X-Files help

[Guest Laurent.]

Squeeze was definitely meant to show that the X-Files could a do a lot more than UFO stories. Obviously, it succeeded amazingly and set up standards for the next 150 standalones to come.

I wonder how different the show would have been if it wasn't for Squeeze and Morgan & Wong contribution to season 1.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

Squeeze was definitely meant to show that the X-Files could a do a lot more than UFO stories. Obviously, it succeeded amazingly and set up standards for the next 150 standalones to come.

I wonder how different the show would have been if it wasn't for Squeeze and Morgan & Wong contribution to season 1.

Ut oh, dangerous territory and I won't try to make this into a Morgan & Wong debate, but to me, Morgan and Wong were essential, and one of the best things to happen to the entertainment world. They are responsible in large part for many many many of my favorite X-files and Millennium episodes, and for the best season Millennium had to offer, season 2. Both shows had many brilliant writers, and one could argue that if M & W were not around, the others would have picked up the slack, but I consider them to be the best XF writers (with the possible exception of Chris Carter), and the best MM writers overall, and I can't imagine either series without them. I can't say that season one would not have been good if not for Morgan and Wong, but Tooms, Squeeze, Beyond The Sea, and E.B.E., are some of the best of the best, and Ice was very solid. Shadows was good but not great, and wasn't a stinker at least. Not only was their writing brilliant, but it really helped the show to keep things fresh, and as you say, establish X-files as a show about unexplained phenomena, not just a show about little green

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Regardless of individual opinions of Morgan & Wong (like MiB says, dangerous ground), I think it's important to point out that the series still would have incorporated different story types and approaches without them. It's not as if they came up with "Squeeze" all by themselves and transformed the show into what otherwise would have been a UFO/conspiracy every week. That never would have been the case, regardless of who wrote the first "monster-of-the-week".

As Chris Carter himself explains:

"We wanted to get right out of the box after 'Deep Throat' and do something that wasn't an alien story. It was a story that expanded the realm of what an X-File could be. As far as the germ of the idea, I had eaten some foie gras in France and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be intriguing if some human was interested in eating the livers of other humans?' That was the kernel of the idea, and [Morgan & Wong] turned it into a terrific, dramatic, and very scary episode."

[Guest Laurent.]

You're probably right that they didn't influence the format of The X-Files with their early episodes. What I meant was that they showed what the show could do. And I know other writers could have done the same thing if M&W hadn't been around but M&W did it with so much talent. For example; Ice, the idea of reclusion and isolation, having Mulder and Scully fight against a paranormal phenomena only with a few allies, the paranoia where you don't even know if your allies are not your enemies. This concept was re-used again in episodes like Darkness Falls and Firewalker...

Of course, if you fast forward into the latter seasons, almost nothing remained of the narrative tools incorporated by M&W since the show often changed its way of telling a story.

But maybe I shouldn't start a discussion on this "dangerous ground" as you say... and maybe this topic as gone through enough off-topic talks already (since originally 4thHorseman wanted to know which seasons to watch, we may have spoiled to much about the mythology in our arguments about the bests seasons).

P.S. Just in case; I do not want to take any credit away from Chris Carter, the guy is a genius and deserves all the praise, and even more, that he received for The X-Files.

Edited May 15, 2007 by Laurent.

[Guest ZeusFaber]

For example; Ice, the idea of reclusion and isolation, having Mulder and Scully fight against a paranormal phenomena only with a few allies, the paranoia where you don't even know if your allies are not your enemies. This concept was re-used again in episodes like Darkness Falls and Firewalker...

True enough, but it's an admitted riff on The Thing.

[Guest Moriarty]

True enough, but it's an admitted riff on The Thing.

I second that. "Ice" is totally influenced by "The Thing". I think that the influence is so big that you can see it as a hommage to that movie.

[Guest SouthernCelt]

I second that. "Ice" is totally influenced by "The Thing". I think that the influence is so big that you can see it as a hommage to that movie.

Since "The Thing" (Carpenter version) has been one of my scifi faves, I think I made a comment within a couple of minutes after the show started that it looked like either a rip-off or homage story. Probably anyone who ever saw "The Thing" would come to the same conclusion quickly.

[Guest Moriarty]

Since "The Thing" (Carpenter version) has been one of my scifi faves, I think I made a comment within a couple of minutes after the show started that it looked like either a rip-off or homage story. Probably anyone who ever saw "The Thing" would come to the same conclusion quickly.

Yes, I agree. I had the same reaction when I saw "Ice" for the first time. Only I think that it was definitely a homage. According to me that was obvious. Just like "Antipas" was a homage to "The Omen".

[HighPlainsDrifter]

The premise of MillenniuM was to be similar to the movie Seven.

[Guest Moriarty]

The premise of MillenniuM was to be similar to the movie Seven.

Yes, certainly for season 1 Se7en was a great influence. Then again, mainly for the pilot that is. Everything was done in great secret and when the executives of Fox asked what the series was going to be they got the answer: "It's like Se7en in Seattle".

Anyway, "Antipas' was in the 3rd season and I am sure that this episode was an hommage to "The Omen". Just like "Ice" was to "The Thing".

And yes, Se7ven is also one of my favorite movies of all time. I think I saw it at least 15 times and every time it gives me chills.

Edited May 15, 2007 by Moriarty