 | |
List Price: $99.98 | | Label: 20th Century Fox
Salesrank: 23834
Released: May 9, 2000 |
| Our Price: $19.75 |
| Used Price: $11.18 |
|
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
In the first season of The X-Files, creator Chris Carter was uncertain of the series' future, so each of the episodes is a self-contained suspense story; they do not delve deep into the ongoing X-Files mythology or turn to self-parody and humor as do episodes in later seasons. Yet, these episodes display the elements for which the show would become famous: the cinematic production values and top-notch special effects, the stark lighting of the Vancouver sets, the atmospheric halo of Mark Snow's score, and the clever plots dealing with subjects ranging from the occult, religion, and monsters to urban legends, conspiracy theories, and science fiction. Most importantly, season 1 introduces FBI agents Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox "Spooky" Mulder (David Duchovny), two of the most attractive government officials around. Scully is the serious-minded medical scientist assigned to join Mulder on the X-Files, a division of the FBI dealing with the paranormal. Mulder is the intuitive thinker with a dry wit, a passionate believer in the existence of paranormal phenomena and one of the few characters on television smart enough to figure out who the bad guy is before the audience does. Their muddled relationship, a deep friendship laced with sexual tension, provides the human heart in a world where the bizarre and horrible lurk in everyday society.
The materials on the bonus disc provide some interesting trivia and background, but it is the 24 episodes themselves that make this seven-disc boxed set a true find. Those unfamiliar with The X-Files often view all the fuss with the same skepticism with which Scully first regards her new partner's ideas. But just as she comes to realize the uncanny accuracy of Mulder's outlandish theories, newcomers to The X-Files who sample a few episodes in this boxed set will likely find themselves riveted to their television late into the night. And undoubtedly, the shadows and creaking noises in the house that evening will seem more menacing than usual. --Eugene Wei
The X-Files - The Complete First Season Reviews:
NEW PACKAGING 
2009-11-16 - Just bought seasons 3 & 4 to ad to our collection and I was at first excited to see a reduced price...
The packaging is different, rather than the previous slim sets (as advertised) the packaging is now a thin 6 disc set (which I only found listed on the web page in one place after I went back to look). Same great show, just very disappointed in Amazon and their deceptive web page.
did not receive order
2009-09-27 - I waited until the order time had expired and still did not have my order. I contacted Amazon, who in turn contacted the people I had ordered from. They apologized and asked me how I would like them to handle the situation. I asked them to refund my card, which they promptly did. I was disappointed to not get what I ordered, but I was very impressed with the prompt and courteous way this was handled.
Modern American Myth 
2009-09-24 - As one of the fan group for those who "boldly go where no one has gone before", I'd like to advance a plug for a series which does a fine job of going where the paranormal has ever intersected our domain, and brings it into the house just across the street, or around the corner.
X-files producers consistently preserve their protagonists and often re-package and re-introduce their best antagonists, which goes a long way towards inducing a sense of viewer familiarity. The mythological and the arcane are welcome guests in the modern world of paranormal investigators Spec. Agent Fox Mulder, and Spec. Agent Dana Scully.
X-files do not presume to always conclude with a Disney Fairy Tale type happy ending. You won't know at the beginning of the episode that you can always expect to be subjected to an autopsy, although forensic science is frequently employed. And you can't rush to conclude that the episode will always result from or result in a tragedy. Paranormal investigation, while often probing the unfortunate, doesn't necessarily preclude the humorous. (Quite the contrary!) But the unknown is ever present, from the opening credits philosophy, (The Truth is Out There) to the Ubiquitous presence of Fox Mulder's prominent UFO poster, "I Want To Believe."
Simply for the sake of avoiding redundancy, I'd prefer to post a few comments here about the overall series in connection to the pilot episode, which purports to examine an account resembling events which actually did occur. };-) Simply stated, the occurrence of alien-abduction is reported as an international phenomenon. What's rather more disturbing is the discovery on video of facsimile devices, not far removed from the kind of surveillance employed by our government against citizens in general. They often bring up devices which are proto-type-related to technology that is built into NASA exploratory vessels. And since the NASA program receives corporate investment for research products, on top of USGovt. tax subsidy, American investors have an interest only second to the military. You can read about advances for any orbital interplanetary device, assured that it's undergone advanced testing for military usage before it was ever approved for a space rover project.
There are two episodes of Season Seven, which I would characterize as the most heart-wrenching in the series.
"Sein Und Zeit" on disc 3, and "Closure", also on disc 3 in sequential order. The FBI searches for a missing child and uncovers many awful secrets. The theme revolves around finally answering the disappearance of Mulder's sister Samantha, which has been driving him on, since her abduction at age 8. The Old Souls, and the Songs, and the Star-light, all are reminiscent of Alfheim or the American Indian view of a bridge over the line where sky meets the earth. You can catch a glimpse of the feelings involved by viewing that Georgia O'Keefe painting of a loose suspended ladder, seemingly floating above the desert landscape amidst an aqua cloudless sky. The answers were meant to be, to remain elusive, because they insulate us against a truth incomprehensibly awful.
In contrast, the theme that "We Are Not Alone" is, I think, most favorably illustrated by three episodes, the first of which concludes season 2, called: "Anasazi" on disc 6, and followed consecutively by two more episodes which open season 3, "The Blessing Way" and "Paper Clip" both on disc one. I am admittedly biased towards the Navajo reservation people who assist the agents in their quest. But the events which are precipitated by an earthquake are described in memorable (for me) terms by the Navajo Elder, as he warns his grandson to leave the snakes alone, "they will be angry, and frightened." But, of course, Mulder can't leave the 'snakes' alone. I only mention said episodes by name, because Amazon features each episode as available Video on Demand. That's all new to me. I didn't see all the episodes originally because I was either working, or the FOX channel they were broadcasting on wasn't available in our area.
If you're familiar with the Catholic tradition of 'stigmatia', you might find an episode of Season Three, disc 3 titled: "Revelations" of interest. I am intrigued by the seemingly open-ended treatment of this episode. I don't recall seeing it revisited at all, though it is suggested that there is more to come.
In the beginning...
2009-08-06 - God created The X-Files and He saw that it was good...
Season 1 of The X-Files, what can I say that hasn't already been said. This was the birth of one of the most iconic shows EVER, not just in the SciFi realm. Without The X-Files there would be no LOST or Fringe or half of the shows that have come out since '93. The X-Files gave SciFi respectability beyond anything else. Before Mulder and Scully Scifi brought up mental images of overgrown nerds in their mother's basements watching Star Wars while playing D&D (all due respect to my brothers out there that do that!).
Even after over a decade the first season is amazingly watchable and still as good, if not better, than when it first aired. The plots are original and thought provoking. The meta story is engaging. All in all this should not be passed up by anyone, nerd or not. That's one thing about The X-Files, even if you don't SciFi there's atleast 2-3 episodes you will like.
The Truth Is Out There
The Inaugaral Season of A Great Paranormal Series 
2009-07-17 - The X-Files are cases that the FBI have labeled as unexplained. Fox Mulder is an FBI profiler with a special interest in these types of cases since his sister was seemingly abducted by aliens as a child. When Mulder uses his clout to be assigned to investigate these cases he begins to become to close to uncovering a government conspiracy. So enter Special Agent Dana Scully a medical doctor and forensic pathologist assigned by the bureau to be Mulder's partner in hopes that this skeptical scientist will debunk Mulder's work and justify the closure of The X-Files. And so it begins. Running for 9 seasons on the Fox Network, The X-Files was an international hit and award winning series.
In this first season the vast government conspiracy that in later seasons would become so (almost TOO) complex is first explored as Mulder searchs for the answers to his sister's disappearance.. In addition the agents investigate cases involving not only aliens and UFO's but also werewolves, ghosts, bigfoot, murderous artificial intelligences, psychic's, reincarnated killers, evil clones, etc.
While not the best season of the series it is an important and entertaining season. So if you like shows about FBI investigators and also have an interest in the paranormal you should defintely give the show a try.
The slimsets have few if any special features but all episodes are included at a much cheaper price. $20 on Amazon and with Walmart selling a double pack of Seasons 1 and 2 for $20, you get 2 seasons of a great television show for nearly the price of one single movie dvd.
