The cylons were cool though in a classic science fiction sense(same school as Robby the robot and the Lost in Space robot) and it sure didnt hurt to have MacQuarrie as conceptual designer. I dont have an interest in re-watching the old shows, though I have a sense of nostalgia about that era of television--the Hulk, Buck Rogers, etc, and the character actors on them. The term "cheese" doesnt enter my vocabulary--I like man in a monster suit type stuff as much as the CG variety, as long as its imaginative.

And I just feel the spaceship crew series model has been done to death--and needs a break, whether it is Star Trek or BG. We are talking about a remake afterall. Also reminds me a bit of Space: Above and Beyond, with "Seven of Nine" thrown in.

The X Files reminded me of the short lived Project Bluebook, but it was quite different from anything else. It was innovative.

BTW-the only other dramatic show I watched religiously since the end of the X Files is the Sopranos--and it is really difficult to go from that kind of quality to the regular television stuff(and the Sopranos hasnt been that good in the last 3 seasons).
24 is another series I will have to watch in a long marathon. :)

"I havent watched the new Battlestar Galactica."

You should. Do yourself a favor.

"I just feel the spaceship crew series model has been done to death--and needs a break"

It didn't need a break. It needed to be done properly.

"We are talking about a remake afterall."

Not really. The character names and ranks are the same, but the characters are very different. Heck, even the genders have changed.

The new cylons are human clones and updated centurions. The centurions don't talk, but they are still more intelligent. They are soldiers and now have battle tactics. If they can't find the humans, they will build an artillery battery and flatten the whole area. If they board a ship, they will de-pressurize the atmosphere and kill the whole crew. That is just the infrequent occurences of the centurions. The clone cylons are everywhere and do everything. They lie, cheat, murder, screw, cry, manipulate, pray, etc....

The humans do much of the same. Both sides are ruthless in battle. The first thing the cylons do when they arrive on scene is launch a few nukes. There is no stupid laser battle with nobody taking any real damage. Two ships fight and either one runs or one gets destroyed. That is just the spaceship part.

The real substance to the show is the character interaction and development. There is significant interaction between human and cylon. Sometimes it is not known who is on which side. Both sides take an emotional toll from the conflict, although it is not known what emotions mean to cylons.

BG is one of the only motion picture works where I think the people do what real people would do in the same situation. The writing is rarely forced to simply expose a plot angle. Plot elements occur and the characters react as would seem expected of real people. The best part is that even with the realistic reactions, I can rarely predict what will happen in an episode.

There just isnt anything in the descriptions of it that makes me interested enough to rush over and check it out. It doesnt help that it is named after another show even though it isnt apparently a remake.

X Files, Babylon 5, even Sliders, there were things in the descriptions of each show that made me curious enough to look into it--but nothing about BG makes me curious. A "who's the real monster?" kind of twist isnt enough in itself for me to watch it.
And even if they were faithful to the original series--I would have probably checked it out once or twice for the cylons and production design--and flipped the channel.

If its a space opera kind of series like B5--then its all the more reason for me to ignore it until the run is over--and then catch it in syndication. I watched X Files week by week, and the alien story ran out of steam to the point where the final episode had no impact at all.
Ditto for TNG, Ds9 and Voyager.

The Sopranos is leagues above writing-and characterwise--and even that show has been dull--the demands of stretching it out season after season just cant hold it together.

Kelly, you've had a number of people tell you to check it out.

It sounds like you are building up an idea about the show without bothering to walk over to the video store and rent a couple episodes. What is the great effort in that?

Being a stubborn curmudgeon takes a lot of effort(I even had to look the word "curmudgeon" up to make sure I spelled it right).
:)
I have checked it out online.

It just doesnt intrigue me enough to rent it-and my tv viewing habits are way more restricted than it used to be. I hardly have the tv on except to watch movies(I havent even watched Masters of Horror which I have been taping-though that's no big deal--I still havent watched B5 Crusade, and I think i recorded it in 1999)

And if I do check it out after the series is done-and am pleasantly surprised--how would I lose? I would just feel a bit silly for waiting so long to do so.


But Tricia Helfer a number 6? A 10 out of 10! Way better than 7 of 9 for sure.

I know what you mean. I took a year to watch Doctor Who (the new series) even though I had it all. But then I didn't go back and forth in a thread a number of times saying I didn't feel like watching it either.

Maybe you guys could make an seperate thread about that other show, Battlestar Gallactica?

Because this is still the X-Files thread :-)
btw: now, finally having those beautiful digipacks, I'm now into watching the first X Files Season, and I really love it. Every episode has it's strong points, and the scripts are really great.
I know the last seasons aren't that great, I've heard, but still, I love it. It's indeed a bit of a regret they just can't stop when it's time to stop.

I havent said I dont feel like watching Crusade--I just havent got around to doing so. BG is a different matter. I havent even recorded it! :) At least I am not an old show fan with a gripe(beyond the cylons)--could care less if they revived it or not---I am just cynical about episodic corporate television and its hard to get me to tune in to something.
I cant even tell you what channel BG is on locally--I assume its on Space, but i havent tuned into that station in a while either.

In fact--my vcr timer is screwed- and I havent bothered to fix it-so I cant record things by auto. Kinda sad isnt it? I used to have a serious distrust of people who didnt watch television and I am turning into one of them.

BTW
I havent watched much Doctor Who even though I have known about it for many years. I did catch the 96 movie--but that is thanks to the X Files--since it was aired on Fox so i caught the promo. X Files probably got me to watch alot of stuff I wouldnt have bothered with(Milennium, Strange Luck, the Lone Gunmen, Alien Autopsy etc).

There. I made the comments relevant to the thread.
:)

good stuff matthieu. i'm also going through XF myself. i missed lots of season2-4. so perhaps we can do it together =). heheheh. i finished s1 a long while ago. but from my memory, it's a solid season. not much mythology remember, just a lot of monster of the week. tooms is the best character from s1 =). very memorable eyes. be sure to take note of "billy" from the piliot, since he'll be back (how's that for continuity? heh). i'm currently on season2 started a little bit on end game, after watching colony. both of these 2 eps are HEAVY into mythology. besides the 1st ep of s2, these 2 eps really kick off the mythology. it's very interesting knowing all of what will happen to watch the "mystery" or developments of these mythologies. i just luv the writing, it throws you off and then keeps you staying on it.

PS i didn't know Mr. X was such a badass!!!!!!!! oh YEAH!

Yeah, the writing really is superb, there are many twists in one episode, you really think: damn, so much information in only 40 minutes...

And the best things, not always, but mostly, are just the beginning sequenses. They really capture your attention!
(ps, love the beginning credits too, saw them over a 100 times, but they never get tired!)

well, like everyone keeps saying, it's a 45min. film =). and really, an episode often beats some of the 90-120min movies in the cinemas today.

the beginning are great because they like to begin in medias res (in the middle of) of an action. instead of lots of exposition, it's right to the punch =). that way you stay after the commercial! =). same w/Lost =).

PS what ep you on right now in s1?

Remember when an hour show was 55 mins?
The good ol days.
:)

brisco county jr. yes it's out on DVD. wasn't good as i remembered it =). actually 45min is like pretty long compared to today's 42 or 40 or even shorter!

Wasnt that on Fox? I dont think i ever watched it but remember it. How about Werewolf? I think it was a half hour but was among the first Fox drama shows. Guy chasing the werewolf who bit him--becoming more wild each time he changes. It didnt last after 1 season.

How about MANTIS? That's another Fox show I watched.

X Files never seemed like it was less than an hour. I never felt it was a rushed show.

you give brisco, werewolf and MANTIS a chance... but not BSG? wow =).

Arrgh!! I thought we were done with that! :)
I may have watched an episode of Brisco-but it was purely a "I am waiting for the X Files" type thing--or, a "wasnt that the guy in Army of Darkness?"

Those shows were on when I was a very active tv watcher--99% of the time I dont even have it on these days.

And we can say Brisco, Mantis, and Werewolf werent slapping the name on a product that doesnt really have much in common with the original. Remakes of Star Trek was enough for me!

I'll try to hold a marathon with a friend of mine tonight, of Season 1 from the X-Files. Don't know how far we are gonna get...

NO I'M NOT OBSESSED!!!
(okay, a little...)

well, when you get into s2 lemme know =). i think i might finish s2 this weekend.

just finished s2. it turns out, i only caught 3 full episodes of s2. the rest were completely UNSEEN! i've got to say, s2 is the STRONGEST season of the XF i've seen. Dod Kalm is absolutely out of this world writing. Morgan&Wong really hit the ball out of the park here... unfortunately space above+beyond didn't. onto to s3!

I'm still on season 1, but almost done!

(I'm a bit slower then you :-p)

well, once you get through the uneasiness of s1, you'll love s2 onwards. i mean, s1 is still great by any standards of TV... but it does lack confidence&finesse of s2.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/08/16/hybrid_mutant_found_dead_in_maine/
^somn right out of an X-Files monster of the week episode.

meanwhile... i haven't progressed further in s3 because i was watching 24 s1 through s3.

did you catch up Mathieu?

Hi Yi,

I was yesterday thinking of you and this thread! So funny you respond now!
I watched season 1 out, and I'm not at episode 13 I think, of season 2.
Season 2 is really wow. Some things I didn't like, but the most episodes are much better then season 1, although that season had it share of great episodes too.
I think the episode 'Sleepless' from season 2 was really superb!
I now watched Irresitable, with that serial killer. The first episode of the X Files without something paranormal! But also very good, with a very, very touching moment between Scully and Mulder!

well, one would argue that serial killers are "para" normal as well because it isn't really normal behavior =).

but yesh, s2 is just awesome. i'm watching most of it for the 1st time as well. i only saw maybe 2 episodes from s2 during reruns, i thought i saw more... but perhaps i didn't know which season was which. i think gillian and duchovny were both very "raw" in their acting. very interesting way for a TV to hire actors.

that's the 1st intimate moment between scully and mulder =). but as you'll see in s2, they both lost alot and really took this little SF romp (from s1's reputation) to another level.

It's too bad there was never any resolution.

It's too bad there was never any resolution.

Do you mean at the end of the series or at the end of every episode?
If it's about the end of the series: I haven't seen it yet, so don't spoil it for me :-)

If it's about the mostly open endings at the end of every episode, I actually liked that!

Yi, or everybody else, I don't know if this interests anyone, but this is a site with all the episodes on a row, with their ratings from some people. You can read their reviews there too:

http://xfiles.amaroq.com/archive.html

ps: Yi, that link really looks like an X File, LOL :-)

EDIT: Yi, I just saw a superbe, really superb episode from the X Files! Really scary. When I read the synopsis I thought: okay, but it was really brilliantly directed with a very, very dark cinematography!
The episode is called Die Hand Die Verletzt, with teachers at a high school, busy in the occult.

http://www.insidethex.co.uk/
^scripts if anyone's interested in it.

the woman who played devil incarnate was very scary... especially the eyes =). v. creepy. this is one of the reasons why XF is the best. doesn't matter if you like any genre, XF covers a variety of genre. that's why SF is the genre of all genres.

re: your comment on cinematography. i think shows like XF inspires us to tell our own version of the stories that we've come to know. plus, it's really like filmschool in a box. you can learn a lot just by watching the 'trix' that they employed on XF.

PS how'd you like duane barry? it's really the episode that hints at the mythology in a heavy-handed way. in 2 more episodes colony and end game are the watershed eps that brings the mythologies to the forefront. when you catchup to s3, lemme know we can do those eps side by side =).

Yes, I saw Douane Barry, but I didn't think it was as WOW as many other fans. I love other 'mythology' episodes a bit more (Deep Throat, if you consider it an arc episode, Little Green Men, the last episode from s1,...)

Yes, you're right about that film school-thing :-D
And indeed, that woman is sooo creepy.
And the scene with the snake! No music, only the sound of that snake creeping on that stairs... really great!

upto season3 yet? i've been busy with deadwood all seasons.

Hi Yi,

I finished Season 2 yesterday evening... exiting times :-)

so, what do you think of the mythology heavy episodes? if you examine carefully (having full knowledge of the story after), it's actually paperthin and not as well constructed as people might imagine. meaning, the "conspiracies" weren't fleshed out (like lost, bsg, and so on) beyond these episodes.

i'm somewhere in the middle of the 6th episode (2Shy) of the 3rd season. it's fairly forward thinking since online dating scene was just beginning but the episode (and the show itself) makes it seem like it was a regular thing.

i'm already back@school again so i'm going to have a hard time catching up.

Yes I'm watching episodes now too at a slower pace.
I did watch the first 2 episodes of S3, because they were all continuing each other.

I actually like those mythology episodes, as well as the 'usual' X Files MOTW.

spoilers*

I very much liked Colony/End Game, because of story, emotions and visuals, it had everything a show or a movie needs.
And in the last episodes it had some very exiting suspense moments and I REALLY liked that surreal image of all those medical files with a train track in between, that was really nice.

*end of spoilers

many XF episodes hold those qualities of a film you described. this is why i believe it is a truly revolutionary show instead of evolutionary show. by taking filmic techniques and using them on a show, it elevated TV as a whole.

by the end of XF, the leads will have lost nearly everything. it's both personal/private and very much public at the same time because of what it would take to find "the truth". the sacrifices they've had to lay bare. it doesn't stop here =).

that's why it makes all those dialogues later on very painful as you know these characters have gone through hell.

while s1-2 had both cast and crew trying to find themselves, 3-6 were really refined becauase the technical aspect of the shows caught up. by technical i mean the techniques the lead actors used, the technical vocab. the crew used expanded greatly. the guest stars (like brad dourif, the guy for duane barry) were always high caliber. in the first few seasons the guest stars tended to overshadow both duchovny and anderson, but by s3-6, duchovny and anderson really stepped up. s1&2 had a semi-indie feel, but 3-6 had a huge, hollywood blockbuster feel. the scope generally continued to increase.

I always liked the voodoo episode where that dude comes out of scully's hand!

Also, the one with the ship missing in the bermuda triangle and "Alternate" mulder and scully was cool.

The one shot from the XF I would kill to see again was in this episode about a man with a pituitary disease and he kills peopel to take theirs. He is crawling around in the vents at the end of one episode and we just see a flash of red eyes and white skin. Was very creepy.



Fluke man will live 4ever

A friend of mine took pics on the Richond set. It think it's near a dike---enough for a movie set like Mission to Mars.
Where ever it's been clear cut. :-)Manitoba has lots! On the east side of Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg plus in the Manitoba desert with Camp Shilo near the middle.

Mission to Mars was shot on the banks of the Fraser River and the sand was dyed not spray painted. And near Nelson there's a town called Osoyoos (sp?) which actually has a mini desert. And for those who say the X-Files changed TV are correct. The influence seen in shows today is amazing. Lost is one example, both shows had/have the same DP and Rodney Charters from Millenium is the DP on 24. I did many day calls on all of Chris Carters shows over the years, that was my film school. Why pay to learn when you can get PAID to learn.

Matthieu,

any progress updates? lol =). you might have surpassed me. haven't seen anything beyond 2shy. =(. school sux, don't you agree?

Hi Yi,

No, actually, to be honest, I haven't got the time to move on lately, the last episode I watched was DPO, with that lightening.

Are you a filmstudent?
I went to film academy last year, my first year, I was one of the 20 people selected from 100 participants to get in the first year, but I've quiet because I had the feeling I made THEIR movies, and not my own movies. And I constantly had the feeling that I wanted to try it on my own.
I don't want to slam film schools, they're great, but they're not for everyone.
How are you in that department? Or are you at high school, I don't know?

Best regards,

hi matthieu,

i guess we're both stuck on season3, lol! =). we'll have to wait til holidays to catch up. most likely... christmas =). we'll have to continue this then.

re: me. i'm not a film student. i'm 25 and i work full time in vinyl, aluminum windows manufacturing industry as a projects manager and goto classes for my undergrad fulltime. i've been doing that for the past 5 years with plans to graduate next june.

i wish i had more time to play around with DV shooting+editing... but i don't. i actually bought a XL1s once... but sold it to someone here i believe. i also parted ways with a 3x lens. i owned it for about 6 months... but played around with it once or twice for a friend's wedding. i need MORE TIME! =).

nowadays, i end up spending what little time i have doing chores or just catching up shows/movies like XF because creating takes a LONG time for me because i want it to be good. i catch good content in the hopes that some of that magic may rub off subliminally or not so subtle..ly.

my plan/goal is to work at a job that is stable and pays me well so i can pursue these hobbies on weeknights and weekends.

re: your frustration. i know exactly what you meant. in festivals like 48 hour film festivals, you have to work with many, many people. everyone wants input and wants to direct... it's a real mess.

if you want to "try it on your own", there's nothing stopping you... but time. just go and DO IT! that's the best way to learn. i'm not talking about technical aspects, because for kids like us (who grew up with technology), that aspect should come easy. i'm talking about writing techniques in dialogue, plotting or directing techniques for actors or sets and so on.

the first step if a script. try to write one yourself... if you can't but want to direct... direct someone else's script. remember to try your hand at a character/story-oriented movie and concentrate on the acting. i've found that many shorts i've seen in festivals and online (like youtube, etc.) fail in the acting dept. some works can look really well done technically... but lack a higher substance. if you compare an amatuer work vs. hollywood's crapfest, you can still see a level of professionalism. just my 2 cents =).

YEs I agree.
Sorry for responding a bit lately, but I was away for a couple of days.

I'll let you know if I catch on the X Files again :-D

Best regards,

was feeling stressed out... but felt better after catching up the entire season3. i'm on season4 now =D. s3 is pretty incredible but still not as good as season2 =). a bad season on XF is like the best seasons of any other TV series =). i love the framing/blocking of many of the episodes... especially jose chung's outer space. very theatrical. absolutely loved it.

i'm also noticing MANY, many "before-they were stars" or guest stars that have appeared on other series. off the top of my head, lucy liu, jewel strait (kaylee from Firefly/Serenity), amanda tapping and tom mcbeath (harry mayborn) both from SG-1 were all in season3 =).

tom mcbeath actually appeared a few times as different characters =).

Giovanni Ribicci (hope I spelled it right) is one an episode too.
I didn't watch season 3 any further, not because I don't like it, but I didn't have the time :-(
You're right about season 2 being supergood, though!

lol, i cheated =). but yesh, giov was in this too. actually if you watch a lot of TV shows in general lots of people bounce around. it's a job =).

anyway, i really DIDN'T have time. i just traded my sleep for it. just couldn't wait.

in the past, i think i saw more of s3 than i realized... but really almost completely missed s2. i think i missed the best season of the series lol!!! =).

PS hope you can take the millennium journey after this too, imho i think they're like companion pieces =). and of course you know about mill's final ep ending up on XF.

Actually I don't know the ending of Millenium on the X Files, still have to watch that :-)

I saw some pieces of Millenium, and I should rewatch it maybe, because initially, I thought it was weaker then the X Files, but maybe that were wrong expectations from my part.

And if you haven't seen season 2, you really should!
My favorite episodes from that season are (alot):

Little Green Men
The Host
Sleepless
Aubrey
Die Hand Die Verletzt
Fresh Bones
Colony/End Game (this double episode is just wow, a movie!)
Dod Kalm (I liked the atmosphere)
F. Emasculata
Our Town
Anasazi

sorry, i didn't clarify. i have finished every single episode from first episode through season4 opener.

i wanted to say that in the past, i thought i have seen most of XF... but i have not seen all of season 2 except for like 1 or 2 eps. either way, i have currently finished s2 and i love all those eps you listed and more.

FYI, the same guys behind season2 and 3 (Wong+Morgan) began migrating from X-Files season2 and 3 to Millennium. chris carter created both XF and Millennium. carter did season1 of Mill, then Wong+Morgan went over to Mill and left XF behind. so if you liked s2&3, then Mill will be right up yo' alley =).

well matthieu, you should be finished with your finals by now. mine are NEXT WEEK, those bastards.

if you have finished with school, you can hop back onto XF!! =).

but i did cheat a little. i sacrificed many nights of sleep to watch XF. i'm on s4's Gethsamane and once i finish it i'll be onto s5 =).

i have to say that i have seen most of s3onward. so they're all repeats to me, but s2 is still very good =). i really liked how s2 gelled together.

Hi Yi,

I actually quit with film school last March, because I felt I was making THEIR films, and not my own anymore. I didn't feel comfortable listening to teachers who told me how to make my films, so I quit and now try to make films on my own - I mean, away from film school.
I hope you fare a bit better ;-)

I loved this show, and got the complete box set for Christmas last year from my wife.

My fave' episode has to be 'Jose Chung is from Outer Space'. It just had me falling apart with laughter, and didn't spoil the overall mythology of the show.

that's the spirit matthieu =D.

james, you going through the series ep by ep like me & matthie here? i'm already on season5. from here until the end of the series i've seen every single ep during when the show first aired except maybe 1 or 2 eps.

I'm not going through it at the moment, but managed to watch the entire lot in a couple of months earlier this year. To say I was hooked would have been an understatement, as I didn't really spend my spare time watching anything else.

season2 is the best =^).