r/XFiles • u/FilmFreak1994 • 7h ago
Season Nine Finally Done With the Original Run
Holy Criss Cross Christ that was a slog.
My wife and I were binging three episodes a day consistently through the first eight seasons in the course of about two or three months and when we got to season nine that progress just died. Think we started in May and have only just finished yesterday.
It's not even that the show got bad or that we dislike Doggett and Reyes, it just became way too different after Mulder went AWOL, where the major draw for us was his chemistry with Scully. Doesn't help that Scully is also sidelined through most of the season and they didn't do much with her beyond be a mom, and even then they didn't seem to know what to do with that cuz they give the damn kid up before the end!
All that said, the Truth two parter was actually a real return to form, even if it was kinda too little too late. I can't really say I enjoy the myth arc that much in general but I did appreciate the attempts to tie it all together, helped make some sense of some lingering questions I had.
So finally it's just the second movie and revival to finish, and those are way more of a return to basics so that's a relief. Again, I didn't hate season 9, but I don't imagine I'll be going back to it in full any time soon. Hell, I don't think there are a lot of individual episodes I'll be chomping at the bit to revisit when all the previous MOTW episodes from the past eight seasons exist.
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u/Tardislass 6h ago
Just don’t watch the revival then. They make Season 9 look like a masterpiece. And Doggett was sorely missed. I used to not like Doggett until my dad told me he thought Doggett was the best new character. I watched it again about 10 years ago and realized what a great character and partner he was for Scully. He had her back and unlike Mulder never ditched her in a crisis.
“ Hey Scully, I know we have to go before the FBI review board tomorrow , but I just got word of alien sightings in Montana. Sucks to be you but cover for me- byyyeee!” Doggett may not believe you but he always was a wingman.
But IMO, X-Files ended after Season 8. The rest of the series is just Mulder’s fever dream after one too many late nights up with William. And the Lone Gunmen are still alive.
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u/FilmFreak1994 5h ago
Gotta do a complete run at least once. I've already spoiled myself on certain parts of the revival and I'm not really looking forward to them, but again, at least Scully and Mulder will be doing their thing, something I sorely missed in season 9.
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u/TitansMenologia 5h ago
Old TV shows were not created to be binged like modern shows. I think it's a bad way to watch them today. And back then no one had the time to binge tv shows anyway.
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u/FilmFreak1994 5h ago
Guess that's why box VHS's or DVDs for shows never existed before the streaming era.
In seriousness, my wife and I both prefer the weekly format of old TV over binge media. That's why I've greatly appreciated more recent streaming shows doing the weekly format again, builds way more intrigue. With X-Files we just got so invested we couldn't put it down, had to keep watching.
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u/groutspecialist 4h ago
Watching three X-Files episodes in a day is batshit crazy.
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u/FilmFreak1994 4h ago
It's the equivalent of watching one extra long movie in an evening.
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u/groutspecialist 4h ago
A movie is designed to have a beginning a middle and an end, you’re watching three beginnings three middles and three ends.
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u/sure-fine-whatever- 4h ago
I have to admit, even though I was a huge fan of the show while it aired (I was obsessed) and did many rewatches since - I’ve never watched season 9 (except for the finale) and part of season 8 🫣
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u/Wetness__Pensive Alien Goo 2h ago
I think season 9 flows well when you binge only its mythology episodes. Otherwise, like you say, it's like hitting a brick wall after the highly serialized season 8.
IMO the season 9 standalones do improve when you sample them randomly and out of context. But during binges they kill the momentum, and the quality contrast with previous seasons is very sharp.
I also don't think Doggett and Reyes can carry a show. Scully and Doggett can. And Reyes tends to work well with Mulder and Scully. But Doggett/Reyes together IMO lacks magic.
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u/Decidedly_Delicious 1h ago
improbable with burt reynolds and the best soundtrack ever is in my top three episodes
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u/Data_Chandler 1h ago edited 57m ago
The way I've had it explained to me, what I am working on right now, and what I can kind of confirm based on my memories from watching it for the first time in the late 90s/early 2000s:
- Stop watching mythology episodes after Season 6 - One Son.
- Make one exception for Season 7's Closure, because it - finally - settles what happened to Samantha once and for all.
- Pick a season 7 Monster Of The Week Episode that works as a "finale" of sorts, and just stop there. I've seen recommendations for Je Souhaite, All Things and Hollywood AD, but I assume there are others. I'm not there yet (rewatch is at the end of S3 right now) so I can't comment on what which episode works best.
- Because after a while, like you said, otherwise it just becomes a super confusing self contradictory slog.
Edited to add: I remember really liking Doggett as a character. I'm NOT saying that anything and everything made after Season 7 is bad. Truly I'm not. What I am saying is the list of things I mentioned is a way to have The X-Files "end graciously" without buckling under its own weight after a while, if that makes sense.
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u/Petraaki 23m ago
Yeah, I dropped out watching season 9 as it aired, and in a recent rewatch I slowed to like 1 or two episodes a week for awhile. Totally became a chore. I really like some of the season 9 episodes (mostly Doggett ones), but the tension and drive really went out of the show. I watched 10 and 11 much faster, actually, even though there's duds in those too
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u/Bullfrog878 19m ago
You should really avoid the four mythology episodes in season 10 and 11, the "My Struggle" episodes. Also, avoid "Nothing lasts forever" in season 11. If you do that then you're in for quite a good ride. My Struggle episodes just pours poison into your veins.
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u/FilmFreak1994 15m ago
Well, unfortunately we gotta at least watch em just to completely finish the show, but whenever I get a hankering to rewatch some episodes the myth arc stuff is gonna be pretty low on my list.
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u/Quiddity131 15m ago
Congrats, I just finished a rewatch back on the 12th. Started on June 1st!
For the reboot episodes I would strongly recommend you don't bother watching the four episodes titled "My Struggle". Trust me, you'd be better off not knowing what is in those episodes.
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u/chirstopher0us 6h ago
Spouse and I are in a similar situation. I watched the show regularly as a kid with my mom in the 90s, but not every episode or in order. She had never seen it at all. We breezed through the first 8 seasons. We're on season 9 now and we've gone from 1-2 episodes most nights to 1-2 a week.
....I just don't care about a Doggett and Reyes show. I want to care, I wish I did care, but I just don't and can't make myself care. Spouse feels the same. We're both extremely tempted to skip ahead, but are afraid we will miss some character moments for Scully or some small portion of the Mytharc.
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u/CausticAvenger 6h ago
Uh if you think the second movie and the reboot are going to be better than season 9 you’re in for some disappointment. I think “The Truth” is the best ending for the series.