does this entire season just totally suck? Every episode save two have been absolutely awful. Sure, I want the "truth" but if it gets any worse, I may not even care to finish the set.

Anybody else think that Season nine is just plain bad?

It's easily the worst season. It did have a few high notes like "Lord of the Flies", "Audrey Pauley" and the exceptional "Improbable" - but for the most part it was a lousy end for a fine series.

I'm a big fan of the show, but I only bought up to Season Eight (reluctantly, and it was on sale at a used shop for $36). Most X-Files enthusiasts will agree on the show's gradual decline around the fourth season or so, but a bad X-Files is still better than most other TV shows.

I'm something of a completist nut so I had to get nine to complete the set. I have to tell you though, its been torture sitting through the first three discs. I heard that this season was weak, I had no idea that "weak" translated to gobshite.

I agree with the comments above. I didn't understand why so many disliked the later seasons of the X-files till I got to see Season 9. I liked Daget (spelling?) a lot and would have liked him to continue on with the show, but once I watched Season 9 on dvd, I was glad they canned it. I probably won't be visiting that one for a long time.

It's sad about the X-Files. I watched it every Sunday (and Fridays) for 8 years!

Then I saw the first ep of ALIAS, then was hooked. I never saw a bit of season 9, save for the last episode.

Isn't it sad how 8 years of loyalty can just be dropped at a moments notice?


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Season 9 was a slap to the face of all X-Files fans who followed it from the beginning. I honestly believe Season 8 had the perfect ending to the show,but those stupid bastards felt the need to drag it out for yet another whole season and without Mulder!

I haven't seen it but got it to complete the collection.

These comments aren't very promising.

Moving to TV Talk Forum.

- David Stein

Can you briefly sum up what was so bad about season nine? I didn't watch it.

No Mulder.

Stupid new characters.

Uninteresting "standalones".

Worst Premiere of all 9.

Terrible change in the storyline's direction involving "Supersoldiers".

Bares little resemblance to the show from the past in any way. All efforts to keep up with the story throughout the years are flushed down the crapper.

Unsatisfying Series Ender.

The only good thing about the last season was the Lone Gunmen episode. But until Fox releases the Lone Gunmen series on DVD, I have absolutely no reason to own season 9. But even if Fox does release Lone Gunmen, I think I will turn to the UK and see if the X Files season 9 episode with them is sold alone on a single DVD.

Bottom Line: The writing. Very poorly written epsiodes. Nothing really wrong with the actors. In fact, if Robert Patrick had been given something to do, most of us would have forgotten about Mulder...well, at least somewhat.

No Mulder.

You are a few years to late to jump in this wagon. Everyone already realized it sucked. terribly.

I still think they would've been better off ending the official show after season 8 (or 7?), and starting off the next season as a spin-off with a different name. That way you don't carry the baggage of an 8-year old show, plus they could've found fresh angles to the Doggett/Reyes dynamic without feeling the need to recreate the "old magic". New opening credits, maybe even tweak the look a bit, with the same basic concept. Plus I think fans would've been more likely to buy the new characters. Of course, it all boils down to syndication packages, so that never would've happened anyway.

Let's not forgot how they made The Lone Gunmen end up! Now that I cannot forgive Chris Carter... ever!

That is true. Those guys were awesome.

I totally agree here. I like Robert Patrick, I liked Doggett as a character, and I think he's a better actor than Duchovney but I think the writers just gave up. It's odd because I think overall S9 was the worse season but I enjoyed more episodes in S9 than I did in S8.

Lara Means,

I missed the Gunmen episode. What happened to them?


As for Dogget, I liked him cos he believed something was wrong but wasn't willing to just jump on the alien conspiracy bandwagon. Sadly, they rushed his development through this season. He would have been awesome.

Their X Files episode was supposed to make up for the lack of a second part to the first season cliff hanger, but it barely did that. In the end, . Obviously, there are more details to it than that, but that's one reason people didn't like the episode. Personally, I didn't mind. If Carter couldn't have a series with them, I didn't blame him for what he did. I blame Fox for getting rid of the series instead of giving it a real chance.

I totally agree with this. They had a chance to create something new and blew it big time. The worst was having to come up with lame reasons to keep Scully in the story because Anderson was under contract. They should have cut her loose and proceeded with the new characters.

Lastly, the series did some things that were so bad and agains the nature of the show that it ended up being the worst thing the series has ever done.

Examples:

I always felt the show should have been cancelled after the movie was released in theatres. Then they could have had an X-Files movie every couple of years and have time to make sure the stories were fresh and not worry too much about the actors growing weary since they would always be able to work on other things or just chill until the next movie.

I agree with everything mentioned so far except for RocShemp. There are some brilliant episodes beyond season 4 and 5.

8 was a solid season, 9 is where they dropped the ball.

Monica Reyes, terrible character, terrible actress
Scully hanging around with nothing to do
Scripts, awful. Including a lame attempt at a 'new' broad story-arc about supersoldiers

Agreed that if they spun off with Doggett it may have worked. Robert Patrick was the most inspired thing of the final 2 seasons. He was brilliant as Doggett. I can forget about Duchovney as long as he was on screen.

I liked how the Lone Gunmen went out. I thought it was great.

I guess I'm all alone. I loved season 9, not the best but very entertaining. I thought they built mulder into the stories well, it never seemed like he was really gone. I enjoyed both the new agents, and I thought season 9 had some of the most entertaining stand alone episodes. Scully wasn't used enough, but she was excellent, and her pain over Mulder was very well done and believable.