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

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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!

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!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #4 - Which X-Files character would you most like to go for a drink with, and why?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question... Which X-Files character would you most like to go for a drink with, and why?

TONY: "I think I'd like to go out raving with Jose Chung. Can you imagine how mad a night would be on the town with that guy? He'd have an entire bar at his mercy as he held court telling stories that got more & more paranoid & outlandish the more drinks he had!"

CARL: "Well, while you're raving with Jose Chung I'll be sharing a pitcher of beer with John Doggett. I think he'd be great company in a social situation, and I'm sure he has some fantastic stories to share from his time in the Marines. Runner-up: First Elder. I've always thought he sounded like a gangster, so I'd like to get him drunk and find out what his background really is."

TONY: "I still reckon the First Elder is actually a Marlon Brando impersonator who wandered on set and they went "let's give him a part!""

CARL: "Haha. If I had to go for a non-alcoholic drink, I think I'd have liked the opportunity to go to the Well-Manicured Man's country estate, as seen in Fight the Future, for a cup of tea. As a working-class lad from the north of England, I'd find it interesting to rub shoulders with the upper-classes."

BAZ: "Agree that Doggett would be great to have a beer with. I imagine the Lone Gunmen would be a lot of fun though. Full of wild stories and conspiracy theories, probably in disguise as they try and infiltrate a shadowy government organization while being sociable and bickering among themselves."

MICHAEL: "I mean technically Frank Black was in The X-Files for an episode, so I would say him. I feel like it wouldn't take long for him to open up about the things he's seen and the things he's had to do, which would be really interesting at first and then kind of depressing. CSM would be my runner up because I'd love to hear him muse on about his past.

TONY: "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man... in a pub!"

MICHAEL: "Exactly!"

SARAH: "I think The Lone Gunmen would be a lot of fun. Also, I'd love to chat with Josh Exley from 'The Unnatural'. He'd probably have some interesting stories."

SAM: "Can I say Stella Gibson? Ha! Otherwise (I want to say Scully but I don't want to be predictable) I would have to say Doggett too. I think me and him would have blast in Sheffield on a Saturday night: pizza and cheesy chips after. Plus, he's a badass so I'd feel totally safe!"

PAIGE: "So many candidates -- and Jose Chung would certainly be a fun one -- but I'm going for my drink with Reyes. She's misunderstood by so many -- particularly now since Season 10 muddied her waters. But she's a straight shooter who thinks outside the lines. And whale sounds aside, she seems like a quality individual to know. S10 sure messed with that, but as her drinking buddy, I'm holding out hope that she was doing that because of Doggett."

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

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #3: Could The X-Files survive without Mulder & Scully?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question... Could The X-Files survive without Mulder & Scully?

TONY: "Yes... and no. I think the premise absolutely can go beyond these two characters, no question. But the moment Chris Carter made us care about Mulder & Scully, the moment DD & GA made them iconic 90's symbols of pop culture, they became The X-Files as much as the aliens or monsters. The premise could stand but the show wouldn't last long without them. If they reboot it and start again one day with new characters... maybe. Not as the show is right now."

SAM: "I am biased because I bloody love Gillian Anderson, but I think it could survive without Mulder, but not Scully. For me, she's the better character and I always enjoyed the Scully heavy episodes the most. I think she's the most identifiable character and the most enjoyable to watch on screen."

SARAH: "I think FOX and Chris Carter stumbled on the magic formula with DD and GA. I don't know that Mulder and Scully would have even been Mulder and Scully without them. In that sense, I think no, TXF wouldn't be TXF without Mulder and Scully. Any two other actors on the planet might have informed it differently, and it could have been like Tony said; we would have had a great premise. Maybe it would have been more like a paranormal Law & Order with characters possibly fading in and out over the years. For me, personally, when DD left the show it stopped being The X-Files. I can't even stand to watch those episodes. It feels like some other show that was on for awhile. So, yeah, The X-Files needs Mulder and Scully, but only because David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson made them indispensable."

CARL: "I think The X-Files could survive without them, and that's what I would like to see eventually. Don't get me wrong - Duchovny & Anderson as Mulder & Scully are lightning in a bottle, and almost impossible to beat as a pairing. The central premise of a division of the FBI devoted to paranormal cases that reflect anxieties in the USA is incredibly strong, though. For a next-generation X-Files show to work there would have to be quite a clean break from the original series. Doggett & Reyes never really had a chance, due in no small part to the show's reluctance to leave Mulder & Scully in the past. I do think, though, that an X-Files series with a new cast would have to come out of the blocks strongly. I don't think TV shows now are given the same time to find their feet, and if a next-gen X-Files didn't work straight away, it may be short-lived."

SAM: "I agree, in part. I think if they rebooted it with a new cast, they would find it very hard to get the old fans on board. But, it would also be great to see a modern show for the current generation to latch on to."

SARAH: "I think the Lore podcast that Amazon picked up to produce as a series is going to fit into that niche nicely. It won't have the FBI connection, but it will have the paranormal angle that makes the X-Files creepy and fun. Would a clean break from the original show still really be The X-Files? I'm just not sure. I think a paranormal procedural show featuring the FBI would be fantastic. I'd totally watch it. But I don't know if it would/should still be The X-Files."

SAM: "I suppose if they're going to have a totally clean break, then it should be called something else. Otherwise, it's like they're just hanging on the coat tails."

TONY: "Spot on by Carl there IMO, I agree entirely. Let's face it, we've had a modern X-Files show. It was called Fringe. Now I really liked Fringe, but it only hit its stride when it stopped trying to just be TXF & embraced all the parallel universe stuff, became a lot more serialized. That, too, became more about Olivia, Peter & Walter than the premise. For the TXF 'premise' to hold, and that's what we're talking about here, the show would need to reboot without Mulder & Scully as characters. And that's a bit like rebooting Star Trek the original series and not having Kirk & Spock. It would be a hard sell."

CARL: "Star Trek is an interesting comparison. If Star Trek can spin-off into various other shows, some of which I understand are very good, is there any reason The X-Files can't?"

SAM: "I disagree. I think with Star Trek, so many characters were 'main' characters that spin offs and reboots were fine. But TXF IS Mulder & Scully."

SARAH: "And I think there's a difference between a spinoff and reboot."

CARL: "A reboot would be much harder to do effectively, I think."

SAM: "Also true. I don't think the x files could stand either, to be honest, if it was sans M&S."

SARAH: "I think a spinoff could work. I'd love for Skinner to have his own show. Even if he reopened TXF with newer agents. And technically there was that Lone Gunmen spinoff, but.... well..."

SAM: "I just can't think of any existing x files characters that I would like to see in a spin off..."

SARAH: "Haha, I'll always vote for seeing more of Skinner."

CARL: "If 24: Legacy is a big success next year, it's possible Fox might go for a Next-Generation X-Files at some point. Get ready for the Miller & Einstein show everyone!"

SAM: "Ugh."

SARAH: "I think I'd rather be abducted by aliens."

BAZ: "Definitely not Miller & Einstein! As to the question, I'm not sure it can. It almost got there with season nine. Doggett was a great character, given room to develop alongside Scully and then Mulder. He could have carried the show on and Reyes had potential. Mulder and Scully could have been let go at the end of season eight and The X Files could have continued without them, but the show held on to them and made it about Mulder's absence and Scully and William rather than The X Files: The Next Generation, which it could have been.

I don't think it can be done again though - the sheer chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the revival proved that. That is what fans wanted to see more than anything. Unless they can develop another character like Doggett (I don't think Robert Patrick would come back full time and Annabeth Gish's Reyes was ruined by that last episode), bringing them into the show effectivelly alongside Mulder and Scully, I don't believe a show without them would ever work."

MICHAEL: "I think the "X-Files" will always be at the FBI & there will always be an agent or two interested in them, but as for the television series The X-Files, no. There's a reason the series was cancelled after Season 9, and I believe that's because Mulder was out and Scully was on her way after him. Watching "The Truth" feels like the show got back to its roots and felt so removed from Season 9 as a whole that it proved the need for Duchovny and Anderson. Mulder is the one who really began the X-Files, from episode 1, and without Scully to guide him, support him, and challenge him, his work would never really matter. It's the same way with the TV series.

Without Mulder and Scully working together to solve the paranormal and the unexplained, The X-Files has no life. Sure, Miller and Einstein are essentially younger copies of Mulder and Scully, but they don't share the same history as the characters nor chemistry as the actors who portray them. The X-Files is Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Even hardcore fans, and even those who just casually watch, who enjoy Doggett & Reyes/Miller & Einstein (and I'm one of them) will always see The X-Files as Mulder & Scully, and it'll never change. Could FOX continue the series without DD & GA? Yeah, sure they could, but should they? No. I want to believe, but when it comes to this I can no longer be the believer, only the skeptic."

PAIGE: "I think The X-Files could go on without Mulder and Scully, if it was done right. Bringing in young carbon copies Miller and Einstein does not get the job done and only alienates the existing base. I'm a big supporter of Doggett and Reyes, two very different drawn-out characters. But let's face it, I don't really want to go on without Mulder and Scully."

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

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #2: Who is the best Monster of the Week?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question... who is the best Monster of the Week?

TONY: "I honestly can't see past Robert Patrick Modell aka Pusher. I'm biased as it's my favourite episode of the show but he was such an incredible bad guy, played to perfection by Robert Wisden. Less of an outward monster and more a twisted psychological antagonist, he's the Moriarty to Mulder's Sherlock. Forget his anaemic return in 'Kitsunegari', he remains one of the best one-off villains our agents ever faced."

CARL: "I find it difficult to look past Eugene Victor Tooms. 'Squeeze' did a great job of establishing what The X-Files could do when the case didn't concern aliens/UFOs. It works so well even though the concept could easily have been ridiculous if executed poorly. Tooms is probably the monster who got the best sequel episode too. There are a few monsters on the show with faint similarities to Tooms (Virgil Incanto, Samuel Eboah, Leonard Betts), but none as effective."

BAZ: "I second Tooms. The original and the best. But if I was to pick a second, it has to be the Flukeman. Visually, there was no monster as terrifying or gruesome as this creature. Its ability to infect a host with that nasty sucker bite, leading to someone vomiting up a worm and dying... it plays on all our fears of uncleanliness, infection, the idea that what was lurking in our toilet could come and kill us. Pure nastiness and good successor to Tooms in memorable monsters."

CARL: "I think Big Blue from 'Quagmire' deserves a shout-out too, as the only monster to stay completely undetected!"

SAM: "I've got to go for Luther Lee Boggs. That's one of my favourite episodes anyway, and Brad Dourif is incredible! Otherwise, I second Tony re Pusher. Brilliant episode! Great Mulder and Scully moment too."

SARAH: "Seeing as how 'Quagmire' is my all-time favorite episode, I'm going to have to agree with Carl. I'd also like to add that Fear itself is another great monster. It shows up in many different forms throughout the show, whether it's tangible as in "X-Cops," or as mass hysteria in "War of the Coprophages." In a more metaphorical sense, fear of loss and/or failure is what drives Mulder through many episodes."

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

FAVOURITE X-FILES: Post-Modern Prometheus & how I love Cher

Sam Turton discusses her favourite X-File, Post-Modern Prometheus...

I have a confession to make: I love Cher.

Her music used to be played on cassette in our car when I was little and it was the first concert I ever went to in 1999 (the ‘Believe’ tour). After this, I became a bit obsessed with her and her music, in a nice way.

I also love ANYTHING gothic. I was a frustrated goth in my youth, I love gothic movies, and I adore old-fashioned ghost stories.

Imagine my excitement when Post Modern Prometheus kicks off… It’s black and white, looks like a graphic novel and has all the makings of classic gothic literature. I have many favourite episodes and I can’t choose just one, but PMP is definitely up there.

On a recent full series re-watch, I got really excited when we got to PMP; I hoped it was as good as I remembered… It was. The opening scene in the guise of a comic book is perfect and immediately sets the episode up as a ‘monster of the week’ and a light-hearted episode. The gothic atmosphere is immediately created as we see that the whole episode is going to be in B&W and shot against a moody, stormy sky. The whole thing screams classic gothic! Then, we get the image of The Great Mutato and all of a sudden, it’s Mulder and Scully meet Mary Shelley.

Obviously, there’s nothing clever in comparing this story to Frankenstein, even the subtitle of Shelley’s novel is The Modern Prometheus, plus you’ve got the spooky doctor, the weird creature, and the mob mentality of the locals. But, it is great how Carter has brought this story into the modern world with the idea of genetic experiments and the fly with legs growing out of its mouth! Oh, and can we talk about the camera work in this episode? Carter very clearly shot this one with a wide angle lens which creates those brilliant shots of characters immersed in their world and looking down the barrel of the lens; each scene looks like a cell from a graphic novel. This combined with the well-placed lightening bolts and rattling thunder, makes for perfect viewing with the lights off.

What I do love about Carter’s take on the classic Frankenstein story is the fact that the crazed mob eventually do take pity on the creature. They realise, as the old cliché reminds us, that they are the monsters, they are the animals; the swift cutting between certain characters and their animal counterparts beautifully and comically highlights this. As an audience, we are left contemplating our place in the world and our conceitedness at thinking we can play God. Unlike us, The Great Mutato is a simple creature: he loves peanut butter, he loves Cher and he loves watching The Mask as it makes him believe that someone will love him one day.

In my opinion, his love of Cher is his way of connecting to the outside world, and as a theme it makes us think of the music calms the savage beast idiom. Plus, we all see Cher as person who constantly transforms and moves with the times: is this what the Mutato wishes he could do? Through him, Carter is subverting the traditional idea of a sci-fi monster and is making us re-imagine the modern world where science plays a big part and can do things that nature cannot.

I think in this episode, Carter wants us to think about what it means to be a monster. Mutato is horrible to look at, and he effectively rapes two women in the episode, yet these two women are desperate for children and are not going to get what they want through traditional means. Mutato is providing these women with what they most desire. Does this make it any more acceptable? Also, these encounters between Mutato and the women are presented as being almost comical; the circus like cover is dropped over the house and Cher blares out of the stereo as Mutato approaches the deed.

If we didn’t know better, it’s almost as though Carter is trivialising rape and sexual exploitation. Maybe what he wants us to do is rethink the way we see conception and sex in the wake of scientific discovery. The theme of the whole episode seems to be out with nature, in with science! This is also very Shelley, who was a great lover of science and believed that a deeper understanding of the world through science was a positive thing. She was greatly influenced by the science of the day, even in her marriage to Percy Shelly who would become known as a great progressive thinker.

So, is Pollidori the real monster? The good doctor is playing god, murders his own father, and would see Mutato go the same way. Just like Shelley’s Dr Frankenstein, he is unwilling to accept the consequences of his actions and merely sees the human body as an over-sized science experiment. Of course, this whole episode also seems to be not so subtly foreshadowing Scully’s pregnancy through untraditional means and possible genetic manipulation.

All in all, PMP is a great stand-alone episode. For me, it’s a perfect example of what The X-Files is and ranks with Beyond the Sea, Pusher, and Squeeze as one of the best episodes of the whole canon! Plus, it ends with one of the greatest Mulder and Scully scenes of all time. But that's for another blog.

What are your thoughts on the themes of PMP? Please do let me know in the comments section! As a former English teacher, I love people analysing films, books and the like in different ways. It’s like the perfect lesson! I've kept this blog fairly short, but I could rattle on for ages.

You can follow Sam on Twitter @yorkshireramble.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #1: Which X-File deserves a sequel?

So Carl Sweeney recently suggested the blog team do a roundtable chat based on a key The X-Files question, so here are our collected responses to the question... which X-Files episode deserves a sequel?

TONY: "'Travelers' - personally I would love to have seen more episodes featuring a young Arthur Dales in the 50's or 60's investigating X-Files in the Hoover FBI. You could have some really cool, Mad Men-style scenes mixed with period weirdness. Hell, there's a prequel series in the idea, let alone one episode! You could get away with bringing Arthur back with a new actor, wouldn't have to be Fredric Lane."

CARL: "'Travelers' is a good shout and I agree that a prequel series could work. I'm going to resist my first instinct to say 'Home'. Instead, I'll choose '4-D'. While the original is pretty good (especially by Season 9 standards), I've always considered it a bit of a missed opportunity. The parallel universe idea is a good one but the characters never seem to grasp how big a deal this is. It's tantalising to imagine the fun a writer like Darin Morgan or Vince Gilligan could have with this concept, especially with Mulder back in the picture. Another bonus would be that the original episode is imperfect, so expectations would be lower than with something like 'Home'."

BAZ: "While my first choice is probably a return of the Flukeman, I'm rather fond of the Mothmen from season five's 'Detour'. Creatures with the ability to go invisible and hunt their victims, plus the whole aspect of the Mothmen being immortal humans would make for an interesting sequel. Perhaps Mothmen in the big city, Predator 2-style? There would be the opportunity for plenty of scares and tense thrills as Mulder and Scully find themselves hunting an old enemy they can't see."

SAM: "I'm a fan of 'Patience', mainly because I love vampire things and thought it was a genuinely scary episode. I think it would be a good one to bring Mulder in on because it waDoggettet originally, and the creature was hunting people in a family if I remember correctly? So, maybe it coming out of hibernation like Tooms and going on a new rampage. It wasn't confirmed that it was actually killed, was it?"

SARAH: "I'd love a sequel to 'Bad Blood'. The vampires literally pulled up stakes and hightailed it off to another trailer park. It would be great to see Ronnie and the Sheriff turn up again in another small town. I'd also like to see Cindy and Teena from 'Eve' all grown up and unleashing evil shenanigans."

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