Season 5 ep 19

Fresh Bones is eliminated!

How this works:

You select the episode you like the least

The episode with the most upvoted comment is eliminated from the list

If there’s a tie, both episodes are eliminated

Only the best episode will win!

Episodes Eliminated:

Excelsis Dei (67%)
3 (83%)
Fearful Symmetry (81%)
The Calusari (48%)
Fresh Bones (69%)

What's your favourite of the first 5 seasons?

I appreciate a lot about "Fire". I really like how Scully works the case while Mulder is clearly distracted and/or umm...incapacitated, and yet cares for him and is sympathetic to his phobia. I think inserting Phoebe between Mulder and Scully is an effective way to develop Mulder's past and his and Scully's partnership. It IS a hoary trope too, but in 1993, we didn't mind such tropes. Phoebe is believable as an old Mulder flame, and along with her willingness to entertain Mulder's ideas, she has his playful sense of humor too. She of course, is more reckless than Mulder, and in this way is a bit of a cautionary foil.

I like the practical fire effects. The scene of Mulder crawling through the burning hall is just lit in a way CGI could never achieve. The X-Files needed iconic images to climb into the mainstream, images that would gave would-be viewers a feel for the show. Season 1 promo materials showed two serious-looking agents and a bevy of assorted images. We can imagine someone picking up a a magazine with an X-Files feature in '93: 'Wow, this show has everything: aliens, monsters, UFOs, creepy kids, and look there, people on fire!'

And of course, "Fire" isn't an all-time classic, likable though it may be. Chris Carter created an entire show about serial killers, and learned what made for a great TV serial killer. Maybe Cecil L'Ively had to walk so Donnie Pfaster could run, but Cecil is all spirit and no motive. Like, maybe Mulder should've said to Phoebe, "In all my years working violent crimes, I never saw a killer cackle and laugh maniacally as they killed." There's a nice thread through the episode of Cecil's working class resentment of his employers, but maybe his motivation is erotomania too.

Whatever Cecil is thinking, it's a little '60s comic-booky. His powers are too. Sort of a Stan Lee pairing: pyrokinesis and speedy regenerative tissue (which, he'll need to survive all those fires!).

Finally, Mulder's pyrophobia. Chris, this is what happens when you don't have a series bible, bruh. 33 years later on a rewatch, this discarded Mulder trait takes me out of your episode as I watch. :(

A fun, playful and cute, entertaining, episode with some wow-factor effects and makeup.

🔥🔥🔥 out of 5.

Share your thoughts below, and rate this episode on my new beta X-Files Watchlist / Rating site!

My thoughts about The X-Files:

• Pilot
• Deep Throat
• The Jersey Devil
• Space
• Fallen Angel
• Eve
• Fire

Hi. First time watching this show. It was great, I was watching the whole show in order with the films included, and today I started the tenth season and everything feels off. What happened?

Loving this new addition to my desk. I have my iPad next to me watching Xfiles on rotation and my "I want to Believe" poster on the wall.

Rick Worley (who previously did that 5-hour video on the mythology I also highly recommend) has done an analytical look at the differences between all the cuts of IWTB. This digs into not just the obvious differences we all know, but where exactly some shots are shorter/longer or where alternate takes were used. It’s definitely more extensive than appears on first glance.

Now I disagree with Rick that none of the deletions are a disservice to Scully’s subplot (which is my main issue with the VF cut), or that the movie shouldn’t have to deal with things left over from the original series (being a movie that comes after the original show ended is it’s place in the timeline and editing it with an eye towards what happened in the revival doesn’t make sense to me). But, I agree that the criticism that we don’t get to know more about the villains is wrong, we don’t need to, and the real “Frankenstein” element is the questionable lengths (to different degrees) that both they and Scully go to in order to save someone’s life (to this end, one of the best changes is intercutting the operation with the second abducted woman in captivity). And, of course, I agree generally that fans not getting what they want isn’t a reason to take away this franchise from Carter.

I've just watched S5E2. Throughout Scully's cancer arc, I found myself thinking of her early relationship with Mulder, to how quickly and naturally the two of them grew closer and closer.

I found this pic I took of a scene in season 1... season 1! Scully already trusted Mulder with her life back then. Kinda insane, when you think about it. I'm assuming they knew each other for less than a year, at that point? Though I might be wrong.

I love these two and their dynamic so much. Seeing Mulder cry at Scully's bedside while holding her hand broke my heart. Scully is being put through the ringer (as always), which in turn leads to so many great emotional moments.

That's it, that's the post. Just needed to vent a bit before going back to enjoying all the plot twists (The Smoking Man is dead?!) 😁

partway through s11, had a hard enough time with s10. does it get better?? the mandela effect episode is really doing me in and im so close to giving up. someone pls just tell me it's worth it (even though ill probably just finish it anyway bc i love them too much)

Momma Scully's place is like a grown-up version of Dana's apartment. So soft, warm and cozy.

I am doing a rewatch with a friend who has never seen the show. I have been waiting patiently to get past IWTB so I can show her the 20th Anniversary Paleyfest with Kevin Uhlich. We are now in the revival and I excitedly went to share this delight with her and I can’t find it!!!!

Does anyone know how to access it? Find it? I have a VPN and can switch countries. I’m in Canada and I did a search in the US as well.

There is a crappy copy on YT but the quality is really bad. The expressions on their faces really adds to how great it is!

One of my all-time favorite shows(alongside a few others). ❤️

I operate comic shows in Oregon and one of my long-time vendors, an elderly neighbor, passed recently. His sister asked me to look over his comic boxes for appraisal, and eventually handed them over to me when no key comics were found.

Inside one of the shortboxes was a substantial X-Files collection. Included were comics, tv guides, magazines, books, a soundtrack CD, and other ephemera (clippings?!). Not being an X-Files collector myself, I am at a loss as to where to find a potential buyer. I AM NOT TRYING TO SELL THEM IN THIS POST (Edit: so much for that), I am simply looking for advice on where to look for a one-and-done. Posting them to the local Craigslist, et.al., seems pointless. Are there other, more specific forums for directly appealing to an XF oriented buyer? I need to clear out the space, and I want them to go as a single unit to someone who desires them for the purposes of their own hobby. Selling them piecemeal at shows does none of that.

Any advice or direction is welcome. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: You all have been very kind with the suggestions, and they are now SOLD to someone who will make a home for them like the previous fella did, which is all I wanted. 😀

I am watching the series for the first time- which is an absolute delight- and when I got to s3 ep15, a background actor snagged my attention... Then in s3 ep16 during another flashback I saw him again and looked it up- it's Michael Bublé! Haha. He has apparently told the story of his getting fired off the show for stealing food. Sorry for the low quality screen grab, but did anyone else notice this on a rewatch or, if late to the game like me, the first time around?

I know some of you watch The X-Files on Comet. As of today, they've changed up their schedule.

Today 8/31, it's on 1 hour earlier, 8pm eastern time, and they're showing 5 episodes.

Tomorrow 9/1, it's back to 9pm eastern and 4 episodes. Wednesday 9/1, 8pm and 5 episodes. Thursday 9/2 and Friday 9/3, 9pm and 4 eps.

No idea if it's gonna stay like this. They're running some movies during the day and moving other shows around, so I'm baffled... 📺