Source
r/XFiles•
TacticTime

How far are the X-Files worth looking into?

I recently started watching and have gotten through the first three seasons - so far I love it. I've heard daunting rumors, however, that the show starts to crash after season 5. Is this true? Do the show ever reach any fulfilling conclusion in the ninth season?

Thanks for any answers - no spoilers if possible please.

EDIT: Thanks for all the advice guys. Seems the general consensus is that it's good through season seven, but I should push through and finish anyway. I shall remain true to the paranormal and make a push for it. Thanks for the advice!

Posted Oct 29, 2011, 8:52 AM UTC · edited

1320
Clex-•

You can't have an impartial answer to that question.

I'd say the whole show is worth giving it a shot, even though the last two seasons are kinda disappointing. Anyway, in less than a year the last episode will be 10 year old and X-Files is still my favorite show.

During those 10 years a bunch of series were aired and I think only "Breaking Bad" came close to the X-Files in my personal top. Many of this series are really disappointing and I would do anything to forget X-Files and re-watch this show with a fresh mind.

6
Brimace•

Its not a coincidence. Breaking Bad is written by one of the best X-files writers.

4
Clex-•

Yeah, I wonder if this could cloud my judgement.

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TacticTimeOP•

Sounds interesting - I'll definitely check out Breaking Bad

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mskrebstar•

Vince is definitely responsible for some of the best episodes. I think it's utterly unsurprising that he's the one who brought us "Momento Mori".

1
Brimace•

I stopped watching them on the original broadcasts after Mulder left. I couldn't bring myself to watch T1000 ruin my favorite show.

Since then, I've gone back and watched the series in its entirety. Agent Doggett turns out to be a decent character and has some genuinely good episodes.

I think the show really jumped the shark when they introduced Monica Reyes. At that point, it was obvious that they were going to try to replace Dana and try to maintain the show through perpetually changing over the main character. Didn't pan out to say the least.

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[deleted]•

Jumped the shark. I see what you did there...

Yep. Reyes ruined it. Doggett was suprisingly good. That scene when he pushes Mulder against the wall, saying something to the effect of, "if you're not invested, then Gtfo" really penetrated the behind the scenes melodrama with Duchovny.

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abiogenic•

Season 6 is my favorite season, and season 7 has a lot of amazing episodes as well. Hell, seasons 8 and 9 are disappointing, but I still look fondly on a lot of those episodes, too.

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[deleted]•

I agree. I loved the first half of season 7. Season 5, 6 are my favorites. Season 8, 9 might be disappointing but only after the mind-blowing seasons before it.

The last episode is supposed to be the conclusion. I personally loved it, reminded me of seasons 1-3. The few episodes leading up to it are tear-jerkers as well.

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pnpbios•

It's worth watching the whole thing. It's more or less an experience, and when you talk with other fans, you might get funny looks if you give up after season 5. There are the good episodes, and the not so good ones.

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geeklove1013•

Definetely worth watching the whole series. There are going to be parts you don't like, but the good wholly outweighs anything unpleasant!

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Tartantyco•

For me the X-Files ends mid-season 6, with "One Son", which pretty much ties up the original story arc. There are some pretty good episodes in the later seasons though. I never really bothered to involve myself in the story arcs beyond "One Son" though, so I can't really say much about the quality of that.

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Yankeehero•

Am I the only one who wasn't totally disappointed in the last two seasons? Or at least they are made acceptable by the final episodes which I thought were just amazing.

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sketchampm•

You aren't alone. There are many episodes in seasons 8 and 9 that I love, and I absolutely adore Doggett's character. It's sad that we are so rare. :(

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MyNameIsntTyler•

Definitely up through season 6. Season 5 is my favorite though

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killerhatz55•

It's kinda like prison break... after awhile they just cant top themselves anymore

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TheGoodDrStrawngarm•

Not quite...though I do remember thinking "How many goddamn prisons are they gonna break out of?" around season 3? I think it was.

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Poseur117•

I've actually been doing my first go through of the X-Files for the past month or so. I'm nearing the end of season 5.

Overall, I'd say the show has remained pretty consistently good. Every season so far has had a handful (4-6 episodes max) that I'd qualify as stinkers.

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TacticTimeOP•

There seem to be a few lame episodes in every good show, so I can't hold that against them. I'm glad to hear that it's been good through at least season five - I'll definitely keep at it.

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mskrebstar•

I would say you're safe up through season seven. S7 isn't the best, but I think after that it really tanks. Doggett is a really good character, and Reyes is fun to make fun of... But the reality is that everything sort of fell apart after that. The writing was a lot weaker. I'm actually the only one of my friends who lasted through the original airings to the end, and that's saying a lot considering the X-Files was what originally brought us together in school.

If you're a shipper, it's an interesting study in the relationship between Mulder and Scully (and the lack of one in comparison between Doggett and Reyes), but other than that, the last two seasons are pretty bad. And IWTB was just inexcusably awful.

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