Fix: Sci-fi, Paranormal, Aliens, Government Conspiracy, Hot FBI Agents With Amazing Chemistry
Platform: Hulu
Netflix Summary:
Tracing both their personal and professional lives, this award-winning Fox series centers on FBI agents Scully, a skeptic, and Mulder, a believer, and their efforts to uncover a government conspiracy to hide evidence of extraterrestrial activity.
FYA Summary:
I watched the first episode of The X-Files when it aired on September 10th, 1993 with my mom and dad, because it was a Friday night at the start of my freshman year, and I was cool like that. After the first show, I proceeded to spend every Friday night of my high school career in the same fashion–glued to the TV screen as Mulder and Scully solved super wacko cases and fought to expose the government for doing all kinds of creepy experiments with aliens and humans. I would immediately call my best friend Seth once the episode was over so we could dissect every single detail and ponder questions like, “Will Scully and Mulder ever get together?” and “When is Skinner going to punch Cigarette Smoking Man in the face?”
The X-Files was the first show that was truly an obsession for me, so much so that I bought the books, comics, a t-shirt (here’s an X-File for you: why didn’t I keep it?!), the action figures (at least I still have those) and, in a stunning display of swimfandom, I even looked up David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the phonebook when I was visiting Vancouver with my parents. They weren’t listed, which will come as no surprise to you but certainly disappointed teenage me. (Those phonebook pages would have immediately gone up on my wall in frames.)
When I went off to college in 1997, my passion for the show was gradually brushed aside in favor of, well, college stuff, plus my new TV loves – Buffy and Felicity. I eventually stopped tuning in, but still watched the movies when they were released and, unlike some fans, really dug both of them.
So when Fox announced that they were bringing back The X-Files for six episodes, I basically lit up like Mulder discovering a mountain of sunflower seeds then decided it was time for a rewatch of the entire series. I was curious to see if the show was as incredible as I remembered, and the good news is that it most definitely is. Scully is still smart as hell (and gorgeous), Mulder is still sexy and weird, the Lone Gunmen are still THE BEST, the writing is still sharp and funny, and the storytelling is still vibrant and immensely creative. Sure, there’s a few misses (I’m looking at you, “Space” and “3”) and I haven’t yet made it to the later seasons, when things go downhill, but my obsession with The X-Files has returned with a vengeance. Looks like I need a new shirt.
Familiar Faces:
Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully
Gillian Anderson, a.k.a. The Most Beautiful Woman in Existence, was only 24 (!) when she took on the role of Scully and raised the act of being skeptical to Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning heights. I can’t tell you how much I love the character of Scully because it is TOO MUCH.
David Duchovny as Fox Mulder
Duchovny brought a wry warmth to Mulder that balanced out his zealous fervor for the truth and prevented him from being too obnoxious. (At least, most of the time.) He’s not nearly as attractive as Anderson (who is?!) but there’s definitely something foxy* about him, and the chemistry between Mulder and Scully is hot enough to fuel an entire fleet of spaceships.
*I know, I’m the first one to ever make this joke.
There’s many other recurring characters, not to mention a boatload of notable cameos, but if I start including them all, this post will go on for days. (Which I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve got this pesky life I have to live.)
Couch-Sharing Capability: I Want To Believe
I want to believe… that people new to The X-Files will love it as much as I do, but honestly, I’m not sure how they would react. Would they be distracted by the ’90s-ness of it–the brick cell phones, the baggy suits, the gigantic computers? Would they brush it off as just another serial-procedural, even though it actually spawned the popularity of the myth-arc in subsequent series? I would genuinely love to watch an episode with some newbies to gauge their response, although if they hate it, we will cease to be friends, so I guess I need to find some strangers who’ve never seen the show.
But if you know folks who are already big X-Philes, then by all means, invite them over for a marathon weekend, because there is nothing more satisfying then being able to incessantly talk about this show with people who understand its greatness. Especially when it comes to the MSR (Mulder Scully Romance), which is arguably the most controversial debate of our time. (I’m a shipper, OBVS.)
My old friend Seth (whom I used to call after each episode in high school) lives in Portland now, so my couch is sadly empty, but Kumail Nanjiani’s X-Files Files podcast makes for excellent company when I want to fill every corner of my brain with X-Files. (So, like, I listen to it all the time.)
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Medium
This show pairs well with alcohol, but don’t drink so much that you miss out on any one of the million things that make it awesome. With that said, it’s almost like the writers were begging the world to create a drinking game.
Use of Your Netflix Subscription: Mandatory
In case I haven’t been clear, everyone in the universe (including extra-terrestrials) needs to experience the excellence of The X-Files. If you’ve watched it before, rewatch it. If you’ve never seen it, just know: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.*
*By “truth,” I mean the fact that The X-Files is amazing. And by “out there,” I mean on Netflix.
Now, anyone want to swimfan with me in the comments? I’ve got a lot of geek feels I need to get out!
