The X Files: Season 1

I was a big fan of the X-Files when they were shown on the BBC back in the mid 90's. Unlike most other primetime shows, these mini-movies were beautifully shot and lit, the use of realistic lighting in many scenes juxtaposing with the use of abstract lighting in others. Deep shadows were common place, again a relativly new style then, though its legacy can be seen in many of the shows that followed.

Revisiting the X-File after 10 years really brought back to me why I loved this show. The stories are well crafted, the acting is, on the most part excellent (I've decidided that David Duchovney is one of the only actors who can cry convincingly on screen!). It has humour, horror, action and conspiracy, what more could you want?

But where the X-Files really excels is in the fact that it treats its audience as if it is intelligent, there are few "dead scenes" filled with needless recaps or explanations. This allows each 43 minute episode to speed along at quite a pace, fitting into each a lot more story than you are likely to find in most 2 hour Hollywood thrillers today.

This is TV at its best, the BBC killed the X-Files off for me with its bizarre scheduling of the later series'. With this pretty cheap but excellent DVD release I can at last, discover the truth! When you consider a Star Trek boxset sells for 70 odd pounds, this is an amzing bargain. By the 1st series as a test. I should warn you though, you will be hooked and with 9 series to get through, you'll have plenty to sate your appetite.

I find it hard to believe that up until buying these DVD boxsets, I didn't see that many full episodes of The X Files on their original showing in the 1990's and I can't really make any excuses for this other than I just couldn't be bothered at the time even though I knew that I would love it if I watched it properly, although looking at the BBC air dates of each episode featured in the booklet (very nicely done) of this season one boxset and some of the other seasons, I am kind of glad that I didn't because acccording to this information, some of the episodes were not shown in the correct order and I really hate it when programmes are treated this way. Anyway like I said, I may have missed out properly the first time round but thankfully these boxsets have given me a second chance to appreciate something that I already knew, that this is one of those programmes that I truly believe will stand the test of time.

First of all I find Mulder and Scully very likeable lead characters and not in anyway annoying or shallow. Their relationship in this starts as nothing, but overtime their trust for each other gets stronger and stronger and this is done in a very quiet and clever way as to never get too much in the way of each story. Another great thing about this programme is that everybody that as seen it has their favourite episodes and not so favourite which proves how diverse it is. Personally I don't think there is such a thing as a bad episode of The X files, I believe people only think this because of the high standard of the ones that they do like. Anyway, this is where I am going to end my comments about this fantastic programme as I can't see the point in spoiling it for anyone that has never seen it. I just want to give a special mention in particular to these M-lock boxsets in the way that they are designed, out of all the boxsets that I own, these are definetly up there with the best of them and find them very tidy and unlike some they don't take too long to open. Also, there are some nice extras, for example a PC game, international clips which I find amusing, Chris Carter talking about certain episodes and TV adverts for every single episode, which strangely I also enjoy, so these are excellent value for money.

So one final comment on the programme itself, if like me you don't want sky TV and you never saw this properly first time round or are just too young to remember it and are interested in anything to do with UFO's and the Paranormal, then like me you are in for an advert freezone, watch at your own pace, absolute treat and remember THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE (sorry I tried but just couldn't resist).

There's something about season 1 of the X Files that I just love. It's a much simpler time for the series, without the presence of complicated mythology story arcs and in jokes. The X Files at this time, was a whole new concept. And we're given some of the darkest and strangest episodes of the entire 9 years that the show ran.

The X Files season 1 presents stand alone stories of top quality horror. The alien episodes themselves are fascinating, leaving the audience desperate for the truth that won't even be hinted at for another two years.

The stand alone eps are arguably better in this series than any other. My personal favourites include "Darkness Falls" and "Ice" in which Mulder and Scully are terrorised by agent bugs released from a cut down tree and trapped in an antarctic research lab where there's a parasite infecting the team...

Buy this series if you're just getting started, or if you want some horror/sci fi stories that can just be watched without worrying about the back story.