General TV & Streaming thread

[505thAirborne]

So who else watched the X-files tonight??

[David Hingtgen]

Me! But that was more than enough "govt aliens conspiracy" stuff to absorb, even for a fan. Can't imagine they'd gain many new fans with an opening like that--probably scared them off.

Waiting for "monster of the week" eps. (when you've only got 6 episodes, you don't have a lot of time to try to wrap up the whole series-long conspiracy arc, nor should you try)

[azrael]

Heard people got only half of the episode DVR'd cuz the game went long and the postgame show ate 30 minutes of the premiere. They should probably re-air the premiere before next week. And yeah, I was channel flipping since the airing was delayed but I think I caught the jist of it.

[Duke Togo]

On Demand is your friend

[Mommar]

So who else watched the X-files tonight??

I watched it. Kind of a one foot in the 90's, one foot in the 2010's vibe. They certainly aren't ducking the visuals like they used to in the old show. And they managed to side-step the old conspiracy but not invalidate it well enough. Certainly they're playing on modern fears with shadow puppetry and public manipulation by humans though the US being the ultimate tipping point seems a little forced.

[Duke Togo]

I watched it. Kind of a one foot in the 90's, one foot in the 2010's vibe. They certainly aren't ducking the visuals like they used to in the old show. And they managed to side-step the old conspiracy but not invalidate it well enough. Certainly they're playing on modern fears with shadow puppetry and public manipulation by humans though the US being the ultimate tipping point seems a little forced.

It is a bit of an incomprehensible mess which totally fails at world building and establishing its logic for the audience. There was a moment where I thought it was going to go super-meta, and Mulder was going to realize they were actually part of a fictional TV show. But no, it was nothing that interesting. I hope the other five episodes are better than this.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Duke Togo

[derex3592]

It is a bit of an incomprehensible mess which totally fails at world building and establishing its logic for the audience. There was a moment where I thought it was going to go super-meta, and Mulder was going to realize they were actually part of a fictional TV show. But no, it was nothing that interesting. I hope the other five episodes are better than this.

Kinda got the same vibe myself -- I wanted to like it a LOT more than I did. Hopefully part two tonight will be good to round out the premier. Scully seemed overly bitchy. Almost like she didn't really wanna be in the thing. Mulder was good though.

[Kanedas Bike]

So who else watched the X-files tonight??

Me.

Was mildly annoyed, even though I watched the game last night, that the ceremony afterwards was 30 minutes.

On Demand is your friend

Which is why I agree and will watch it again tonight before the 2nd part airs at 9 pm. Although it would suck for anyone that doesn't have cable or satellite.

I watched it. Kind of a one foot in the 90's, one foot in the 2010's vibe. They certainly aren't ducking the visuals like they used to in the old show. And they managed to side-step the old conspiracy but not invalidate it well enough. Certainly they're playing on modern fears with shadow puppetry and public manipulation by humans though the US being the ultimate tipping point seems a little forced.

Agreed. But I'm betting on a "twist".

Kinda got the same vibe myself -- I wanted to like it a LOT more than I did. Hopefully part two tonight will be good to round out the premier. Scully seemed overly bitchy. Almost like she didn't really wanna be in the thing. Mulder was good though.

Mulder was awesome. Scully was extra Scully-ish. Skinner came across as extra-extra untrustworthy. And all of this being kicked off by the Not-A-Fox-News Host seemed dumb.

...

But, it's X-Files, and only (6) episodes, I'll give the entire run a watch.

-b.

[derex3592]

Thoughts on episode 2???

[Mommar]

It is a bit of an incomprehensible mess which totally fails at world building and establishing its logic for the audience. There was a moment where I thought it was going to go super-meta, and Mulder was going to realize they were actually part of a fictional TV show. But no, it was nothing that interesting. I hope the other five episodes are better than this.

I don't know about incomprehensible, it was pretty clear to me what was happening.

[Duke Togo]

Thoughts on episode 2???

Much better and more coherent than episode 1. Also, Akira. I'm thankful they're moving off the alien conspiracy storyline for episode 3, as it was always my least favorite facet of the show. I'm much more a fan of the monster of the week.

[Mommar]

Wait, they already aired episode 2???

[azrael]

Wait, they already aired episode 2???

Yep. Episodes 1 & 2 were aired on consecutive nights. The rest of the mini series will air weekly.

[Kanedas Bike]

Much better and more coherent than episode 1. Also, Akira. I'm thankful they're moving off the alien conspiracy storyline for episode 3, as it was always my least favorite facet of the show. I'm much more a fan of the monster of the week.

Ha! I see what you did there Tetsuo.

The second episode was okay, but overall it felt too rushed. This only being 6 episodes will end up being a blessing and curse.

-b.

[505thAirborne]

Finally got to watch part 2, definitely one of the better X-Files episodes in a long time and I enjoyed it more than Sunday night's, nice touch of Akira at the end there. Was fun to see Aaron Douglas (aka The Chief, BSG) with a guest part. Looking forward to the next episode.

I will say this, the use of the Original intro = Good Times!

[azrael]

Episode 2 was much better. Episode 1 felt like we were playing catch-up on 15 years of events. Episode 2 felt a bit more "comfortable". It's still a little rushed but this is a mini-series so I don't expect them to waste much time, which is fine.

[Keith]

My thoughts.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Keith

[myk]

When Fight the Future debuted in 1999 (?) I had to endure Scully's well worn speech about how Mulder was a wide eyed conspiracy chaser, while she was the logical voice of reason sent to keep him in check. 16 years later we're getting the same rhetoric and the same 'old story: Mulder chasing Martian men while Scully laughably rolls her eyes in contempt and disbelief in the opposite side of the room. After decades of running with Mulder has she not been able to either see the light of Mulder's cause, OR sensibly run away from it? As I remember it, Scully was at the center of many of the subplots that Mulder encountered, but I guess she just has to remain the eternal skeptic.

The point I'm trying to make is that we've done the X Files dance one time too many. I was all about the series back in the day but it's time has passed. The characters can't or won't grow out of their belief systems. If they did, I could imagine the show would be rather boring. Why can't we just let the X Files RIP in the history of its former success?

[Keith]

When Fight the Future debuted in 1999 (?) I had to endure Scully's well worn speech about how Mulder was a wide eyed conspiracy chaser, while she was the logical voice of reason sent to keep him in check. 16 years later we're getting the same rhetoric and the same 'old story: Mulder chasing Martian men while Scully laughably rolls her eyes in contempt and disbelief in the opposite side of the room. After decades of running with Mulder has she not been able to either see the light of Mulder's cause, OR sensibly run away from it? As I remember it, Scully was at the center of many of the subplots that Mulder encountered, but I guess she just has to remain the eternal skeptic.

The point I'm trying to make is that we've done the X Files dance one time too many. I was all about the series back in the day but it's time has passed. The characters can't or won't grow out of their belief systems. If they did, I could imagine the show would be rather boring. Why can't we just let the X Files RIP in the history of its former success?

Fringe: The X-Files done right.

[Duke Togo]

Here's the thing, myk: Scully isn't a skeptic anymore, and I think the story loses something when she's walking around with her alien DNA. She has bought into it because she's living proof, and that's just less interesting to me.

And why do they still call each other Scully and Mulder? They had a kid together. You'd think they'd be on a first-name basis.

[Kanedas Bike]

Fringe: The X-Files done right.

Truth.

​Or at the very least Fringe was excellent in that there was a defined beginning, middle and end.

Here's the thing, myk: Scully isn't a skeptic anymore, and I think the story loses something when she's walking around with her alien DNA. She has bought into it because she's living proof, and that's just less interesting to me.

And why do they still call each other Scully and Mulder? They had a kid together. You'd think they'd be on a first-name basis.

Yeah, but how many times did they refer to each other by Fox or Dana? Rarely, if ever, before or after the birth of their kid.

Also, the audience knows the character as Scully and Mulder - it'd be like if Luke and Han called one another Skywalker and Solo.

-b.

[azrael]

One thing I did find quite annoying in episode 2 was Gillian Anderson's monotonic voice that had absolutely no emotion. At first, I thought it was just what the scene called for but then she did it in every scene she was in.

[Keith]

One thing I did find quite annoying in episode 2 was Gillian Anderson's monotonic voice that had absolutely no emotion. At first, I thought it was just what the scene called for but then she did it in every scene she was in.

It's been a while, maybe she doesn't have a handle on her accent yet.

[505thAirborne]

One of the more unique X-Files episodes.

[Mommar]

I wish they'd have just left the show on Sunday night. I just can't find the time to watch it on Monday. I've missed episodes 2 and 3 now.

[ErikElvis]

The expanse anybody? I thought the first episode was really good then seemed to have a different vibe for a few episodes I was kinda meh with. I'm all caught up and liking it again.

[Kanedas Bike]

Can't recall...did The X-Files have any other jump-the-shark episodes, because last night's episode...

And don't get me wrong, I would have appreciated the tone had this been in the original run, but in a 6 episode event or arc it seemed like a gigantic time-waster above and beyond any 'subtle' messages they wanted to make about Scully, Mulder and the show in general.

-b.

[miles316]

I kinda liked Fox having a Mid-life crisis through out the hole episode "I fell off the wagon and drank the hole Bottle".

What was the Motel Manager drinking?

I also liked the reference to Her Man eating Dog Quekway.

Edited February 2, 2016 by miles316

[505thAirborne]

The expanse anybody? I thought the first episode was really good then seemed to have a different vibe for a few episodes I was kinda meh with. I'm all caught up and liking it again.

Watching the season Finale right now and look forward to season 2!

As for X-Files, Mulder's ring tone was classic!!

[Einherjar]

[505thAirborne]

This was absolutely perfect!!

[Duke Togo]

This was absolutely perfect!!

Yeah, that was a good one. Even if I haven't had pizza rolls in 20 years.

[Einherjar]

Congrats to the Denver Broncos for finally proving The Simpsons wrong.

[505thAirborne]

Yeah, that was a good one. Even if I haven't had pizza rolls in 20 years.

I had those pizza rolls once when I like 9, never had them again.

Last night's SNL was great, Michael Che's weekend update segment on weed was hysterical!

[ErikElvis]

Watched all the x files now. I liked the Vibe through it all. I kinda forgot how the original xfiles shows were as I watched them At like 13 or 14. These totally rehydrated my thoughts. Kinda cheesy but with serious undertones.

I'm not quite sure what the goal of the 6 episodes is though?