Review of X Files, The: Season 9 Boxset

Introduction

The X Files to those of you living a cupboard since 1983 dealt with the unexplained, little green men and the grey men controlling governments around the world. It is a world where it pays to be paranoid. Starring mainly David Duchovny (with time off for good behaviour and Hollywood) and Gillian Anderson (with time off for babies, there are only so many camera angles you can utilise), it`s hard to believe that it kept coming up with the goods for that long.

The series has its detractors even amongst its most loyal fans but even its worst episodes can seem like a breath of fresh non-tar air in the desert of television scheduling. Like many successful series it had a lot to contend with espcially in the UK where it occupied the graveyard slot often next to uncut Buffy as the years rolled by.


Nothing Important Happened Today Part 1 and 2
-2 part season opener also released as an individual disk. The opening convoluted plot utilises all the remaining stars in a fast moving double episode which sets up the ongoing theme of the closing season.With the introduction of Lucy Lawless as a supersoldier, male attention at least was guaranteed. As the season opened Mulder is still absent, due to Hollywood, and Scully, Doggett and Reyes take over as the triumvirate in charge.

Nothing Important establishes new character Assistant Director Brad Fulmer (Cary Elwes) as the previous love interest of Reyes and also includes that supersoldier chap Knowle Rohrer (Adam Baldwin). On a trivia note Baldwin has now appeared in three series that have been cancelled; Firefly, Angel Season 5 and this; I`m sure he can live with himself! 8/10

Deamonicus
A stand alone episode looks at the power of evil Murder has been committed it looks like a satanic ritual, an escaped prisoner is responsible but what about the man who communes with devilish voices-he`s locked up but is he controlling the show? Features bucket loads of ectoplasm.8/10

4 D
Reyes is talking to Doggett in her new apartment. Then she receives a phone call to say he has been badly wounded and she is the suspect. When she looks around Doggett has gone. Apparently he was 14 miles away when he was shot with her gun…8/10

Lord of the Flies
Get the insect repellent out. Another stand alone looks at the trials of being a teenager and included a severe yuck factor.7/10

Trust No 1
Scully reflects on the nature of truths and trust. 8/10

John Doe
Doggett finds himself in Mexico with no money and no memories. Filmed in the washed out heat of `Traffic`s `Mexico this standalone concentrates mainly on Doggett.9/10

Hellbound
In a another gruesome episode which included a warning when shown on American TV a man dreams of being skinned alive It looks like a simple tale of a serial killer except that Reyes feels it is part of a longer history and she is involved.7/10

Provenance/Providence
The mid season two-parter goes back to Scully and baby William as she learns more about his potential. A cult has found another of the mysterious spaceships that has writings from the bible and Koran on its surface. Now someone has decided William must die. 8/10

Audrey Pauley
Reyes has a bad car accident and when she wakes up she is in hospital. Meanwhile Doggett has been told she is brain dead; so where is she really?6/10


Underneath
Beware of the cable guy. As a young police officer Doggett and his partner make a career enhancing arrest of a serial killer. Now he has been released because he was innocent but the killings start again.8/10

Improbable
A whimsical episode especially written for Burt Reynolds to take centre stage as someone who may well be God. Not much for the regulars to do but play along.9/10

Scary Monsters
A small boy seems to be the centre of very peculiar activity His mother has already stabbed herself to death and the family cat has suffered an odd death When Reyes and Doggett go to meet with him they are trapped in a series of unbelievable occurrences.6/10

Jump the Shark
Mainly featuring the Lone Gunmen this is the beginning of the end. And ties up their offshoot series Sadly that`s not yet available to back track the logic of some of this episode. Hopefully soon?8/10


William
A series of event leads Scully to make a major decision about her son.7/10

Release
A murder sets off memories for Doggett of the death of his son. Who is the student at Quantico so keen to help with the investigation? Another standalone as we wait breathlessly for the truth.9/10


Sunshine Days
Is that the house from the Brady Bunch? Another improbable tale and a stand alone from the main thrust of the series.6/10

The Truth (feature length double episode)
The return of Mulder. Will we finally learn the truth? Will Mulder and Scully snog again? I liked it better without the kissie kissie stuff.9/10

Video

A good clear picture, perfectly watchable on a small or large screen. There do not seem to be any problems with the discs.

Audio

As ever good quality soundtrack from Mark Snow which enhances each episode. The script quality is not 100% with the occasional dead or flat line. There`s no faulting the acting or sincerity though and this marks out the series for me. It`s the mark of a professional to get covered in goo and still speak believable lines.

Features

These are the bonus features as listed on the disc. I didn`t get the package so I cannot compare contents or comment on that.

Disc One includes a deleted scene from Nothing Important Happened Today` that can be branched into the episode; a deleted scene from Nothing Important Happened Today (Part 2) ` that can be branched into the episode; deleted scenes from 4-D that can be branched into the episode ;3 international clips from Nothing Important Happened Today (Part 2) (German, Japanese and Italian)

Disc 2 includes a deleted scene from Lord Of The Fliesthat can be branched into the episode ; 3 international clips from Trust No One (German, Japanese and Italian)

Disc 3 has 1 deleted scene from that can be branched into the episode ;3 international clips from Provenance (Part 1) (German, Japanese and Italian)

Disc 4includes an audio commentary from Chris Carter on Improbable` episodeThis is an excellent presentation of his interest in physics, numerology and the set up for the episode. It also delas with shooting the episode. A good informative commentary.

The audio commentary from Vince Gilligan, John Shiban and Frank Spotnitz on `Jump The Shark episode is by as they call themselves the lone gunmen and is a loving and amusing discussion about all the fun they had making this and the spin off series that suffered an early demise. It also contains several impassioned please for viewers to lobby the studios to get a release onto DVD. As the series never aired on terrestrial TV in the UK the commentary goes some way to explaining the lead into this episode.

The disc also contains a deleted scene from Jump The Shark that can be branched into the episode;3 international clips from William in (German, Japanese and Italian).

Disc 5has an audio commentary from Kim Manners on The Truth episode. This starts well but degenerates into kissie fest as he gets morbid about the end of the series it also has 3 deleted scenes from The Truththat can be branched into the episode and 3 international clips from `The Truth in German, Japanese and Italian.

Disc 610 deleted scenes - extended versions of clips branched into the individual episodes with optional audio commentary from Frank Spotnitz;The Truth About Season 9 documentary (30 mins);9 special effects clips with narration by Paul Rabwin and Mat Beck; character profiles of Monica Reyes and Brad Follimer;30 promo spots-the teaser ads and longer ones- a useful review if like me you`ve watched 22 episodes and forgotten what happened.

Scenes are sometimes deleted because of time, sometimes because they are rubbish and sometimes because they slow the dynamic movement of the programme. By including them here they can looked at in those terms. The TV equivalent of the Director`s Cut I guess.

Disc 7 containsSecrets Of The X-Files` documentary (45 mins); More Secrets Of The X-Files documentary (45 mins) Reflections On The X-Files documentary (20 mins).

The first two of these were made for television and quite early in the run. They both have the original ad breaks with the ads taken out almost like recording it yourself, a bit cheap. The second one is narrated by Mitch Pileggi. The last one is a look back after the close of the series from famous fans such as Cher and Kevin Smith (Silent Bob) who admits he was too overawed to think he was capable of writing an episode, shame.

Conclusion

Watching a series like this in DVD is not how it was intended to be seen. The nature of episodic drama is to keep you coming back week after week; in effect to keep you loyal to the broadcast channel. These days we can choose fast food and to get our drama in chunks like this. It takes the interminable waiting away but may cause you to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the flickering screen.

There is a lot to take in on this series and I confess I like to get into the drama and I`m not big on extended commentary love-ins. The commentaries I did listen to were on the whole worth it and added to my enjoyment of the series a whole lot. X Files bad is still a darned sight better than a whole lot of TV programmes that ran as long or longer. Keeping the content fresh, the audience intrigued and working around the changing line-up is an incredible challenge and even in this final season they try very hard. I loved it and will watch it again and again.

If you are an X Files virgin then don`t start with this but go back to the very beginning and work your way through you won`t regret it.