Chris Carter

[Guest ZeusFaber]

as for actually writing, i think he is a little sick. There are far better writers, such as Spotnitz...  I mean, prime CC example, season 5, x files, 'Post-Modern Prometheous' CC writes a funny, light hearted episode about women getting raped and impregnated by a monster... he has a strange view on things IMO.

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"The Post-Modern Prometheus" was, IMO, a fantastic work of writing and direction. A wonderfully crafted tale of postmodernity and metafiction, expertly questioning our levels of reality and underscoring the role the series itself has achieved in contemporary culture. A masterstroke on all of these complex and layered depths.

Add to this a superb story in colluquay with Mary Shelley's classic, framed as a comic book, the inspired black-and-white cinematography, art direction and make-up, and you have one of my favourite episodes of the series.

While Frank Spotnitz has his own talents, I believe CC exceeds him as both a writer and a director. "Duane Barry", "The List", "The Post-Modern Prometheus", "Triange", "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" and "Improbable" compare far more favourably to "Alone" and "Daemonicus" if you ask me.

Just my opinions, of course.

[4th Horseman]

I can't believe that there wasn't a thread on the guy in 1013 section of the forum! He created Millennium! LOL!

I think Chris carter has changed the way television shows are produced today. Before The X-Files and Millennium there was no other show which was brave enough to set a bold and dark tone to the visual and content of the show.

Any other opinions?

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Hey my friend...chronologically, are you talking of the past 10-15 years? I think if you go further back in time, Mr. Rod Serling definately deserves a nod with the origional "Twilight Zone". Many of those episodes were very, very dark and to this day still haunt the corridors of our minds. The kid who turns people into Jack-in the-boxes, the Agnes Moorehead episode where there was no dialog the entire show, etc..

Who was it that directed/produced the origional "Night Stalker" series. Several of those episodes, although campy at times, were on the up and up, darkness wise..

You are absolutely correct in the ways shows are done today. Just look at the multitude of shows dedicated to the "dark side" having been just released or will be in the future. "Revelations", "Carnivale", "Invasion" etc...

and you are also right in the fact it doesn't hurt you to surround yourself with the best writers, etc...just think of the ideas that were bantered about between Carter, Spotnitz, etc that DIDN'T get incorporated into MillenniuM...

[Guest zombieromero]

Good point Fourth Horseman!

[Raven Wolf]

"The Post-Modern Prometheus" was, IMO, a fantastic work of writing and direction.  A wonderfully crafted tale of postmodernity and metafiction, expertly questioning our levels of reality and underscoring the role the series itself has achieved in contemporary culture.  A masterstroke on all of these complex and layered depths.

Add to this a superb story in colluquay with Mary Shelley's classic, framed as a comic book, the inspired black-and-white cinematography, art direction and make-up, and you have one of my favourite episodes of the series.

While Frank Spotnitz has his own talents, I believe CC exceeds him as both a writer and a director.  "Duane Barry", "The List", "The Post-Modern Prometheus", "Triange", "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" and "Improbable" compare far more favourably to "Alone" and "Daemonicus" if you ask me.

Just my opinions, of course.

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I agree totally about "Prometheus". If people would just let go of the expectation for all of the X Files episodes being just exactly the same theme....done the exact same way, etc., and just back off and appreciate this work as a stand alone work of art, they might see what a masterpiece this is!

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Agreed. Not only is it inspired as a virtual essay on literature and film history, but it is also laugh-out-loud funny. A visual marvel with wonderous dialogue. What more could anyone ask?

This is one of those episode that I just can't understand the divisions it causes amongst online fandom. Some episodes you can imagine the disagreements right off, but not this one.

One of the all-time best XF episodes, and indeed one oft the all-time best hours of scripted drama IMO.

[Libby]

ZeusFaber:

I, too, liked PMP. I quickly understood that it was a homage to Frankenstein's monster but updated. I liked that it was the "perfect" person who was dabbling with nature just because he could, and ended up creating a monster who had to be hidden away. The plight of the "perfect" man's father, who loved his monstrous son and wanted to create a mate for him despite being a "simple" man who understood no more than what he'd learned from being a farmer, seemed to me to be at the heart of that episode.

There were some hilarious moments in the episode - I loved the drunken Mulder "smoking gun" peanut butter jar moment.

lonegungrrly:

I can understand your reaction, even though I didn't see the rape implication until fans started talking about that. That aspect had completely passed me by - a bit strange as I'm female, I guess, but I suppose I was only focussing on the science itself rather than how it was carried out. But I can appreciate that that aspect can blight the whole episode completely.

[Guest ZeusFaber]

The James Whale/Mary Shelley homages really are great fun, and so well executed. And I agree, it does have a whole load of heart.

Other comedic favourites of mine include the references to Izzy's parentage: "that pig stie there's his room!" A beautiful final moment too.

The whole rape issue also passed me by at first until I heard fans discussing it. I hardly think that the episode is intesionally condoning it. The crime is extremely fanciful, as is the perpetrator, and I don't think it bares comparison or symbolism to real life in any way at all. Indeed, the entire episode constantly reminds us that we are watching fiction, so I don't think there is any risk of anyone getting any ideas of moral messages from this episode.

[Guest lonegungrrly1121]

The James Whale/Mary Shelley homages really are great fun, and so well executed.  And I agree, it does have a whole load of heart.

Other comedic favourites of mine include the references to Izzy's parentage: "that pig stie there's his room!"  A beautiful final moment too.

The whole rape issue also passed me by at first until I heard fans discussing it.  I hardly think that the episode is intesionally condoning it.  The crime is extremely fanciful, as is the perpetrator, and I don't think it bares comparison or symbolism to real life in any way at all.  Indeed, the entire episode constantly reminds us that we are watching fiction, so I don't think there is any risk of anyone getting any ideas of moral messages from this episode.

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I understand the episodes intentions, and I thought that it was a novel way to celebrate episode 100 (?) The Frankenstein references were really well thought out and fun and the episode was heart warming. It just occured to me that when you take it out of that fictional, fairy tale box, the plot is a bit bizarre. but, seen as it's never meant to be taken literally, it didn't stop me from liking the episode :)

[Guest ZeusFaber]

PMP was episode 102.

"Unusual Suspects" was the 100th episode aired, "Redux II" was the 100th episode produced.

[Guest lonegungrrly1121]

PMP was episode 102.

"Unusual Suspects" was the 100th episode aired, "Redux II" was the 100th episode produced.

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near enough lol thanks for the info :)