xFile999

Making a home for my ongoing X-Files obsession

[mulderscully]

THE X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE (1998) | Alternate Hallway Scene

[larameansxf]

I will never not reblog this...

[xfile999]

I kind of want to loop this and watch it exclusively for the rest of my life. Which is normal, right?

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth: Kill Switch - S5 E11

W: William Gibson & Tom Maddox D: Bowman

Washington, DC; Fairfax County, VA; North Platte, NE

Mulder and Scully follow the backtrail of Donald Gelman after his death in a mass shootout. Gelman, a computing pioneer, had created and unleashed a sentient AI on the internet.

William Gibson and Tom Maddox, friends and cyberpunk science fiction writers, were interested in writing an X-Files episode. It was an exercise in patience, taking more than a year to come to fruition, largely due to the busy schedules of CC and Spotnitz, needed for the rewrite to script.

Once things were underway, Kill Switch still took 22 days to film (as opposed to the average eight). It became the most expensive episode from the original run to be filmed in Vancouver. Rob Bowman made a quip about the difference in budget for creating effects in a novel versus on film. They must have done something right, though. Gibson and Maddox are back with another episode in Season 7. This is the second of three times M&S face off against malicious AI. (The first was Ghost in the Machine in S1, and the third is in Season 11.)

This is one of my favorite Scully episodes. She is annoyed from the start by being called out in the middle of the night to what appears to be a non-X-File by a cryptic Mulder (although they arguably arrived together...). "Mulder, that's evidence."/"I hope so." Her disdain for Esther is immediate and gives her great lines. "Were you the bass player?" (Which is maybe a reasonable question considering that Esther has been hiding out in a shipping container and wants to rid herself of her physical form, so what IS the deal with the Skeletor makeup? Right. Invisigoth.)

Scully and Esther are pretty evenly matched. Both are smart and capable, and ultimately, both manage to handcuff and escape from the other. And it appears that some(one?) is actually out to get her. "Right. Death from above." It's only once Scully sees Esther's grief for David that they are able to work together for their men.

Kill Switch is high tech, a perfect fit for the Gunmen, who obviously worship Invisigoth. Mulder has the good sense to refrain from drooling in front of Scully. His AI nurses give him additional distractions. Nurse Nancy is a reference to the XXX movie of the same name (1991), made famous by Paul Reubens (aka Peewee Herman), who he was arrested while at a show.

MSR: Scully shows up to save him even in Mulder's AI fantasies. 3D-CGIScully was commissioned from a freelance computer artist and who rendered her nude. (I suppose they should have specified.) For her part, GA was pleased with the scene. "I happened to be in good shape at the time and was just raring to get in there and be taking those half-naked nurses out with some karate chops." Mulder was directed to be impressed by her, but DD complained, "I've lost my arms. Why would I care about Scully's karate?" Because it's Scully, and she is saving you.

Okay, so KarateScully wasn't saving him, but SharpshooterScully was saving him at the same time. Which is doubly impressive.

Fanfic:

"166 Words: Consequences" by Devin

"Human Behaviors" by poppycurls

"Cling to me" by Baroness_Blixen

Apologies for the delay in between posts. This was mostly finished a couple of days back when I left for a vacation visit with my sister. Travel and lifestyles in 2026 have been so impacted by AI and technology. I think leaving my routines has emphasized my awareness and not necessarily in positive ways. I can really see the human cost in literal terms when I have to decline the driverless Uber to get one with a driver who works seven days a week. But who is also able to recommend restaurants and places that are much more personal than what my phone is giving me. So thanks to all the humans who have assisted us on our trip so far. And thanks to you for reading. Bad Blood is too good to rush, so it will probably be a week-ish? That's lots of time for fic, which is always a win-win.

[dunhamhairograpy]

[Cut Scene] Mulder finally tells Scully that he found her ova

This scene doesn't exactly paint Mulder in glory here.

"If I told you, what would you have done? What could you have done?"

A lot of the writing for this episode that ended up on the cutting room floor had a sensitivity chip missing.

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth - tangent: Molly (S5 E10 - Draft Zero)

W: Stephen King

Stephen King is among my favorite authors. But when I learned that he was writing an episode of TXF, I wasn't especially excited. He has written about fear, and that which scares us the most is generally unseen, unknown, limited only by our imaginations. The more we define it, the less power it has over us. Typically, that does not translate well to the screen, particularly given the limits of special effects at the time.

My expectations for Chinga were not all that high, and they were satisfied. It's fine for what it is. I hate the Hokey Pokey song, and the doll feels redundant by the end, but the msr is amusing. I knew CC was credited as a co-writer, focused on writing Mulder and Scully, but not much more than that.

So I was surprised on my rewatch. I read, as usual, the most recent version of the script on Boggsfiles.com. Then I started reading through X-Files Wiki, etc. for tidbits and came across a quote from Kim Manners that started me down a...tangent. "I was very excited to be able to direct a Stephen King piece, and when it was all said and done, there was very little Stephen King left in it. The nuts and bolts were his, but that was really one of Chris' scripts."

Color me intrigued. I wanted to know what was changed or cut. So, I went back to Boggsfiles. There are three scripts under Chinga. The most recent I had read and it was close to what aired. From what I can tell, the second is the Stephen King version of what aired (before the CC edits). I've referred to it in my regular episode blog.

Then there is Draft Zero, entitled 'Molly'. I found some old remarks on Reddit about this one being 'more like Firestarter than Chucky' and 'CC wanting something creepier.' I can't speak to any of that. But I read it. And it's pretty cool.

If you're interested, I encourage you to read it, but I've attempted a synopsis.

xxxxx

Scully heads to Maine on vacation to visit her college roommate. The 'incident' in the grocery store is similar but a quirkier 'dancing sickness' that even Scully succumbs to (until she knocks herself out). The vision in the freezer is different, too.

Mulder flies up to join her on the investigation. He wants better footage of the image in the freezer.

.....

Time to go talk to the Turners. They confirm a secondary 'presence', Molly. She is not sweet like her sister and gives them a demonstration. Also, there are other operatives observing the Turner house. They are making plans to kidnap Polly.

Scully goes to Jane's house and finds a note referencing the Whiting Institute, home for the Adams and the Eves. So we start getting an idea of who might be interested in this autistic little girl.

.....

Mulder conceives of an elaborate strategy to lure the goons into chasing them. They pull off a switcheroo, giving Molly to the MIB while Melissa and Polly escape and go underground.

Molly ends up in Whiting Institute but can't survive for long without Polly. And poof! She disappears.

.....

xxxxx

Could this invisible 'extrusion' have been pulled off effectively? Who knows. But I love that SK is bringing the Litchfield Experiments and Whiting Institute back from Season 1. I like the idea that Polly's autism makes her mind work differently enough to create that twin duality. And you know I like M&S walking on the beach at sunset, getting mistaken for honeymooners. The absolute best part?

No Hokey Pokey.

Thanks to Kim Manners for sparking my curiosity. Thanks to you for reading about my latest diversion.

[dunhamhairograpy]

***

They did thirsty Scully dirty in Chinga.

Jack was supposed to be just 5 years older (instead they cast a guy in his 50′s) and in a cut scene she asks him out to dinner.

[dunhamhairograpy]

Chinga Cut Dialogue; Scully likes when Mulder talks dirty to her

[dunhamhairograpy]

Chinga Cut Dialogue; Scully tells Mulder she misses the sound of his voice

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth: Chinga - S5 E10

W: CC & Stephen King D: Manners

Ammas Beach and Schoodic Lake, ME

When Scully heads to Maine 'to get out of [her] head for a few days,' she becomes embroiled in an investigation that requires her to rely on her paranormal instincts.

Back in S3, DD appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy with (and lost to) Stephen King. King, already a fan of the show, expressed an interest in writing an episode. CC initially offered him a Millennium ep instead, then rejected a script (looking for something creepier), and then rewrote much of what viewers see in Chinga -- to the extent that CC is given 'co-writer' credit.

The bizarre part? The two never spoke. According to King, "...it was really very odd, a very odd experience...I got re-written pretty exhaustively." CC claims that the revisions were largely due to the out-of- character depiction of the MSR, of which we know he was highly protective. Out of character? Or just shippy? (Could anyone else have written Mulder's, "Marry me," line and gotten away with it?)

@dunhamhairograpy has posted excellent excerpts from SK's version of the script. I'll hunt them down and reblog a few. I leave it to you to decide individually. But this feels like a missed opportunity from the King of Horror.

MSR: So, the first thing CC did was separate our duo, which actually becomes the most endearing part of the existing episode. We see how empty Mulder's life is with the X-Files, but without Scully. A major shift that's happened to him over the years.

And similarly for Scully. Eager for downtime, taking bubble baths, reading 'Affirmations for Women Who Do Too Much,' cajoling a dinner out with Chief Bonsaint are her attempts at what she thinks she wants (again). To her chagrin, she is pulled into examining crime scenes, rattling off signs of witchcraft or sorcery, and solving an X-File single-handedly. (While also getting a proposal and definite jealousy/pining vibes from that partner of hers, who is crazy.) She's picked up a few things from him along the way. The truth is she could have disengaged at any time on this case, just as with the X-Files. She chooses the challenge, work, puzzle, paranormal, X-File, and Mulder time and again. There must be a reason for it after all.

Fanfic:

"Eight" by lots_of_oranges_outside

"Detoured: Chinga" by lots_of_oranges_ outside

"Maine" by EndlessConfusion

That brings us midway through S5, the shortest of the original run with twenty episodes. Don't get too distracted by Fight the Future looming on the horizon. S5 may be short, but it's still got a lot to love. Thanks for reading.

[dd-is-my-guiltypleasure]

30 years ago this day.

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth - tangent: Wellness & Weakness

I caved. I needed to replace my 'personal massager' because it had lost its mojo. I use it on my neck (for real), and it helps with my migraines. I didn't want to pay shipping, so I 'treated myself' like any good phile would and finally brought Scully home. I'm certain this combination of purchases puts me on a (government?) list of deviants and will throw my algorithm into the Season One Mulder era, but I'm standing right here. Owning it.

(She is fabulous and absolutely worth it.)

[mrsfoxmulder]

Hi! So I haven’t been on Tumblr in like 6 years but I started rewatching the X-Files recently and now I’m in love with David/Mulder all over again, so it’s nice to be back! Send me a message sometime! Or just pics of David lol.👽🛸

[mamuscript]

Welcome back / welcome home!

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth: Schizogeny - S5 E09

W: Jessica Scott & Mike Wolleager D: Ralph Hemecker

Coats Grove, MI

Mulder and Scully investigate the death of a man who was suffocated in mud, seemingly by his stepson in retaliation for abuse. But when another father also dies under unusual circumstances, Mulder suspects a deeper-rooted cause.

The Killer Tree Episode. Schizogeny means... something about plant cells. Jessica Scott and Mike Wolleager are new writers to TXF, and this is their only episode, which required many rewrites. Director Ralph Hemecker does slightly better by going on to direct three episodes of Millennium.

Schizogeny has a lot. Lisa Baiocchi is portrayed by Katherine Isabelle, daughter of production designer Graeme Murray. DD gets censored from saying 'Dickweed' to 'Dorkweed.' Two tracks off of Songs in the Key of X appear in one episode. But most notable is Scully's line about Coats Grove getting "400 inches of rain a day." It is a reference to DD's comment on Conan O'Brien regarding Vancouver and the move to LA. (Sound familiar? @randomfoggytiger has recently posted a series on this. Check it out.)

The tangled root system of a plot doesn't help. What could be an empowering message about abuse gets ensnared in the orchard blight and the therapist's own split personality (caused by her own abuse). Meanwhile, corpses are missing from coffins, and an unidentified man keeps popping up with an axe. (Ramirez is actually my favorite part. Fearless-Scully backing as far as possible away from him and then stretching to hand him the evidence bag amuses me so much.)

MSR: M&S have their moments in this one. The look M gives her for her stomach- vacuum theory and her resulting smirk are cute. It's a shame Ramirez shows up when he does because S was enjoying M's display of boyish agility. And with that opening scale of mud, they both know it's only a matter of time before M is covered in it. Sometimes, partners can be hard to love, too.

Fanfic: Obviously

"Muddy Mulder" by Katy_KT_Katie

is low-hanging fruit. But honestly, it's just about the only fruit out there. Blame it on the blight. Thanks for reading!

[needtostopdeletingaccounts]

I don't know if its feasible to do this but I need someone, to watch the xfiles and take note of every monster of the week plotline that is unresolved in the way of the monster is still out there and able to kill people- so theres just a list of things that are canon but aren't mentioned again. Like-

There was like bees/bugs mind controlling people one time i think- and making a hivemind out of human beings. that's still happening. canonically. they didn't fix it. Missouri- you're fucked. You're absolutely fucked.t heres a bug hivemind eaten you.

I just want to see a map of America based on how fucked up and infested with active threats it is.

'oh Phyto why don't you do that?' I have been trying to finish the xfiles for genuinely more than 5 years now and didn't think to start doing until now and I fear season 9 is too late to start. Otherwise I would

Also just making note of all the injuries the agents have acquired because it genuinely feels like they've been through everything. off the top of my head Mulder was both fed LSD through his pipes for 3 days and shot in the shoulder at the same time and also shot in the head pretty much point blank and Scully was also drugged and kidnapped and attacked countless times. they should be dead. /fond

[laurencem]

this feels @randomfoggytiger coded 👀

[randomfoggytiger]

I believe @enigmaticxbee did a few of these.

If not, @lilydalexf, @baronessblixen, @cecilysass, do any of you know what I'm talking about?

**Edit**: found the list here! (You can find more on her blog, under the tag #I tried a little data visualization!)

[lilydalexf]

Here are some lists compiling the many (MANY) injuries Mulder and Scully had over the years:

Mulder injuries per episode (S1-S9)

Scully injuries per episode (S1 and S2)

Hospital stays per episode (S1-S11)

X-Files Details part 1, part 2 (S1-S11; flags injuries per episode along with many other things)

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Journey to the Truth: Kitsunegari - S5 E08

W: Gilligan & Minear D: Sackheim

Lorton, VA; Occoquan, VA; Falls Church, VA; Annandale, VA

When Robert Patrick Modell 'pushes' his way out of prison, Mulder and Scully are picked to lead the team to hunt him down. But Mulder's spooky-sense is telling him that the game has changed.

Two Japanese translators were brought in to provide a proper pictogram for the title phrase, meaning "fox hunt," because 1) it is uncommon in Japanese and 2) they are learning from past mistakes (hopefully).

Tim Minear had just joined txf staff from 'Lois and Clark', and this script started with him. When pressure fell on the writer's room for a quick script, Spotnitz suggested a mash-up with the return of Vince Gilligan's Pusher (S3 E17). This is only the second time a baddie has made a comeback, the first being Eugene Victor Tooms in S1.

Scully and Mulder are moving up in the world. They are named as the SACs (Special Agents in Charge) by Skinner on this assignment, leading the US Marshalls on the search. Too bad they don't follow ANY of their own advice or even just stick together. C'mon, Scully! Modell hasn't been able to push anyone over an extended period of time and range. He can't have gotten in Mulder's head all day. I love when Mulder rolls it back. "What do we still agree on here?" Let him do his thing because he's going to anyway.

So Mulder goes to the prison and Scully takes everyone else...to the mall. I'm sure there's a reason, but in my head, there's a shoe sale. (Her suit is fab, btw. She hasn't had color in so long. Probably she didn't have the right shoes.)

Has telling Mulder to 'go home' ever worked? These are the times when Skinner needs to assign extra people to be with him. Anyway, I love that Skinner gets caught out alone at the safe house, shooting 'an unarmed man'. He denies it hard, but this is what the Pusher does. Now he knows how Holly felt when she beat him up. (heh)

MSR: The standoff in the warehouse is high-powered angst. This is the first time we learn Teena Mulder's (nick)name, but I wish Scully had better personal (intimate) details to convince him. Also, that "shadow" of movement behind Mulder was added after the fact due to concerns that viewers wouldn't understand what had taken place. All of fandom knows that Mulder's steeltrap memory is not going to unsee Scully's suicide...probably ever. So, yeah. Season 5. Kicking up the trauma all over the place.

Fanfic: I struggled finding my vibe on this one. The episode doesn't help either. No hug for destroyed Mulder on-site? This first one's short but necessary.

"you make it real for me" by jxdiewhittakxr

I also still have unresolved emotions from Emily, so be forewarned these two are uber-angsty. Both are on gossamer.

"Disconnection" by Ten

"Flesh of Clay" and "Fealty" by Birgit Meuller (if you click on Fealty, the author has combined both parts)*

*I'm picky. I almost can't recommend this last fic because it starts with them driving home from the airport. Hel-lo! You're in Virginia. I've allowed it (with prejudice) since it predates Google Maps by seven years. And who knows. Maybe the airport has a Chili's. 😉

xxxxx

Speaking of Emily, I have one more rec from @lilydalexf - Masterpost - Other Themed Stories - Long Cancer Arc Fics. It's older, so I recommend following that link to:

"Circumscribed Path" by Dahlak -

I held off on commenting earlier because it has spoilers through Emily. Scully is seeking answers having to do with her abduction. I liked it and wish it actually went on longer.

xxxxx

I enjoyed this rewatch a lot. Kitsunegari definitely does not live up to its predecessor, but it has its moments. And now we're moving on like FBI agents are emotionally bulletproof. Thanks for reading.

[integrahellsings]

special agent fox mulder: season six       I have seen the life on this planet, Scully and that is exactly why I am looking elsewhere.

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth - tangent: Christmas Carol/Emily Fic Recs (S5 E06-E07)

(Pic swiped off Cherish the Past, which credited 'about dd', with a broken link. Go figure.)

"Lots and Lots of Files, Chapter 58: Christmas Carol" by Fandomme - The conversation that brings Mulder out to California

"I'm On My Way" by donnah - Another version of the conversation that brings Mulder out to California

"Now the day bleeds into nightfall" by stolendreams - Between the hospital and the funeral angst-fest

"All Eyes Lead to the Truth, Chapter 105: Emily" by admiralty - Scully checks in on Detective Kresge in the hospital

"The Serenade of the Green Island" by lots_of_oranges_outside - post-Emily

"Incrementum, Chapter 14" by lepusarcticus - Touches on both episodes; angst-fest

Emily Sim has left a legacy in the X-Files fanfic community, sparking the subset of kidfic in infinite universes where she survives the evil done to her. I am far from an expert, but this last fic is a personal fave.

"All That is Dark and Bright" by Malibusunset - Longer AU kidfic

Thanks again for reading! Long live the Scully-Mulder clan!

[xfile999]

Journey to the Truth: Emily - S5 E07

W: Gilligan, Shiban, Spotnitz D: Manners

San Diego, CA

Mulder joins Scully in San Diego to appear as a witness on her behalf in adoption proceedings for Emily. The girl's health, however, begins rapidly deteriorating.

Executive Producer Bob Goodwin said, "It could be the worst thing I've ever done in this business." He's talking about the decision he made to recast the role of Emily in the eleventh hour. It was heartbreaking for the cast and crew, the girl (Mecca Menard) and her family. CC did eventually cast her in an episode of Millennium.

But consider the impact for a minute. GA and DD arrived late to begin filming on S5 because of FTF. Detour got literally bogged down in a 19-day shoot. DD was away, so Christmas Carol was shot before The Post-Modern Prometheus. And then they find out there's an issue in filming the first hospital scene in Emily. (And Emily happens to be pretty much all hospital scenes for her character.)

The decision made, and that's just the beginning. GA's schedule doesn't allow for her to reshoot the Christmas Carol scenes. So they spliced her footage and the 'new' Emily shots and got creative with filming anything with both of them by using GA's body double. Second unit production painstakingly darkened the hair of the first girl in any overlap. In one instance, a scene was reshot in the wrong costume and was edited manually using computer graphics. (I can't imagine how ancient that software would have been.)

I know, I know. All of this is about Christmas Carol. But that's the thing. Nobody knew there was a problem until they got here. They all paid dearly for it. I think we lost out, too. By all accounts, GA spent quite a bit of time with her young co-star in the first episode, and now that didn't happen at all. So we don't really have Scully seeing her daughter for the first time. Giving her the necklace, etc. And maybe there would have been more of a connection than what I felt between GA and Lauren Diewold? Don't get me wrong! I agree that the swap was necessary. Lauren did so well in the many weird hospital situations. And maybe Emily is just as stoic as her mom. But I do think it would be incredibly challenging to start that interaction on the second episode. It's a real shame because the sweet, gentle manner that Scully has with Emily is so endearing.

Saving graces: Clearly working under less than ideal circumstances, the cast and crew manage to turn out an episode that resonates. In case we've forgotten, GA looks stunning, even as she flinches against the clatter of the MRI. Mark Snow builds the tension as she lifts the lid on the tiny coffin. And Kim Manners has gotten so-freaking- good at those reflection shots that there's a whole family photo album's worth with all three stars in frame simultaneously.

MSR: We love our little instant family! When Mulder joins them at the Children's Center, we get a glimpse of the 'normal' life that might have been. Scully is surprisingly calm when confronting Mulder about her harvested ova (even if he's forgotten how long she was actually missing). They're in sync with tracing the call and getting Emily to the hospital. (When Mulder picks her up, I'm pretty sure he officially becomes the Dad to Scully's Mom.) And from there, they do what they do. Mulder skulks around the nursing home (Whatever happened to that fetus?) and threatens the men in the shadows while Scully plays doctor. I love her impassioned plea to the case worker about doing what's best for her little girl, but then she ruins it by saying I don't really have a plan, I've been making it up as I go (which hasn't been turning out the way I hoped). Fast forward to poignant funeral moments with just the two of them, when Scully opens up a little on reaching this decision. Unlike in the opening scene, she isn't alone.

I swear these get longer every time. I have fic recs coming. I promise to work on editing myself more going forward, but after the cancer arc, I really just needed to get past this round of Scully-torment. Thanks for bearing with me on the journey!