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

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

[Joe 6-pack]

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

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

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

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

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

The Truth About "The X-Files"
Tom Piatak

[floralamiss]

Many happy months of incredible television. Thank you, Joe.

[Joe 6-pack]

And thank you for the script :-)

[Bratch]

If “X-Files” had debuted this year, it would be a great candidate for the limited series that they’re making nowadays.

The main reason for the so-so “monster of the week” episodes was because they needed 20+ scripts every year.

[Joe 6-pack]

I find it funny that a lot of folks don't like the "MOTW" episodes. There were a few stinkers, but IMHO, they were also some of the very best episodes, too.

When the writers got outside the greater alien conspiracy story arc, they had more freedom and got to push the limits of the the humorous, the technical, and the outright horrific possibilities of the show.

[Patriot Babe]

Awesome to see William B Davis has return to another great show that is on SCFY call Continuum. He plays the future older Alec.

God I loved this show and I’m planning to buy the DVD set. I never watched the whole seasons because once my mother died, I lost all zest watching it that I missed I believe 3 seasons more.

Amazing how much years have gone, I have the first x-file comic book and I got a set of cards. I would collect anything based on the X-Files.

There were some episode that gave me the creeps LOL. Like the dude that can squirm inside a small holes the episode called Squeeze. That gave me chills, there are many memorable episodes. I wish it can rerun on tv again but like I said I will be eying for the DVD Set.

[Joe 6-pack]

I was able to get all 9 seasons (and both movies) through B&N. It’s amazing how well they hold up over time. Apart from the size of the cell phones (which eventually became a running gag on the show) even the earliest episodes still seem fresh and edgy, and I dig into them and watch them semi-regularly.

[jodyel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0sVps-bRsA

Favorite Mulderisms and Scullyisms

The relationship between Mulder and Scully made the show for me too.

[Joe 6-pack]

Thanks...great video :-)

Duchovny and Anderson had some great chemistry. I think every scriptwriter hopes for actors that mesh like that.

[Joe 6-pack]

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8gL1mCDpf4

[floralamiss]

My pleasure, dear. I finally found the tiny cross like Scully’s at an online Catholic gift shop, only to have it come undone in the pool. Sandy was with me, and I cried, “here we go again!” It almost felt like when I lost Mama’s earring. Suddenly, she kind of gritted her teeth and said, “don’t move.” The chain was draped neatly over my ear, lol! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, that’s two for two. :-)

[Joe 6-pack]

:-) glad you found it!

[Jack Hydrazine]

I love how the Lone Gunmen predicted the WTC terrorism and how the 1990s sci-fi show, “7 Days” predicted a missile hitting the Pentagon. The pilot episode of “7 days” had as the plot a terrorist flying an airplane into the White House.

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

[Jack Hydrazine]

Home, PA is a little north of Shanksville, PA.

[floralamiss]

The one that got me, and still does, is that oozy-goozy, wormy white monster in “The Host”. Half-eaten bodies floating around in sewers.... ICK! Made me want to climb right over the back of my chair, as when the monster in “The Squeeze” almost gets Scully in her bathroom!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Did Mulder ever find what he was looking for?

[The Cajun]

Forgot about the series 7 Days, used to watch it every now and then.

[floralamiss]

Joe 6-pack has walked those roads, and I do mean, walked! :-D

[Joe 6-pack]

No. Home PA is just north of Indiana, PA. It’s a good hour or so from Shanksville.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Did Mulder ever find what he was looking for?"

Yep...he got closure with his sister's disappearance...a very heartwarming, bitter sweet episode.

[Jack Hydrazine]

You are correct. I’m looking at it from a flying perspective. Amazing that Flight 93 crashed so close to Hwy 119 on 9/11.