youngjun91

Title says it all. Which multi-disc set(s) are the most worthwhile for purchase?

youngjun91

I've heard good things about 5 and 6. 5 is where the widescreen starts and where the origins of the Lone Gunmen story is told. Some people say 6 is the best, but others have mentioned that that was where the decline began, since starting to shoot in L.A. instead of Vancouver. 6 is also not coming out til November 5, 2002.

Early seasons had some inconsistencies or errors, especially in the areas of religion. The whole production was a lot more raw and not as sophisticated then.

Snake Plissken

You heard wrong. Must be from X-Files fanatics who love anything with an X-Files logo. Don't they remember horrible episodes like Rain King, Terms of Endearment, Field Trip, and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas? Season 6 is when the X-Files moved its production to LA because big star David wanted to be closer to his family. You notice the difference right off the bat. Season 5 is when X-Files started to go downhill. Season 6 is when the X-Files tripped and crashed face first with the ground. It tried hard to get up during season 8, but then passed out unconscious during its final season.

Best season? Season 2 through 4. No question.

Gil Jawetz

I think i've seen every episode and I have all 5 sets so far (the only ones i'll be getting) so here's my rundown:

Season 1 is damn good, rough around the edges but still so much fun. Plus the interplay between the characters is already great. Standouts: Squeeze, Beyond the Sea, Ice, Pilot

Season 2 is excellent. The plot thickens, the conspiracy gets deeper but there are still great stand-alones. Standouts: Humbug (maybe my favorite episode), Duane Barry, Ascension, Soft light, Our Town (Note: One of the all-time worst (3) is in this season)

Season 3 is simply outstanding. Nearly every episode could stand as one of the best. Standouts: Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose (one of the best episodes of a TV show ever), Nisei, Pusher, Jose Chung, Piper Maru, Tunguska, Terma

Season 4 is just about perfect. It doesn't quite hit the highest highs of season 3 (there's no Clyde Bruckman) but it may be more consistent Standouts: Herrenvolk, Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, Paper Hearts, Max, Gethsemane

Season 5 is a very short season (only 20 episodes) and has a bunch of clunkers. Still, some of the good stuff is really good. Standouts: Redux, Detour, Bad Blood, Patient X, Red and Black (Note: Lots of people love the Lone Gunmen origin episode, Unusual Suspects, I hate it)

Season 6 is getting sloppy. A lot of wasted threads that start out good. For me the only real standouts are The Unnatural and Dreamland

Season 7 is getting into disaster land. Features what has to be the worst episode ever: Fight Club. Standouts: I don't know... X-Cops?

Season 8: No Mulder, no X-Files. Near total time wasting. Only worthwhile episode: Roadrunners

Season 9: Please wake me from this nightmare! I can't take any more!

Liquid Death

I've seen most of the first five seasons, and I'd have to say that I really liked Season 3 the best, though the first four are all terrific.

shanester

Are you all saying buy seasons 3 & 4 if you can't afford all seven??..
What about the widescreen??..Doesn't that make a difference despites the 20 episodes and worth the purchase anyway??

Gil Jawetz

The widescreen makes no difference at all. Plus, if you're an "OAR" addict, the OAR, technically, was full-screen for this but they started shooting safe for widescreen in season 5 simply for future broadcast to widescreen TVs (DVD was fledgeling in season 5 and no one was doing TV box sets yet)

If you can only afford one, get 3 or 4 but actually, what you SHOULD do is get season 1 and then get more when you have money to burn. THe first 4 are great to own. I only got 5 because 4 ends on a great cliffhanger and this would take me through the movie (which I love)

wendersfan

Season Three, hands down. Any season featuring "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" and "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'" would have to be the best. Season's 4 & 5 are also good, as well as the first season. I think the second season was marred by Armstrong's pregnancy and childbirth, and the series started to go downhill pretty quickly after season 5.

TheOne

I just got Season 3.

Copenhagen

Season four is my favorite from the series.

Apocrypha

Season 4 here as well the X seems to peak there.
I did this poll awhile back and 3 edged out 4 with the die hard Xers but we all agreed that owning 1-4 is crucial.

bboisvert

I don't think I've ever heard anyone (that's ANYONE -- major fan or casual fan) say that season 6 was the best. Ever.


In my opinion, the first 4 seasons are all really fun. Season 5 is fine (although, in hindsight, the decline started a bit here).

Season 6 starts off bad, gets worse, and the series begins its slow spiral into oblivion. Sure there are a couple of decent episodes here and there, but those last four seasons are pretty painful.

I bought the DVDs for 1-5, I have the movie, and I'm satisfied with that.

The best season? Either 3 or 4.

Thumbs

Whew. I've got 1-5 and was considering 6. Thanks for the rescue.

sfsdfd

Moving to TV Talk Forum.

- David Stein

dave955

Easily season 3. Basically I agree with the reasons Buskerdog mentioned.

I can't let a season 3 list go by without plugging the highly underrated Revelations, which has just about the most perfect ending I could imagine.

Contrary to what Buskerdog said, Tunguska and Terma were season 4 episodes. I'm not real partial to a lot of the S4 episodes he listed, however. I think you can start to see the strain in S4 episodes like The Field Where I Died, where it's just obvious drivel, Teliko, which is Tooms+2SHY+a pointless tie-in to the ongoing story arc+not very interesting to boot, and the several episodes which pointlessly kill off interesting recurring or minor characters: . I really like Home, Kaddish and Leonard Betts.

I thought season 5's The Pine Bluff Variant and Folie a Deux and season 6's Tithonus were the last "really great" episodes.

Gil Jawetz

My bad. And I did forget Home and Leonard Betts, outstanding episodes both. However, I also really like The Field Where I Died (a tough vibe to pull off that I feel they succeeded at here and will fail many times at later) and Teliko, wich has a good creepy atmosphere and fine supporting performances. The only S4 episode I think stinks (off hand) is the one with the plastic surgeons. Good gore but a big "so what?" at the end.

I also forgot some other episodes from various seasons that I love like Fresh Bones, Excelsia Dei, and The Host.

lisadoris

I went with season 4 even though a case could be made for 3 or 5. The 4th season just has the most episodes I like: Home, Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, Never Again, Small Potatoes, etc. I personally liked Season 5 for the simple fact that it has my all time favorite episode: Bad Blood. There's also Post-Modern Prometheus and a couple others. 3rd Season had Clyde Bruckman which is still a classic episode. Season 6 was horrid with the exception of The Unnatural which is probably the only reason I'll buy that set. The rest of the seasons I'll buy because I'm a completist but they aren't good at all.

Gil Jawetz

Ah, I forgot Post-Modern Prometheus and Small Potatoes too! There are just too many good episodes to list them all off the top of one's head!

TELawrence

I bought the first season (never having watched a single episode on TV) and my wife and I watched them all, in order, at a rate of maybe one to two a week. We thought it was 'okay' so we bought the next season and so forth an so on. At this point we've watched every episode in order and we are now half way through season five.

There have been a few good episodes, but I'm now realizing reading this thread, that this series, which I've always just thought was 'average at best' isn't going to get any better.... I can't see any reason to even rewatch any of these ... Geez what a bummer...

Anyone else here never watch a single episode on tv and now find themselves disappointed by this information?

I'm thanks for the warning I guess but CRAP! this stinks...

Anyway, Not following the 'hype' when it was popular, what exactly was (is) the facsination with this series?
I mean, why did (do) you think this is a good show? Why would you rewatch them?
I don't want to seem to be dissing you x-file aficiandos or anything, I'm just wondering what appealed to you about the series.
Are ANY of these loose threads going to be picked up or am I just wasting my time?

Wormwood

I bought the first season blindly and now it is my favorite show. I actually just finished the 3rd season and can't wait to get the 4th season. I know what you guys say about the later seasons but I am gonna buy those anyways, my collection just wouldn't feel complete without them.

starving dvder

The first one by far is the best.

amplified

I would go with Season 3..So many solid episodes...Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose is one of the best on any season.

Gil Jawetz

We just watched a little heralded ep from S4 the other night "Elegy" and it's astonishing how good even the lesser-known eps are in those seasons. Just great.

Rainet

i love season three.

madara

Season 1-5 was perfection. Being able to relate to Scullys illness I can honestly say was most powerfull thing I seen on TV and made show more then just some nerdy scifi.