HALL OF FAME - The X-Files

The Truth is out there. Trust No One. Wow this show just blew my mind. The first mythology based show I ever watched. It is the model by which Supernatural, Fringe, Warehouse 13, and countless other shows have based their season arcs and episode plots.

The X-Files was about 2 FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, as they investigated paranormal shenanigans. That statement is like saying Moby Dick is about a whale. I hate even typing it. The show is layered, original, funny, scary, and full of the kind of planning you which shows had today. Episodes are split into two general categories - stand alone and mythology.

The stand alone episodes were procedural in nature. They are wrapped up in a nice and tidy 45 minutes or so. That is not to say they were lesser in any way. Some of the greatest episodes are stand alone. They often featured great cameos and fantastic writing. The quality of the stand alones made X-Files one of the coolest shows you'll ever watch.

Then there was the mythology episodes. A tangled web of story that spanned continents and worlds and decades and bees and black oil. It started with Mulder's obsession with his sister's abduction which led to his relentless pursuit of the truth and those who attempt to obscure it. And obscure it they do. Led by the Cigarette Smoking Man, an all-time best bad guy, those who would keep the truth from Mulder were always two steps ahead. It was frustrating and fantastic. Thinking about it right now makes me want to pop in season 1 right now. These mythology episodes tied together over seasons and were what made the show one of a kind. You needed a map and a compass not to get lost.

Then there were the characters. Mulder was the first cool nerd of TV. His character was smart, sarcastic, fanatical, devoted, and a true believer. Duchovny is a legend. He has attained a level where he can do no wrong in my mind.

I own all nine seasons. I have gone through the DVDs twice. They remind me of a friend of mine from law school who spent the better part of a semester in his room smoking cigarettes and watching my X-files DVDs. Funny thing is he was the one who got me into the show. Duane Barry was my first - a triple episode in which Scully has a rough go of it. This is an addiction as much as it was a show. I see it in shows like Fringe and Smallville. But there can be only one.