The x files episode - Millennium

[Timeisnear]

ZeusFaber: Yeah all seems right, but one thing is not so clear. If Skinner dont attack X, nobody be able save Mulders life, that means that ABH know if he leaving Mulder on ice, he die. Then why ABF lie somebody if he know that person die?? Its just nonsense..... And sorry about my late reply, my computure not working and i just write in my Ps3 and thats not so good...

[Guest Jim McLean]

In regards to the topic, I do agree that one can't begrudge "Millennium" for being more X-Files than anything. That's the nature of a sensible show - to look after it's own. And the X-Files had it's own consumer base to satisfy far more than it had any need to tie up all the lose ends.

That being said, I wrote a blog last year that points out what we can ascertain from the episode that does tie up loose ends. Certainly not conclusively, but logically you can pull out a vague timeline that does close a few doors. Bottomline is it is an end (be it for now). Frank and Jordan ride off into the sunset. To put it briefly, from being hunted by the Millennium group and on the run, to being out in the open, fighting a custody battle through the courts with no indication of fear of reprisals from the Group tells you a lot. To me that isn't a Group waiting its time or underground, it's a Group that is no longer what we saw in the series. "Millennium" shows a lot has changed and one can infer a lot about that - just nothing concrete. Oh yeah, the blog!

https://www.millennium-thisiswhoweare.net/t...p;showentry=550

[Guest ZeusFaber]

ZeusFaber: Yeah all seems right, but one thing is not so clear. If Skinner dont attack X, nobody be able save Mulders life, that means that ABH know if he leaving Mulder on ice, he die. Then why ABF lie somebody if he know that person die?? Its just nonsense..... And sorry about my late reply, my computure not working and i just write in my Ps3 and thats not so good...

You're assuming the ABH was thinking it all through to that extent, that he'd planned it all ahead of time. I don't think it needs to be as complicated as that. The ABH was simply toying with Mulder in the moment, like pulling the wings off a fly just to see what would happen. Mulder was going on and on pressing for an answer about Samantha, so maybe the ABH, not knowing the real answer, just decided to say anything to shut Mulder up. Remember his full words are: "She's alive. Can you die now?" So maybe what he was really thinking to himself was "if I give you an answer, any answer, would that be enough for you to accept death?"

People lie. Sometimes people lie without some huge calculated plan, they just lie because they can.

[Timeisnear]

Im not saying that is complicate, i think thats very easy. It seems that we are not ever agree. Another thing for my theory. First think is that Mulder has no chance survive on that place and ABH knows that and second thing is if ABH wants lie, then that answer is just wrong. Why ? Because that answer gives Mulder hope. And if i know right Syndicate and aliens not want Mulders research, Mulder must failed, then why ABH tells him something that more kick Mulder for action. And i think that words "Can you die now?" is exactly proof my theory... Iam wondered how far this conversation ends...hehe...

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Like I said, I reckon you're overthinking it. The ABH didn't sit down and plan all this out in advance, exactly what he was going to say and what the consequences would be. It was merely a spur of the moment thing. He's not the grand architect of the conspiracy, he just wanted to get to his ship and go, telling Mulder what he wanted to hear to shut him up.

I don't really know what your theory is at this stage, beyond the writers being useless and/or lazy. So I think it's best we just cheerfully agree to disagree.

[Guest Jim McLean]

If I was to comment on this topic, it really depends on your philospophy of serial story telling. I certainly agree this is nothing to do with writers/shows being "lazy". With the greatest respect to Timeisnear, I find "lazy" is often banded around by fans without any real consideration of the process of show making.

You have two trains of the thought: that a show's continuity should be static, linear and written with as little deviation from what has been established. This is hard to do in a serial show, simply from the fact you need to be constantly cross checking yourself against past work, and on a tight schedule that can be hard to prioritise.

Second train is that a show should be allowed to be flexible; that the tapestry should be fluid ensuring that continuity never looks to take priority over making an interesting episode. This is a process which is understandably taken for the most part in serial storywork - to varying degrees; that a serial should always be looking at making the best product at the time rather than overtly fussing over what has happened - particularly when 80% of your show won't be remembered by your mainstream, non-fan audience.

Sometimes you get a blend of the two. Battlestar Galactica is very careful to build and not actually contradict past occurrences, but at the same time, has a very fluid creative process which happily changes the direction of an arc to suit the present and future of the show.

In all cases, it's not laziness. I suspect with the X-Files, there was a change in continuity. That Closure wanted to create a closure the fans weren't expecting that wasn't actually set up back with Mulder's encounter with the ABH. That being said, I imagine the show saw no real direct definitive contradiction with the previous shows (given XF has always been aware it has a strong, wary fan base) and there was space to wiggle to allow the story to twist from what fans - and possibly the show - originally presumed. As Zeus says, there was enough space to find a satisfactory perspective to validate the outcome (in other words, you can simply presume that the ABH lied - simple as that).

It's just approaches to creating a product. In the end, that's what a TV show is. But the people on board are rarely lazy - they are professionals doing a job use a mode of production they prefer. Just sometimes it creates shifts in the internal narrative that is unpopular with fans. Just have to remember, and I don't mean to patronize, this is just a TV show, bound primarily by the need to tell a good story each week than creating a perfect mythology without areas of question.

And the beauty of the X-Files mythology is that there is little certainty as everything is shrouded in conspiracies!

[Timeisnear]

Iam really feel bad right now, because this mass is only my idiotic knowledge english knowledge... I just pick wrong word, i dont really mean lazy, for me storyline The X files is genius, but i can find right word... More satisfation word is probably easier, only because i think that main storyline or purpose Mulders work should be more complicated than just she is dead so long...Sorry for that i really dont know how that made that reply, its just only that i dont have some skills abou english.... And because that i not excatly understand full menaning replay Laredo...Sorry man but is so much hard phrase and words... I understand that you say that many series is have good point with past episodes like Battlestar galactica, i dont know, i never watchet BG i am more Firefly type, but i think that understand your point, for me is like Millennium, Dead like me, or Lost is nearly like that, iam not man that point on every bug in series i just wrote that where i think is more important mistake and only because

[Timeisnear]

i want start conversation, thats all... For ZeusFeber: Its seems thats ABH has two way theories and we both have good reasons belive ours... It seems like dead end for us. But its good conversation with you...And start to much confusing for me too muhehehe

[Guest Jim McLean]

Iam really feel bad right now, because this mass is only my idiotic knowledge english knowledge... I just pick wrong word, i dont really mean lazy, for me storyline The X files is genius, but i can find right word... More satisfation word is probably easier, only because i think that main storyline or purpose Mulders work should be more complicated than just she is dead so long...Sorry for that i really dont know how that made that reply, its just only that i dont have some skills abou english.... And because that i not excatly understand full menaning replay Laredo...Sorry man but is so much hard phrase and words... I understand that you say that many series is have good point with past episodes like Battlestar galactica, i dont know, i never watchet BG i am more Firefly type, but i think that understand your point, for me is like Millennium, Dead like me, or Lost is nearly like that, iam not man that point on every bug in series i just wrote that where i think is more important mistake and only because

Satisfaction is a good word! I understand what you mean now - and don't apologize for your English: better than any of my poor foreign languages! Yes, I can understand that: I can see how the switch in story in Closure or X-Files "Millennium" episode could be seen as not satisfying. I don't think anyone could really say "Millennium" was the ending to Millennium they wanted (though I don't think it's THAT bad).

Firefly - Joss Whedon - is a good example of someone who believes what's important is the episode rather than the history. He's very good at making changes link with what he has previously done (normally with humour) but he will switch and change his storylines to sort the show he's making, not to ensure it follows what he has done before.

To be honest, I wasn't pointing my finger at you being "lazy", or using the word. It's just a word I ALWAYS see used in arguments about TV and film - by people speaking English who DO have more words they could use! So don't take my post too personally - I was attacking a far bigger problem: English speaking people who love to say everything they don't like in TV is lazy. :)

[Timeisnear]

Thanks for understanding, sometimes i make confusing with what i try to say... For me Millennium episode of The X files is not satisfaction, but is not so wrong... But Samantha stuck in my head... Its just you found out there is adult and mature clone, then that live with CSM and that sort of stuff and finally get answer like Closure, its just like they want make complicate storyline but in the end its just dont know how, then they choose easyer way... I wait 7 series and than ... What the a f***? She just dead end of story... And its just good see that Adam Baldwyn aka Jane promoted to Knowie Rohrer, isnt it?? But just that facial hair is missing...hehehe...