Things That Bring Back Memories – “X-Files” TV Show #MondayMemories 32


Things That Bring Back Memories


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For this week’s “Things That Bring Back Memories” post, I am going to pick something in the topic of “TELEVISION” and go with “X-Files“.  This television show started in 1993, and was over in 2002.  It was one I remember watching with my then boyfriend (now husband 🙂 ) and always either laughing, or jumping out of our seats when we got scared.  The stories were always interesting, and some just made you wonder if our government might truly be involved!!  I still remember being freaked out by bees, after Mulder and Scully were in that big white building, and got attacked by the bunch of them.  Man, they could run fast! 🙂

This was always a show that you could watch with friends, and each have a different story about what was going on.  The girls loved “Fox”, which nowadays, I have no clue why he was ever seen as cute. The guys loved Sully…a smart girl, who could still be beautiful.  It was never a chick-flick or a guy show, which made it great for everyone!  Also, who doesn’t remember the old cell phones that they used that were the size of bricks? ha/ha

For those of you, who are either too young, or just don’t remember it, here’s a video of the intro to the “X-Files” show:

“X-Files” is actually coming back to television, or so I’ve heard online. On January 17, 2015, Fox confirmed that they were looking at the possibility of bringing The X-Files back.  On March 24, 2015, it was confirmed the series would return as a six-episode event series with the return of series creator Chris Carter and lead actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.  The show will premiere on January 24, 2016 – how awesome to have DVR’s now, huh?

So, did you ever watch this show when you were younger? or have you seen it on TV later in life?  Let me know what you thought of it, and if you have any memories of it in your life!

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More Info on the Show:

x-filesThe X-Files is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by Chris Carter. The program originally aired from September 10, 1993 to May 19, 2002 on Fox, spanning nine seasons and 202 episodes. The series revolves around FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigating X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder’s discoveries to debunk his work and thus return him to mainstream cases. Early in the series, both agents become pawns in a larger conflict and come to trust only each other. They develop a close relationship, which begins as a platonic friendship, but becomes a romance by the end of the series. In addition to the series-spanning story arc, “Monster-of-the-Week” episodes form roughly two-thirds of all episodes.

The X-Files was inspired by shows which featured elements of suspense and speculative fiction, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Tales from the Darkside, and especially Kolchak: The Night Stalker. When creating the main characters, Carter sought to reverse gender stereotypes by making Mulder a believer and Scully a skeptic. The first seven seasons featured Duchovny and Anderson equally. In the last two Anderson took precedence while Duchovny appeared intermittently. New main characters were introduced: FBI agents John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish). Mulder and Scully’s boss, Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), also became a main character. The first five seasons of The X-Files were filmed and produced in Vancouver, British Columbia, before eventually moving to Los Angeles, California to accommodate Duchovny. The series later returned to Vancouver to film the 2008 film The X-Files: I Want to Believe, as well as the 2016 six-episode event series.

The X-Files follows the careers and personal lives of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). Mulder is a talented profiler and strong believer in the supernatural. He is also adamant about the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life and its presence on Earth. This set of beliefs earns him the nickname “Spooky” and an assignment to a little-known department that deals with unsolved cases, known as the X-Files. His belief in the paranormal springs from the claimed abduction of his sister Samantha Mulder by extraterrestrials when Mulder was 12. Her abduction drives Mulder throughout most of the series. Because of this, as well as more nebulous desires for vindication and the revelation of truths kept hidden by human authorities, Mulder struggles to maintain objectivity in his investigations.

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Agent Scully is a foil for Mulder in this regard. As a medical doctor and natural skeptic, Scully approaches cases with complete detachment even when Mulder, despite his considerable training, loses his objectivity.  Her initial task is to debunk Mulder’s theories, supplying logical, scientific explanations for the cases’ apparently unexplainable phenomena. Although she is frequently able to offer scientific alternatives to Mulder’s deductions, she is rarely able to refute them completely. Over the course of the series, she becomes increasingly dissatisfied with her own ability to approach the cases scientifically.  After Mulder’s abduction at the hands of aliens in the seventh season finale “Requiem”, Scully becomes a “reluctant believer” who manages to explain the paranormal with science.

Various episodes also deal with the relationship between Mulder and Scully, originally platonic, but that later develops romantically.  Mulder and Scully are joined by John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) late in the series, after Mulder is abducted. Doggett replaces him as Scully’s partner and helps her search for him, later involving Reyes, of whom Doggett had professional knowledge.  The X-Files ends when Mulder is secretly subjected to a military tribunal for breaking into a Top Secret military facility and viewing plans for alien invasion and colonization of Earth. He is found guilty, but he escapes punishment with the help of the other agents and he and Scully become fugitives.

x-filesAs the show progressed, key episodes, called parts of the “Mytharc”, were recognized as the “mythology” of the series canon; these episodes carried the extraterrestrial/conspiracy storyline that evolved throughout the series. “Monster-of-the-Week”—often abbreviated as “MOTW” or “MoW”—came to denote the remainder of The X-Files episodes. These episodes, comprising the majority of the series, dealt with paranormal phenomena, including cryptids and mutants; science fiction technologies; horror monsters; and satiric/comedic elements.  The main story arc involves the agents’ efforts to uncover a government conspiracy to hide the existence of extraterrestrials on Earth and their sinister collaboration with those governments. Mysterious men comprising a shadow element within the U.S. government, known as “The Syndicate”, are the major villains in the series; late in the series it is revealed that The Syndicate acts as the only liaison between mankind and a group of extraterrestrials that intends to destroy the human species. They are usually represented by The Smoking Man (William B. Davis), a ruthless killer and a masterful politician and negotiator and the series’ principal antagonist.

As the series goes along, Mulder and Scully learn about evidence of the alien invasion piece by piece. It is revealed that the extraterrestrials plan on using a sentient virus, known as the black oil, to infect mankind and turn the population of the world into a slave race. The Syndicate—having made a deal to be spared by the aliens—have been working to develop an alien-human hybrid that will be able to withstand the effects of the black oil. The group has also been secretly working on a vaccine to overcome the black oil; this vaccine is later revealed in the latter parts of season five, as well as the 1998 film. Counter to the alien colonization effort, another faction of aliens, the faceless rebels, are working to stop alien colonization. Eventually, in the season six episodes “Two Fathers”/”One Son”, the rebels manage to destroy the Syndicate. The colonists, now without human liaisons, dispatch the “Super Soldiers”: beings that resemble humans, but are biologically alien. In the latter parts of season eight, and the whole of season nine, the Super Soldiers manage to replace key individuals in the government, forcing Mulder and Scully to go into hiding.

The X-Files was a hit for the Fox network and received largely positive reviews, although its long-term story arc was criticized near the conclusion. Initially considered a cult show, it turned into a pop culture touchstone that tapped into public mistrust of governments and large institutions and embraced conspiracy theories and spirituality. Both the show itself and lead actors Duchovny and Anderson received multiple awards and nominations, and by the end it was the longest-running science fiction series in U.S. television history. The series also spawned a franchise which includes The Lone Gunmen spin-off, two theatrical films and accompanying merchandise. After the final theatrical film in 2008, fans continued to push for a third movie to conclude the series’ plot lines. In March 2015, it was announced the series would return as a miniseries, with Chris Carter as executive producer and writer, and David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and Mitch Pileggi reprising their roles.  It will premiere on January 24, 2016.

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About The Stars:

x-filesDavid Duchovny (Fox Mulder) was born on August 7, 1960, in New York City, New York, USA. His father, Amram Duchovny, was a writer and publicist who was from a family of Jewish immigrants (from Ukraine and Poland), and worked for the American Jewish Committee. His mother, Margaret, was a Scottish-born school teacher. David has a sister, Laurie, and an older brother, Daniel Ducovny, an award-winning director of commercials, as well as a director of photography.  David earned an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and also attended Yale University, where he undertook a Master’s Degree in English Literature.  Like any actor or celebrity, David began his career on the bottom, by acting in numerous commercials in the late-eighties. He crossed over into films with bit parts in low key films such as New Year’s Day (1989) and Bad Influence (1990). Although these parts were small and somewhat insignificant, it was a start and David was able to get his foot in the door.  In 1991, David got offered the role of DEA Dennis Bryson on the acclaimed TV series, Twin Peaks (1990). He only appeared in three episodes, but at that early stage, it was his biggest claim to fame yet, as Twin Peaks (1990) was watched by millions of people worldwide. Needless to say, David’s talents as an actor would finally be recognized and he would get the acknowledgment that he so richly deserved.  In 1993, David was offered the role of FBI Agent Fox “Spooky” Mulder on the long-running TV series The X-Files. The show was a tremendous international success and propelled David (and his co-star Gillian Anderson) into super-stardom. His character of Mulder has become somewhat of a pop culture legend and is renowned the world over for his satirical wit and dry sense of humor. Fans loved the fact that he could keep a straight face and still crack and joke in the face of extreme danger. David improvised a lot of his own lines of dialogue while on the show and even penned and directed a few episodes. The series ended in 2002 and still has a strong, dedicated following. To date, David has reprised his role of Fox Mulder in two “X Files” feature films: The X Files (1998) and The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008).  It may have taken a while, but David has worked his way to the top and notched up an impressive resume along the way. We can expect to see a lot more of him in the future.

x-filesGillian Anderson (Dana Scully) was born August 9, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois, to Rosemary Alyce, a computer analyst, and Homer Edward Anderson III, who owned a film post-production company. She has English, German, and Irish ancestry.  Gillian started her career as a member of an amateur actor group while at high school. In 1987, her love of the theatre took her to the National Theatre of Great Britain Summer Acting Programme held at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. For several weeks she studied under such NT greats as Peter Chelsom, Bardy Thomas, and Michael Joyce. Afterwards, Anderson returned to the Goodman Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois where she finished her education. Her big break came with The X-Files (1993) (with David Duchovny) as Dana Scully. There, she met her future husband (Clyde Klotz), marrying on January 1st 1994. One month later, Gillian was pregnant. Her daughter, Piper Anderson, was born on the 25th September 1994. Her film career started with the movie The Turning (1992) in 1997 and, the following year, she starred in Playing by Heart (1998) with Sean Connery, Ellen Burstyn, Angelina Jolie and Dennis Quaid.


Did You Know?

The famous echoing chord from the theme music was a fluke. Composer Mark Snow accidentally rested his elbow on his keyboard with the echo function on, and he liked the resulting sound so much, he wrote the theme around it.

The line “The truth is out there”, at the end of the opening credits, was ranked #9 in TV Guide’s list of “TV’s 20 Top Catchphrases”.

Dana Scully was named after the famous sports journalist Vin Scully. Mulder is the maiden name of Chris Carter’s mother.

The recurring character Cigarette Smoking Man was never given a name until late in the series. He is referred to as Cancerman in some early episodes. The show’s fans took to referring to him as simply CSM.

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Thanks for stopping by today.  Please be sure to leave a comment, if this show meant something to you, too.  Or to just let me know what you think of the story in this post!   TigerStrypes claims no credit for any images used on this post, unless otherwise noted.  Images in this post are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please email us with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.  Thanks and have a great day!!

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Sarah @ One Curvy Blogger

This is a show that pops up on my Netflix feed regularly. I think I would really enjoy it if I wasn’t super addicted to a few other shows. I do want to try it one of these days, though!

Bernadyn
8 years ago

“The truth is out there.” Haha, this brings back memories! I remember watching this, one of those TV shows everyone talked about. I think I did hear they’re bringing it back, will probably watch those, too.

Taralyn
8 years ago

I’ve only seen a few episodes! I need to go back and watch them!

Toughcookiemommy
8 years ago

I used to watch X-Files all the time. It was a great show with great and talented actors.

Liz Mays
8 years ago

I can’t wait to see what they’ve done with the show! I’m looking forward to the return!

Yona Williams
8 years ago

I have only seen a few episodes of X-Files, but the theme music is still in my head. I don’t know why I never really got into the show…the topics were interesting, and the character chemistry seemed interesting as well.

swell conditions
8 years ago

I still haven’t seen that show, maybe one day!

Ourfamilyworld
8 years ago

My husband used to watch this show back then. He’d be glad if there are really new shows to come out.

Mhar Sefcik
8 years ago

I remember watching The X-Files with my cousins when I was in college. I liked watching horror, suspense, and mystery shows/movies before.

Beth@FrugalFroggie
8 years ago

I loved x-files. I think the show was better when it was shot in Canada.

maggie
8 years ago

Wait, what? You don’t think David duchovny is cute? He’s adorable! This show is still so popular, a lot of my friends watch it over and over. I have honestly never watched it but I think I might. It sounds pretty good!

Jamie @ Life of Creed
8 years ago

I loved this show as a kid. I’m adding it to my watchlist on Amazon right now. Can’t wait to see the show in January 2016. Thanks for sharing!

Daisy
Daisy
8 years ago

LOL – this is so funny. My parents LOVE X-Files. It was one of their favorites.

tara pittman
8 years ago

My husband was huge into this show. I enjoy some of the show with him.

dana
8 years ago

My memory was Dana Scully since her name was the same, that was one show I always watched! LOL.. #Memories

Marya
8 years ago

I never actually watched X-files! Should check it out sometime!