Case 11, File 10: My Struggle IV

 AKA: The End. No, For Real This Time

The end of Season 10 and the beginning of Season 11 were marked by the series giving us a huge, life changing cliffhanger, which it then had to take back rapidly. And I don't want to speak too broadly, but my impression is that everyone hated it. If I was the creator of The X-Files, that would leave me with one major goal for what is the ultimate series finale; Don't go out on an incredibly unsatisfying cliffhanger you'll have to walk back if you get another season.

Case 11, File 09: Nothing Lasts Forever

AKA: Jenna Maroney Starts A Cult

One of the things that happens as a series runs towards the end is they start to get melancholic and a wee bit meta. If it seems like I've said this before, it's because this would be the third time The X-Files has done this (because this is the third time it's come to an end). I will say that however that this time around the plot they landed on, about a pair of people desperate to extend their lifespans at all costs, is a little on the nose for a show that's nearly 30 years old and feels more than a little past its sell by date.

Case 11, File 08: Familiar

AKA: I Can't AKA This Episode, I'm Too Busy Watching For THAT FUCKING FACE

One of the advantages The X-Files has over, say, a horror movie, is that a lot of the basic stuff it needs is already squared away. We know who our leads are, why they're involved, what their goals are, etc. so a lot of the busy work of writing a script is already squared away, and audience investment is guaranteed. What that means in this case is that, when you get down to brass tacks, you can probably get away with just a mediocre script and a damn fine monster.

Case 11, File 07: Rm9sbG93ZXJz

AKA: Apparently The Title Means "Followers" In Base 64 Code. Yes Wikipedia Told Me That

One of the most maligned episodes of the early X-Files was Ghost in the Machine, and rightly so. While it had the germ of a good idea (a haunted house where the house is an alive computer) the execution and style left a LOT to be desired. But honestly, in the nearly 30 years since that episode first aired, it's only felt more and more prescient, as elements of the internet and AI infect every single aspect of our lives. So maybe it might be worst idea to take another swing at the Evil AI concept.