The X-Files 30th Anniversary Series Retrospective

30 years ago today the X-Files made it's television debut. So I figured what better way to celebrate than by taking a look at just what makes this series so special.

[@sulijoo]

I'm in the UK, and when I was a kid, (I think in the mid 90s) I sent a letter to the X-Files studio, I forget what it was about. But weeks later they sent me a signed photograph from both Gillian and David . It was a total surprise. And I still have it. 😀

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh wow that's amazing!

[@johnnyfreespeech5815]

Very cool. Not the sort of thing I can imagine a studio bothering to do these days sadly...

[@Kelly-uf5by]

This is not accurate.

[@darrenbeard44]

It's a good story but... How could you not know when you were a kid? It's your birth year plus like 10-ish. the UK is not THAT different.

[@sa_exploder]

@@darrenbeard44 lol that’s when they _think they sent the letter._ Not when they thought they were a kid. That would be ridiculous.

[@RobM12212012]

I don't understand how it's been 30 years. How is that possible? I was 17 now I'm 47. I was obsessed with X-Files. Where did that time go? 😢

[@JBSpookyReview]

It flew by way too quick.

[@tonymaiorano2749]

Time flies when you're having fun.

[@dgh25]

you were obviously abducted for 30 years..

[@craigpoer]

I know, its crazy, does everyone lose 20 years?

[@lpeterson2336]

Those years flew on by...magic I guess lol

[@jamesknapp64]

One of the true culturally impactful shows

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah I don't think it gets the credit it deserves.

[@m3gAnac0nda]

​@@JBSpookyReview yeah it brainwashed millions of people into believing every conspiracy there is. The absolute opposite of a good show with proper structure and morals. X-Files is nothing but conspiracy p0rn

[@timyo6288]

Ur Mom one of the true culturally impactful MILFs

[@PsRohrbaugh]

I mean, we did it doggie style so we could both watch x files.

[@TheMetalAllfather]

The X-Files summed up: Mulder: "Scully..." Scully: "No Mulder." Mulder: "Scully...c'mon." Scully: "Mulder...no." Mulder (insistant): "Scully..." Scully (exhasperated sigh): "Fine." Mulder: "See? It was aliens."

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahahaha pretty much, but that's why I love it.

[@terrylyn]

Recently I re-watched this series in HD after watching it from TV as a kid. I was blown away how well written and filmed it was, back then I of course wasn't able to analyze it in such manner, I just loved the series, but now as an adult it's obvious the show is a masterpiece.

[@JBSpookyReview]

The show doesn't get the credit it deserves, especially for how influential it was.

[@poppyseeds1844]

The X-Files is a classic. That no romantic interest was agreed on early, and held to for the most part, was steps too far to suspend disbelief. I loved the stand-alone episodes most all as the famed "mythology" went off the rails. (In an interview, both leads confess to losing track of the story themselves.) Showrunners doomed the legacy of the X-Files, or we'd be watching its reruns now.

[@justinsixx90]

@terrylyn I grew up on it too, this video is me starting to possibly rewatch it as well lol.

[@nevertoolate5325]

Its possibly the best shot TV ever. Breaking bad and Call Saul come close but then a few of the same people are involved.

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Casting Pam Anderson as Scully... not only should some people not be allowed executive roles in TV networks, but they should be kept light years away even from a TV set!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah I'm sorry, but it just wouldn't have been the same.

[@DarkSideofSynth]

It wouldn't have gone past 10 episodes ;) Luckily, I watched the original when it came out. Too bad some people can't stop and close a story when it's due, and not decades later, turning into... well, I don't know ... choose your own words. @@JBSpookyReview

[@markospas]

I've worked in the movie industry for 20 years now, and you'd be surprised how many times executives bring ideas that everyone on the team knows will get a bad reception from the audience. However, no one ever says anything because you just don't want to get involved in drama and simply want to do your job and go home.

[@DarkSideofSynth]

By saying nothing, these people will stay in power, and crap will be produced in perpetuity. I'm not surprised at all, it happens in all aspects of life. I'm not saying I've never gone along to get along, but quite often I call out crap when I see it. There are consequences anyway, whichever approach you choose. And, you'd be surprised, how often it pays out sooner or later - people appreciate telling them they're on the wrong road, it saves them time and money, and helps them getting to the correct destination they had in mind. Those who don't, are just hopeless, and better be avoided, no matter what ;)@@markospas

[@RickReasonnz]

Has the same feeling as Denise Richards as "Dr" Christmas in that James Bond film

[@JBSpookyReview]

Happy 30th Anniversary to the X-Files. I hope everyone enjoys the video, it took longer to make than I would care to admit lol.

[@kellyeggers2720]

Great job! Very thorough.

[@chrisbfreelance]

Well paced overview, nice job.

[@phorz85]

How could u leave out the reason that made "the lone gunman"s pilot so fishy. It would've been a lazy, uninspired plot, if not for the simple fact that it aired BEFORE 9/11/'01! Besides that, good recap.

[@nicsxnin6786]

Thx, was nice to revisit. I was a fan but really liked the stand alone shows the best. In my opinion, the two reboots seasons were poorly written and Mulder and Scully were so different and depressing. I had really looked forward to it but was disappointed. The tone was way off. I think fans wanted nostalgia not a reinvention. It’s really ashamed the reboot failed, I miss the show, nobody did a monster or mystery better. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the alien stuff so I guess I was an outlier.

[@toothlessrick3970]

This makes me want to dust off my series collection and binge-watch all the episodes.

[@lpeterson2336]

I was hooked from the first episode. Made a point to watch every week. Years later I got to work on the two revival series. Lifelong dream I never knew I had.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh damn how was that experience?

[@lpeterson2336]

@JBSpookyReview the best!!! All I ever hoped for and more! I was hired as Scully's photo double...omg right!?

[@vintagecapgunsatyourmomshouse]

Yeah this show is a huge part of my life too. I was too young to get into it from the ground floor but that meant I could just binge watch the first four or five seasons!

[@jonathanlarge7647]

Now my dream is to be in the x files reboot

[@LeoWhalen1933]

​@@lpeterson2336 haha you do look similar to her. Is it true she had to stand on boxes for some scenes because she is really short?

[@lTYL3Rl]

This recap is the best out there! Learned so much about the making of the show from this. Poor Gillian never really got the respect she deserved as a leading actress.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. No even when it came back she was still considered second fiddle by fox even though she's equally as important to the success of the show as David.

[@RickReasonnz]

I like that she's experiencing a second wind in Sex Education

[@1Strawbs]

​@@RickReasonnz she's great in Hannibal as well

[@charismahornum-fries691]

The Fall is amazing too.

[@adunaphel13]

My favorite episodes included the Anasazi episodes, Darkness Falls (the glow in the dark bloodsucking insects in the forest), the inbred hillbillies, and everything about EUGENE TOOMS. He still terrifies me

[@JBSpookyReview]

All great episodes and yes Tooms is still a creep.

[@epicfail3312]

The Hill Billie episode "Home", is an episode I will only watch the once. It was a fucked up episode.

[@balthazarasquith]

Yeah Home still haunts me to this day

[@kmotch]

Darkness Falls is my favourite too, what do you love about it?

[@adunaphel13]

@@kmotch the idea that something so tiny can be so dangerous en masse. Plus the setting of isolated cabin in the dark dark woods, it's classic Man vs Nature.

[@KyNYC212]

Hearing the intro after all these years still is haunting!! LOVE IT!!

[@JBSpookyReview]

It's gotta be one of the best.

[@PhilP8980]

Still one of my 3 favorite TV shows of all time. I love it all! Even seasons 8,9,10,11, both movies, X-phile for life!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Even the not so great stuff is usually better than what we're handed these days.

[@kambion]

I really like the standalone episodes a lot

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

I knew Silence of the Lambs was an influence. Dana looking like Starling. Mulder's voice being like Lecter's. The color palette.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah if you've seen that movie then it should be really apparent.

[@ItsScapeGoated]

Mulder was also a psychological profiler who worked with the BSU to profile serial killers.

[@misner1989]

I just started X Files almost 2 years ago a little bit before my mother passed away . It has been one of those shows that has been able to help disstact me but also help me grieve.. X files is just so special

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm sorry for your loss and am glad this show is able to help you out with your grief.

[@mikebasil4832]

The X-Files was a refreshingly new SF series for me after many years of Star Trek and Doctor Who. It was the first show that I watched regularly with my father. We both enjoyed it until its quality dropped. The first movie was quite a treat. Happy 30th Anniversary to The X-Files and thank you very much, JB, for this documentary.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah even with the drop in quality I still enjoy seeing the characters, but boy does it get rough quick. You're welcome I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@cortneyrens]

I liked the shows set in Canada vs LA later in the series, it gave it a more realistic creepy feel

[@mikebasil4832]

@@cortneyrens In retrospect I can agree.

[@robertnelson3018]

My dad didn't care for Sci-Fi but he liked this show., especially Skinner and Cancer Man.

[@mikebasil4832]

@@robertnelson3018 Cancer Man, thanks to the very wise casting of William B. Davis, was certainly a most distinguished SF villain.

[@37Kilo2]

I rewatched the entire series 10-11 years ago. I feel like it's time to rewatch it once again. I wasn't much of a fan of the later seasons, but the first few seasons were amazing.

[@JBSpookyReview]

The first 5 seasons are great, then things start to turn a bit when they move from shooting in vancouver. Still good stuff afterwards, but it's not the same.

[@LukeLovesRose]

IMO, The X-Files is still the greatest sci-fi / horror TV show ever produced. Meanwhile, I consider Star Trek: The Next Generation to be the greatest sci-fi/ fantasy TV show ever produced.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I've never watched star trek, but feel like it's something I would probably like now compared to when I was a kid.

[@cortneyrens]

Agreed! Me and my sister couldn’t wait for Fridays cause it was : Star Treck TNG, X-Files, Tales of the Crypt. We were in grade school so didn’t have a life yet lol but I miss looking forward to Friday

[@shugyosha7924]

@@cortneyrens I forgot about Tales from the Crypt! Thanks for reminding me. I also loved X-Files and Star Trek TNG.

[@charlesheck6812]

I didn’t hop on until the second season with the nursing home/mushrooms and mysterious deaths episode, but I never missed an episode after that, all the way to the very end. People I know that loved the show stopped watching after Mulder became absent, but I thought Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish were outstanding, and I thought they were just as good just different. You did an outstanding job on this. Thank you.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I like Robert, but never cared for Annabeth, nothing against her, just her character never did anything for me . I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@windows_screen_saver]

My mother loved this show so much I was named after Gillian Anderson! Whenever I see the show I think about her, miss her so much

[@JBSpookyReview]

Aww that's so sweet.

[@ashanasahadeo590]

Wow 30 years, best sci fi series, there hasn't been any thing close, to the Xfiles, I am still a fan

[@JBSpookyReview]

It's a fun show, they really don't make anything like it these days.

[@Sellner82]

Watched this growing up as a kid. Memories

[@JBSpookyReview]

Great memories.

[@bonbonarobonbonarov1333]

Still one of my all time favorite !

[@JBSpookyReview]

I love it.

[@johnwalko1483]

This is a great Documentary on a classic Sci-Fi TV series. Very well done and very informative.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Thank you so much I really appreciate it.

[@otisyoungblood]

I'll never ever forget my little brother, who was about 9, and I was about 13 years old, was like that new show X Files comes on tonight, and we were hooked after that

[@JBSpookyReview]

Damn you're really lucky. I didn't get to watch it until a little into the series because I was too young.

[@mavromatis]

Very nice summary of the whole show, we can take this as the definitive guide for X-Files now.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Haha only scratched the surface. I'm still covering everything more in depth with the regular videos.

[@joanmayer304]

I have two books about the X-files by Jane Goldman. ‘The X-files Book of the Unexplained’ Volumes One and Two. They discuss the “real” stories behind the x-files. Very interesting. Thanks for posting. 🇨🇦

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh I'll have to find those books.

[@someonesomewhere3254]

I am now 20 years old and I am so grateful I discovered this show when I was around 16. It has changed my view of the world and has provided comfort and positive feelings. I have watched it 4 times and don't plan on stopping as I can't seem to get enough of it. It so well written and produced that it makes gets my attentions every time, even though I remember the plot. I just love it.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I love that even younger generations are getting into X-Files. I'm 38 and watched most of it during it's initial run.

[@someonesomewhere3254]

​@@JBSpookyReview that's amazing! I can only imagine how wonderful it must have been to be contemporary with the show's creation!

[@crim101a]

I became such a fan that I joined the fan club. I never joined one before. I have the VHS DVDS. Books filled with cards. The dolls and anything else I could find. Family members saved TV guides, magazines, anything with the X-Files.i am still a big fan.

[@GM98420]

This is a great retrospective! You did an excellent job recapping the series and each season. Looking back on the later seasons, I really just don't understand Chris Carter's thought process. He gets a chance to make another movie, and he chooses to go with a lame monster of the week storyline instead of the mythology. Then they bring the show back only for him to retcon the entire mythology plot even though it contradicts things that happened in previous seasons. And there's no way CSM survived that missile blast. My brain can not accept that.

[@hs2874]

Re: Carter’s thought process. I’ve been thinking about what went wrong in the end. Some of the story choices were really questionable, such as making a mother give her baby up for adoption for his safety (??). I don’t know if it was burnout/fatigue (24 full episodes a year is a LOT), bad judgment, incompetence, or maybe my perspective as a fan being influenced by flaming internet debates. Most dedicated fandoms do tend to get toxic. The objective reality though is that none of the other shows CC made succeeded. We've seen the outtakes from the pilot in which Scully literally howls to the moon - CC wrote that. It’s entirely possible that CC just hit the jackpot with cast and crew in the very beginning, and the special sauce really was the chemistry between Mulder and Scully above all. Maybe what makes great art is alchemy, inexplicable magic. I still can’t bring myself to finish seasons 8 and 9, or else it’d destroy some of my best teenage era memories. I was there in the streets of Vancouver when they filmed season 10, it was super cool to watch from up close, but the final result couldn’t live up to my expectations.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah as much as I love the show and appreciate what Chris did, I think he's part of the reason for it's eventual downfall.

[@therealbearminator]

I can't think of any show with that many seasons that didn't get watered down over time. I don't see it as a downfall - I see it as a show that lasted longer than anyone could hope for, and overall the quality was a good step above average. X-Files is my jam, i'm super biased haha

[@questionsfromthebeyond]

@@therealbearminator Well, it was a downgrade, even if it lasted beyond its time. The two can coexist; and every fan picks where they like to stop their rewatches. But hey, at least it went on that long.

[@therealbearminator]

I actually think season 7 was the most boring. 8 and 9 underated (but not better than the previous seasons!). The last seasons did a good fan service in my opinion - i went in with very adjusted expectations, that might have been in the shows favor

[@bitemeteddy01]

Justin wow that's a tremendous amount of work You did there to deliver this video. Thank You so much - it was such a treat to watch!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed, I wanted to do something for the 30th anniversary.

[@thomasfloyd3146]

How they managed 6 seasons and 3 movies without one bigfoot episode is beyond me.yes I'm complaining

[@JBSpookyReview]

Haha I know, the Jersey Devil episode I guess is kind of a Bigfoot episode, but we needed a real Bigfoot episode.

[@thomasfloyd3146]

@JBSpookyReview your right the jersey devil episode was as close as they got.i love myself some aliens but really wanted to see the big man

[@Tehstampede]

X Files fucking rocked. I wasn't into it as a kid but got really into it as an adult, I wished I'd had the mental bandwidth to appreciate it when I was younger.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I saw episodes here and there as a kid, but it wasn't until my teens that I really latched on to it.

[@obsidian00]

This show was EVERYWHERE back in the day...on the same level of AGOT! The theme by Mark Snow could be heard everywhere...and Gillian...Oh Gillian! I can not begin to put into words my disappointment when I found out that she wasn't really a redhead! ☹

[@JBSpookyReview]

I think people these days forget just how much of a cultural impact this show had.

[@sopranophantomista]

I remember watching an episode of the X-Files when I was a kid. I don't remember much, but it was about a prom and a person who could influence the weather. All I remember is hail in the shape of hearts shattering on the ground. Anyways, wild that the show is now 30 years old. I feel like this has unlocked a peripheral memory for me.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Is it sad I know the episode is called Rain King?

[@balthazarasquith]

​@@JBSpookyReview it's not sad you know that man. That's cool as f. 🤘

[@robertnelson3018]

Was that the episode that had Victoria Jackson guest starring? Another underated actress!

[@shugyosha7924]

I would rush home from school to catch X-Files reruns. I loved that show so much as a kid.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I still love it even if it gets a little rough in the second half.

[@brianthomas8411]

Damn man I was just thinking about this show and realized I've never really seen people talk much about it on KZbin. So i searched " x-files retrospective" and this was posted a day ago! It's like it was made just for me. I'll like and Sub just for the serendipity.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Haha well I appreciate it and I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@brianthomas8411]

@@JBSpookyReview yes I did. I hate seeing good channels with low views. I'll try to get the word out. Keep going man. People will find you and you'll only get better

[@sunlitriddle2294]

I remember watching this when I was a kid. If I was grounded, either my parents would make an exception because this was Family Time, otherwise I'd sneak into the hallway where I could JUUUUST see the tv reflected in our living room mirror... and go scrambling for my room during commercials. But, yeah, I remember being put off by Scully's Baby arc and something intangible was lost. I didn't have the words for it since I was thirteen or so, but I noticed *something* had changed. This video really put to words what I couldn't. My sister and I are doing a casual stroll through the early seasons, and besides some absolutely Aged Like Milk science, it still holds up. "Squeeze" haunts me to this day.

[@JBSpookyReview]

The series as a whole is still a fun watch, you just have to remember the time in which is came out because yeah not everything aged well.

[@ArafuraMusic]

Small Potatoes actually features Darin Morgan as Eddie van Blundht, for the folks that might’ve missed that bit of trivia. 😉 Thanks for the restrospective of one of my all time favorite series! It was really thorough and well-executed. Happy 30th anniversary!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh I could have included so much more info, but I'm covering each episode individually anyways. Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

[@ArafuraMusic]

@@JBSpookyReview : I just noticed, yeah! I’m currently on a binge through your channel! :D

[@LOGOS422]

The X Files was, and is, magic. I still get transported back to my youth in the 90s when I re-watch the shows. They are as good now as they were then.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I think the show has aged fairly well.

[@hs2874]

The opening theme is famously influenced by “How Soon Is Now” by The Smiths, which is a brilliant alt rock classic IMO

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh cool that I did not find in my research.

[@BennysBenz]

I loved this show it was well written with great stories.

[@JBSpookyReview]

It's my favourite show and I agree with you whole heartedly.

[@zarabee2880]

God I loved the Xfiles!! The alien “lore” lost me a little bit after the first movie but the monster of the week episodes! Yeeeaass I could live in Chris Carters brain ❤️ I genuinely couldn’t pick a fave episode with early ones like Squeeze & Irresistible chilled 15yr old me to the bone! I loved the wacky ones like Clyde Bruckheimers final repose & Small Potatoes I think season 5 is my rewatch fave!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm right there with you on just about every point you made. My favourite season might be 3, but 5 is a great choice too.

[@himeccms893]

I'm surprised to be reminded that peak X-Files lasted only 5 seasons and most of the episodes I remember came from that period, except the Cops parody episode. The move to L.A. is a big mistake in terms of the mood of the show. The murky shadowy Vancouver lighting makes the episodes feel like TV fiction while the stark clear L.A. lighting makes it like "based on actual events". Script writers can't fudge around with the story arc anymore, anything shown in the episodes feels like it's set in stone now while monster of the week went the opposite direction, feeling more inconsequential. There's one with the Garbage song "Happy When It Rains" which sticks out in my mind where our dynamic duo is barely in it

[@adamtrogdon959]

Terms of endearment is the episode

[@JBSpookyReview]

The move to LA really changed the look and feel of the show. For me the best season are 1-5 with 6 being fairly decent. It starts to fall off after that.

[@himeccms893]

That was a rather long winded way of me saying the show became much more serious in tone once they moved to L.A.

[@MrWiggz69]

Every year since I can remember, I have rewatched the whole show. I remember as a kid in the late 90's watching it with my Dad while hiding behind a pillow. For me, the greatest TV series ever created. From Gillian and David down to the Sci-fi but yet grounded story, nothing really comes close.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I agree, nothing else really matches what this show has done.

[@mo_musashi_284]

You like the Fringe series?

[@MrWiggz69]

@@mo_musashi_284 yes, was so sad the way it ended. The cast for Fringe was also phenomenal.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

This just came up for me. Really great retrospective. Many of the content creators i follow have been on a massive nostalgia binge lately and I have been loving it. X-files wasn't just a show, it was a religion for me. It was one of those shows where you went to school and asked excitedly ' Did you watch X-files?' Although not what you've been talking about, new TV and the way we watch it, or rather consume it, is so different. Shows were better, a Season was 4-5 months long in terms of viewing, the anticipation and excitement for next week's episode was half the fun. I rewatched it on streaming a few years ago, i was reminded of all the things i either missed or that didn't stick in my mind. I'm glad that older shows like this are available, but I'm even more glad that I watched it how I did the first time. Week to week, having to change my schedule and invest my time to watch something that I loved.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah things today just aren't the same. I would kill to go back to the 90's.

[@stevedenis8292]

It was fun watching the X-files way back when the internet was fairly new . Often would watch the new episodes live and chatting on the internet in chat groups with other fans .

[@JBSpookyReview]

Damn that would have been fun, I was a little too young to take part in that during it's initial broadcast.

[@stevedenis8292]

It was somthing there were a few groups I was in and had a few online friends that we used to discus the episodes . mostly during the commercials but there were a few scenes that would break and had to be commented on right away . some chats would carry on long into the night. It too lasted only a while as some left the groups. With the personal computers taking off back then it felt like you were a part of it . we often thought that a lot of our chats were being followed by the creators of the show since some of the plots were very close to our speculations.@@JBSpookyReview

[@kalidzakaria1]

R.I.P. The X-Files ❣

[@JBSpookyReview]

Gone, but not forgotten.

[@thevoid7480]

The first episode I stumbled appon, was about some strange worms in an arctic station or somewhere alike. I was captivated by an awesome film, and blown away when I found out this "only" was an episode from a series. Just from the production value alone, they were setting standards, then the storytelling, the characters, everything. This was an amazing show from beginning to end. Not perfect, but totally in it's own league. Best thing about the show was, that the character of scully empowered a whole generation of young women to go into STEM. One other show that also had a major impact of getting people into STEM was Star Trek. When you have something like this happening, you have a cultural phemonenon, you have literally a life changing effect on large numbers of people. That's how much of an impact a good TV show can have.

[@JBSpookyReview]

the show doesn't get the respect it deserves especially with what it did for women.

[@autumn1284]

Thank you for this! Now I want to rewatch the series…for the 5th time

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed it and no shame in watching it for a 5th. I've gone through the whole series myself at least that many times if not more.

[@bhoqeem1975]

I have the entire series in my portable HDD. Millenium, too. I grew up with them. And Star Trek Next Gen.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I have it on one as well, along with the bluray set.

[@missladybug6712]

One of my favorite episodes is "Jose Chung's From Outer Space." I love hearing Mulder shout "Woooo! THAT's a dead alien!" :)

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahhaha I love that part.

[@picahudsoniaunflocked5426]

The franchise is an absolute fever dream when the events are stated like this.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Haha I know.

[@Wednesday.the.Wook.]

Your time spent working on this video definitely shows! Comprehensive and concise. A++ Happy 30th X-Files!! 🎉

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed, I was really anxious with this one haha.

[@erichpizer1]

me as a kid such a fan. what a quality show it was . it was ahead of it's time.

[@JBSpookyReview]

It really did pave the way for modern television.

[@dungeonsanddobbers2683]

I remember watching the X-Files as a kid in the mid-90's and how it felt like there had been a significant drop in quality by the time the movie came out in 1998. Having, mostly, rewatched the show a few years back, I stand by the observation I made as a kid. X-Files was at its absolute _best_ when it was about the serialised "monster of the week" stuff. Going down those fortean rabbit holes and, mostly, coming away with no real answers was its major strength. And, as you pointed out in the video, those episodes gave us one of X-Files, if not _televisions_, greatest villains in Tooms. In contrast, X-Files was at its absolute _worst_ when it decided to explore the "mythology" episodes. They were fine once in a while, sprinkled in with the "monster of the week" stuff and when they left the audience guessing as to what was going on. But at some point, the mythology episodes starting becoming the focus of the series, to its detriment, _especially_ when those episodes started giving hard answers to what was going on.

[@n0viewers409]

Till the end I will regard this as the greatest TV Show ever, I cant quite put into words how much it means to me. Imagine seeing a show that sticks with you forever for a multitude of reasons, the X Files has it all and it is a shame the comeback show from a few years back did not last but Scully deserves better :)

[@JBSpookyReview]

Scully deserved so much better.

[@nikkan3810]

Keeping Gillain was definitely a huge W.

[@JBSpookyReview]

She is awesome.

[@steve8510]

At one stage there it was like a mini Hollywood movie every week such was the level of production, acting and story telling.

[@JBSpookyReview]

It was pretty amazing what they were able to do.

[@Maya_Ruinz]

Victor Tooms....holy cow did those episodes scare the hell out of me as a child, I remember I used to always put stuff in front of AC vents in order to stop anyone from sneaking in. For me this show was all about watching Scully get so close to the truth but always miss it because she would get hurt or she would need more proof to believe it.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Victor tooms was really creepy. That's a pretty funny memory though blocking off all the vents hahah.

[@MyzoryMaiq]

I miss X files, it was huge for me as a kid growing up.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Yeah it was a big part of mine as well.

[@101Futile]

I was born 42 days after the first episode aired in the US and I was just over one when we got the show as well. Through my childhood my mom and I would watch this show, and as I would later learn, it was always on VCR, since my mom would watch every episode when it aired to see if they would be too scary. Episodes like 'Humbug', 'Clyde Bruckman's final repose" and 'Bad blood' are etched deep in my mind from those days. I have since watched the whole series few times over, like before the 2016 renewal and once again I'm going through it all. This whole series is the perfect combination of dark themes lightened up by the near constant optimism and occational full on comedy, and the nineties nostalgia just brings it to a whole new level. I can't thank the makers of this series enough.

[@JBSpookyReview]

It really is a special show, that came during a special time. I love that memory of your mom.

[@paulaburrows8660]

I can still remember the night I watched the very first episode. What a start.

[@JBSpookyReview]

You're lucky, I have no memory of the first time I saw it.

[@shugyosha7924]

The first time I saw it was late at night on BBC Two. I didn't know it at the time, but it was the first episode of Season 2, Little Green Men. I loved it but the air time wasn't predictable and I didn't know how to watch more. I remembered it though and eventually was able to watch the series properly.

[@DustinBarlow8P]

The PS1 Xfiles game was one of my favorite games. It let me actually be a fed, and get into gunfights with NSA agents. Everything a growing boy needs.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahaha I can't think of anything else a boy would need.

[@theqrm]

This video makes me "believe" that there could be...if there isn't one already...a great fan edit of the entire series

[@JBSpookyReview]

I don't know if one exists, but I could see it working.

[@gaming-oyvinator]

recall being absolutely terrified of this show growing up.. it scared me.. even remember episodes that were scaring child me.. that one with the guy who could crawl through chimneys.. and mulder stretches a fingerprint on a pc.. recently saw the show on disney+.. child me was a dumb-ass.. oh my god..

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hey the episode Space had the picture of the face of mars and that alone terrified me as a kid. At least what scared you was actually kind of creepy.

[@jaboinky5349]

@@JBSpookyReviewthat one creeped me out so much as a kid too haha even tho now it just looks so goofy to me

[@krjna5356]

You did a great job putting this together! This is undoubtably one of the best Sci-Fi shows ever shown on TV, glad they show reruns please don't let this show die!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm not a big TV guy, but this is my favourite show and I'm trying to do my part in keeping it from being forgotten.

[@Penscreen]

After the show ended the first time, I went on a website dedicated to Mulder torture fanfic, and ended up writing several stories over the years. This is where I met David himself online, who was interested in reading the fans fiction! Over time I have met him at various events, in New York, and UK where I live. I came to realise he actually loves my writing, and singing, which was a lovely discovery last Nov (when he was here performing with his band.) He really is such a sweet and gentle guy, and always makes you feel so comfortable around him. It's a privilege to know him! As for X Files, I really feel it is over. This reboot will not work IMO, as Mulder & Scully were such iconic and important characters. Also, the fact Chris Carter the creator (who I've also met) is not even involved puts me right off! I'm just glad I have the original show & movies on DVD & Blu ray! I'm even in a clip of the BTS on season 10, as I was in Vancouver when David was filming. I had gone over to scatter my Mum's ashes in her fave spot on Grouse Mountain in 2015. I had NO idea they were filming the crowd watching them in action! LOL!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh wow what are the odds that you just happened to be in the same place when they were filming. That was definitely meant to be.

[@Penscreen]

@@JBSpookyReview I'm a big believer in fate!

[@sherif956]

I'm sorry..a "reboot" ??? They better not lay a hand on the X files,if chris Carter ain't involved,thn thy can forget it

[@deec75]

This was utterly phenomenal. Also very helpful as i’m rewatching the whole thing right now and currently in s6. Thank you for this brilliant tour through it all!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Thank you so much for watching. I have more videos looking at the episodes individually if you're interested.

[@clintonwilcox4690]

Good retrospective. I've always been a sci-fi fan, but as a teenager growing up in the 90s, I couldn't watch the show because I found the opening theme song too eerie. I finally found the entire run on Netflix as an adult and watched it, plus the two feature films (and the eventual revival, when it aired). Another pop culture influence: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had an episode where several crew members were inadvertently sent back in time by a Klingon operative using a Bajoran orb. He tried to kill Captain Kirk in the past (basically through the events of "The Trouble With Tribbles" -- it was a Star Trek anniversary episode). There were two special agents from Starfleet who investigate events like this to ensure the timeline wasn't changed sent to interview Captain Sisko, and these two agents were named Dulmer and Lucsley -- anagrams of Mulder and Scully.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahah no way. I never would have known that as I've never really watched Star Trek, but that's pretty cool.

[@greedtheron8362]

Having never actually watched an episode of this, thank you for making this. From just the various parodies and references I've seen of this show, I thought that they never actually showed something alien and was just "I want to believe" for some silly number of seasons.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahaha no they show quite a bit. Thank you for watching I really appreciate it.

[@lorensims4846]

My wife was deeply affected by the episode "Home," especially when, several weeks later, a nearly identical real life story came out of the hills of southern Ohio. She would often refer to something "like out of The X-Files" and other people wouldn't quite understand, but I knew what she was talking about. My favorite episode from that season was "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" with Charles Nelson Reilly as Jose Chung. Especially that teaser scene of a gray alien in a cage in a moving vehicle, smoking a cigarette and repeating over and over "This ain't happening. This ain't happening, man." I also enjoyed its matching episode in The Millennium series, "Jose Chung's Beyond Belief" where the head of the Men in Black is revealed to be Alex Trebeck. Others I particularly liked that I've seen since in repeats are the computer nerd ones, "First Person Shooter" and that other one about the guy who is trying to kill an AI that had gotten loose on the net. That's a wild one. I'm a big fan of The Lone Gunmen and particularly enjoy that origin story episode. Oh, and that "Cops" parody was just delightful. I never realized just how much of our lives in the '90s were wrapped up in that show.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I need to find out about that story in Ohio...

[@robertnelson3018]

And Jesse Ventura was Trebeck's MIB partner! I met Ventura a few years later when he was running for Minnesota governor and I had a collectible figurine of the smoking alien in his cage but I forgot to bring it. I wanted Jesse to sign it. Jesse said he had no idea what he was a part of. They flew him in, he said/filmed his lines with Trebeck and he was flown out the same day.

[@Voodoomaria]

There was a series in the late 70's ['78-'79] that was called "Project: U.F.O." [also called "Project Blue Book] after the actual Air Force investigations] created for NBC by Television Legend Jack Webb. The 26 episode series followed an Air Force investigative team as they looked into U.F.O. sightings and encounters. The team invariably found proof of each sighting being either a misinterpretation of natural phenomenon, OR a deliberate hoax, However most of the episodes ended with a post story teaser that demonstrated the Air Force's conclusions could be wrong. As it's format most closely fit that of The X-Files I thought it MUST have been the direct inspiration.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I would not be surprised if that show didn't have at least some inspiration for the x-files.

[@Voodoomaria]

@@JBSpookyReview THE most interesting part about Project U.F.O. is, like ALL other Jack Webb T.V. series, the stories were ALL taken from actual case files. Remember the quote; "The story you about to see is true, The names were changed to protect the innocent"? That's Jack Webb.

[@MCLamb1984]

Oh my!! Over an hour long!! What a treat!!!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I hope it was worth it.

[@stevennicol5754]

Wow 30 years. Good job im peter pan

[@JBSpookyReview]

Hahah I guess that makes me Hook.

[@briandain8432]

Brought back so many good TV memories. Crazy to remember an episode from 30 years ago, that's the thing I miss most from old school TV.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm in the minority, but I don't think anything that comes out today is all that memorable when compared to older shows.

[@spiraldown2710]

I saw Squeeze when I was little. And it stayed with me. Great actor. Creeped me out to my core lol

[@JBSpookyReview]

Tooms is definitely a creepy villain.

[@movieforge01]

This was awesome. I forgot how much they put Scully through.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Oh she puts through the ringer that's for sure.

[@GabrielKnightz]

Instead of reviving the series they should have brought it back as an animated series with David and Gillian. Possibly in the style of the Men In Black animated series. That would've had so much potential. Oh well. I still sometimes think they should make a sequel to the FMV game.

[@JBSpookyReview]

An animated series with the cast could be fun.

[@rometherevenant8749]

Fallen Angel is one of my favorite episodes of season 1. Im rewatching this entire series.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Fallen Angel is a really good episode.

[@DoggmaticProductions]

Lol, your anger at The Lone Gunmen killing off is very welcome!

[@ernestbatiy1070]

Fun fact, Famous computer hacker Adrian Lamo loved this show so much that he possessed an alias with the name Adrian Krycek.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I did not know this, that's cool.

[@ernestbatiy1070]

@@JBSpookyReview I only know because I served him breakfast in Wichita KS for around a year and a half. He had it on his credit card and I was watching the show at the time. Thought he was some homeless guy and struck up a conversation about x-files. He said he had a crush on krycek and loved to talk about the series.

[@CharlesVanNoland]

Marita Covarrubias. My boyhood fascination. Her hairstyle and cold blue eyes. I'd never seen anything like her. I couldn't believe she was such a dark figure in the X-Files universe. I mean, I did, but I couldn't understand WHY. She was something else on there.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I think this is Laurie Holden's best role.

[@robertnelson3018]

She was also darn good in The Walking Dead!

[@robertnelson3018]

The Walking Dead could almost be a spinoff of The X-Files! Lol

[@Kyle_Riel]

Gonna watch this on my day off Tuesday. Can't wait!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I hope you enjoy it.

[@artisticjiu-jitzu5815]

i loved EVERY SEASON of the original series, but was not drawn to the later seasons or the movies, comics, etc. thanks for the vid!!

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@gepisar]

awesome review and summary. THAT looked like a LOT of work!

[@JBSpookyReview]

It took about 80 hours to do. I'm glad you enjoyed it though.

[@MikeGill87]

Finally found time to watch this. Can't imagine how much time you must've sunk into it. Awesome job.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed and it took around 80 hours, but I worked on it little by little for about a month.

[@GholaMuadDib]

Great retrospective. This was my favorite show in the 90s. This video brought back some great memories. Thanks 🙏

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

I watched the entire original run. LOVED the first movie and barely sat through the second in the theater. I watched the 6 episode mini season a few years ago but hand to God I forgot it was even a thing until you got to it in this video!

[@JBSpookyReview]

well it wasn't very memorable. The return wasn't the greatest.

[@ray.deathray]

oooh, this one’s over an hour long. here, algorithm, have some food 🍔🍕🦉

[@JBSpookyReview]

The algorithm is always so hungry. I hope you enjoyed it.

[@mousemd]

The problem with the way these production companies operate is they mess with the story line so much that they turn people off. They rush production. Some franchises it seems that they want to go away

[@JBSpookyReview]

Chris Carter really had no idea what he wanted to do with the main story and it shows.

[@fraser_mr2009]

Season 1 to season 3 had some really good episodes. Also some good actors appeared on the show as villains.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I think season 1-5 are where the show really shined. Things take a turn when they move to LA.

[@IDKeffect82]

Man. I couldn't get enough of the X-Files in the 90s. I recently just brought the whole entire series on DVD. I just love the story and the scores. Anderson and Rogers are so freaking hot.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Were you able to get it for a decent price? Anytime I see it now, they're asking a truckload for it.

[@IDKeffect82]

@@JBSpookyReview A thrift store. Deadass. 25 bucks.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Damn that's a steal.

[@IDKeffect82]

@@JBSpookyReview yes it was

[@daniellehajewski3672]

Thank you so much for these review videos! I'm rewatching the episodes and after every one I watch your review.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm really glad you're enjoying them. You're definitely going to get a head of me.

[@rebeccamarie3885]

Thank you! awesome retrospective very enjoyable JB . I appreciate your hard work!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Thank you so much I really appreciate it.

[@santaabolina7235]

That episode of half man, half worm gave me such trauma that even today I catch myself thinking about it when ever I need to clean the drains.

[@JBSpookyReview]

Flukeman is a pretty cool monster.

[@DNS-FRANK09]

One of my favorite t.v shows EVER❤!!!

[@JBSpookyReview]

Definitely my favourite show.

[@ojtheviking]

Ultimately, the stand-alone episodes were the show's true strength. I do love many of the myth arc episodes, but the storylines kept going nowhere, every time they decided to introduce a new element instead. Sometimes there's the phenomenon that a show's creator becomes the worst part of that show, and I sadly think that's the case with Chris Carter. He kept trying to milk things to keep the show going, thus being veritably allergic against bringing stuff to a satisfying conclusion. And he'd get bored with specific storylines and just change it all up. So at the end of the day, the overall myth arc doesn't work. But there are countless gems in the stand-alone episodes.

[@JBSpookyReview]

I'm with you 100%, while I enjoy the mythology stuff for the most part, I've always enjoyed the stand alone monster of the week type episodes more.

[@nope5657]

I think the mytharc gets shit on too much by the fandom and thus a skewed perception of the show is created that isn't fair or nuanced. Imo the mytharc, at least through the first 5 seasons, is just as strong as the strongest stand-alone episodes. The mytharc episodes were often the most suspenseful and emotionally driven episodes of the show. The deepening of the lore was always fun and interesting and just added to the shows ethos. The ever-widening, labyrinthine web of of the mythology is just super fun and exciting imo. I love how it builds this vast, global conspiracy. It's able to be rather ridiculous while at the same time suspension of disbelief is easy because of the shows grounded presentation. The mytharc definitely gets a bit unwieldy, overly-convoluted, and thinner in S6 onward, but it's never boring imo. It is always the most concise and cogent storytelling? No, but TV was a different landscape back then. Maybe my weary outlook on the hyper-serialization of modern TV makes me look more favorably on more episodic TV of yesteryear, but I think the strength and creativity of episodic TV is sadly forgotten or dismissed today. I'm not against serialized TV. Many of my favorite shows are serialized, but episodic structure allows for bigger and bolder ideas, more creativity. Does that mean the bigger swings and creativity is always a home run? No, but I respect and admire it all the same.

[@ojtheviking]

@@nope5657 I wouldn't know what the overall fandom says, I stated only my own opinion. And I wasn't shitting on it. The X-Files is one of my all time favorite shows, and there are definitely many strong episodes within the mytharc portions, but it's still a fact that Chris Carter would literally abandon ideas and introduce new ones, thus some things ultimately felt like they weren't heading anywhere. You could even say that it's _because_ some of those mytharc episodes were so good that I wanted the conclusion of those storylines to be more fulfilling. Similarly, I am even more fond of the entire Star Trek franchise, but the creator Gene Roddenberry himself couldn't quite keep up with current times during The Next Generations, so some of the most unfortunate ideas during the show's first years were due to him. A show creator may not always be the best writer, and sometimes a hired script writer can understand the concept and streamline the stories into something that appeals to the fans even more strongly than what the creator is able to communicate. So, just like how Star Trek became bigger than just Roddenberry's vision, The X-Files became bigger than just Chris Carter, and some of his ideas from then on felt like they were holding the show back from fully completing certain storylines. It's an observational comment, not meant as shitting on anything. As what you're saying about serialized vs. episodic, you're almost arguing against yourself, because that's just it: The mytharc portions _were_ serialized, so The X-Files was a hybrid in the sense that the Monster of the Week episodes were episodic, but the mytharc were supposed to continue were we last left off. They set things up in a two-parter, had a few MotW episodes, then another two-parter would appear continuing most of the previous mytharc portion. But every now and then, the mytharc would just quietly let a storyline die, and Carter excitedly introduced something different, until he seemed bored with that too. A very blatant example is how he set up a huge cliffhanger at the end of Season 10, but then in the beginning of Season 11, he realized he could milk the show a bit further, so he was like "Nah, never mind, that was just a vision, let's keep it going." As I said, he just gave the impression that he could never commit to bringing the main story to a proper conclusion. Loyal fans had anticipated answers for years and years, and he never fully delivered on it. And that warrants critique regardless of how strong many of the mytharc episodes were.

[@nope5657]

@@ojtheviking I didn't mean to imply you were shitting on it. I myself was just making a generalized observation. No harm no foul. Appreciate the detailed response. I don't disagree with your assessments for the most part. As for "arguing against myself" about episodic vs serialized - fair point. Yes obviously the show had serialized elements but it wasn't like how shows are serialized now. The serialization of The X-Files was more about keeping a grand conspiracy ever evolving. And they did this to the shows detriment, yes. But I also view it as a strength as well.

[@ojtheviking]

@@nope5657 No worries, no harm no foul from me either, it's an interesting conversation! And yeah, I think overall, we agree on the main points. It is absolutely the truth (no pun intended) that people kept tuning in to keep finding out more about the mytharc, so it was absolutely a strength.

[@KrystalloMantis]

Damn much respect to all the time put into this. I wish I had this a few years back when I got back into x files and couldn't wrap my booze-addled mind around -any- Mk mythology episode

[@JBSpookyReview]

It's honestly all so confusing and if it weren't for wikis helping me make sense of some of it I would still be lost.

[@ritalafleur4417]

I'm so glad Carter picked Gillian and David and rest of the cast, I hope they do another renewal, because my family is hooked and very telling. Thank you Carter for choosing Gillian, David and cast, great decision, great writing and hope they renew!!♥♥

[@JBSpookyReview]

There is talk of a new X-Files, but David and Gillian won't really be involved. Maybe small cameos, but that's about it.

[@ritalafleur4417]

@@JBSpookyReview OH MAN I am hoping it will be more than cameos! I've written to them as well, the whole series is perfect and so telling, they are GREAT at this along with that cast. I understand originally they were given the script and liked it prior to agreeing to performing in the series and I understand there is more involved in this than just script reading, but I so hope they will come back in more than cameos. Thank you for responding.

[@noneya3635]

Love the scene you ended this with. That shot is funny all these years later.

[@JBSpookyReview]

It was either that or when Scully sang Joy to the World.

[@noneya3635]

@@JBSpookyReview Also a great moment but for the sweetness factor.