reviewed by Charity Bishop
            

One of the most successful sci-fi series ever to create a stir on primetime television, The X-Files were smart, conceive, memorable case files that created a phenomenon of interest in the paranormal. Many of the episodes have been reworked in other successful television shows (aspects of SG1, Smallville, and Supernatural have all "borrowed" plot points).

Buried in the basement of the FBI building is a corner office where the X-Files, a series of unexplained cases relating to paranormal and/or alien activities, are housed. The resident conspiracy theorist Fox "Spooky" Mulder (David Duchovny), nicknamed by fellow agents in the bureau for his interest in creepy case files, has taken up some of the mysterious cases. In the hopes of debunking his theories and closing down that aspect of the bureau, Dr. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is assigned to work with him. A skeptic when it comes to the supernatural, with a scientific background, Scully does not want to believe anything exists that cannot be explained.

When a young woman is abducted on the banks of a nearby lake, Mulder is convinced of alien participation. Fueled by the similar abduction and disappearance of his younger sister, his behavior rattles local authorities and disconcerts his partner, but soon happens transpire that she cannot explain. Bright lights. The loss of nine minutes. Hovering aircraft. The more enthralled she becomes with Mulder's world, the more desperate the bureau becomes to shut them down. From locked room murders to evidence of shape-shifters, crop circles and time warps, Mulder and Scully begin a partnership and friendship that helps them attempt to explain the inexplicable. But the more Scully comes to accept her partner's point of view, the more concerned the bureau becomes, and they must wage difficult assignments meant to give their superiors reason to close the X-Files. Government conspiracies, scientists able to reverse the age process, downed alien spacecraft, and other mysterious events plague the agents in the successful first season that brought about a new generation of sci-fi fans.

If you have ever wondered if things exist beyond our perceptions, The X-Files will be your cup of tea. Half a dozen of them deal with aliens in some form, while others turn to scientific experiments gone array, ghostly phenomenon, and creepy acts of nature. There are some truly grotesque depictions of dead bodies, limbs contorting, and other acts of violence. The most creepy case in the season is probably "Squeeze," which revolves around a series of murders in which internal organs of the victims are missing. "The Jersey Devil" also contains implied cannibalism, and brief backside nudity on a native escaping through the woods. There isn't much sexual content, merely a couple of instances of mild innuendo. Mulder confesses to having had a relationship with a British agent, and it appears they intend to share the same hotel room (the case takes an unexpected twist and prevents it). A young couple are seen making out in the front seat of a car shortly before being kidnapped.

In the episode "Genderbender," a young man with a strange ability to shape-shift from male to female seduces members of both sexes. The act of intercourse is never explicitly shown (one early scene does have "her" rolling off someone, and the police makes her climb off another guy in a car) but there is some discussion on sexual activity and the nature of the murders. The investigation leads Mulder and Scully to a strange "religious" cult whose members have similar abilities. One of them mesmerizes Scully, but Mulder prevents anything further from happening. Faith does not make a large appearance, but is the basis of "Miracle Man," in which a gifted boy believes God has turned against him. Another episode focuses on reincarnation. There's occasional mild language, and references to hypnotism being used to extract memories. A prisoner on death row "channels" different spirits as he attempts to help them solve a kidnapping, including Scully's recently departed father.

It must also be noted that not all the cases can be explained; some of them have deliberately ominous or ambiguous conclusions, which can be both exciting and frustrating. Some of the episodes are weak, but most of them have a unique approach and often unexpected conclusions. They do rely somewhat on paranoid points conspiracy theorists have been attempting to hammer home for years (the government is keeping evidence of alien existence from the public; they are capable of mind-manipulation, and yes, they are listening), but the likable characters are enough to hold interest. I attempted to get into the series several years ago but never made it past a half dozen episodes, something that convinced me that my recent fascination and enjoyment came from adapting to sci-fi in the time between. You have to be open-minded and fond of the abnormal in order to appreciate its nuances.