The X-files, fresh as flowers

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

As previously mentioned, I recently purchased a DVD box set of the Abduction episodes, and I have gotten around to watching them recently. As expected, I really enjoyed the two episodes that most inspired me to buy the set, Deep Throat and One Breath. What has surprised me is how fresh the series feels after these past few years of only catching an occasional episode here and there. I find myself not even remembering parts of many of the other episodes, and enjoying them almost as much as the first couple of times I saw them. One of the big surprises was the Red Museum, which I didn't really remember as being very good. I don't remember what threw me off the first time around, but I actually found it pretty interesting and enjoyed it this time. It had a nice human story weaved into the plot. I was surprised when I saw the episode ranked an 8 out of 10 on an X-files page recently, but after watching it, it's probably pretty close, maybe a 7.5 for me. None of the others I have seen so far are any big surprise. They are simply the kind of brilliant classic X-files episodes that sucked me into the series, and with the Pilot, Fallen Angel, and E.B.E, I continue to be very pleased with the incredible selection this set offers, as well as some of the great episodes I have to look forward to on the next three discs. I've come to realize that it has now been at least 5 or 6 years sense I have been anything close to a regular viewer. I'll have to be on the lookout for other X-files bargains.

[Guest Frank L.]

I too am always pleasantly surprised by Red Museum. Great episode and nice tie-in with the season 1 finale. I don't have the seperate 'arc dvd sets', because I have the season dvd's, but the Abduction boxset you bought features an audio commentary by Chris Carter on 'Duane Barry' (I think I read that somewhere). I'm very curious about that. Have you listened to it?

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

I too am always pleasantly surprised by Red Museum. Great episode and nice tie-in with the season 1 finale. I don't have the seperate 'arc dvd sets', because I have the season dvd's, but the Abduction boxset you bought features an audio commentary by Chris Carter on 'Duane Barry' (I think I read that somewhere). I'm very curious about that. Have you listened to it?

Yes, I am considering getting some of the season sets, but I'll have to see what I can get them for and what other stuff pops up that I might be interested in buying. It would be nice to have them for sure though, especially if I run across any great bargains, as I did with the Abduction series. As for the Chris Carter commentary, I have not heard it. I know that the special features are in great demand from many fans, but I have never watched any of them on X-files or MM. It's just a little quirk/pet peeve of mine.

[Guest SouthernCelt]

As previously mentioned, I recently purchased a DVD box set of the Abduction episodes, and I have gotten around to watching them recently. As expected, I really enjoyed the two episodes that most inspired me to buy the set, Deep Throat and One Breath. What has surprised me is how fresh the series feels after these past few years of only catching an occasional episode here and there. I find myself not even remembering parts of many of the other episodes, and enjoying them almost as much as the first couple of times I saw them. One of the big surprises was the Red Museum, which I didn't really remember as being very good. I don't remember what threw me off the first time around, but I actually found it pretty interesting and enjoyed it this time. It had a nice human story weaved into the plot. I was surprised when I saw the episode ranked an 8 out of 10 on an X-files page recently, but after watching it, it's probably pretty close, maybe a 7.5 for me. None of the others I have seen so far are any big surprise. They are simply the kind of brilliant classic X-files episodes that sucked me into the series, and with the Pilot, Fallen Angel, and E.B.E, I continue to be very pleased with the incredible selection this set offers, as well as some of the great episodes I have to look forward to on the next three discs. I've come to realize that it has now been at least 5 or 6 years sense I have been anything close to a regular viewer. I'll have to be on the lookout for other X-files bargains.

A question from an XF fan who's not yet invested in any of the series DVDs: How many seasons does the Abduction set cover and how many episodes are included? (You don't have to literally count them, a ballpark estimate will do.) Thanks.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

A question from an XF fan who's not yet invested in any of the series DVDs: How many seasons does the Abduction set cover and how many episodes are included? (You don't have to literally count them, a ballpark estimate will do.) Thanks.

I'm not sure about the other "mixed" DVD sets, but the "Abduction" box set only seems to go through season 3, and ends with Paper Clip. The set has two cases, similar to the 6 cases in the Millennium box sets, but each case in this set contains two discs (four total). There are a total of 15 episodes. Now that I think about it, I am curious as to why this set only goes through season 3. I wonder if they don't think there are any more episodes that would be categorized as "abduction", or if they think these are the great classics or what. I find it hard to believe that there aren't more abduction episodes in seasons 4 through 9. I'll have to check into that.

[Raven Wolf]

Has anyone noticed scenes in the DVD versions of The X Files that we never saw on TV?

Terry & I were watching Dead Calm. (can't remember the correct spelling) last night, and there is a scene....where what's-his-name that took Mulder & Scully there to that ghost ship is talking to the hot looking blond Sweed, and the sweed says he'll tell the guy the secret of how he hasn't aged if the other guy lets him go.... We all saw that before, but then there is a scene with the blond guy, dead against a blood spatterd wall, and the sailer dude is drinking out of a toilet....and I don't remember seeing that scene before.

Can someone help me here? I thought before it was never explained, and the sailer dude just claimed he fell asleep and that was it.

[Guest betweenthelines]

'Red Museum' was part of the Abduction set? I never really thought of that episode as being part of the myth-arc. It is one of my favorites from the second season, though.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

'Red Museum' was part of the Abduction set? I never really thought of that episode as being part of the myth-arc. It is one of my favorites from the second season, though.

Yes, I never really thought of it as part of that story line either, but I guess when you think about it, the high school kids were abducted, and this is what originally got Mulder and Scully involved, so I guess it does fit. Speaking of the set, I just got done watching Ascension. "One Breath" has always been among, if not my favorite X-files episode, but I forgot how good "Duane Barry" and "Ascension" were. Until this week, I hadn't seen them in a long long time.

[Guest Laurent.]

Now that I think about it, I am curious as to why this set only goes through season 3. I wonder if they don't think there are any more episodes that would be categorized as "abduction", or if they think these are the great classics or what. I find it hard to believe that there aren't more abduction episodes in seasons 4 through 9. I'll have to check into that.

My thought on this is that it was named ABDUCTION because most of the early mytho episodes dealt with alien abduction, as opposed to the later ones set around BLACK OIL, COLONISATION and SUPER SOLDIERS. The choice of episode was only guided by the fact that they wanted the entire mythology covered in 4 sets of dvd... so that's why you have every mythologic episodes from the first three seasons and none from the other seasons. The title only serves to give a general feel about what these episodes are about. So you don't have every episode about alien abduction... just the first quarter of the mythology.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

My thought on this is that it was named ABDUCTION because most of the early mytho episodes dealt with alien abduction, as opposed to the later ones set around BLACK OIL, COLONISATION and SUPER SOLDIERS. The choice of episode was only guided by the fact that they wanted the entire mythology covered in 4 sets of dvd... so that's why you have every mythologic episodes from the first three seasons and none from the other seasons. The title only serves to give a general feel about what these episodes are about. So you don't have every episode about alien abduction... just the first quarter of the mythology.

Yes, I think that is a good explanation. From what I recall, a good deal of the "abduction" theme was covered early on in the series, but it just seems like they must have had additional episodes in S4 through S9 that dealt with abduction. I'm sure you are right though, it probably just came down to what episodes fit nicely in the package and were part of the ongoing story line, as opposed to later stand alone abduction episodes.