the x-files: part one

So here is my first X-Files post, as promised. It feels odd writing about a t.v. show on what I intended to be a book blog but like I said, I'm branching out. A good story is a good story - that doesn't mean it has to be literature.

So what inspired this? One day, two weeks ago, I was doing... well, I don't remember what, when I suddenly remembered a, for lack of better word, screenshot of an X-Files episode. It was the inside of a house. I suspected that Santanism or Witchcraft was somehow involved - but I wasn't sure - and I couldn't even remember if it was Mulder and/or Scully in the house or even why they were in the house. So I decided to watch some X-Files episodes that dealt with that theme - and actually found it almost right away.

Well, this got me thinking of other episodes and how it would be really nice to have a sort of guide to turn to when wanting a certain episode type. Not a synopsis guide - I could scroll through IMDB for hours if I wanted that (even though it's not always accurate) - but a guide that dealt with THEMES. And, let's face it, the X-Files has MANY themes. Government conspiracy, military conspiracy, alien conspiracy, local law enforcement conspiracy, aliens, strange deaths, human monsters, abnormal humans, abductions, implants, what happened to Samantha? - the list goes on and on.

So which episode (so far) is my favorite? The pilot episode. Normally pilot episodes make me go "okay, this has potential" and make me stick around to watch more. But usually - usually - I don't actually think they are a very good episode. This one, however was phenomenal from beginning to end. It not only successfully set up a very good story line of two FBI agents (one who believes, one who doesn't) investigating alien abductions but it even gave a very good alien abduction episode. And in the end you are left with a feeling of "what REALLY happened?" which sometimes can be very frustrating - and is usually an indicator of poor writing or an episode cut for time - but in this case did not feel that way. Instead it laid the ground work for a show that is constantly in search of answers starring agents who are constantly frustrated not only by the lack of answers but by being thwarted by their own government. Now, granted, you don't know all of this while watching the pilot for the first time so some people might walk away frustrated but this episode paves the way for the two biggest underlying themes (or questions) of the whole show: Are we alone? And what part does our government play in this? And it did it successfully.

So, here are the themes that I think are most important and prevalent for the first 5 episodes. Along with a (brief) synopsis.

Pilot - Season 1, Episode 1

Synopsis - Kids are going missing in a town in Oregon. When they are found, they are dead. All of them were from the same class in high school and all of them have the same marks on their backs.

Themes - abductees, abduction, alien abduction, cigarette smoking man/CSM, coma, government conspiracy, implant, local law enforcement conspiracy, nosebleeds, pentagon, Samantha, UFO

Deep Throat - Season 1, Episode 2

Synopsis - Mulder decides to investigate a case involving missing Air Force pilots. He meets Deep Throat for the first time, who warns Mulder away from the case.

Themes - brain washing, Deep Throat, government abduction, government conspiracy, memory loss, military base, top secret military, UFO, U.S./alien aircraft, wiretapping

Special Guest Star - Seth Green

Squeeze - Season 1, Episode 3

Synopsis - Mulder and Scully meet Tooms (a man who appears to be over 100 years old and who can elongate his body) for the first time.

Themes - monster of the week/MOTW, abnormal human, Tooms

Conduit - Season 1, Episode 4

Synopsis - A teenager goes missing, possibly abducted by a UFO. This same teenager saw one as a child. Meanwhile he brother seems to be picking up signals from the family t.v. - signals that he writes out in binary code and contain government secrets.

Themes - alien abduction, Samantha, top secret government

The Jersey Devil - Season 1, Episode 5

Synopsis - After a body is found in the woods, Mulder is convinced that he has found proof of a Neanderthal man. Scully is not convinced, thinks it is a case for local law enforcement, and instead tries to peruse a personal life.

Themes - local law enforcement conspiracy, MOTW, abnormal human

More to follow!