Case 05, File 20: The End

AKA: Not Actually The End We've Got Like Six Seasons Left

I dunno if I can really explain to readers right now, especially those who weren't there, how huge The X-Files was during its initial run. It seems to regarded as something of a niche property now, but it was big in a way TV shows really can't be anymore. The biggest show right now is The Big Bang Theory, which typically pulls in between 8 and 10 million viewers during it's current season. The X-Files season 5 regularly pulled in over 20 million. With so many viewers and the show barreling towards a movie, it comes down to the show to put up a barn burner of a finale leading into the feature. Or maybe...an Office Burner. Oh god that was awful.

Case 05, File 19: Folie a Deux

AKA: Machines Made Of Meat

Mulder is fucking weirdo. I love the man dearly, I hope that is beyond question at this point, but there is no getting around the fact that by any standard of human behavior, Mulder is a weird fuckin' dude. Depending on the episode this can either be a light hearted joke or a searing insight into his character, depending on how the episode wants to frame other people's reactions, but it is odd to see the series occasionally try to frame an entire episode around people thinking he's crazy.

Case 05, File 18: The Pine Bluff Variant

AKA: I Don't Remember Point Break Well Enough To Make A Reference To It

One of the central tensions of The X-Files is that it is deeply, consistently distrustful of the government, almost to the point of paranoia (and I am not one to trust the government, trust me on that). But it's also about government employees who are doing government work. And not like Parks and Rec, they work for the FBI, their job is often to track down people who are against the government. It's a weird energy for the series and one which only a few episodes manage to address head on.