The Truth Is Out There (The X-Files)

Member Name: GramiWay

Product:	The X-Files
Date:	19/07/08 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great indepth characters, lots of different theories and ideas explored

Disadvantages: Things are frustratingly dragged out

After having just made my way through all the seasons of The X Files [a late converter] this is a basic overview of the show:

Created by Chris Carter the science-fiction show began airing in 1993 ending in 2002 after nine seasons. The show won bucketloads of awards during its nine years on air including Golden Globes and Emmys.
The X Files is based primarily on FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), two completly different people who find themselves thrown together working on the FBI Unit known as The X Files, which deals with unsolved cases usually involving paranormal and supernatural activity.
Mulder as the believer is usually the one who is quick to jump to the supernatural or extra terrestial conclusion and is primarily driven by the supposed abduction of his sister as a child whilst Scully despite several references over the course of the show to her Catholic faith is at first the skeptic, refusing tgo believe in any such paranormal activity and counteracting all of Mulder's theories
with those of science. The chemistry between the pair is obvious from the start and their relationship builds into a romance - though it takes some time for this to happen and is often used by the writer's to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats as the pair embark on a 'will they, won't they' path for much of the show.

I personally perferred Anderson of the two - she has some brilliant scenes particulary when diagnosed with cancer and also later on in the series when she is estranged from Mulder and raising his child.

The main focus of the show is stand alone 'monster of the week' episodes that see the agents uncover various government plots and the best I can really describe this sort of episode is like any standard detective show but with a supernatural twist.
Whilst the storylines are always extremely interesting and well thought out and contain all the plot twists and misleading whodunnits tyhere are some episodes that are written comically and do work quite well though a handful also bring down the tone of the show. These became more and more frequent as it wore on like most shows after a great start it lost itself in the later years though the inclusion of two new agents Doggett and Reyes from season eight onwards
did add for more interesting conflicts and relationships between the characters as I often felt a bored of JUST Mulder and Scully.

The show's slogan 'I Want To Believe' and 'The Truth Is Out There' are in refrence to the government conspiracy that covers the entire span of the show in which a secret group of men are working with alien conspirators to allow an alien invasion of earth. Whilst only certain truths are reveleaed over the course of the show - the big pieces are finally connected by its end though there is still a lot left uncovered by the final episode which was a bit disappointing.

The show sometimes can leave you a bit lost which is frustrating as there's a lot of information to remember and alliances tend to swap more frequently than a whore drops her knickers though the cast of characters accompanying Duchnovy and Anderson also bring a great deal of comedy, tragedy and depth to the show in particular the Cigarette Smoking Man [William B Davies], side swapping Alex Krychek [Nicholas Lea], and Mulder's informants the Lone Gunmen as well as Mitch Peleggi who plays Mulder and Scully's superior Assisant Director Skinner.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching The X Files but feel it's not a show I could watch more than once though the way the writer's tease and constantly test the audience both with the real explanations of events and whether or not there really is such a thing as aliens and the ever growing relationship of its two main characters are definately reasons why The X Files is undoubtedly one of the best TV shows of all time.

Summary: Basic overview of The X Files