The X-Files - The Complete Fifth Season (Slim Set)
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Movie Reviews of The X-Files - The Complete Fifth Season (Slim Set)
Movie Review: THE BEST SEASON
Summary: 5 Stars
..... I'm a fan of the series and i think this is the best season.Most of the episodes are fantastic like the 2 parts of Emily,the incredible Chinga{writen by Stephen KING},Detour,PATIENT X and THE RED AND THE BLACK{The best episodes in this season}and of course the END a fantastic finale.Dont miss this incredible box set with many extras like the truth about season 5 and many others.This season is a must for every X-filer.Movie Review: The series expands .
Summary: 4 Stars
Keeping in mind this review will probably get buried amongst the countless others . . . Most people feel that Season 5 was the last real good season of the X-Files. For me it was season 4, but there is still much to enjoy here in this season-it's just that Carter and the character of Mulder seem much more cynical now, after the season 4 cliffhanger of Gethesame. What made season 5 interesting for me was the way the mythology story arc expanded to include a rebel branch of aliens. All of the supporting characters from Krychek to the Lone Gunmen were becoming larger than life; you have a real sense of an epic rapidly approaching some kind of resolution. There are two two-parter stories that in some way expand upon the central story arc: Christmas Carol/Emily and Patient X/The Red and the Black. Of these, the first pair was weaker because they shamelessly worked the motherhood card with Scully and revolved around her emotional relationship with a little girl; it also laid the seeds for her bigger motherhood experience to come later in season 8. It's hard to work action sequences into a eugenics episode. Emily has some fine eerie music to it, however. The second two-parter was much more satisfying, because the pace was kept much more constant and tense. As for the coined Monster of the Week episodes, my favorites were: Bad Blood for its humorous Rashoman take on vampirism in a small town; Schizogeny, a chilling black magic episode; and finally, the best, Folie a Deux, a truly hallucinogenic episode! Post-modern Prometheus, Carter's special take on the Frankenstein mythos, deserves special mention, because it tries so hard to be striking and original--but it isn't. The episode tries to do too much: shot in black in white, weird perspective shots, humor, and a meta-realistic ending that derails the whole story. Another special mention: Kitsunegari was one of the first of a few episodes to bring a past villian out of ice in a shameless, sensationalistic attempt to bolster ratings (which were already high in the first place). This story at least is involving and suspenseful, with an ending that lives up to the story that builds up to it. Featured also in this series were two prominent guest writers: Stephen King and William Gibson in the respective episodes Chinga and Kill Switch. Chinga is best not talked about, but Kill Switch was triumph of technobabble meets tense edge-of-your seat action. The greatness of a season can be measure by how fast it passes without you knowing it. To be sure, by the time I had finished the season closer, The End, I felt time had slipped so suddenly. Then it was time for Season 6 . . .Movie Review: Continued Brilliance
Summary: 5 Stars
Season Five of The X-Files is definitely one of the best seasons from the show's nine-year run, in my opinion. Season Five is where the mythology arc of the show really takes over, resulting in a superb season finale before finally leading to box-office glory in the summer of 1998 with The X-Files Movie: Fight The Future. Season Five was actually filmed after the movie, despite the movie coming out after Season Five! This brilliant season of The X-Files contains a mere 20 episodes - the movie was Chris Carter's excuse as the concluding 'episode/s' to the season. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are on form as their usual best in this season.
As previously stated, Season Five is where the mythology arc of the show really takes over. These conspiracy episodes are the best from any season in The X-Files, and made Season 5 more epic than any other. Season Five begins with the great episode Unusual Suspects. In a flash back scene from 1989, the Lone Gunmen meet for the first time and join forces with Mulder to stop a covert government experiment that may be targeted at the American public, after been contacted by a distraught woman. We finally catch up with what happened at the end of Season 4 in the first two-parter of Season Five; "Redux/Redux II." Mulder was presumed dead at the end of the previous season, yet the agents play the game better and are one step ahead of everyone else - I won't spoil it for you, but it's truly an amazing two-parter, definitely one of the best in the show's history. The next two-parter we receive from Season Five is "Christmas Carol" and "Emily." In the former, a mysterious phone call leads Scully to investigate a woman's suicide and a young girl who may be the daughter of her deceased sister, Melissa. In the latter, Scully attempts to adopt three year old Emily Sim, only to discover that the girl has developed a disturbing illness that may be the by-product of a sinister conspiracy.
The next in a long list of Season Five two-parters is "Patient X" and "The Red And The Black." In the former - after a group of alien abductees are burned alive by faceless assailants - Mulder and Scully uncover proof that the event is linked to alien colonisation. In the latter, the agents discover more evidence of the planned alien colonisation of earth and set out to preserve what may be humanity's last remaining link to freedom. Since the beginning of Season Five, Mulder's opinions on what he believes have been severely challenged. We see an extremely sceptical Mulder in this two-parter, not willing to believe anything without proof. The fans aren't used to this, so it's just as glad he reverts to his normal self soon. The Season Five finale - "The End" - is another absolutely stunning episode in which Mulder and Scully discover a 12-year-old clairvoyant whose life may be in danger due to his gifted ability to solve all the unexplained phenomena in The X-Files. The Cigarette-Smoking Man really gets involved in this finale, arriving back with full force - intent on complicating things more than they could be and, of course, covering up the truth.
The stand-alone episodes of Season Five are amongst the best the show has ever produced. While containing some superb ones such as "Kitsunegari," "Schizogeny," "Kill Switch," "Mind's Eye," "All Souls," "The Pine Bluff Variant" and "Folie A Deux," it also contains one atrocious one - "Travelers." This is just a rubbish episode, which I turned off inbetween the first viewing. One of the best episodes of Season Five is "Detour." In the episode, Mulder and Scully are stalked by an ancient legion of lethal beings while out in the woods investigating a boy's claims that he was attacked by an invisible creature. The striking and rich greens of the trees in the forest make this one of the most memorable episodes in The X-Files' history. "The Post Modern Prometheus" is a special episode, filmed entirely in black and white. While investigating the appearance of a freakish creature in a rural town, the agents uncover a dangerous genetic experiment that has spun wildly out of control. The comedy scenes (Mulder and Scully suddenly appearing from behind a door-frame to quiz a suspect is hilarious) make for a much-loved episode.
"Chinga" is another one of the season's highlights. Rumours of witchcraft and sorcery surrounding a bizarre murder lead Scully to a little girl and a cursed doll that may be hiding a murderous secret. The episode was co-written by horror story legend Stephen King and contains some truly scary moments - such as the supermarket one. And watch out for the "I want more cherries!" scene! "Bad Blood" has to be the funniest episode of The X-Files you will ever see. While exploring the deaths of cattle killed by a series of blood extractions, the agents uncover a cult of vampires residing in a small Texas town. Both Mulder and Scully offer their sides of the story on what happened in flashback scenes. At one point, the agents become so annoyed with each other that when Scully explains what location they were at (with that trademark writing appearing at the bottom of the screen), Mulder cuts in and believes Scully to have got the location wrong. The writing at the bottom of the screen then changes to what Mulder believes it to be! Very funny stuff!
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
Season Five of The X-Files is one of the best seasons of any TV show I have ever seen. The season contains many different characters such as the Cigarette-Smoking Man, Alex Krycek, the Lone Gunmen, Maria Covarrubias, Diana Fowley and The Bounty Hunter which only add to the season's quality. Be a part of The X-Files legend and own Season Five on DVD today.
Movie Review: The X-Files Season 5 Another outstanding season!
Summary: 5 Stars
Intricacies, subtleties, nuances and BLAM straight in your face, long awaited revelations are what Season Five is all about! All of it leading up to "Fight the Future" which was filmed prior to filming this entire season that leads up to the movie! Simply stated, Chris Carter and his entire staff are geniuses.Redux - {mythology} - Last seasons "Gethsemane" ended with Fox Mulder appearing to be dead from a self inflicted shotgun blast. Mulder is able to obtain an ID that allows him access to a DOD complex where the CSM allows him to escape with the cure for Scully's cancer.
Redux II - {mythology} - This is the outstanding conclusion to the mini trilogy. The CSM offers Mulder all the answers. Scully's cancer is finally in remission thanks to the device that Mulder found. Mulder weeds out the FBI mole, who is shortly thereafter assassinated. The big news, the CSM is shot in his own apartment, yet no body is found. With episodes like these first two, season five continues to prove what an excellent experience The X-Files is.
Unusual Suspects - {mythology} - A beautifully well scripted episode detailing the events in 1989 that brought the "Lone Gunmen" together. This episode also includes a surprise appearance by "X" as well. Surprisingly enough, the events of this episode are what put Mulder and the Lone Gunmen on the quest that they are all on.
Detour - Another well written episode where Scully and Mulder are stuck having to go to team building retreat with a married pair of agents. Fortunately for Mulder's sanity, they have to stop along the way because of a police road block. They find out that people were coming up missing in the woods in a strange way. This episode has some very touching scenes belying the relationship that is building between Mulder and Scully.
The Post-Modern Prometheus - This episode is an absolutely wonderful, campy black & white episode where The X-Files once again proves that they can lighten up and have a little fun. Jerry Springer stars as himself in the background as Mulder and Scully find themselves in a town full of die hard Springer fans and a monster in "The Mutato."
Christmas Carol & Emily - {mythology} - Simply stated, these are two of the finest, touching and most heartfelt episodes of not only the season but the entire series! Scully is on Christmas vacation with her family in California and receives what seems to be a phone call from her sister, who was killed in an earlier season. This phone call leads to the discovery of a little girl that Dana believes to be the daughter of her sister! "Emily" brings Mulder into the picture and the real "mythology" aspects of these two spectacular episodes kicks in! These two episodes alone make the entire season!
Kitsunegari - D?j? vu', Robert Modell from the third season episode "Pusher" is back. He's survived the bullet that Mulder put in his head and he's back to "pushing" people into what he wants them to do. This episode is one of the most intriguing of the season.
Schizogeny - This is a particularly intriguing episode about child abuse and the way one woman dealt with her abuse.
Chinga - Written by Stephen King and Chris Carter. This episode certainly qualifies as one of the best of the season and the entire nine year run as producer Chris Carter welcomes the "King of Horror" in Stephen King as a co-writer. This episode has everything that one can expect from King, suspense and horror in full measure. This is certainly a classic X-Files episode that is not to be missed.
Kill Switch - This is a superb episode in both its setup and execution as The X-Files explores Artificial Intelligence in the best way that only they can. This is a perfect "Lone Gunmen" style episode.
Bad Blood - This is another outstandingly funny, yet scary episode that the producers have proven their superiority at. Mulder and Scully find themselves in Texas looking for a vampire and ultimately find much more than they bargained for. The banter between them just keeps getting better and better.
Patient X & The Red and the Black - {mythology} - Two outstanding episodes that serve extremely well to further the mythology of "The X-Files." Mulder's lost faith is quite prominent as Scully gains faith in the possibility of aliens. Some of the "facts" that die hard fans have been waiting several years for are beginning to slip from Chris Carter finally. This is also the episode that introduces Agent Spinder, CSM's son.
Travelers - {part mythology} Travelers is a brilliant prequel episode that first takes us back to 1990, before Mulder's taking the X-Files, then takes us to a case going back to 50's and his father working for the State Department.
Mind's Eye - A beautifully well written episode that is both touching and heartwarming. It is about a woman, blind from birth who has been accused of a brutal murder.
All Souls - This is another breathtaking episode where The X-Files explores Scully's faith in God.
The Pine Bluff Variant - Agent Mulder finds himself undercover and in the midst of one of the very government conspiracies that he seeks to expose, but finds the truth too shocking to reveal.
Folie a deux - This episode contains the best one liner to date in the series. Mulder is sent to Chicago to discover who is threatening an office with terrorism and finds that he is seeing the same thing that the "madman" was seeing.
The End - {mythology} Another outstanding season finale that leads up to the movie. CSM is back and in full force and doing his thing. This is the episode that introduces Gibson, the child who, born with alien DNA is capable of reading minds. CSM succeeds in having The X-Files closed.
Extra Features - Just as it was with the first four seasons, the special features disk for season five is outstanding. This one finally includes some blooper scenes.
Movie Review: Unusual suspects
Summary: 5 Stars
I really can't add much more to this that hasn't already been wrote in the other 5 star reviews on this. These collections of the seasons of The X Files are all fantastic. I am so glad they put them on DVD. I didn't always watch the show when it was on TV, so alot of these episodes are new to me. Quite an addicting, program to say the least! This season is in wide screen giving it more of a theatrical feel, which is good. It is so much more then a series, every episode is always done with such care and skill that they are mini movies. Season 5 includes the "Unusual Suspects" which shows us how Mulder met the Lone Gunmen, the Stephen King wrote episode, "Chinga", and the hilarious story telling in "Bad Blood", just to name a few. This DVD, like with all of the other season DVDs, includes documentaries, behind the scenes, deleted scenes, and a DVD-ROM game. This set also has an enjoyable 45 minute F/X special "Behind the X Files". All of these box sets are must haves for the collector. My only complaint is with the packaging. These sets come with a slip cover and the inside of the covers are these cardboard flaps that start getting in the way of the disks when you slide them in and out. I actually had to tape mine up because it started peeling off from the inside. I will always give this show 5 stars because of the quality of programming that it is and that there is a wide range of emotions, thoughts, open mindedness and even humor involved. It definitly breaks any kind of conformity. That is so refreshing with a drama like this. It actually [pulls] you into the lives of Mulder and Scully and it is hard for me to set down and just watch one at a time!