The X-Files
- Thread starter Tennyo
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The Twilight Mexican
Ex-SeeD-ingly good
- AKA
- TresDias
Wasn't the dialogue always like this, though?
Pixel
The Pixie King
It got better as the seasons went on. But it was disguised by charm. Problem is, the scenes dont have time to breathe. The editting is so fast, especially in the first episode, that theres no room for character stuff. Just exposition.
Also somebody needs to teach writers how to write dialogue for children. Cringeworthy
Also somebody needs to teach writers how to write dialogue for children. Cringeworthy
The Twilight Mexican
Ex-SeeD-ingly good
- AKA
- TresDias
Fair points. 
Animexcel
Pro Adventurer
Fangu
Great Old One
Saw the first two episodes last night.
omg the writing (particularly in the first episode) was so horribly bad. Horribly. I feel inspired to write a detailed analysis, that's how bad it was. It started out pretty okay, with Mulder's dialogue, but that's how far it went. I know they had a lot to squeeze into the first episode; introducing old and new characters, explaining the past while setting up an entire new premise for the new season - AND make Mulder the torch carrier (because Mulder was always the torch carrier of the show, at least they got that part right) for ideas that in part feels like butchering the entire premise of the old show. Then they had to re-establish the Mulder/Scully relationship, add some tension in there, re-establish Scully as a mother...
Honestly the first part of the first episode it felt like Mulder and Scully were playing parodies of their old characters. It's as if the actors were well aware of how bad this was going to end up
And what's with the storytelling? Important scenes are left out, only to be disclosed to the viewer when a character learns it. Skinner shows up out of nowhere - we don't even see him meet up with the two characters like suggested at the beginning of the episode - and then bam, the X-files has been reopened? What? Why? What did I miss? I'm pretty sure I was paying close attention? I mean they probably explained it in a sentence somewhere, but I don't want to being told it's been reopened, I want to be in the room with Mulder and Scully when they learn. I want Mulder's reaction, and Scully's skepticism. (I know we see that skepticism when she has that talk with Mulder, but still.)
Honestly it felt like the script was 2 hours of film, but they realised it too late and had to cut out a lot of the scenes.
Then there's the filming. What's with all of the close ups? The original X-files was beautifully lit and shot, this felt like it didn't succeed with any of it.
Also, the FBI was always like a third main character in the show: The suits, the name badges, the FBI executives, their offices... none of that was really present. (Mitch Pileggi in a worn down office space does not cover it. And what had he been doing all these years, by the way?)
Anyway... what they did right: The explanation of what happened between Mulder and Scully. Mulder's depression. Scully's concern for him and the 'I don't blame you for us ending and I still care for you'. Mulder's need to 'latch on to' something and the more modern (I guess?) angle of the extra terrestrial bit. They gave Mulder way too little time to adapt to this new 'truth' though, it felt like he accepted it too fast. That whole bit could have been season finale stuff, not first episode stuff. Also handing Mulder a space vessel within the first 30 minutes? He used to wait 500 episodes or something to see something that remotely resembled an alien. The new girl is an excellent actress. And although a bit cheesy, I liked how they used the whole 'make the population accepting and docile' stuff. It just should have been written better.
As with pretty much everything else.
I'm still gonna watch the rest though. Mainly because I want to see if it gets any better.
Honestly the first part of the first episode it felt like Mulder and Scully were playing parodies of their old characters. It's as if the actors were well aware of how bad this was going to end up
And what's with the storytelling? Important scenes are left out, only to be disclosed to the viewer when a character learns it. Skinner shows up out of nowhere - we don't even see him meet up with the two characters like suggested at the beginning of the episode - and then bam, the X-files has been reopened? What? Why? What did I miss? I'm pretty sure I was paying close attention? I mean they probably explained it in a sentence somewhere, but I don't want to being told it's been reopened, I want to be in the room with Mulder and Scully when they learn. I want Mulder's reaction, and Scully's skepticism. (I know we see that skepticism when she has that talk with Mulder, but still.)
Honestly it felt like the script was 2 hours of film, but they realised it too late and had to cut out a lot of the scenes.
Then there's the filming. What's with all of the close ups? The original X-files was beautifully lit and shot, this felt like it didn't succeed with any of it.
Also, the FBI was always like a third main character in the show: The suits, the name badges, the FBI executives, their offices... none of that was really present. (Mitch Pileggi in a worn down office space does not cover it. And what had he been doing all these years, by the way?)
Anyway... what they did right: The explanation of what happened between Mulder and Scully. Mulder's depression. Scully's concern for him and the 'I don't blame you for us ending and I still care for you'. Mulder's need to 'latch on to' something and the more modern (I guess?) angle of the extra terrestrial bit. They gave Mulder way too little time to adapt to this new 'truth' though, it felt like he accepted it too fast. That whole bit could have been season finale stuff, not first episode stuff. Also handing Mulder a space vessel within the first 30 minutes? He used to wait 500 episodes or something to see something that remotely resembled an alien. The new girl is an excellent actress. And although a bit cheesy, I liked how they used the whole 'make the population accepting and docile' stuff. It just should have been written better.
As with pretty much everything else.
I'm still gonna watch the rest though. Mainly because I want to see if it gets any better.
Clement Rage
Pro Adventurer
Is it a good idea to have seen the others before starting this?
Animexcel
Pro Adventurer
A light-hearted one last night. My sister who doesn't know the show well was like "Is it suppose to be funny?" and it kinda caught me off guard too. That Scully scene ._. I'll admit, I do like these kinds of episodes when it's a less serious tone. One of my favorite ones i remember was the one shot in black and white about a man with a disfigured face.. the name of the ep may have been called "Mask". It ended with Mulder and Scully dancing to Walking in Memphis. edit: episode was called "The Post-Modern Prometheus" actually..
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wayfarer
ACF Refugee
- AKA
- Fenrir/Cerberus
@ Fangu
I agree that one of the most important things that got lost translating this show for a modern audience was the look. X-Files was the first show I ever binge-watched, and I was like 13 years old. Revisiting the show recently I was SO blown away by how great some of the early seasons looked. Some of the coolest camera work on television I think I've ever seen. Every shot really counts, they say so much and really did so much for the mood and aesthetic of each episode, not to mention the show abroad.
These new episodes look like super slick sexy Fox programming. It doesn't look awful obviously, but it feels decidedly less X-Filesy. I haven't watched the comedic one yet, I probably will before the end of the night--but I'm hoping it's going to get better.
I agree that one of the most important things that got lost translating this show for a modern audience was the look. X-Files was the first show I ever binge-watched, and I was like 13 years old. Revisiting the show recently I was SO blown away by how great some of the early seasons looked. Some of the coolest camera work on television I think I've ever seen. Every shot really counts, they say so much and really did so much for the mood and aesthetic of each episode, not to mention the show abroad.
These new episodes look like super slick sexy Fox programming. It doesn't look awful obviously, but it feels decidedly less X-Filesy. I haven't watched the comedic one yet, I probably will before the end of the night--but I'm hoping it's going to get better.