories are about an event in their childhood.

Scully’s Story

Her story is about the murder of her Sunday school teacher. She wants to find out who the killer was but is her father involved? I thought it was interesting because I never knew what was going to happen next. Was her father going to betray the Navy or was he going to help the Navy?

I admire Corin Howell’s artwork and Monica Kubina’s colours because they made the pictures look well designed.

I would give Scully’s story 5 files out of 5.

Mulder’s Story

Mulder’s story is about him and his friends sneaking into the woods trying to find a UFO. But is Eric’s dad involved?

I thought it was a good story but it wasn’t as good as Scully’s. As I said before, I appreciate the beautiful designs of the pictures. For Mulder’s story the art and colours are by Chris Fenoglio.

I would give Mulder’s story 4 and a half files out of 5.

Conclusion

I thought it was a very good comic overall but I preferred Scully’s story because it was more exciting. I believe other children would like these stories because they are interesting. I would like more of these fantastic tales. I hope the new books coming soon about young Mulder and Scully are as good as these comics.

Matthew is watching selected episodes of The X-Files for the first time. So far, his favorite episode is 'Ghost In The Machine' and his favorite character is Dana Scully.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #12 - What are the funniest moments in The X-Files?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

What are the funniest moments in The X-Files?

TONY: "This is easy. "Who's that black private dick who's a sex machine with all the chicks? 

SHAFT! Can you dig it?" "I DID NOT!!!""

ANDREW: "'Theef'… Mulder mocks Scully, pursuing his lips, “Mulder, why are we here?”

'Syzygy'… Mulder mocking Scully’s short, little legs

'Bad Blood'… Too many to list!

'Jose Chung'… Mulder’s girly scream

'Hollywood A.D.'… Scully showing Tea Leoni how to run in heels"

SARAH: "It might not be the most hilarious moment of the series, but my favorite funny moment is in 'Quagmire' after the boat crashes and M&S end up on the rock. They hear a sound and realize it's a duck. Mulder says, "I'm still tempted to shoot." And Scully gives him that little nudge. It's the nudge that gets me every time. Also in that same scene when they're discussing cannibalism (because what else do you do when stranded in the middle of a lake?) and he asks if she's lost weight--that classic Scully eye roll is everything.

'Triangle' --when past Scully punches Mulder and he says he expected the left.

When Scully kisses Skinner and the elevator door opens to reveal Spender and Kersh staring

.

Scully in a bib eating BBQ.

Mulder in a tree.

'Small Potatoes', 'Bad Blood', 'Je Souhaite'-- everything

Pie.

Bleeping aliens.

Every scene including the waterbed.

Okay, I'll stop now.

PAIGE: "Of course, Mulder's girlie scream was the first thing coming to mind. Eddie Van Blundht practicing F-B-I in the mirror. Mulder and Morris doing their underwear dance a la I Love Lucy in 'Dreamland'. Scully showing Tea Leoni how to run in heels in 'Hollywood A.D.' is righteous. Scully throwing water in Doggett's face at the start of the eighth season, because it just had to be done at that point in time. The reveal in 'Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose' that they're talking about Yappi and not Mulder, and then Mulder being tossed out of the room for his negative vibes. Scully eating the cricket in 'Humbug' and then the human pin cushion telling her the future looks like Mulder as he poses on the steps. Mulder eating piece after piece of pie in 'Jose Chung'."

JONATHAN: "Scully performing the autopsy in 'Three of a Kind' and the cigarette scene. All of 'Bad Blood', the Mulder and Scully married scenes in 'Arcadia'. When we hear Diana Fowley has been shot in 'The End'."

CARL: "The moment that never fails to make me laugh is Mulder's yelp in 'Jose Chung's From Outer Space'. Duchovny's pose towards the end of 'Humbug', which Paige mentioned, is another good one. There's a moment I love in 'Mulder & Scully Meet The Were-Monster', too. I've only seen the episode once, so I may be misremembering it slightly. Mulder says that he's now a middle-aged man, and leaves a pause for Scully to disagree with him. She says nothing, but he presses on anyway: "No, no, I am!" Made me laugh a lot."

BAZ: "Yes, far too many to mention. Mulder doing the dance in the wardrobe mirror of Morris Fletcher's bedroom in 'Dreamland', fake Mulder seducing Scully in 'Small Potatoes', Scully's sex scene with Guy Mann and Mulder trying to get a photo of the monster on his phone in 'Mulder and Scully Meet The Were-Monster', Clyde Bruckman telling Mulder he's going to die from autoerotic asphyxiation 'Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose', all of 'Jose Chung's from Outer Space' (particularly the description of Mulder and Scully, his yelp and Lord Kinbote), Scully's infatuation with the hick version of the sheriff in 'Bad Blood', Mulder's"get me a sandwich woman!" from 'Arcadia', Scully's ability to dismiss all of Mulder's theories in 'War of the Coprophages' and while not technically The X-Files, Mulder's red underpants pose FBI badge from The Simpsons episode 'The Springfield Files.

The great thing about The X-Files, is that for all the moments of horror, there are some truly wonderful comic moments. The show's ability to take the mick out of itself is what kept it fresh and funny for years. it's no coincidence that 'Mulder and Scully Meet The Were-Monster was the most loved episode of the revival'."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

THE X-CAST #79 - Irresistible

THE X-CAST continues with host Tony Black investigating Season 2 Episode 13, 'Irresistible'.

After a series of corpse mutilations in Minneapolis, Mulder and Scully arrive to investigate what Mulder soon comes to believe is an 'escalating fetishist', someone with a powerful compulsion to desecrate the dead who may be preparing for his first kill. At the same time, the fetishist--seemingly normal delivery man Donnie Pfaster--undergoes a transformation as his disturbing compulsion grows. As Mulder closes in, Scully becomes increasingly unnerved by a case which gets truly under her skin...

Joined by fellow X-Cast blogger and huge X-Files fan Carl Sweeney, Tony breaks down the beats of 'Irresistible', while also discussing its influences, including Chris Carter's series Millennium. Carl also answers the 5 Questions of X.

Listen to find out more, just remember... trustno1...

Listen/Download here:

Next time on The X-Cast... join Tony and his guest, Darren Mooney, for a bonus episode discussing Chris Carter's most recent series pilot, The After...

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #11 - How should Mulder & Scully's story end?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

How should Mulder & Scully's story end?

TONY: "So thinking about this, and haters gonna hate me for this, but I don't think M&S should get a happy ending. Happy endings aren't what The X-Files is. I don't mean they should go out in a desperately miserable fashion, or die, but I think they shouldn't end up together as a family unit, and their fate be left ambiguous. I'd be happy with one of them disappearing again, this time for good, if it served a greater story purpose. Or even the old trope of the work never being over, of the show conclusively ending with them still in the FBI, still investigating the paranormal, still chasing The Truth. That's far more fitting than the 2.4 William most shippers undoubtedly would want from this question, and truer to the nature of the show."

PAIGE: "Toughie! I'm not a shipper, but I do think there's no one in the world for either of them than each other. So if they don't wind up together, they both wind up alone. They've been through so much, I would kind of like them on rocking chairs at the end. And I'm not a believer in the happy ending, I just think they have worked their way there. Probably bantering over William's mid-life crisis -- both taking disparate sides, of course."

SARAH: "After they save the world from alien invasion they'll both end up teaching at Quantico. Mulder will head up the students learning how to profile human/alien hybrids. Scully will be the world's foremost expert on alien autopsies, and not that kind you buy from an infomercial for $19.99 + S&H. At the end of the day, they'll go home for a beer and wave to Skinner across the street as he takes out his trash. He's a bestselling author of FBI thrillers that are mostly true, but so wild they seem fictitious. M&S will ask him how his latest novel is going, then invite him over for burgers on Saturday."

CARL: "Scully ditches Mulder at the aisle, realising her future lies with a dashing English blog contributor instead... In all seriousness, I'm not certain about this one. I hear what Tony's saying about them not ending up as a typical family unit, and I'm drawn to that argument. On the other hand, I do think the final scene of 'Existence' was very effective, so something like that could work. I agree that the trope of never being done with the work might make the most sense as an ending. There are two things I know I want for a conclusion to Mulder & Scully's story:

1. Whatever the ending is, it should have been designed as an ending, not a cliffhanger. It would be a huge shame if the last scene of 'My Struggle II' is never followed up on.

2. It would be appropriate for Chris Carter to bring the Duchovny & Anderson era to a close as he sees fit. Whether he would deliver something that the fanbase would be pleased with is another matter, but I'm not bothered about that really."

ANDREW: "'I Want to Believe.' That's my ending. Since CC has said he can't actually imagine writing an end to the series, better 'I Want to Believe' than 'How Many Times Can I Say Alien DNA with a Straight face?"

SARAH: "I was perfectly satisfied with the boat ending."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

X-FILES TOP TEN: Season Finales

Carl Sweeney returns to once again deliver a top ten viewpoint, this time on The X-Files season finales...

I will, eventually, rank something with more than ten possible options. However, a few people got in touch after reading the Top Ten Season Openers piece and requested a follow-up looking at the Season Finales, and who am I to disappoint?

Overall, I think the season-ending episodes are a stronger bunch than the season-opening ones. A low position on this list, then, isn’t necessarily a condemnation in and of itself, with the exception of…

10. The Truth (Season 9)

This is fantastically exciting until Mulder sees his first ghost. Sadly, we’re only a few minutes in by that point. The Mount Weather sequence is promising, but that’s about as good as it gets. The kangaroo court is a poor premise that not even the great Kim Manners can breathe any life into, and it’s all undermined when the gang manage to break Mulder out incredibly easily. It picks up a bit towards the end, but not enough.

9. My Struggle 2 (Season 10)

There’s the basis of a great episode here, but things don’t quite come together. The Tad O’Malley interludes are quite inelegant and don’t really work, for a start. Secondly, the threat feels a bit abstract. Compare this near-apocalyptic scenario with the one that ends the second season of Millennium, then tell me which one feels more compelling and real. On the plus side, I think the way that Scully takes control of things is rather captivating.

8. The End (Season 5)

A curate’s egg of an episode. I really like the sequence where Krycek retrieves the Smoking Man from the snowy cabin, and the last few minutes are stirring. I’ve never much cared for Gibson Praise or Diana Fowley, though, which drags this one down for me. CSM speaking in chess metaphors throughout wears thin, too.

7. Biogenesis (Season 6)

This feels like a bit of an outlier in terms of the finales, but the turn the mythology took here is one I’m quite fond of in retrospect. It’s flawed, certainly. CSM and Krycek feel a bit crowbarred into this one. Mulder’s descent into madness is executed well, though, and the final image, of Scully having found a whopping great alien ship in the sand, is excellent.

6. Talitha Cumi (Season 3)

I probably would never have read Dostoyevsky if Carter (and Duchovny, who assisted on the story) hadn’t named the fast food restaurant in this episode after ‘The Brothers Karamazov’. For that, I’m grateful. The CSM/Jeremiah Smith interrogation is modeled after a sequence in the aforementioned book, a reminder that The X-Files was often a very literate show. I like this episode but I don’t think it’s in the same league as the earlier Season 3 mythology outings. The cliffhanger is a bit perfunctory, too, especially when compared with some of the others from the run of the series.

5. Existence (Season 8)

This would have been a nice place to leave things. The final scene, with Mulder, Scully & baby William, is very sweet. The rest of the episode goes by at a fast-enough pace that it just about papers over any cracks in the story. Krycek’s demise is indelible. So, too, is Reyes breaking into whale song, though not perhaps in quite the same way. The series never got closer than this to ending with a satisfying degree of closure. Of course, the ill-fated Season 9 was around the corner…

4. Gethsemane (Season 4)

'Gethsemane' has an impressive sweep to it, coupled with an intimate exploration of faith. It’s Chris Carter at, or close to, his most confident. Duchovny and Anderson have great material to work with her, and are reliably superb. The last scene continues to pack a real punch, no matter how many times I see it. I’m not sure the summer spent waiting for Season 5 could have felt any longer.

3. The Erlenmeyer Flask (Season 1)

This is a great episode because, after a hit and miss first year, it broadened the canvas for the types of stories the show could tell. It’s an episode that has held up fantastically well and never fails to quicken the pulse. The highlights, for me: Mulder finding the men in tanks at the storage facility; Deep Throat’s execution; and the phone call where Mulder informs Scully that the X-Files have been closed down. Carter concludes by going back to the beginning, by reprising a scene from the pilot. He would do something similar later in the series, on a number of occasions.

2. Anasazi (Season 2)

This is brilliant. I don’t think there’s a false note here, really. I take that back, I’ve just remembered Chris Carter’s cameo as an FBI agent. Duchovny deserves particular praise for his performance here. The first half of this episode, where our protagonist is under the influence of poisoned drinking water, offers a convincing portrayal of what Mulder would be like if he was even more paranoid. There’s a lot of other good stuff here, too, but especially terrific is the scene where Scully shoots Mulder to stop him killing Krycek. The final scene is a doozy. 'The Blessing Way' doesn’t necessarily follow up on the cliffhanger particularly well, but that’s another matter.

1. Requiem (Season 7)

I’ll confess to finding much of Season 7 quite underwhelming (with some very honorable exceptions). It ends magnificently, though, with 'Je Souhaite' and then 'Requiem'. It’s back to the beginning again, as Mulder and Scully return to Oregon, the scene of their first ever investigation. Some of Season 7 feels very tired, and not in a good way, but here the episode is imbued with a sense of weariness that is, paradoxically, rather wonderful. Your mileage may vary as to how successful the series was after this, but the place our protagonists are left in at the end of this episode was fitting and dramatically promising.

It’s an episode that has great material not only for Mulder and Scully, but also for some of the ensemble who had often been underserved. CSM’s death at the hands of Krycek here (Smokey’s 2^nd demise, of the 3 to date) is low-key and entirely effective. Mitch Pileggi is excellent, as well. I’m not sure he was ever better than he was here. This episode was written at an uncertain time for the series, by all accounts. Carter was unsure whether the future of the series was on the small screen or the big screen (or, indeed, whether it had much of a future at all). Given the circumstances, 'Requiem' is a bit of a miracle.

I’m very interested to hear other opinions on the finales, so please get in touch via the comments or on Facebook if you have an alternative view.

You can find Carl on Twitter @csweeney758.

1013 RADIO: Over the Rainbow

Carl Sweeney returns for another 1013 Radio, talking a classic from Season 6's 'The Rain King'...

In the early days of The X-Files, it was almost impossible to imagine an episode ending with ‘Over the Rainbow’ playing on the soundtrack. By Season 6, though, the series had changed considerably, and ‘The Rain King’ does indeed conclude with Judy Garland’s Oscar-winning song.

The song itself is one of the most famous American songs ever recorded. ‘Over the Rainbow’ (referred to by many as ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’) was written in 1939 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, for MGM’s The Wizard of Oz. It’s an emotional ballad, sung in the first few minutes of the film when Dorothy is daydreaming about a better place than Kansas. The song won the Oscar that year for Best Original Song, and would remain Garland’s signature tune throughout her career. It’s not, however, a natural fit for The X-Files.

‘The Rain King’ is a sweet little episode, perhaps most memorable for a scene where Mulder dodges a flying cow.  It’s a romantic comedy, really, about not just Mulder & Scully’s investigation in the local resident apparently able to control the weather for financial gain, but about the unrequited love meteorologist, Holman Hardt feels for Sheila Fontaine. Unusually for The X-Files, there’s even a happy ending. Holman & Sheila get together, and normal weather patterns are restored to the town. There’s a short postscript, set one year later: we hear ‘Over the Rainbow’ as we see Sheila cradling her newborn baby. Your mileage may vary, but I think it’s a nice little scene. But the question remains: how did The X-Files, renowned for its scares and its chills, get to the point where it could use a Judy Garland song?

The X-Files moved production to Los Angeles between Seasons 5 & 6. The move had an immediate effect on the series. Gone was the atmospheric drizzle and mist that were such a hallmark of filming in Vancouver. LA’s warmer climate was reflected in the brighter, warmer look of the series. ‘The Beginning’ would open the season with an image of the baking desert sun. ‘Drive’ and ‘Dreamland’ would make notable use of the different types of location that the series now had at its disposal. The show as a whole now had a generally lighter feel than before, which would last until Season 8 attempted to go back-to-basics. If the series hadn’t moved to LA, ‘The Rain King’ may have ended up a very different episode in look and feel.

The move to LA, in my view, not only changed the look of the series but also broadened the types of music that could be appropriately used on the show. Mark Snow’s scores for Season 6 are more varied and more comedic than before (listen to the music that accompanies Mulder’s mirror dance in Dreamland for a particularly stark example of this), and songs which would once have felt out of place now warrant inclusion. ‘Over the Rainbow’, which is very difficult to imagine being used in the early years of the show, feels suitable when used in ‘The Rain King’.

* ‘The Rain King’ wasn’t the first time that the series had tipped its hat to The Wizard of Oz, of course. ‘Triangle’ is heavily indebted to the film, and in ‘Fight the Future’, Mulder jokingly refers to The Lone Gunmen as “Cowardly Lion…Scarecrow…Toto” (Frohike is the one who was unfairly compared to Dorothy’s canine companion).

You can follow Carl @csweeney758 on Twitter.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #10 - How would Mulder & Scully celebrate New Year?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

How would Mulder & Scully celebrate New Year?

TONY: "Well this year might not be their best given a viral alien apocalypse has happened. It may even be worse than fighting zombies before a quick snog. Let's assume though Mulder got better & the aliens buggered off - I reckon they'd probably just quietly get very drunk in one of Mulder's basements and start going over old times."

PAIGE: "By trying to work their way through the Times Square crowd so they could find ... the son of Fluke!"

SARAH: "A bubble bath and a nicely chilled Champagne."

TONY: "And Skinner?"

CARL: "I'm not sure Mulder is the type to go for a big celebration, so most likely they'd just stay at home and watch a film. They might have fun investigating some of the folklore around New Year in other countries. For instance, in ancient Thailand, guns were fired to frighten demons away. Also, in Chinese mythology there's a beast called a Nian that comes out of hiding around New Year to attack children. Could make for a scary standalone investigation."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

THE X-CAST #71 - The X-Quiz 2016

THE X-CAST brings you a very special episode to see out 2016, as Tony Black hosts the very first X-Quiz mega episode.

Ten rounds of questions devoted to The X-Files and its cast & crew, from across the entire series run to date, with two teams in competition - Team QUIZQUEG aka Carl Sweeney & Sarah Blair, and Team THE GHOSTS WHO STOLE QUIZMAS aka Baz Greenland & in her debut on the show, Amy Walker.

Who will reign supreme as the X-Champions 2016 - tune in, find out and test yourselves over your X-knowledge along the way, just remember...

...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Listen/Download here:

Next time on The X-Cast... join Tony to usher in 2017 with an exclusive interview with New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry about the X-Files anthologies and brand new X-Files young adult novels, Agent of Chaos & Devil's Advocate...

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #9 - What would be your ideal X-Files Christmas episode?

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THE X-CAST #67 - Roundtable #1

THE X-CAST experiments this week by presenting our first X-FILES Roundtable, featuring writers involved in the X-Cast blog answering key TXF topic questions, posed by themselves and listeners of the show.

Joining host Tony Black for the first Roundtable are Carl Sweeney, Sarah Blair, Baz Greenland and Paige Schector to discuss topics including...

Could The X-Files survive without Mulder & Scully?

Favourite Monster of the Week

How might William feature in a theoretical Season 11?

And which X-Files character would you most like to go for a drink with?

Listen to find out the answers, just remember... trustno1...

Listen/Download here:

Next time on The X-Cast... Tony is joined by Darren Mooney to discuss Season 2, Episode 8, 'One Breath'...

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #8 - How heavily should Chris Carter be involved in S11 and beyond?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

How heavily should Chris Carter be involved in S11 and beyond?

TONY: "This one is simple for me: completely. I've compared Chris Carter before to Gene Roddenberry, the only difference being Carter can actually on his day tell compelling stories with real dramatic stakes, which Roddenberry struggled with. Both however understood the zeitgeist, the current, and Carter in particular has a learned concept of myth in terms of character and narrative. Much as I think he's best served with strong creative forces around him, I can't conscience an X-Files without him at the helm. It simply wouldn't be the show we grew to love. If we do get a Season 11 (still hopeful!), I hope he's once again the main driving force, because people underestimate his skill as a storyteller."

CHARNETTE: "I would love to see him involved but not as heavily as he had been in season 10. I like his ideas but sometimes, he really has no idea about the characters he's created... like breaking up Mulder and Scully in season 10 because Scully diagnosed him as depressed? the fact that after so long, they're not even married... well that's actually a matter of opinion but I honestly feel the depression thing was badly done."

SAM: "I think Chris Carter should be involved but not at the expense of the show- it's his baby but he's written some stinkers in the past! I think getting some current writers on board would be ace- like when Stephen King was involved in 'Chinga'."

CHARNETTE: "Scully is a forensic pathologist. She isn't qualified to make that sort of diagnosis. I also feel like it was a terrible reason for them to break up and I hate even more it was never discussed in the show and they kept acting like they were sort of together."

SAM: "I don't know about Stephen King; he really has a problem writing women, and Scully is a character I feel that needs consistent writing, unlike what's she's had past season 5. That's just how I feel though; I am not a fan of the later seasons. As someone who enjoys the work, I love it, but as a writer, I cannot excuse the writing that took place after a while because it was incredibly inconsistent and for a show that started off so strong, it was a shame to watch the characters become a former shadow of themselves at times. I don't think they were ever married, were they? Don't think Mulder would be into marriage."

CHARNETTE: "Although they could have been common law spouses. Which is fine, but then it's like okay so they're together for more than a decade now and Scully leaves because Mulder is depressed? I personally was very bothered by that because I suffer from depression and one of the things that people that have it worry about is that people will get tired and leave them. And I felt that was so out of character for Scully."

SAM: "Hmmm... I think it would be aScullyy thing to do. She's done it because she knows that sticking together is probably not the best for either of them."

ALLY: "I am torn because I don't feel Chris Carter really understands that a huge part of the success of the show is down to the Mulder/Scully dynamic but at the same time, without him the show would never have come to be. Would the show be better without him? Maybe. But to not have him at the helm would make it feel like a huge betrayal and as a fan, that would hit me pretty hard. To go out on a limb, if season 11 were to happen with the original cast then CC should be there with them but if a 'franchise' were to happen with a new cast he should surrender the reins to someone else."

SAM: "Mulder would stick with her forever, Scully has to be the adult. A friend of mine had recently got divorced from her husband for the same reasons- he needs his own space and needs to think about himself. But also, it was affecting her life in many negative ways. Sometimes the kindest thing to do is to be apart."

CHARNETTE: "I agree with you 100% and in the end, I reconciled that in my head canon as what happened to cause them to part, however my point is that nothing was touched or elaborated on. I really feel it should have been discussed. It was a really important part of the show, regardless of how much he thought it mattered or not, the fact of the matter is a lot of people care about it, so I feel not addressing it was a faux pas."

SARAH: "I'd like to absolutely see CC in a producer/director role again. I think that's where his talents are strongest. I love his writing, and think he definitely has great ideas, but also needs someone to rein him in and keep him focused. When dealing with such a short season, I'd love to see something that pulls everything together. Season 10 was enjoyable, but felt very random and unplanned overall."

ALLY: "You guys bring up really good points and I definitely agree, someone should rein him in. I don't think they really knew which direction to take things in Sarah and certainly had no concept that feelings still ran so strong within the fandom. I think though, that the approach to season 11 would be very much more measured."

SARAH: "I'd love to be a fly on the wall of a writer's room with Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan, David Duchovny, and Darin Morgan. Just writing that scenario down gave me happy heart palpitations."

SAM: "Yes, I think everything was too rushed in S11 and that's why it was all kind of ropey. Part of me wishes that they'd left the mythology alone because they didn't do it justice; but at the same time, it wouldn't have been The X-Files without it."

MICHAEL: "Personally I think Carter has to be involved in the series going forward to the degree of overseeing the mythology. The X-Files is his story, he started all of it and him not being around to finish it would be a real shame. As for the monster-of-the-week episodes, I don't think he needs to be involved there unless there's a specific story that he wants to tell. Keep Carter involved in the mythology and with Mulder and Scully as characters, they're his and he should still have say in what they do and who they become."

CHARNETTE: "He needs a designated driver in terms of writing, I feel. I mean, is this not the same person who has variously said, "Mulder and Scully are platonic friends," "They are not in love", "they are each other's human credential", made a claim that they were married, and then said they weren't, and on top of all that, gave them a baby?? I know a lot of fans joke about it but that really doesn't sound platonic to me."

BAZ: "I think CC never wanted them together but given how long the show went on and in bowing to peer pressure, he finally committed to it. After all, the chemistry between these two characters (and Duchovny / Anderson) is amazing. But when we finally saw them as a couple in the second movie, it was all a little dull. Same thing with William - I don't think he ever got as far as thinking what to do with Scully's child after he was born, hence abandoning him later in season nine. As for Chris Carter's involvement? He should be involved. It is his baby. But his three episodes were definitely the weakest of s10 and that needs to be addressed as s11 goes into development. I think he should be showrunner but needs someone like Vince Gilligan or Frank Spotniz to temper him. He has great ideas, but doesn't always win on the execution. Also, he needs to treat s11 like the end, even if it isn't. And that might help him work towards a conclusion rather than loosely making it up (which is what s10 felt like)."

CARL: "I’m more pro-Carter than most here, it seems. He’s an excellent showrunner and I want him at the helm of any follow-up to the revival. He lets terrific writers do what they want within very reasonable parameters, which plays a large part in making The X-Files what it is. He has a tendency to take on a lot of work – I think a reasonable balance would see him writing about a third of any new episodes (which is about in line with what used to be happen during the original series). On the issue of Mulder & Scully’s pre-revival breakup, it always struck me as very plausible that their relationship would have suffered in the intervening years."

TONY: "Yeah I really can't imagine they would ever have gotten married. Much as Carter plays with it in I Want to Believe, Mulder & Scully just do not fit the 2.4 children traditional paradigm. Their relationship is too complex and mythic almost. It's about a lot more than sex or companionship. Mulder is also way way too self-obsessed to be a decent husband to anyone!"

PAIGE: "I believe Chris Carter should be involved, yeah, he can play a little fast and loose with the show -- but it's his show. As long as DD and GA are around, CC should be around. It might not be perfect, but it'll be his show. And occasionally he gets inspired to great heights."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

1013 RADIO: Classical Music

In the latest 1013 Radio, Carl Sweeney looks at the instances of classical music in The X-Files...

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but there’s nothing I like more than to sup from a glass of wine while listening to Beethoven (well, actually, I’m more likely to be drinking a can of Coors Light while playing a Bruce Springsteen album, but there’s no point splitting hairs). This week on 1013 Radio, let’s look back at three times when The X-Files memorably used classical music.

Little Green Men – “I live for Bach”

Senator Richard Matheson has summoned Mulder to his office, where he’s playing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Mulder holds his own in a brief conversation about Bach (he is Oxford-educated, after all), but doesn’t immediately recall that this was the music sent into space with the Voyager probe. Matheson, fearful of being bugged, uses the volume of the music to disguise the real reason he wants to talk to Mulder: to notify him of possible alien contact in Puerto Rico.

Chinga – Scully takes a bath

After five years assigned to The X-Files, who can begrudge Agent Scully a nice holiday in Maine? It’s just a shame she ended up getting embroiled in an investigation involving a murderous talking doll. Still, at least she found time for a relaxing bath while listening to Hummel’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Trust No 1 – A mother’s lament

In an impressive pre-credits sequence, we see images from past episodes refashioned as surveillance footage, while Scully narrates a message to William. On the soundtrack we hear a version of Tchaikovsky’s Barcarolle, one of the 12 piano pieces that make up The Seasons. It’s an effective montage, and the melodic music works well in this context.

That’s all for now. Join me next time on 1013 Radio for another journey into the musical world of The X-Files.

You can follow Carl on Twitter @csweeney758.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #7 - If The X-Files could crossover with any show, which one would you choose & why?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

If The X-Files could crossover with any show, which one would you choose & why?

CARL: "I'm not really eager for any crossovers on the TV, but I hope IDW continue to experiment with the comics. I always thought a crossover with 24 could work, something in the vein of 'F. Emasculata' or 'The Pine Bluff Variant'. Maybe that ship has sailed though. Failing that, how about Fringe?"

TONY: "It's a difficult one isn't it? There was talk that Fox wanted Martin Sheen to appear in 'The Truth' as The West Wing's President Bartlet, and of course we had Detective John Munch from Homicide: Life on the Streets appear in 'Unusual Suspects' (plus 'Red Museum' was supposed to be a crossover with Picket Fences), but you have to be careful not to simply be giving in to fan service or fan fiction. 24 would be interesting certainly, like you say Carl, it wouldn't perhaps be too great a leap. Hannibal would be amazing to see Will Graham & Mulder going head to head - but of course how would Scully react when she found out Bedelia was her alien clone? ;)"

BAZ: "A crossover with Supernatural could be fun. It feels like the natural successor in many ways with Sam and Dean investigate cases of monsters and demons across the US, with occasional episodes linking to a wider mythology (often similarly apocalyptic). I think there would be some great chemistry there between Dean and Mulder - and I am sure Dean would be quite a fan of Scully too! I think given the influence The X-Files had on other shows - what about something like Criminal Minds? Mulder was a behavioral profiler before he started work on the X-Files? What about an episode where he is called in as a consultant on a case he worked on, a Donnie Pfaster style serial killer?"

CARL: "I could see the Supernatural team coming across a monster from The X-Files. Perhaps that would work better than a full-on crossover with Mulder & Scully?"

BAZ: "Possibly. Perhaps they encounter the Flukeman? Actually, there is one crossover that could be ingenious - The X-Files and Twin Peaks. What if transvestite FBI agent Dennis / Denise was Mulder pre-X-Files? I'd love to see how they manage that one!"

TONY: "Dean & Sam vs the Flukeman would be brilliant. You could put a fair few TXF monsters up against them I reckon."

SARAH: "I'd be interested to see Mulder & Scully work a case with Castle & Beckett! Mulder and Castle would go off on their tangents and Scully and Beckett would go out to a nice dinner and discuss the case like grown-ups. And Lanie would be a little jealous of Scully. Esposito would flirt with her. Ryan would be the third wheel to Mulder and Castle. Then Castle would turn the whole thing into a novel and Skinner's friend Wayne Federman would produce the movie."

TONY: "Along sort of semi-similar lines, why not Mulder & Scully rocking up in Stars Hollow and encountering the Gilmore Girls & folk? I'd be like 'The Rain King' but even more sentimental - Scully befriending Lorelai while Mulder ends up eating endless pieces of potato pie as Luke bemoans to him in the diner. Oh and there'd be some comedic weirdness - maybe Kirk claims he's been abducted by aliens or something."

CARL: "This sounds like fanfic you're destined to write Tony."

TONY: "Haha you think? I have friends who would probably shoot me for even attempting to write like Amy Sherman-Palladino! :D"

PAIGE: "I'm gonna go Torchwood. It would be a hot mess to be sure, but an irresistible mixture with Mulder and Scully and Captain Jack and Gwen. And Ianto, please, somehow. I've always called Torchwood my stop-gap show whilst XF was away. Would truly love to see this fit together somehow."

TONY: "Given Russell T. Davies has often said he modelled Torchwood at the beginning as 'X-Files meets This Life', that makes it even more apt as a crossover. Good one. In a similar vein - Mulder. Scully. Holmes. Watson."

PAIGE: "That was going to be my second pick. Love Sherlock!"

CARL: "That could get very meta. If Mulder met Sherlock would he still be able to remember his passionate encounter with Phoebe Green atop Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's grave?"

SARAH: "I just choked on my tea."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

THE X-FILES TOP TEN: Season Openers

Carl Sweeney begins a new semi-regular series where he ranks aspects of The X-Files...

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This is the first in a semi-regular series where I’ll rank various aspects of The X-Files. I’ll try to cover a wide range of topics but to keep things simple this time, I’ve decided to start with something where my choice is confined to only ten: season premieres.

I must stress that these are personal opinions only and these rankings are not linked to the episode poll you will have seen elsewhere on the blog. You may agree or (more likely) disagree. Feel free to get in touch with your views: you can leave a comment here or on our Facebook page.

It seems to me that, while The X-Files generally did season finales well, the show’s record with season premieres was much more patchy. There are some undoubted highlights here, though, so without further ado let’s rate these episodes…

10. Nothing Important Happened Today (Season 9)

Not a difficult choice. Pretty dreary stuff, and the choices made here hobbled the show for the rest of the year. ‘Existence’ gave us a happy ending for Mulder and Scully but David Duchovny’s departure from the series meant that their domestic bliss was short-lived. It’s hard to swallow Mulder going on the run but the main problem here is that the episode as a whole is rather lifeless.

9. My Struggle (Season 10)

The revival begins, but not with the bang we’d all hoped for. It’s a curious episode. Our leads are still finding their way back into the characters, and their performances are uneven as a result. They’re not always helped by the script, which includes some of Carter’s most on-the-nose dialogue (take a drink every time you hear the words ‘alien DNA’).

8. The Beginning (Season 6)

The X-Files moves to Los Angeles! This one feels like a missed opportunity to me. Scully’s scepticism seems somewhat forced off the back of Fight the Future and it’s hard to escape the feeling that the big-screen adventure hasn’t really changed things sufficiently.

7. Herrenvolk (Season 4)

Some memorable moments here, including X’s bloody death. Marita appears for the first time and bees are introduced into the mythology stew. The chase sequence at the beginning should be thrilling but instead is overlong and pedestrian. Not bad, but this and ‘Talitha Cumi’ were the weakest two-parter up to this point in the show’s run.

6. The Sixth Extinction (Season 7)

This is sandwiched between two superior episodes but it certainly has its merits. Your mileage may vary, and the mythology’s new focus on religious symbols and artefacts is a distinct change from what came before, but I find Scully’s sojourn to the Ivory Coast to be an interesting change of pace. Always good to see John Finn as Kritschgau, he’s a character I’d have liked to have seen more of.

5. Within (Season 8)

Enter John Doggett. Robert Patrick impresses from the get-go, and shows he can bravely take a cup of water to the face. Mark Snow’s recurring theme for Scully is very effective, which is good because we hear a lot of it. The idea of Scully not knowing Mulder as well as she thinks she does has potential, but the contrivance of his fatal illness doesn’t ring true. Still, this begins a new era for The X-Files in promising fashion.

4. The Blessing Way (Season 3)

Mulder’s healing ritual is hokey and the cliffhanger that ended Season 2 isn’t really dealt with explicitly. However, Scully’s storyline here is great. Anderson is reliably superb and she has good material to work with here opposite Mitch Pileggi and John Neville. Exciting ending, too.

3. Pilot (Season 1)

Where it all began. Anderson looks ridiculously young and Duchovny plays things a bit broader than he would subsequently. But the episode gets a lot of things right and establishes a very solid basis for the series to come. It’s amazing to look back at the non-speaking role William B. Davis has here – what a stroke of genius that casting decision would turn out to be!

2. Redux (Season 5)

I may be wrong, but my feeling is that this one gets a bit of flak from fans. I suppose I can see why: a high tolerance for scenes of characters walking down corridors to the sound of Chris Carter monologues is required. The episode resolves the shocker of Mulder’s apparent suicide well, I think. There’s an extraordinary scene, inspired by Oliver Stone’s JFK, where Kritschgau lays out an alternative history for post-WW2 America while the audience is bombarded with documentary footage. It’s a great example of the distinctive way The X-Files could examine US history.

1. Little Green Men (Season 2)

Deep Throat is dead, the X-Files have been shut down and Mulder and Scully have been separated. This is an interesting point for the series and Glen Morgan and James Wong’s script begins the sophomore year with aplomb. Samantha’s abduction is vividly recreated and we learn a bit about Mulder’s connection in Congress (Senator Matheson should have appeared more, don’t you think?). This is a great character study buoyed by fantastic acting. Duchovny portrayal of Mulder, weary and paranoid, is some of his best work. The X-Files remain closed at episode’s end but this episode makes the future of the series look very bright.

You can follow Carl on Twitter @csweeney758.

1013 RADIO: Beyond the Sea

In the first of a new series of articles charting the music involved in The X-Files, '1013 Radio', join Carl Sweeney as he goes somewhere... beyond the sea...

Bobby Darin’s version of ‘Beyond the Sea’ is probably the definitive rendition of a song that has been covered by many diverse artists, from Django Reinhardt to Robbie Williams. It’s a romantic pop song about separated lovers that charted in the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic for Darin. The song is used memorably in an early episode of The X-Files with the same name.

The episode was written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. Morgan and Wong regularly incorporated different types of music into their scripts for The X-Files, from Bach to Johnny Mathis. Their use of pop music in the early days of the series paved the way for other writers to follow suit later on, though we shouldn’t hold them accountable for Mulder line-dancing to 'Achy Breaky Heart' in season 10.

We first hear the song at the funeral of Scully’s father, who died at the beginning of the episode. As his ashes are scattered in the water, Mrs Scully explains that the song had been playing on the day he returned from the Cuban blockade and proposed marriage (this is an example of Morgan and Wong’s fondness for intertwining fiction and 20^th century history). Given the lyrical content of the song, this is of course highly appropriate. Bill Scully’s Naval career is central to the way he is represented in The X-Files, as exemplified by the music here and references to Moby Dick in this and other episodes.

Later, the incarcerated killer Luther Lee Boggs (the fantastic Brad Dourif) unsettles Scully by singing, not very tunefully, a portion of the song to her. Boggs’ knowledge of this, and other personal information, coupled with Scully’s vision of her dead father, are at the centre of a superb character piece. It’s probably the best episode of the first season.

Darin’s music would be used several times in the second season of Millennium, as part of Morgan and Wong’s attempt to humanise Frank Black. There’s one further link to the 1013 universe. Morgan’s brother Darin, who would join The X-Files writing staff in 1994, is reportedly named after the singer.

Interestingly, you may not hear Darin’s ‘Beyond the Sea’ when you watch this episode. His recording is on the UK DVD and Bluray release. When viewed on Amazon Prime though, you’ll hear Charles Trenet’s ‘La Mer’ instead (‘La Mer’ was written in the 1940s and has the same music as ‘Beyond the Sea’ but a different lyrical focus). I'm not sure what the reason for the change is, and whether it's the same in other territories. I can only assume this is because of a rights issue.

You can follow Carl on Twitter @csweeney758.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #6 - If you could reverse any X-Files character's death, who would it be & why?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

If you could reverse any X-Files character's death, who would it be & why?

TONY: "I think I'd go for Krycek. Much as part of me loved his death, I also love Rat Boy hanging around causing trouble and popping up every now and then. It would have been great seeing him in Season 10!"

ANDREW: "Well, I think the way The Lone Gunmen were killed off was just lazy... so I'd say them."

BAZ: "I would have loved Krycek in season 10 but he also needed to go when he did. The show didn't know what to do with him at that point. I also second the Lone Gunmen. My choice would be Mr. X. As dramatic as his death was, there were never a decent replacement for him. The revelation that he worked for the Cigarette Smoking Man shortly before could have added an interesting dynamic to future stories."

CARL: "Tough question. I'll say Samantha Mulder. I wasn't a fan when it first aired, but I've actually grown to like Closure a bit more over the years. However, I'm still not entirely convinced it was a fitting conclusion to Mulder's quest to find his sister. I'll cheat and pick another death to reverse, this time from the standalones. I really liked Tooms, and I wouldn't have been at all upset if he'd lived to make a third appearance at some point."

BAZ: "I completely agree about Samantha. A terrible ending to her character and the mystery of her abduction."

SAM: "Margaret Scully- too fast and not explored enough in my opinion... I get that that was probably on purpose, but I would have liked a bit more story around it."

TONY: "Samantha is an interesting one. Did she even die? In the traditional sense? Personally I think the walk-ins idea was a fascinating and different way to resolve an almost unresolvable plot point, so I don't know if I'd save her. I wouldn't want to lose the ending of 'Closure'. Lone Gunmen though? Hell yes. What the frak were they smoking when they thought taking them out was a good idea?"

BAZ: "Another choice from me. Admittedly he probably would have died with the rest of the shadowy consortium a few months later in season six's One Son, but I hated that the Well-Manicured Man died in the movie and for no real reason other than he betrayed his group's secrets to Mulder. John Neville's ability to deliver the phrase 'dear God' was brilliant and he was by far my favourite of the Cigarette Smoking Man's group."

CARL: "Do we think that The Lone Gunmen shouldn't have died under any circumstances or do we think that Jump the Shark just wasn't a fitting end?"

BAZ:  "I don't know. I'm going to watch it this week so I'll let you know. But no, there was no reason for them to die."

TONY: "While I really like the way WMM dies, I agree Baz. Such a shame to see the great John Neville go. And yeah Carl, I don't think they needed to die at all. You could have kept them around, always bums, always fringe elements, fated to die together as old men. Fine. A heroes death like that, great as they were, didn't suit them."

CARL: "I think I agree, no need to kill them as things stood in Season 9."

SARAH: "I'm totally with you all on The Lone Gunmen. Taking them out was completely unnecessary. As far as Samantha goes, I didn't care for the explanation the first time around, but watching the episode again with more perspective, I found it appropriate and very poignant. I think her end was a fitting resolution. So many other things on the show were shrouded in mystery without solid answers, driving Mulder to further his endless quest, but this one mystery is something he was finally able to believe and find comfort in. Another person I wish had survived is Agent Pendrell. I always imagined an alternate universe in which he and Scully got married and filled Grandma Scully's house with lots of little red-headed uber babies at Christmas. Uncle Mulder would stop in to bring inappropriately noisy and annoying gifts, and talk about the good 'ole days with Scully."

BAZ: "Absolutely! Poor Pendrell! Okay, I just watched 'Jump The Shark' and it really is a rubbish ending for The Lone Gunmen. They might have gone out saving a hotel full of people from a deadly contagion, but it was an episode that felt totally disconnected from the rest of the series. No Skinner or Scully until the end. No Mulder, their greatest ally. Just three heroes stuck in a room, unable to escape. There was no sense in killing them."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #5 - Which supporting X-Files character was most underused in the show?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

Which supporting X-Files character was most underused in the show?

TONY: "I'm gonna say Marita Covarrubias. I know she wasn't much liked by the fandom but apart from the lovely Laurie Holden being on screen, I really think Marita deserved more exploration as the realisation of Chris Carter's concept for a female deep throat insider. She ended up just becoming Mrs Krycek very rapidly & then popped up far too randomly for my liking. There was a much more interesting character under the surface there, I'm convinced."

CARL: "Marita was my first thought too. Otherwise, I'd say Senator Matheson. The notion of Mulder having connections in Congress was a promising thread running through the early years of the series, that I don't think the writers developed enough. Raymond J. Barry did enough in his few appearances to justify a larger role."

SARAH: "Definitely agree with Marita! I think she could have been pretty badass, given the opportunity to shine. I also would have liked to see more Agent Pendrell. His star was extinguished much too soon. RIP, good buddy. You all know I'm thoroughly biased, but I think Skinner could have been used even more. There's a whole ocean of untapped potential there. Every time I watch 'Triangle', (and let's face it, EVERY EPISODE) I ache to have his point of view thrown in, too."

CARL: "A comedy episode from Skinner's POV could have been phenomenal."

SARAH: "Hollywood AD should have been his."

SAM: "Seconded Tony. I was also annoyed how she became just another damsel in distress, really. Would have liked her to have been more like Mr. X. He's not really a supporting character, but I would like to see Charlie Scully- see what he's all about."

ANDREW: "Definitely agree about Marita. I think she had a great role in those episodes, especially when she's seen as an envoy in Russia after the rebels land. I would love to see her return in Season 11! My vote is for Toothpick Man (Alan Dale). I'm disappointed he wasn't brought back for Season 10. He should have been used more, and IMHO we could have used a new antagonist rather than resurrecting CSM."

MICHAEL: "I agree with Tony, Martia Covarrubias was an excellent character that worked well, but I never felt like we got to know her or really her motivations like we did with X. Outside of her, can I say Deep Throat? I mean he dies in Season 1 and while I love how the series used him then and later on, I almost wish we had gotten two seasons out of him as opposed to just one, just so the impact was a little larger. There's also an argument to be made for the Lone Gunmen at times, but I guess they got their own show too..."

PAIGE: "This is a real toughie. I would have liked to have seen more of Marita and Matheson, because I thought both of them came off very two-dimensional. I didn't want to see more of Diana and Spender, because they were very one-dimensional, but we didn't get a lot on them. I always want to see more of Alex Krycek, because he always could slot into more episodes than they used him in. Maybe less punching bag and more insight into the guy and his ever-changing allegiances? I'm gonna go sooooo anti-fan base and pick Melissa Scully. During my current rewatch, I have a lot more respect for her and her opinion than I ever did in first run and on video and on DVD and on Netflix. DWhat do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!efinitely softening on the Melissa front. But Glenne Headey in the movie was really the most underused. What a thankless role."

BAZ: "I'm currently working my way through season 9 and I'm going to go out on a limb and say Monica Reyes (I think Doggett is generally recognised as being awesome). She doesn't measure up to the other leads but she is not the bland character she's made out to be. She proves she can take the lead, has attitude and a great ability to play the Mulder role after he left the show. I love her relationship with Doggett and there is a great friend / mentoree relationship with Scully. She even gets a few good episodes too and Annabeth Gish delivers a fine performance. It's just a shame her character was utterly ruined in the revival because she really was one of the heroes in the later years..."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!