Yeah - SPOILER ALERT - in a few more episodes, when he comes back, I think it's covered in a line of dialogue that's literally just "and not only are you back from the dead, but there are no more signs of your fatal brain disease, either!"

Mulder's mother dying is another one of the late-series retcon moments that really bugs me. Even though she wasn't a major character, she was fairly pivotal, especially in the early seasons. To write her off with Scully announcing "she had a disfiguring disease, so she killed herself. Sorry, Mulder" felt so…

Yeah, this episode should get some kind of "best episode based on the shakiest premise" award. After rewatching it this afternoon, I have to add - they did a good job writing around Gillian Anderson's absence, and it was great to see Doggett and Skinner working together, but it was too bad they couldn't work in a…

I love the shot where Doggett's trying to write his case file at the end and his fingers hesitate over the keys. Both the writers and the actor did a great job of introducing another skeptic but having his skepticism manifest differently than Scully's. Like, the Scully response to the weirdness is always "there must…

Speaking of the Red Sox, I've developed this personal theory that because Mulder grew up on Martha's Vineyard but is a Yankees/Knicks fan, he got used to getting his ass kicked at a very young age, thus preparing him for his underdog status in the FBI.

While I agree that The Gift is a good Doggett episode, am I the only one who feels irritated by the whole "Mulder secretly had a fatal disease" storyline? It just smacks of so much retcon to me. I need to re-watch before I rant any further, but after they handled Scully's cancer arc so beautifully (and fit it neatly…

…Is it just me, or is hearing Kelly Hogan's gorgeous voice coming out of that grotesquely-made-up face genuinely disconcerting?

I cannot give enough praise to Gillian Anderson for being able to make the most ridiculous, outlandish lines in this series seem like the most devastating thing you've ever heard. I always think of that episode back in season 5, I think, where she and Mulder have to watch all the videos with the subliminal messages,…

I thought the motive was to come to the US to get revenge on the people who built the chemical plant who killed his son, no?

Sweet Jane was the first song I learned to play on guitar. I want to say something insightful but I'm too effing sad.

On the plus side, it's a comic book, so no pretentious voice-overs!

MILD SPOILERS, MAYBE, AHEAD.

"I do not * gaze * at Assistant Director Skinner…."

I think I made this comment on the Home roundtable discussion last week (or maybe I just agreed with someone else who said it), but Home was never that scary to me. More of a "yikes! gross!' episode, but the thought of incestuously-mutated hillbillies doesn't really keep me up at night. Irresistible was far scarier,…

Agreed - there are a few moments in S9 that aren't terrible - John Doe, 4D, Lord of the Flies, Sunshine Days. But the supersoldiers plot never really gelled, and I still don't know what Cary Elwes was doing there. (…I'll hold the rest of my comments until we actually get to season 9.)

Definitely worth a look. Chris Carter is collaborating on the story, which is aiming to continue the mythology, rather than act as a MOTW. I enjoy a good graphic novel every once in a while, but I'm not the sort of person who makes a weekly trip to the comics shop. I have, however, been picking up Season 10 on the…

True, true. Not to mention "Over the Neptune/Mesh Gear Fox"!

GBV is one of the rare instances where I actually recommend starting with the Greatest Hits. "Human Amusements at Hourly Rates" is actually a pretty decent overview, and you can get the hang of both the lo-fi and the later, more polished stuff without becoming too overwhelmed. If you're into that, move on to the…

Word. X-Files is pretty much bisexual heaven. Ever more so if you're into bald guys built like a brick shithouse.

Great list! I was just talking about X-Files with one of my co-workers today, and I advised starting with the pilot episode. It does a remarkably good job of setting the tone for the rest of the show, even though Duchovny's playing Mulder a bit broader than in later episodes.