The X-Files Season 1 TOP 10 Episodes & Season Recap
Comments (32)
Nice suit, Alex
This was such a joy to watch.
LMAO at the intro. Not as late on this one, but gotta get these out of the way before I get bogged down in new reactions Alex Josh Patrons 1 - Beyond the Sea 1 - Beyond the Sea 1 - Beyond the Sea 2 - Gender Bender 2 - Tooms 2 - Erlenmeyer Flask 3 - Conduit 3 - EBE 3 - Squeeze 4 - Ice 4 - Erlenmeyer Flask 4 - Tooms 5 - EBE 5 - Ice 5 - Ice 6 - Fallen Angel 6 - Conduit 6 - EBE 7 - Erlenmeyer Flask 7 - Gender Bender 7 - Pilot 8 - Squeeze/Tooms 8 - Shapes 8 - Darkness Falls 9 - Deepthroat 9 - Fallen Angel 9 - Fallen Angel 10 - Shapes 10 - Young at Heart 10 - Deepthroat Honorable Mentions Pilot Pilot Conduit Eve Eve Gender Bender Young at Heart Deepthroat Eve For me I'd probably say 1 - Beyond The Sea 2 - Erlenmeyer Flask 3 - Ice 4 - EBE 5 - Squeeze 6 - Fallen Angel 7 - Darkness Falls 8 - Tooms 9 - Deepthroat 10 - Conduit HRs being Shapes Eve Young at Heart
I really like season 1 a lot. It may still be my favorite of what I've seen so far (I'm a few seasons ahead). Don't get me wrong, it's all been good, lots of good episodes, and I suspect I may be in the minority on feeling this way. But I'll be curious to see if your reactions / perspective elevates the rest of what I've seen so far.
Top three: 3. Ice, 2. EBE, 1. Erlenmeyer Flask
Thankfully, The X-Files was on the new FOX network, who gave the show a couple of seasons to find an audience. CBS, NBC, or ABC would have cancelled the show after S1 due to low ratings. Episodes where Mulder & Scully were not so engaged were always the weakest IMO. Everything about the show (stories, writing, direction, cinematic quality) was creative and top-notch, but the real "magic" was the relationship and dynamic between Mulder & Scully. My Top 5: 1. E.B.E. 2. The Erlenmeyer Flask 3. Fallen Angel 4. Squeeze 5. Darkness Falls
Best 30 second intro, ever! Look forward to hearing your list for Season One.
Would have funnier if Alex wore his gray suit.
I love Season 1, there are other seasons they are totally worth watching and you may find them better or worse. But Season 1 is when you first experience The X-Files and that reason alone makes it special and impossible to replicate.
Josh, did you say the Tier Ranking will be on YT? This week? The last three episodes haven't posted to YT yet.
No
Re: Saturation and shows now being too bright THANK YOU! I wonder how much of that has to do with this show being shot on film.
This was so fun! I've loved rewatching season 1 with you guys. I watch a few reactors but I never enjoy watching TV reactions from other reactors nearly as much as watching you guys. Your genuine excitement when you love something really makes me look at it in a new way. Maybe making me love it even more or at least appreciate it in a way I didn't. I can't wait to continue this series with you guys. I am 10 years older than you, so I grew up with this series. It is my favorite series of all time, (star trek very close 2nd) and it made me fall in love with science fiction and horror. I have to say as great as season 1 is, I love season 2 even more. P.S. I really can't recommend a series called Grimm enough. It ran 6 seasons and has a very similar feeling to The X-Files minus the aliens. Same cozy feeling and great characters. I hope it's a series we'll eventually get to on the channel.
It's gonna take 4+ years to get thru The X-Files at one a week...lol.
There's a movie from 1973 called "A cold night's death", starring Robert Culp. It's very similar to The Thing and X-Files Ice, in fact I think it may have been inspiration for The Thing. If you guys ever have the opportunity I think you should probably check it out.
Like many duos, its like they tried a Sherlock Holmes/John Watsom combo, moulder like a stoic Watson, Scully like an animated female doctor Holmes. Dealing with paranormal questions
This was a highly entertaining top 10 discussion. I didn't mind at all that you didn't focus just on XF but 90ies TV, streaming etc . Quite the opposite. Much appreciated. 2 more things : 1. Thank you for doing this for XF/ a show outside the ST universe. As long as you continue to enjoy the show and you enjoy doing this additional format, I'm happy for every bit you throw at us. I would have loved to send in my Top 10 but was on a trip / on the road since last week and had hardly the time to anything else than driving, walking and caring about my family. 2. Thank you for introducing the patreon takes for XF. Much appreciated. I love ST but I don't have any additional great knowledge about it other than the shows. So I don't have anything to contribute at the ST patreon takes which someone else can't do funnier, cooler, smarter, better. The XF takes might be on a different piece of paper.
BTW, Chris Carter has notably mentioned that X-Files was partially inspired by the characters, tone, and cosmic-horror nature of classic 1970s DOCTOR WHO. You can definitely see it in three things, one of which I cannot discuss yet. The other two being: the abrupt opening theme mimics the Tom Baker/4th Doctor/1970's Doctor Who opening theme, and the character types of the odd central male character (The Doctor) with his female companion/assistant/partner using their wits and resources to deal with the unknown horrors of the universe. As a childhood fan of the 1970's Doctor Who, X-Files is an inherent spiritual successor...except with an actual budget LOL
Can I please see a source for this? I'm not a Doctor Who fan myself, have never seen an episode, but a friend of mine is both a Doctor Who as well as TXF fan, so I'm sure he'd love to see this. Thanks!
X-Files is the PERFECT runner-up to the Star Trek franchise for your channel. Not only is it endlessly entertaining to rewatch, it's equally fun to watch you get Mulder-ed in realtime. Biblically speaking of course. To top it (you) off, the material is absolutely your kind of entertainment. I understand why you couldn't get into BSG for the exact same reason I understand why you love The X-Files. This show was made for you. Looking forward to the next season.
I knew you were both virgins! What nerds.
Not only do I love the X-Files and your post-view discussions, this long format, top 10 discussion was great. It is easy to see you guys are X-Philes now. Welcome to the club, your fan club badge and black suit will be mailed soon....lol
Hit send too quickly - meant to add I love the respect and analysis you have brought to this show… watched this in real time as one of those first 7-8 million viewers each week. I think your analysis is so spot on.
TA - concerned nostalgia will kill creativity. Me - wondering when yall jump into NYPD Blue as a procedural of the week with hard hitting powerful emotional character arcs…
Vancouver, BC is also a character in itself almost in X-Files. That particular setting is almost ingrained in the show. When i picture an episode of X-files in my head, it's Mulder, Scully and a forest in British Columbia.
Chris Carter also created Stargate Sg-1 and many episodes were also filmed there. It must be a favorite filming location for him.
I'm so happy you guys are enjoying the X-Files so far. I've been saying from day one of watching your channel that you'd get a big kick out of it as it's sort of right up your alley.
I think this was your best, most enthusiastic, most animated, most excited for the future top 10 review to date. This was a lot of fun! Get ready to Rock!
Ben Sisko storms into the T.A. studio room. "I want to know what the hell is going on! I want to know why T.A. are doing top 10 lists of Voyager and XFiles before DS9! I want to know why the show you've been watching for three seasons is pre-empted by a couple of shows you barely know and hardly trust their staying power?" Sits angrily down on armchair.
Then he grabs me by the shirt and says “You watch DS9 every day and you JUST. DONT. GET IT!”
"I Want To Believe"....... that this will become your all-time favorite TV series.
Definitely.