The REAL Reason Fox Mulder Disappeared on The X-Files

[@ScribblebytesWorldwide]

The thing about the X-Files is that each episode was filmed like a movie with a lot of care for the aesthetic and dramatic. There just aren't many shows that do SCI-FI like that. I lean more toward NoRomo but I don't really care about that. It's the exploration of the weird for me.

[@futurestoryteller]

Fringe (which I think is consistently more well written, despite being an X-files clone, but that's neither here nor there) was intentionally unstylized. Can't remember who they talked to, probably either the cinematographer or a producer. Anyway, she said good form is the more grounded a show's subject matter is the more stylized you're allowed to be, to heighten the drama; the more fantastical a show's subject matter, the more plainly it should be presented, to ground the audience. The logic is sound... probably TOO sound. (What's more "real" to an audience, anyway seeing or feeling?) I don't know how pervasive this mindset is, but if it's ubiquitous it easily explains why the cinematic qualities you're describing seem rare in science fiction, in particular.

[@jettanyx1]

I think how they did was perfect and didn't distract from the actual story.

[@devilinthedarkness4830]

Supernatural had a similar formula

[@maxwellschmidt235]

Even if I'm a shipper, that was definitely secondary to enjoyment of the way they could keep such a long running conspiracy story line running in a show where the heavy lifting was done with episodic creature features more reminiscent of the twilight zone and outer limits. So I don't feel the show was actually impaired when Mulder left.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

story trumps all else for any show and the last few years they dropped the ball IMO also i don't mind exploring ghosts and monsters and paranormal but they needed to resolve the syndicate story better...

[@mamboking0134]

You forgot his sister. One of the reasons I kept watching that show was because it would always troll you into thinking FOX was finally going to find out something concrete about what happened to his sister.

[@MrNoot39449]

He did, in Closure he gets his answer and it liberates him

[@rydz656]

Samantha. Her name was Samantha.

[@311girl]

They wrapped up that storyline, but it was poorly done. Basically, we found out Samantha was in heaven with other child victims.

[@foxmulder4196]

They kept my pension too.

[@muldrake]

@@311girl i think it was a good compromise. Would be way cheaper if she just suddenly appears after aliens brought her back

[@boyinapeatbog]

Should've finished at the end of season seven. Mulder gets abducted by aliens, Scully *finally* witnesses this, and becomes the true believer. Character arcs satisfyingly complete, with enough open-ended ambiguity to feel like The X-Files.

[@lazuardichoiri6123]

should've ended in season 5 like their main plan. but as usual, FOX just being greedy.

[@osmanyousif7849]

The problem is though that while Scully does become a believer, there is no justice for whatever happened to those who suffered the supernatural. And the Cigarette Smoking Man never was stopped.

[@HeathenDance]

That's just senseless orthodoxy. Some of the best episodes are after Mulder's abduction, to be honest. There are great episodes with Robert Patrick. And the return of Mulder, and the fact that there was an alien growing inside him, and adopting his own body - as it happened with Billy Miles, is creepy as fuck. The death of The Lone Gunmen is also epic.

[@FuzzyDlop]

There was no plan to finish in season 5 as Chris Carter himself wanted to continue. That's completely false bullshit lol.

[@tcaudiobooks737]

@@lazuardichoiri6123 FOX will never allow any of its IPs a good end, because their greed always leaves things open for "movies" or "more". If My Struggle 4 was the great ending we all deserved, then FOX would be chomping at the bit to keep it going.

[@lincolnpascual]

While the loss of David Duchovny was rough, can we just take a moment to recognize Robert Patrick and his amazing performance as Agent Doggett? The T-1000 absolutely killed it, ok?

[@kurtiskohlman6432]

Yeha the shade people have toward Patrick is unnecessary. He does a really great job in the show and I respect him. Sure, hes not Fox, and that sucks, but watching it all after the fact years later makes his episodes a lot better.

[@SxD1982]

I absolutely agree.

[@bianka051980]

I also liked the Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish duo, it's a shame they never continued the show with them.

[@johnnyblaze8439]

Agreed

[@GrnXnham]

Robert Patrick was okay but the show was getting stale by that time. Like most popular TV shows, they don't know when or how to end it. They drag it on trying to squeeze every last bit of money they can out of it even though they have run out of ideas for stories.

[@YisYtruth]

I disagree. The real lesson here is that one really charming actor often carries the show. Without Duchovny, the appeal to general audiences for this monster of the week sci-fi detective show just isn't there. Duchovny clearly understood his own value to the show's success by the end. The producers obviously failed to understand this and paid for their ignorance. Star power is a real thing.

[@ranmauzuki]

Agreed

[@Cloudyvi]

That almost never happens, that a single character carries a show... For people to keep on watching, you need a lot more that the charm of one character: the chemistry, the writing, the filming, everything counts, and ending it when it should end too. Otherwise any other series he was in would work. It would be really foolish for an actor to think that his presence alone is enough for any movie/series to succeed. Even Robert Downey Jr wouldn't be that successful if the Iron man movies' writing was crap. His long career before his huge success is proof of it.

[@m3lvn415]

@robert marlowe you got a point there.

[@lincolnpascual]

@@Cloudyvi you're right, and wrong at the same time. While you need all of those things to succeed, it isn't foolish for an actor to understand his value in the project and demand compensation for it. DD very obviously carried the show for a long time, and because of his charm, not in spite of it, the X-Files became the phenomenon it was. Once he disappeared, the show started falling. Even after bringing in Robert Patrick as Agent Doggett (whose performance, IMO, was criminally underappreciated) the production team wasn't able to salvage the show. Mulder is the heart of the X-Files. And while there are similar situations (RDJ is a great one, and the current failures Marvel has experienced since his departure are very reminiscent of the X-Files situation), the X-Files in particular is an extreme example of the value of a good actor to a show. Another one that comes to mind is in voice acting. For instance, the Splinter Cell series of games has always started Sam Fisher, voiced by Michael Ironside. In the last release, Blacklist, he wasn't able to do the role due to his fight with cancer. Now, while the devs at Ubisoft did their best to cover up for him to respect his privacy (he didn't want his cancer public until he was ready to talk about it), the reasons they gave for why Ironside wasn't returning didn't sit well with fans, and the game suffered in sales. Blacklist, while not considered the high point of the series, was very much a solid, quality entry, and sits high on most fans list in terms of gameplay. But the damage done by Ironside's absence (along with the shady reasons the devs came up with to explain why he didn't come back, since they couldn't be honest out of respect to Ironside) were enough that a large portion of the fanbase didn't even give the game a chance (Ironside recently revealed his fight with cancer, and doing so actually gave Blacklist a sort of second life, as the digital sales of the game spiked for the first time since 2014, a year after it released). Ironside has also returned to the role in cameos in other games, but there has yet to be a new entry in the main Splinter Cell series. I realized I'm ranting, so I'm going to end it. The point is, it's all circumstantial. As you pointed out, there are many equally important parts to the production of good entertainment. But it would be foolish to ignore the impact of star power, as the producers of X-Files and the devs of Splinter Cell learned.

[@Cloudyvi]

@@lincolnpascual I really appreciate the time you spent to answer me. It's a healthy discussion that opens up to other ideas and turns on our critical thinking. I feel enriched by it, thank you~ Back to topic. The way I see is a bit different, but indeed the actor's charisma plays a significant role. However, in most cases, I'm convinced that if the actors were different, it could be successful in a different way, though the original actors were probably the best fit (since casting often requires a long process of selection). When we start watching a show or playing a game, there is a sense of familiarity that sets in, and you start to get attached to the characters, not so much the actors, but a mix between the characters they are portraying and their own personalities. So changing them, making them disappear feels like a betrayal to this deeper feeling of attachment. The most successful movies of the MCU universe were the Avengers Trilogy and Black Panther, that came after Iron man. For the Avengers movies, the best one, in my humble opinion, was Infinity Wars, because of the character of Thanos, the complexity of emotions and choices to make, the more human, realistic and dark atmosphere. In the last movie, when the focus was on Iron man and the final battle was messy and over the top, I enjoyed the movie a lot less.

[@gilbertrios5283]

Without Mulder OR Scully you don't have a show! Their chemistry was real! I've been binging on this series lately and realize how good this was and still is today! Long live Mulder n Scully!, 🙏

[@Homeschoolsw6]

Both those characters are part of a government agency, with plenty more files. They have a show.

[@paradiseb5950]

The actors actually fought ALOT hahaha but it’s good acting i guess. I loved the show

[@roymass1300]

This show has great cast & writers.dont need Scully.

[@gilbertrios5283]

@@roymass1300 I disagree but you are entitled to your opinion. Thank you.

[@alizahalon]

David was not fired. He left on his own.

[@SD-oi9gr]

X files is still the best sci-fi / horror tv show ever in my opinion. The leech man thing in the sewers is still one of the creepiest things ever made.

[@davidmckesey7119]

Better than Fringe?

[@inyrui]

That episode is called The Host for anyone wondering

[@Auruchius]

@@davidmckesey7119 I'd say they're on an equal playing field, but the story behind the X-Files is much more investing personally even though Fringe is absolutely stellar as well. Both have their unique takes on the sci-fi genre.

[@UkuleleVillain]

Beyond the Sea is my favorite episode. You can't go wrong with Brad Dourif

[@lonestarr1490]

I remember two episodes that gave me the creeps as a child. One was about a swarm of green insects in some forrest who apperently eats humans alive. The other, I don't quite remember, featured some kind of shockwave that traveled across the countryside and fused people together or something.

[@John14-6...]

I find myself in neither camp. While I loved the chemistry between the two characters, I never wanted them to get together romantically. I thought the friendship love between them exceeded any romantic love that could be between them. That being said I feel it was the content of the show and the amazing writing that really made it a phenomenon

[@itsjust760]

Im similar to you, i love the idea of them being romantic drawn to one another but having them put together wasnt and will never be that great. The will they wont they would be is something small that keeps me going to see what would have happened to the relationship of the story line as well as the character, but the behind the scenes story line for what the fuck is this government doing and where did sam go is what make the show the show. Yk?

[@alcook8339]

Agree. Its nice to have a platonic love of respect and getting each other. Saying that, the chemistry is electric.

[@genildomiranda1690]

Mulder and Scully work because they respect each other although they disagree fundamentally, Mulder counts on Scully's medical and scientific knowledge, just as she is willing to go with his crackpot theories, more than once, against her own judgement she went with his idea. The characters depend on each other and although they argue, acting weird is a symptom of conspiracy more than fuel for fights between them

[@aledakivett9255]

Count how many times Mulder leaves Skully in harms way!

[@steveguse4481]

Hard to say "crackpot" when he was right nearly 100% of the time

[@blankname6629]

@@steveguse4481exactly it was more like the show was a transformation where scully became a believer in mulder’s theories. She was brought in to disprove mulder to shut his xfiles program down. But she kept running into not being able to disprove his ideas.

[@thoughtlesskills]

There has never been another show that made me anticipate each new episode like a kid on Christmas eve.

[@nathalieschumann8499]

And back then we really DID have to wait a whole darn week for another episode! How did we stand it!? Unthinkable today.

[@robertobuatti7226]

I've been a huge fan of The X-Files since it began in 1993 when I was 12 and still today love it, seen every episode. It has some of the very best creature features on episodic television and even competes with creatures featured in horror movies while being highly originally and creepy as hell. Love the mythology stories too

[@TheOldMan-75]

x-Files scared the shit out of me when I was a child. Re-Watched the show a couple of years ago and although not all episodes were scary, the ones that are still hold up today.

[@robertobuatti7226]

@@TheOldMan-75 Yes they very much do, the creature designs are very well done.

[@leeanderson2737]

In my opinion x files is the best show in the history of tv shows

[@robertobuatti7226]

@@leeanderson2737 Yes definitely it is, some of the best writers and directors came from this show.

[@chwoamani]

Started watching I was 9😅

[@earthling01]

It was the cinematography, the music, the acting, production, directing. It was a fantastical masterpiece!

[@TheRealJackArthur]

After my Dad wouldn’t stop raving about X-Files I had to see what it was about… I was not disappointed. Love the show!

[@nathalieschumann8499]

Kudos to your Dad. I couldn’t get my son hooked yet but I’m not giving up …

[@TheRealJackArthur]

@@nathalieschumann8499 Always time LOL I'm sure hell love it when he sees a few episodes. I know I wasn't until I saw the sewer creature episode.

[@standardofexcellence]

your dad has good tastes and so do I. Check out fringe, it's the continuation of xfiles into the parallel universe and time travel theory

[@TheRealJackArthur]

@@standardofexcellence I'll check it out!

[@kennydings3879]

I’ve just started binge watching the series from the beginning and it’s crazy how we people see things so different. They did a great job with the different stories beyond just spacemen and aliens. But I’m stunned by how little Mulder and Scully learn from their previous encounters with the unknown. I’m in the middle of season 3 and Skully still acts like she has never seen anything unusual before and every time they come upon a pivotal moment Mulder will yell at Skully to stay where she is at for no apparent reason so they can both wander around in the dark without being able to help or see each other. Plus you should know every time ( well most of the time);they pull their guns out they will have them knocked out of their hands or they will yell for the person/ creatures to give up or they will shoot. But they don’t. And by the way they shouldn’t be able to use the phrase “ can I trust you ?” Just saying. Still it’s fun. 🤪😀

[@JRCSalter]

I'm in the middle of watching it all again for only about the third time. Almost finished season 8, and I gotta say that it is still a pretty darn good show. The ratings probably dropped only because of the departure of Mulder, not because the quality of the show. Doggett is a good character, and not a carbon copy of season 1 Scully like they could easily have done. I remember enjoying the second film for what it was, but annoyed that it wasn't based on the main story arc (though I completely understand the idea to take the series back to its roots before there even was an arc). And the last two series I need to watch again, but they certainly weren't terrible. All in all, it is definitely a great show that has stood the test of time (even if some of the themes it popularised, such as the government conspiracy trope, are now considered cliche).

[@tommysmith7031]

I agree with you that Doggett was a good character and there are good episodes in the 8th season. I enjoyed the "I want to Believe" film, and there were good episodes in the revival. I think after season 6 the show just meandered on without any clear direction

[@skydreamer4225]

@@tommysmith7031 agree

[@Zamnek]

I'm watching it again as well. I'm on to season 9. The balance between the alien conspiracy storyline, the monster-of-the-week episodes and the humorous ones was largely what I Ioved about this show. But the hints at a romantic connection between Mulder and Scully were something I always watched for, too. Mulder teaching Scully how to hit a baseball was a favorite! I also like Doggett. The last two seasons are somewhat more enjoyable now than when I first saw them.

[@mindrealminsights6517]

I totally agree regarding Doggett. In fact, he was my favourite part of the show in those later seasons. He brought back the intensity and grit that was so lacking after Duchovny became visibly 'checked out' of the show, before he actually departed. The quality just wasn't there anymore...then enter Doggett. 4D, Patience and Release, are a few of my fave episodes of the series. Thanks Robert Patrick

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

As someone who enjoyed Dogget immensely, but really didn't feel the same connection to the show after Mulder's departure, I tend to think (and I may be completely wrong and the only one who felt this way) that it had less to do with the departure of Mulder and more to do with the way the show handled it and everything else that came of it. It tried very hard to recapture a dynamic that was gone forever, instead of shifting focus onto the new (and honestly fascinating to consider) dynamic between Dogget and Scully and Reyes. By regularly acting like Mulder was going to be returned any time, it primed us to not see Dogget and Reyes as new main characters (in a time when, honestly, television just didn't usually bother giving much depth or nuance to anyone BUT main characters, so viewers didn't always look for it). Instead, the writers treated them more like stand-ins while still trying to get us engaged with them, and that was always going to be a bit of a wasted effort. Dogget and Reyes never got the spotlight they should have, and it sometimes felt like they were trying to make Scully just a clone of Mulder, a True Believer obsessed with the loss of a loved one to aliens. I said at the time and I still say that the fans, actors, and writers all would have been better served if the X-Files had ended with Mulder's abduction and then a spin-off series had been produced focusing on Dogget and Reyes (with Scully in a mentor role to them). I guarantee it would have gotten more than two seasons, and I really believe that fans would have had an easier time enjoying and appreciating the new characters and the dynamics between everyone. (I mean, there's also the fact that, by then, the alien conspiracy plot-line was starting to get old and meandering and kinda nonsensical, but that could have been quietly shunted away in a spin-off, too. Win-win-win.)

[@andrewmalcolm79]

"He was basically the Vince Gilligan of the early nineties." You know Vince Gilligan was a big part of the X-Files, right? He joined for season 2 or after season 2, I forget, and he wrote a number of award winning episodes. He was there until the end, I believe, and worked on the Lone Gunmen spinoff.

[@dinosaurkin5093]

Yeah, that's such a weird thing to say 😂

[@GiacomoSorbi]

And he met with Bryan Cranston on X-files, his major dramatic role to date - and he had to push the producers using it to make them accept him as Walter White.

[@mooganify]

>worked on LG spinoff That’s not a good thing bud

[@dlazyace9116]

Superior piece of work, in and of itself. - David Duchovny

[@KentuckyBrad]

Yeah I think that's the joke

[@jerrycoffey2234]

"Art is never finished only abandoned." - Di Vinci

[@coldplayisjustokay7820]

They finished Gravity Falls. Damn.

[@shishoka]

@Cherry MX Browns And yet the Mystery Shack remains.

[@dearyvettetn4489]

Exactly. Whether you stop work on it because of a deadline, time constraint, or you just get tired of working it and want to move on you’re giving up on the possibility that more can be done to “improve” it…or not.

[@jerrycoffey2234]

@@shishoka Nice interpretation . Than you.

[@xanbell7723]

That did come from a dude who had trouble finishing his art, though lol

[@J_GoTTi]

I absolutely love this show… the chemistry between Scully & Mulder was amazing… if i had to pick one show that would continuously get new episodes, and i had to watch that one show forever? This would be it… it’s so sad to me that it ended up apparently going down in flames. 😢

[@kevinruiz8461]

He got that so wrong. The show had already moved production to LA at Duchovny's request so he could be closer to his new wife Tea Leoni.. He returned in Season 8 because prior to his falling out with Chris Carter he had already signed a contract to return for a full season. However he was able to work out a deal that reduced his obligation to just a few episodes.

[@DoggmaticProductions]

The person making this video clearly just read a lot of articles, gossip columns, and Wikipedia. I doubt they really watched the show. It's a click bait faux essay with no substance and inaccurate info.

[@kevinruiz8461]

@@DoggmaticProductions sounds like it. I wonder if he was old enough to even remember what was going on at the time DD left the show.

[@standardofexcellence]

​@@DoggmaticProductions 👊🙏🏻👏

[@mosespray4510]

I remember a scene where Mulder is trapped inside an underground shipping container in the middle of nowhere and he calls Scully on his cell phone. At the time, my cell phone wouldn't work if you were too close to a concrete pillar, and I was asking, "what kind of cell phone do you have, anyway?" 25 years later and that call is actually possible.

[@Arthirias]

It started going down when they kept changing what happened to Fox's sister. You need to have a proper ending or things like this will happen such as prolonging things that shouldn't be prolonged. Story will drive characters, good story will drive actors and fans. I'm not shocked Duchovny got tired of the same thing over and over. If chemistry is there and they can't bang they are going to be frustrated as well in real life and in story.

[@azulsimmons1040]

Still my favorite TV show of all time. So many amazing elements that were new when they came out. The X-Files showed what modern television can do and opened the door for more amazing television.

[@paulcastle3171]

A classic series, that contained some of the very best sci-fi / horror / mystery ever made. Really superb show that really defined the decade it was set in. Don’t forget, this was pre 9/11, pre social media, pre streaming…it was probably the last time that you could actually watch a show and have no idea what was coming, nothing was spoilt on Twitter etc.. Fabulous writing, wonderful characters, genuinely intriguing and in some cases, creepy stories and then, anchoring everything, the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson . I don’t think there’s been a better on screen partnership in the genre before or since. For me, the Season 7 finale was the perfect place to end the show. A cliffhanging ambiguous ending that would have spawned endless discussion. The seasons afterwards certainly had their moments and I thought Robert Patrick in particular was excellent, but inevitably that initial creative magic had gone. Regardless, the X-Files will always be one of the greatest tv shows of all time and it’s influence can be seen in so many parts of pop culture today. I’m looking forward to today’s generation rediscovering it and then passing it along to the next…and so on.

[@niels25chr1]

Only season 8 was WAY better than season 6 and 7. Actually the end of season 8 was the Best way to end the show. I loved Doggett. I Would hve loved to see more seasons With him.

[@superunknown2812]

X files was definitely a special show

[@markozbunjol625]

@@niels25chr1 season 6 is great

[@betatester03]

Amusingly, at the moment I'm reading this, there's a comment just above this where the poster spoils the season 7 finale in one sentence, without warning whatsoever.

[@Gosha_san]

Зацените это : X Files "The fan's diary"

[@Finkster5]

See, I liked Mulder and Scully's relationship and not just the creepy stuff but I wanted them to keep it platonic. I was never a fan of the mandate that if a story has a man and a woman working together who are close, it has to be a romance. Why can't they just be really good friends? :V

[@lorijschiele7640]

I liked the "would they/wouldn't they" tension between them in the early seasons, but didn't want them to actually get together. I was afraid it would ruin their relationship, and the show. And they did, and it did.

[@jasonorriss]

Yeah I much preferred the earlier seasons with them having a professional relationship with some tension and friction between them, instead of a romantic one.

[@quadders9198]

It is impossible to convey to anyone who wasn't around in the 90's as to how big this show was. It truly was a phenomenon!! Mulder and Scully getting together would have been a poor story decision, what were they supposed to do? Have a family while investigating the paranormal!! It would've been a story dead end!!

[@SchlauSchafe]

Tbf bones did something similar with its 2 protagonists, but also, not every couple *has* to have kids. They could've remained childless. That isnt to say they shouldve dated or anything, it's just that it wouldnt necessarily have ruined the show.

[@purphexyon]

@@SchlauSchafe It wouldnt have made sense for the characters, and Bones wasnt really a show that was taken as seriously as X-files was.

[@ukchanak]

@@SchlauSchafe As a shipper, when the characters on Bones got together, I stopped watching. Romance being realized and consummated (physically or verbally) is for fanfiction, not for TV. It ruins the ship!

[@samleembardo6202]

-Get together -3 episodes of conflict being together -Episode where they agree when they retire they’ll be together if they’re both still alone -Series finale show flash forward with them together

[@CelestialWoodway]

They could have had sex a few times. Lol

[@andrealee8561]

I love him I bet David was getting alot of offers for different projects @ the time . But Gillian is the one who really became a amazing actress especially with the shows I've seen her in

[@markelinebrayner9730]

That’s because she’s the talented one. DD has an amazing charisma and is an appealing actor, but he’s never been an great actor indeed. That’s so true that I really doubt that if wasn’t for the x files we ever would know his name. Gillian on the other hand… she proved that she really has THAT thing. And for what is worth, if Gillian did leave TXF instead of DD at that point, the audience would leave too. TXF wasn’t about Mulder or Scully, it was about Mulder AND Scully.

[@Ms12369]

Moral of the story: don't stretch a story if you don't have to. End it when the story is over.

[@tommysmith7031]

When a show becomes a cash cow for a network they don't want it to end. This happens to too many tv series.

[@Ms12369]

@@tommysmith7031 writers gotta learn to say no to extra money.vdo it for the art man! The art!

[@tommysmith7031]

@@Ms12369 Ideally I agree. I'm not a writer in Hollywood but I think it would be more complicated. Fox might say do more seasons of the X-Files and we will do a series on The Lone Gunman or some other pet project of the writer. I imagine they are trying to keep the studios onside.

[@everythingisawesome2903]

That's why Breaking Bad ended at a perfect time.

[@skydreamer4225]

Supernatural in the nutshell lol

[@fatzy9500]

As much as I love Mulder, Scully is my favorite. She's really the more dynamic and deep character. Mulder starts and ends as pretty much the same person while Scully evolves as all her beliefs, from faith to science, shift and deepen. Some of my favorite episodes (besides all the classic monster episodes) are Scully-centric, like "Tithonus" and "Milagro." Still, the show just wasn't the same without Mulder and should have ended earlier, despite the fact that I actually liked Doggett.

[@Nick-4K]

It's just the Rick Grimes effect. A lot of people only watched because Rick was still in it. But as soon as he left, so did the majority of the fan base

[@TheNVSCorporation]

Yup. I took it as a sign to stop watching. The walking dead had been going downhill and taking the protagonist out of the show was the last straw for me.

[@mr.i6527]

The veiwership for the TWD was already going down by the time Rick left, but it did exasperate it. Funnily enough the show is better then ever now, especially since they've gotten new writers. Watch the season 10 episode "One More", it works as a stand alone episode and highlights the current renaissance the show is in.

[@graham1034]

@@mr.i6527 Oh wow, didn't realize that TWD is still on. I though it ended back in 2018 after the Negan plotline (ugh) wrapped up. I stopped watching the year before that and it seemed like I was one of the last people still sticking with it at that point. The ratings must be terrible by now.

[@alwaysasn]

I had to look up who Rick Grimes was. But yes. Agreed lmao. Goes to show how much attention I paid to TWD when I DID watch it.

[@thedegoose]

@@TheNVSCorporation how do you know though if you stopped watching it. I've carried on and there has been some amazing episodes.

[@Anzac7RAR]

He became Hank Moody and gave us absolute gold in another show 😉

[@garysmith9823]

Total agreement. My social life in the Ninties was organized around viewing parites of this show, and I was ready for it to be gone by the time it hit season 7.

[@neuralmute]

Absolutely! A high school friend of mine discovered it early in the first season, and our small circle of freaks and geeks was hooked! The early seasons are still some of my favourite TV ever made, but things were definitely going downhill by season 6. I got my mum watching, and she became a big fan too!

[@stevencoardvenice]

Remember the episode that Jack black was on? Something involving cable tv messing with people's minds

[@stevencoardvenice]

@@keyserjosaid321 I'll have to look into it. Haven't seen it since it aired. I just remember always thinking jack black was the guy from that x files episode

[@alizahalon]

@@stevencoardvenice The episode is called DPO. It's about a boy who is a lightning rod played by Giovanni Rabisi if that's how you spell his name.

[@tomt373]

The X-Files without Mulder and Scully is like the Twilight Zone without Rod Serling. Their personalities were deeply imbedded.

[@Bardim18]

The X-Files without Mulder and Scully is like Supernatural without Sam and Dean. Can you imagine that?

[@tracybosworth1033]

@@Bardim18Absolutely!! 👽👽

[@a.m.pietroschek1972]

Tales from the Crypt without the Cryptkeeper?

[@architectofdreams73]

I was pleasantly surprised at Robert Patrick's performance in this show as well as in "Scorpion". He is more than just the terminator. I was almost certain that it was an impossible task to replace the character in which the show revolved around, and while Doggett didnt really ever replace him, I do feel he brought an interesting character to the show and it wasnt ruined per say, but did lack that original chemistry that made the show what it was in earlier seasons. Sometimes you get lucky with that, sometimes it's so bad, it makes things horrible all around. The 2 season revisit had some promise, but it came across, very much, that the characters were tired and the passion wasnt really there anymore. This is probably due to the relationship between Anderson And Duchovny, and even though they reconciled their differences, that initial spark was long abducted from their performances and the show. Looks like the truth was out there after all and it wasnt necessarily pretty.

[@mindrealminsights6517]

100% agree! Doggett was my favourite part of the show in those later seasons. He brought so much intensity and grit into his performance. It really revitalised the show for me after Duchovny was visibly disinterested on set in those later seasons and it was obvious in the shows quality. Doggett saved it for me.

[@peppermintpsaki1157]

It seemed the way they approached replacements was similar to MASH; a character may have left, but who they brought in their place was no clone whatsoever. But was their own character whom you had to explore the getting-to-know process all over again. With MASH, that was done by design. This method achieved more complexity than a rote formula for familiarity’s sake.

[@bobbobbins4877]

I think the problem in the end was that the it became obvious that Chris Carter had no real plan for where to take the story, he just made it up as he went along. It worked well early on because of the well-constructed atmosphere of mystery and suspense. Eventually when it came time to give answers, it became obvious that the writers had been bluffing, they had no ace up their sleeve, no brilliantly interesting conspiracy that they were hiding, just an incoherent mess of a mythology.

[@Iron-Bridge]

To be fair, that's how I skate by on my long form fiction essays .🤣🤣🤣

[@AmericanActionReport]

There's an old saying in the theater, which goes something like, "Take your bow and leave the stage before the cheering stops."

[@00Resev]

The X-Files helped define my adult personality. To question. To doubt. To never take things at face value. I like the show so much, its the only one i ever bought in DVD, along with the movies. All nine seasons, and some seasons were rather difficult to find.

[@SpencerCunninghamPN]

I just started an X-Files watch like a week ago. Barely out of season 1 at this point. I had stopped watching initially around when Mulder left so I'm happy to know the story behind the scenes. I love that shit. Your whole series of why did they fire so and so is great, as well as the rest of your videos.

[@vanessacolman7713]

I will forever be a fan of The X Files. My friends and family knew not to ring me or visit when X Files was on. I am forever grateful this was before internet / social media streaming. The care and love that went into every episode, created as mini movies with the best sci-fi / horror storylines was a pure joy to watch. I will say though that I was never a fan of the "shipping" thing - totally get the chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson - it just made the series even more epic, but it shouldn't have gone beyond the flirting banter - I thought it was unnecessary and not why I watched. Some shows just don't need that and the X Files was one of them. But still Chris Carter was a genius. Best TV ever!

[@migatronn]

They made an episode for one of my all time favorite shows AND brought back the original voice?? What a glorious day this is

[@oldsoul3733]

I used to watch every week and sometimes I was too scared to go to bed. Smoke man used to creep me out. I loved all the characters and miss this program so much. This is what REAL tv shows used to be like.

[@SpuddMacgyver]

One great thing about DD is he got to also play in the X-Files spoof Evolution. Not many get to do that.

[@Winningthewormoff]

I remember watching X-Files with my sister and while the time without Mulder was usually less interesting, Doggett really proved how good a character he was in Scary Monsters, I don't think any other character could've pulled that episode off besides him

[@glorygloryholeallelujah]

Ahhhh. Watching the first 5 seasons, is like a warm hug from my childhood!! I still freaking love it, even all these years later!!😁💖

[@ddpsf]

When I watched this show as a kid I actually preferred Robert Patrick's character to Duchovny since he felt so much more like a real person and not just a plot mechanic the way Mulder often seemed to be.

[@mr.peanutbutter6969]

I just found out that Dana Scully is based off of Clarice Starling. I totally see it

[@AVspectre]

She was such an early crush. I should have know I was gay sooner…

[@LembeckIsStaying]

@@AVspectre 🤣🤣🤣

[@Agui007]

I've been watching the X-Files Blu Ray version which great, though expensive, and you can see after the 1998 film (great as well) the stories started gaining more in character discontinuity. I notice how in season 7 that Scully seems bored in the character, or rather Gillian.

[@williethewhale18th]

Still one of the best series I've watched so far. The X-Files is very precious to me. I also stopped watching right after Mulder disappeared and I think it was for the best, because The X Files is not The X Files without Mulder. To be honest, I was quite disappointed with how they wrapped up Mulder's sister's case, but still, of all the series I've watched so far, The X-Files is the only one whose quality didn't really drop even after many seasons. Take Supernatural for example: after season 5, it just gets annoying and you feel like the production is just stalling, it's just not fun anymore. But, while watching The X-Files, I remember that even right before Mulder vanished the episodes were still very fun and well created. I really missed the series after I stopped watching and I really wanna watch it again, but I'm afraid of still remembering too much so I will just wait a little longer I guess.

[@Moodboard39]

Yea, without him. It suck ass

[@ishilee2456]

It was the chemistry and Mulder was the heart of the show and his character development made you invest in him and Scully became that work or school crush. It was amazing show that captivated scifi fans

[@dannyd464]

X-Files was a phenomenon I'm glad I was around to see it at time of it release.

[@MikefromTexas1]

Vince Gilligan got his name known by working on the X-Files too. A lot of the best episodes.

[@RPRsChannel]

I'm confused, why do you not mention "Fight The Future"? After Fight The Future, David tried to get Chris to only make X-Files movies, to abandon the series and focus on feature films. Also...didn't Gillian also vanish from the series and was reduced to "on the phone scenes"? She was replaced by Annabeth Gish; whom you have zero images of in your video.

[@jst25]

Also, no mention of The Lone Gunmen, either in the show or their own spinoff. Shame!

[@RPRsChannel]

@@jst25 True! They did predict 9/11, didn't they?

[@lonestarr1490]

No wonder. The video is about how and why David Duchovny more or less left the show and not Gillian Anderson. And who wants to see images of Annabeth Gish anyway.

[@charlespuruncajas9663]

I still wish they make a third feature film, that way completing the trilogy

[@lazuardichoiri6123]

They originally move into big screen with a trilogy to conclude mythology episodes.

[@Themanchlid]

I remember when x-files first hit I loved the first five or six seasons! Then I just got lost with the changes and characters missing in the show from what I remember. Interesting video on the back story👍

[@DoggmaticProductions]

There was no filming in Vancouver after S5, so DD was not filming his S8 scenes in LA whilst everyone else was in Vancouver; the whole show was filmed in LA since S6. Chris Carter should not be described as the Vince Gilligan of the 90s because he is a massive hack, whereas Gilligan is a talented, original, creative writer. Vince Gilligan was a stand out writer on the X Files itself. Apart from Morgan and Wong, Gilligan was the best writer the show had and deservedly became popular because of Breaking Bad. CC should wish he was as good as Gilligan! There was no set plan to end on 5 seasons. The show, like many at that time for the US, was decided its future season by season. There was talk of DD being tired of it by S5,, even before that, and talk of possibly ending it on him leaving. But FOX was not going to let the show go at that point because it was still one of their biggest money-makers, so they appeased DD by moving it to LA for S6 because he was married by S5, was sick of Vancouver, and wanted more opportunities for movie roles outside of the show, usually on the summer hiatus. But even filming in LA was not enough to keep DD happy by S7, because the writing was still so awful for his character and with all the workload and focus landing on Anderson and Duchovny for all of 7 years non-stop, no wonder they were weary. CC kept it stagnant and if anything, made DD's character a parody. The show desperately needed new blood much earlier in the show's run - by S8 it was almost too late because CC avoided ensemble for too long and anyone watching by then were mainly Shippers and he wrote the show around their demands, alienating casual viewers and NoRomos. The ratings for season 8 were quite decent actually, considering everything, and is a stand out season in terms of production, writing, acting, and storylines. Even though the rabid MSR fans were vocal about not watching the show because of no Mulder, S8 was actually well received and was heading in the right direction in terms of Scully's character development and the new blood Robert Patrick brought in. It is a shame fans were so set on Mulder and Scully BEING the show, that there was no room for adjustment or creativity - and all that was CC's making. The problem for sure was it went on for too long but it went on for too long with CC at the helm, with him in complete control with no vision for the show, made a melodrama out of the Mulder and Scully relationship, and didn't develop a true ensemble cast.

[@ms.melissa1384]

This is the comment I came for. Everything you said was true. I am a Shipper and will always be one but honestly, they should have brought Doggett and Reyes in probably in S6 after M&S got the X files back as another team.

[@journeytrials]

Growing in Vancouver I came across them a bunch times, Canadians didn’t really like him after he said he didn’t like Vancouver Canada 🇨🇦 anymore. I left in 2000 with my family to Maryland USA . But man I missed Vancouver Canada 🇨🇦!

[@DoggmaticProductions]

@@journeytrials I can imagine Canadian's were upset because DD was very vocal consistently about disliking Vancouver. It's not professional nor kind. He came off as whiney.

[@journeytrials]

@@DoggmaticProductions yeah, I get it Vancouver always rains but, he was living literally in one of the best places on earth. Heck the average person now can’t afford unless their millionaires. But DD was just a little spoiled. He also was a big time defender of porn lol as a kid I remember I wondered into a HBO show series of course fake sex story letters. And then he eventually went to rehab for sex addiction. Not going to lie I was a huge x-file fan. The 90’s was perfect for growing kid like me, we got to experience so much. From the 80’s to the 90’s. I gladly take those two decades over this one any day. The x-files was part of the reason why it was special!

[@DoggmaticProductions]

@@journeytrials yeah his obsession with sex was uncomfortable to witness through the years. Alas, I think he's an ok guy but probably had a lot of ego, and thought he was too good for the show, as some main stars do. I am sure Vancouver is nice to live in.

[@Tecnoiroquai]

Mmm to be honest we all love Mulder but i also love the Reyes and Dogget Duo, they got incredible good episodes and I really liked the freshness that gave to the series. It's a shame that didn´t work out in terms of rating...

[@standardofexcellence]

I think if they had more continuity and introduction at like season 6 it would've helped everyone including Mulder and the ratings

[@Tecnoiroquai]

@@standardofexcellence Yea. Maybe you're right

[@futurestoryteller]

Maybe I'm crazy, but hilariously, to me - in the Streaming age - where you can just watch one episode after another, the depth of Mulders absence is barely noticable by comparison.

[@barriolimbas]

Cause the writing was that good. Quality entertainment for 1 hr. Actually started watching the show post Mulder, became a fan immediately.

[@ejaokay]

I'm currently in season 9, and it's pretty rough. It's bad enough that the stories just aren't as creepy as the first couple of seasons, but then they also exclude Mulder, who added so much wit and comedic relief to the show. Just isn't the same, season 1 and 2 really are amazing.

[@BlackNemesis13]

The writing gets really bad in season 9. And the pacing is so slow, like they knew they didn't have any material anymore, so they just dragged it out. And I swear episodes like Daemonicus and Scary Monsters are actually making fun of how bad the show had gotten. I love Dogget, but by season 9, you could tell that everyone was just done. Scully seemed bored and ready to clock out in every episode, and the writers seemingly gave up and were just coasting through.

[@johnmarc1986]

Just watch the first 6 seasons and finish with the first feature film. Best way to rewatch them.

[@offspringfan89]

I'm not complaining, Robert Patrick did one hell of a job in seasons 8 and 9, both Monster of the Week and mythology arc episodes. And to be honest, the show was never the same after moving from gloomy Vancouver to sunny Los Angeles, the atmosphere suffered a lot.

[@idonotknow8503]

Vince Gillian wrote some of the best X Files episodes, by the way...

[@NeutronDance]

I thought it interesting he was brought up with no mention of his contributions to the show.

[@GDuncan8002]

​@@NeutronDance Because the creator doesn't know. 😂

[@beckylynn209]

I was an x-files junky.. I hated when he went off.. I couldn't get into the other 2 agent's, I tried but, it was too weird and, I loved looking at good looking Fox.. I loved Gillian and wanted to see how her story went but, it all just got stupid!! I did enjoy watching smoking man getting pushed down the stairs in his wheelchair.. When it got into the Native American desert scenes, it just lost me.. Anyway, thanks for the info.. I've always wondered.. I've been watching it again and they just started showing Doggit n Reyes again so I find something else to watch.. Thank's for the info.. 🛸🤗👽

[@douglasdea637]

Still one of my "Top 5" shows. The first two seasons are near perfect with not a bad episode in them. Seasons 3-5 were excellent too. White the show declined after that there were still good to great episodes sprinkled throughout. I did find the "arc" episodes confusing after a while as I think Chris Carter had no idea what he was trying to say or what was really happening. And some story lines such as the "metal super-soldiers" was just silly. I can see why Duchovny was getting tired and wanted out. I think he's right, 5-6 seasons is the limit a series should go, quality over quantity every time.

[@futurestoryteller]

The show is actually completely inconsistent in a way that is impressive and kind of inspirational. They didn't just have "serious" episodes and "funny episodes" the tone, camera work, and even the score could completely change for an entire episode for basically no real reason. It gives the impression that you could do anything you wanted, in an almost anthological format on a show that already teased at the line between episodic and serialized storytelling. I almost get the sense there will never be another show like it, specifically because the modern television formats are too self-assured. Is it a serialized drama like Breaking Bad? Old School episodic? You're obviously just making another Law & Order clone - unless it's a comedy, in which case narratives are looser anyway. Anthology? Black Mirror, anyone? Seasonal anthology? Thanks American Horror Story! (I actually hate that show tbh, but I probably got Fargo out of it, so no point complaining.) The point is the slow rise of the internet and Chris Carter's seemingly relaxed style meant they didn't really know what they were doing, but in like the best possible way.

[@futurestoryteller]

@juliette Irene I know you weren't talking to me, but I personally would have a really hard time narrowing it down to five. Probably have a hard time narrowing it down to ten. I am also sorry to say that X-files wouldn't be on it. Not that it deserves to be omitted. - Stiff competition.

[@futurestoryteller]

@juliette Irene The best I can do. In no particular order: although the first two would be tied for first place, if possible. Breaking Bad Avatar: The Last Airbender Death Note Mr. Robot Daredevil Black Sails Sopranos Fargo The Wire The Americans I like to pride myself in thinking I'm not "basic" but as you can see a lot of my tops are pretty popularly ranked in any typical ten lists. What can I say? People (or critics at least) usually like things for a reason, as far as I can tell. I used to foolishly think anyone who ranked The Wire highly was patting themselves on the back for being able to navigate relatively complex social politics and realistic police procedure. That it was a little lacking in character and drama. Not that I was really too hung up on that, but it only took a second watch for me to realize just how ridiculous that is. I suspect a similar thing will happen to me when I can watch the time travel show Dark for a second time, but in a short enough timeframe to keep it all in mind. I had a list of honorable mentions, and my reasons for why they don't quite reach the top tier for me, but it was starting to bloat. Black Sails is undoubtedly the biggest outlier on my list. All I can say is I hope one day it gets the recognition it deserves. Seriously, it is by far the most underrated show I've ever watched.

[@futurestoryteller]

@juliette Irene You're welcome. I don't know how old you are, or how much that matters, but since you say you haven't heard of them you should know that most of my recommendations are for really intense shows, with heavy subject matter. If you're the kind of person who might hate something for being "too self serious" - well that happens to me too sometimes, but what qualifies is subjective. You could easily end up disappointed by just about the entire list if you're particularly sensitive to that. With the notable exception of Avatar.

[@douglasdea637]

@juliette Irene It's tough to narrow it down as Futurestoryteller says. But off-the-cuff: X-Files Babylon 5 24 Star Trek (Is it cheating to say "all of them together"? If so then I'll narrow it down to either TNG or DS9.) The 5th slot... I dunno. I loved Doctor Who when I was young. Six Feet Under is up there. Breaking Bad is cool. The first few seasons of Lost. I loved watching Charlie Rose when he was on, but then that's not a drama. The new Battlestar Galactica was pretty good. I loved Rome and Deadwood and even Carnivale. Edit: Almost forgot to add Twin Peaks as well.

[@44excalibur]

Kind of like how Smallville refused to end the Clark/Lana high school romance storyline after its first four seasons and dragged it on until season 7, which pretty much ruined the show since fans had wanted Clark to move on to newer storylines involving Chloe and Lois and his evolution into Superman.

[@chad534]

Don't forget the laughable stuff they did with Lex.

[@Adier_Twigg]

Well, dang it, now you've gone and made me want to rewatch the darn thing. It's been fifteen years, and I remember very little, so it should be quite the ride.

[@Bello_6]

@@CSM100MK2 lmao the episode where they have fox moulder try to bang scully before revealing it was the shapeshifter kinda shows the writers at least knew

[@lazuardichoiri6123]

I just watched it when Covid attack, well it still good

[@aerialpunk]

I re-watched it in 2017 after not having seen it for ages. It holds up really well!

[@sharankinakin2790]

I love all the characters, the loss of David Duchovny was rough, but his replacement was the perfect match. I really love Robert Patrick's character

[@diondavis1407]

Bro… your writing has reached next level. Just had to rewatch “This Is Not How People Talk”. Keep killing it.

[@JNFattorini]

Well this is at least his second channel. His first took off but he ruined it by being overly contrary for the sake of it and lost most of his subscribers. It's survival.

[@diondavis1407]

@@JNFattorini Didn’t even know that, believable though. Gotta find your niche. Excited to see where we go from here.

[@xwing2417]

As much as I enjoyed the Mulder/Scully partnership, I sort of preferred the Agent John Doggett character to Mulder: he was more grounded and real, and a better window for the audience as we explore the setting.

[@Auruchius]

Even seasons 8 and 9 were really good, especially 8. I feel like Robert deserves much more credit for his role as Doggett, he's a very compelling character.

[@IUJacob]

Right? Duchovny clearly did NOT want to be there by season 7. 8 was a breath of fresh air.

[@rosevee34]

yeah he was ok but the whole time I was wondering what happened to Mulder? At least he made a comeback

[@Auruchius]

@@IUJacob I agree. And it still seemed Duchovny didn't want to be associated with it even in the second leg of season 8 but even with his brief appearance was still nice and welcoming. It might just be me but some of the best with Mulder were in the second half of season 8, though some might disagree and that's okay lol.

[@DoggmaticProductions]

Robert was awesome!

[@J_GoTTi]

X files is seriously my favorite show ever. I have watched the entire series 3x now. I absolutely loved the main cast. Rest in peace to Mitch Pileggi… hearing his passing hurt my heart bad. He wasn’t just a severely underrated actor, but he was a great person off camera as well. At least he went in his sleep. Thank you for this video.

[@619to974]

"Fringe" is the only that got me close to what i felt watching X-Files.

[@skydreamer4225]

Same, love Observers part of the show

[@EldergodUK]

Walter Bishop is my inspiration 😊

[@robpolaris7272]

I liked Fringe even more. But I’m not sure it would have been made without X-Files.

[@michael_pamelabryner_hart7613]

I really enjoyed Fringe but the last season sucked to me.

[@jonspecialb6746]

I thought fringe was better, it wouldn't exist if it weren't for the x files.

[@jeffgrave]

Love at 9:08 Skully is standing on a 3" floor lift to adjust her stage height!

[@patbateman6729]

Loved it from the beginning and love the Comet channel now play episodes in order, just the best show ever.

[@michaelpenirelli9003]

The problem after the eight season was that Scully didn't leave too. I know that Gillian Anderson had a contract and all that but as story goes it would have made sense for Scully and William to leave with or without Mulder. I mean she and her baby were constantly hunted yet she never even opted to find a new apartment despite the fact that people constantly broke in to her place. It would've made sense storyline wise for either Mulder to take William or for all of them to go into hiding together.

[@pauperslament3467]

The first season had a subtle emphasis on Mulder's manhood. There was no question there would be chemistry between the two lookers. Not a coincidence he goes on to star in a series that exemplified his endowment. Lol.

[@BrandByAngel]

You mean Hung? With Tom Jane

[@standardofexcellence]

Californication

[@shelleyj84]

Not the red shoe diaries then? 🤣

[@remc0s]

@@standardofexcellence Worst Comedy Central show ever. I still don't see the appeal. Even Duchovny's character didn't want to be in that show.

[@pauperslament3467]

@@remc0s Californication was a Showtime show. Really good up to the end of season 5. Fell off from there, but still servicable.

[@jasonreynolds6643]

The reason the show really got popular is because the mythology made us think there was a great story being told. When they quickly wrapped up the mythology in an unsatisfactory way we revealed they had no plans we left.

[@oragamiowl5031]

Erm get your facts straight dude: “he didn’t want to return to Vancouver to shoot any scenes [for season 8]… and shot his scenes in LA”. The show was moved to LA in season 6! Hard to agree to shoot something in Vancouver when the production is in California! 😆

[@courtneyb6043]

Came to the comments to say the same exact thing.

[@MiBones]

I had heard the reason X Files was moved to LA was because Duchovny was married and neither one wanted to be in Vancouver.

[@nattyann61]

Yes!! So much was wrong in this video!

[@maxwellschmidt235]

There's no denying that x-files at its best had Mulder and Scully together. But they continued to pursue some great stories with several favorites coming from Doggett and Reyes. The Mulder/Scully chemistry was fantastic, but the full brilliance of the x-files is that ratings be damned, it was putting out great content even without the romance angle.

[@georgehale3640]

In my opinion, the first five seasons were the best. Leaving Vancouver ended with that magical atmosphere in every episode. The last two seasons that we saw recently were horrible, they could have recovered some old characters, like doing a third Tooms episode, that would have been terrific!

[@michaelstitt3307]

Wasn't Tooms killed under the escalator? Could have had a sister or something though. A real missed opportunity was not bringing the "Eve" twins back as adults continuing the Project.

[@georgehale3640]

@@michaelstitt3307 Yes, having back Cindy and Tina would be terrific too! 😱

[@jeffreybokhari6772]

They Need To Bring The X-Files Back On The Air With New Seasons And Continue Where They Left Off

[@BartRos1980]

I love the Mulder character. But Dogget was great. We needed and still need more of him. Honestly I want a season of just Fox and Doggett. Maybe some new characters. Their tension was great. If shoppers want more…I am sure the actors will comply… I personally would say kudos to Duchovny. TV shows are a ton of work. There is a lot of drama an tension. Getting scammed out of money like that would put anyone off. But he always came back. Even it in a limited way. He always did justice to the character. To me the show is about Mulder. To some it’s about Scully. I feel we can have 100 years or X-Files still seeing how deep that world is. As a fan I am kinda put off by how Anderson now acts about the show. But its understandable. Scully could have been so much more.

[@d3vastat0r89]

I respectfully disagree. It’s better to leave on a high note, than keep flogging a dead horse. Not to say that the show was dead, but it could have gotten to that point, like my favorite show Scrubs. There are many others that I’ve watched that ended this way. Psych is one such other. After a while it just became annoying to me how they took the qualities that were funny and exaggerated them to the point that the characters became cartoons.

[@razbit]

this actually gave me closure, thanx.

[@diegowushu]

Yeah, it should have ended around S5. I really liked Robert Patrick when he was introduced.

[@Scottlp2]

The interesting thing about the relationship between the two actors which was apparently strained back then, was seeing them on KZbin on some talk show in the last 5 or 10 years and they were extremely friendly to put it mildly (could have been acting but no idea why they would).

[@SI-ln6tc]

Even if they continue with The X-Files with replacement characters I would still watch it.

[@francisfischer7620]

He quit. He wasn't fired.

[@peterpayne2219]

I remember when he was snide to fans, not wanting to be typecast like Leonard Nimoy. So fans decided they didn't need his shitty attitude, and embraced Gillian, who was much nicer, going to fan events (which barely existed when X-Files was getting started). Now, years later, she's had a great career and we love her, and none of us can name a single thing David has done other than X-Files. (Okay, Twin Peaks, but that was basically part of the X-Files universe.)

[@Elphaba1952]

"none of us can name a single thing David has done other than X-Files"? Speak for yourself..... only. I can name many things David has done since The X-Files: Californication, Aquarius and Twin Peaks... just to name a few. Then there are the highly successful novels [5 so far] he's written. So again... please don't make wild assertions about the rest of us that have no basis in fact. 😉

[@sdlrdlr4518]

Excellent wrapup😏👍

[@rymmokhtari8778]

that show was a magic moment.

[@jesserivera9704]

Thank you for finally helping me understand the connotation of "Ship" or "Shipped" my daughter says it all the time and i didnt want to ask for yet more modern slang to be explained to my slow, slow mind.

[@TheSpicyLeg]

I was then, and am still now, a NoRomo. I certainly knew they teased it, but these kinds of things can never actually come to fruition; the chase is where the fun is at, and once that’s over, people lose interest. It was just the most boring, topical part of Scully and Moulder. Far more interesting was the cigarette man, government cooperation and conspiracy, and how the writers “protected” the duo while still allowing them to advance the investigation.

[@ufowifey]

the fact that you don’t even know how to spell mulder‘s name shows me that your basic understanding of the show isn’t even there. bad take imo

[@TheSpicyLeg]

@@ufowifey Auto-correct doesn’t always choose the correct proper nouns. However, getting spelling advice from someone who doesn’t capitalize, doesn’t use correct punctuation, and uses improper prepositions means less than nothing. Why I expect to have meaningful debate with illiterate trash proves how I am eternally and stupidly optimistic on the internet.

[@thetooginator153]

Well put! It’s a shame that stakeholders seem to be terrified of fear of missing out (on money). I think Game of Thrones was ruined in this way - and a LOT of money was lost because of it. It takes serious guts for the people in charge to admit a property is in decline and that the decline might ruin the profitability of the existing art.

[@uosdwiSrdewoH]

Chris Carter was right. Chemistry doesn't need to be romantic. Some people are just conditioned to believe that a man and a woman can't be platonic. As soon as you introduce romance you've got a problem. Once that romance has run it's course you've got nowhere to go. If they break up fans get upset. If they get married you lose conflict. If you drag it out you get diminishing returns. There's no way to please everyone. If the show stays about aliens and the supernatural you only have that problem when you need to wrap it up. Supernatural the show is actually a perfect example. Eric Kripke didn't make that mistake. He put two brothers as the lead so there'd be zero chance of romantic entanglement (although that didn't stop a certain section of the fanbase) and that show just wrapped up after 15 seasons.

[@skydreamer4225]

I think Supernatural is should have ended in season 5 cuz I felt that it went downhill since it with never ending characters Dying and return out of nowhere with plotholes and inconsistency. The show only going on and end up being fan service show since then

[@ACIoannina]

The problem with the X-Files was that they always teased us with a complex mythology that never materialized. Chris Carter never dared to go full Sci fi with the series, he only teased it. Fringe lasted about half of what the X-files did but it derived a lot more. Fringe has a similar starting point but it became so much more and I believe it is the superior of the two

[@AdmiralBonetoPick]

Long story short: pay dispute.

[@Lunara_Silvermoon2390]

Thanks for answering all my questions about what happened to the show

[@maatartemis]

lol, as a young teen I was totally on a newsletter list for xfiles shippers where we discussed every little glance and touch.

[@thetruthexperiment]

the tension was the golden goose. no matter what camp you were in, the tension gave the episodes depth.

[@watcherofwatchers]

The Xfiles were great, but it turns out Chris Carter was a terrible writer with no plan. The stories ultimately were contradictory and flawed in serious ways, and that served to undermine the show. Combined with the loss of Mulder, and the show became a shadow of its once great self.

[@captainkiwi77]

To be fair, I’m sure carter had a plan before executives started in his ear going “yea but can we spread this out over another 4 seasons?”

[@DoggmaticProductions]

Exactly.

[@DoggmaticProductions]

@@avae5343 yeah. Always had an idea that he could have gone rogue once the FBI was no longer viable for him to be part of, like he became another Mr X or something.

[@fondajames]

Well this explains why i struggle to keep going after the 5th season on rewatches. I always thought i just wanted to watch something else but end up rewatching not long after anyway

[@holly-leedickson6414]

What you said at the end is why I both hate and love the Fringe show writers. More love than hate because they gave me what I needed not what I wanted, like a parent telling a kid to go to sleep because it's better for thier health. They put me to bed even though I was having a tantrum about it because they knew I needed a nap even if I didnt yet. I never wanted that show to end, I could have watched those characters until I went blind. But they learnt from x-files, their direct antecedent, that too much of a good thing rots your teeth so to speak. They canned it at 5 seasons and I was distraught but I loved every minute and it never fizzled out like x-files. I'm a shipper of course so the romance never died and I gobbled up the bonus seasons but everything past a certain point really did lose its magic. It felt the same with Bones, House, ER, SVU, Charmed, Walking Dead, to name a few of my all time favourites. They went on well past when they should have. I consumed them greedily at the time like a massive bucket load of Halloween candy 🍬. Then I got a belly ache and eventually needed root canal lol. Not really, I'll still love them but yeah fringe did what none of them could. Say when. As opposed to some other favourites that never lasted long enough Firefly, Dollhouse, Dark Angel, Pushing Daisies... There's been so many. I have square eyes now. And youtube doesn't help because I get to keep reliving and delving further into my favourite universes.

[@kevinclayton1656]

I'm re-watchin every seaon now it's like watching them for the first time again lol great series