Ah, Chris Carter, we meet again. This time I'll try not to slap you.

[rachg82]

My subject heading today (and ooh, even the song choice. I'm such a Phile!) is in honor of the X-Files rewatch I committed to today after one of my BSG buddies (*waves at bsg_stardust*) announced she had finally begun watching the show. While I've watched the show here & there recently (and seen each episode so many times overall I basically have a special part of my brain dedicated to nothing but X-Files knowledge), it's still been several years since I watched the whole thing in its entirety, and even when I did my epic XF/Buffy/Angel marathon with Jen back in '04-'05, we still didn't finish the 9th season. I haven't watched *that* one since it first aired back in '02. Which honestly I'm really okay with. Heh. But the point is, if I do this rewatch you guys had better be ready for X-Phile Rachael to come back with a vengeance, which means lots o' Shipper Flail, ranting at Chris Carter (remember my entries from '02? Hee), and probably some capslock. Just giving a heads-up here. But turnabout's fair play, because my other fandom friends have been dealing with my BSG (and Bones) flailing for the last eight months or so, and Mulder & Scully have started shooting me death glares for not showing them more love lately (especially after my Brutus-like move in the Shipper Showdown, ha). Of course that doesn't mean my BSG love is going anywhere, because that'd be impossible without some form of serious rehab, but it's going to have to scoot over & make room for a little more XF flail is all. It's gonna be a packed house up in here, folks, especially with Bones returning next week (Lord help us all). And I won't be satisifed until all y'all bitches is watchin' the same shows. Haha. (I'm gettin' an early start on that ~Fandom Fest of Conversion~, what can I say?)

P.S. While I'm still on the subject, can I also please add that there's nothing more fun than rewatching a favorite show with someone who's never seen it before? bsg_stardust is only in season 1 (and seen parts of seasons 5 and 6) and is already like "I can't wait for Mulder & Scully to get together!" I read that and was like, "hahaha, SIT TIGHT, BB. IT'S GONNA BE A MINUTE." *hugs her forever* Heeeee.

Moving on from the XF rambling now though, I caught up a bit on some of my other tv tonight and thought I'd cover that a little too:

Southland: Nothing spoilery to say here, just a general comment I'd like to address to the show overall.

Dear Southland,

Please stop being so fucking wonderful. Seriously, what am I going to do with you? You have a great cast, great acting, great humor, great realism, great direction, and I really kind of adore you. Kind of a lot. So please stop being such a great little show or I'm going to grow attached to you & need to start getting icons for you, and don't you know I already have over 100 icons on this damned journal as it is? Stop being so selfish, show.

Yours truly,
rachg82

Parks & Recreation: HOW FUNNY WAS LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE? OMG, I laughed so hard. And I know I just said that I didn't like the show being mean to Jerry--and I stand by that--but I have to admit April's "can you photoshop your life?" comment fucking KILLED ME. Hahaha.

Modern Family: I still love you to pieces. Keep on keepin' on, show. Also: Gloria? If you could please never stop talking? That'd be great. Because your accent? Is music to my ears. Just sayin'.

Caprica:

I still haven't watched last week's episode--or tonight's--but I finally watched the one from the week before that, which is the one you guys kept accidentally talking about in your comments earlier. Hee. In other words, the "Sister Clarice & Amanda Graystone go on a date" episode. And having now watched it, I have to first get this out of my system before I can talk about anything else:

OMG HOT SEX I NEED THEM TO HAVE SOME WHEN CAN I SEE THIS HAPPEN ON MY TV SCREEN SOON PLZ

All right, I feel better now. Ha. But SERIOUSLY. Hello, sexual tension! Party of them!

Other thoughts:

-Where is my Baby Adama? I miss him and his incorrect non-blue eyes.

-Joseph Adama. I thought he was super enjoyable in this episode, and he made me laugh out loud several times in the v-world. "Can't we just fly?" Hee.

-Zoe & the Lab Geek. I again laughed out loud when she was going on & on to him about tech stuff & he was just randomly like "I work on top-secret robots." Ha! Like, "YOUR TECHNOBABBLE TURNS ME ON BABY, LET'S MAKE OUT."

All in all, I thought this episode showed improvement and I liked it quite a bit. It's still no BSG, but it's getting better. And if it keeps up the Sister Clarice/Amanda USTyness, it'll definitely hold my interest. I am easy like that, heh.

And that's all for tonight, because this Topamax has me feeling tired earlier than I'm used to, and I want to go catch up on a little more tv. For my Vid of the Day, I'm gonna welcome bsg_stardust into the XF fold--and try to sucker some more of you into this rewatch along with us--by introducing everyone (like you don't already know her, ha) to my first & forever TV Wife, Agent Dana Katherine "I'M A MEDICAL DOCTOR SO DON'T EVEN THINK OF FUCKING WITH ME, I WILL CUT A BITCH WITH MY SCALPEL" Scully:

P.S. I'm pretty sure this vid doesn't need a spoiler warning, because even those of you who haven't watched the show would already know about some of this stuff from the giant picspam I did (which, for those of you who friended me since, I'll link to in case you'd like to see it: 51 Things BSG, Bones, X Files, Buffy, Angel, and Dollhouse have in common)--and from simply existing in the freakin' world--but just in case, y'know, here's your warning since this vid does have some spoilery lyrics in it.

"Gloria Estefan - Always Tomorrow" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

[scifi-mel.livejournal.com]

hehe that was the one I thought you'd seen when I saw your post yesterday! (which is probably obvious to you now!) At least I didn't give away the "should I be worried?" line!

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Dude, DUDE, did you see the finale last night? omgggggggg. I need to talk about it with someone.

(also: yes, good thing you didn't give that line away! Hee. That was awesome! She was basically all, "I don't know!" Ha!)

I NEED A SISTER CLARICE ICON NOW.

[scifi-mel.livejournal.com]

I've not seen it yet! Going to go check to see if it's "available" *ahem*

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Yes, you should! And then report back asap. Hee. The final five minutes had me going, "okay, HERE's the kind of shit I've been waiting for."

[scifi-mel.livejournal.com]

I was going to watch it last night, but feel asleep reading! (again) so watched it first thing this morning! I was a bit disappointed in parts, the whole resolution of the Adama plot just felt like a let down. The terrorists just seemed silly, and the ending for Zoe was also a bit of a let down. If terminator has taught me anything it's that killer-robots-of-the-future can survive car crashes. I thought the scene where she killed the nice geek was actually much more moving.

But I was sad that Amanda killed herself. I thought she was one of the few people that was starting to get interesting! (I had hopes that Clasise would see her and then get out of the car in time to save her and save herself in the process). But alas no. I think it would have been more interesting if she'd been on the brink and made to face her problems, perhaps as part of Clarise's group. But no, instead she just gets reduced to an example of how Daniel's world has turned to shit. (is a little bitter)

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's totally fair & I can easily see where you're coming from. I think I just liked the sadness of it all, and the feeling of things coming together and finally going somewhere. And I thought it was edited & directed well. But I know what you mean too.

*edited to add: I'm still holding out hope though that they'll create an avatar of Amanda, especially since Clarice was so convinced that God wanted her to show her something. What do you think?

[scifi-mel.livejournal.com]

I like that idea a lot. It works with the narrative of the show too.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Pity we'll have to wait until frakkin' October though to see if we're right!

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

Oh Chris Carter, he deserves lots of slaps really. Though I'm more indulgent to him, it's Ron who gets my rage now. It's more, aww Chris, you really are just pulling things out of your ass, aren't you?

I've been rewatching season 1 and it is adorably slightly rubbish with its cheap budget and awful Scully fashions.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Ha, this is reminding me of the times I used to spend at the Mighty Big TV/Television Without Pity boards back in the day, when everyone would joke about putting sticks in CC's bicycle spokes so he would crash. Haha. I think he and & Ron Moore are probably BFFs, for real. I'm pretty sure their conversation planning their shows went a little somethin' like this:

Chris Carter: And the tagline will be, "The truth is out there."
Ron Moore: Ooh, that's good. Mine will be, "And they have a plan."
Chris Carter: Awesome, dude!
Ron Moore: But guess what?
Chris Carter: What?
Ron Moore: They won't.
Chris Carter: Ha!
Ron Moore: I mean, not other than "kill everyone," which is an obvious plan anyway if you think about it.
Chris Carter: That's cool. Because you wanna know something?
Ron Moore: Huh?
Chris Carter: The truth isn't really out there. I'm just making it up as I go along.
Ron Moore: Sweet.
Chris Carter: You wanna know how long I'm gonna string 'em along with the bee shit? And then what the end of the Samantha storyline will be? C'mere. . .*whispers in Ron Moore's ear*
Ron Moore: *laughs & laughs* Oh, man, that's rich! But that's nothin' compared to what I've got in store for my people when it comes to PIGEONS! JUST YOU WAIT!

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

Ha! Though Chris wins, he managed 9 years while Ron only managed 4.

They both deserve a slapping.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Ha, true 'dat. Chris managed to bullshit better for way longer.

But in my opinion the conspiracy arc went off the rails after season 5 or 6, so he really only managed 5/6 years as far as I'm concerned (when it came to planning the arc out, I mean). But he gets huge bonus points for the fact that he managed to keep the show going with so many great standalone eps up through the end of season 7 despite the mytharc freefall. Then again, he also gets points deducted imo for some of the fuckups he made on how he handled the m/s relationship and the william plotline in seasons 8 and 9. I really think he should've just planned to end the show in season 8 (when GA's contract ended) so it could've had a better ending, as painful as that would've been for me at the time.

To be fair to RDM though too, I don't think he ever wanted BSG to be a show that lasted 8 or 9 years. It was pretty clear from the beginning that you knew where the show was going to end up (they'd either make it to Earth or be dead), and they could only keep going for so long before paying up. But he absolutely got lucky with that, because he's not the kind of storyteller who could've handled an 8 or 9 year arc when it comes to the "and they have a plan" stuff. Heh. He totally couldn't have handled a CC-like tale of "and then this layer of the conspiracy gets unfolded. . .and then this layer. . .and this layer. . ." It just wasn't his thing, and that showed with the final 5 stuff. RDM's strengths imo were in the character-driven stories and the ethical/philosophical questions. Which is something XF shares in my opinion as well. It's no wonder both fandoms share so many fans when you think about it.

Anyway, I'm rambling. It's something I do, which you'll quickly learn. Hee. In summation: RDM gets a slap from me because of the Times Square & angel scenes in the finale (which were just painfully anvilicious) and for only making it four years before producing something as stinky as "The Plan", but CC gets the bigger slap (and then a contradictory hug) for keeping me obsessed with him for so many years just to never give me the damn 2012 apocolypse I wanted or the hot sexxings I wanted and the fuckin' supersoldiers and WILLIAM (*weeps*), and etc. Note the contradictory hug in there though, because like you it's an indulgent slapping. Hee. Like, "fuck you. . . P.S. I love you, dude."

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

Chris was also kind of forced to go on by Fox. In an ideal world, it would have ended with season 7 then gone into X Files: the Next Generation, or something. At least by the time the last movie came round he had to commit to actually showing a M/S relationship. Hell, I was a Noromo and by the end I was all "just let them fuck already!".

Super Soldiers are still stupid though.

Ron annoys me because even though he got to choose when to end it, he was still playing about pulling stuff out of his ass after that decision was made (or wasn't keeping a close enough eye on what crack the writers room were coming up with, like that whole Caprica/Tigh thing) instead of sitting down figuring out how to finish it off the second they knew they only had so any eps to go, instead of trying to do it at the last minute with the finale and falling short. They knew they had one last season, they should have been acting like it.

But I could have forgiven all the plot fails (because, hey, still managed to find enjoyment in the X Files even though I gave up of the Mytharc after that Samantha starlight thing, and Super Soldiers being stupid) if he hadn't doomed everyone while playing it off as a happy ending, and have them go willingly to that doom by acting completely out of character. That bit there is the deal breaker with me, not God and angels (though still think that was done half assed. And dammit, you don't get to be all coy "it doesn't like to be called that" when you just invoked it to fix your inability to think things through.)

And he deserves lots of smacks for the Starbuck thing. Though in my canon after she poofed she finally discovered the reason for everything was because "God" though it was cool, and so is busy trying to break the fourth wall to go punch Ron in the face.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Haha, damn, you ARE bitter. I'll address each point one at a time:

Hell, I was a Noromo and by the end I was all "just let them fuck already!".

Hee! We were destined to fight from years ago then! Even before the puppy-kicking. You're an Adama/Roslin shipper though, right? I assumed so because of the fervor of your "they did SO have sex on NC!" argument. I was an M/S shipper from day one. But no worries, my best friend as a teenager was a noromo, so I don't mind your kind. Haha. We used to mock each other 24/7 though.

Re: Caprica/Tigh, I hate that plotline MAJORLY. I basically pretend it didn't happen. It's one of the few things I just straight-up can't even acknowledge when it comes to BSG and I'm usually pretty forgiving with that show because I love it so much.

Re: the "happy" ending. I didn't mind that at all. And I even thought the God stuff fit the show too, based on how it had been an element of the show from the very beginning. I just thought they relied too heavily on it in a way that was too clearly stated. As for the Starbuck thing, that was lazy because the "harbinger of death" thing never fully made sense except in a metaphorical light (that after that point the human race was never again fully human. It was always human/cylon), but I was even satisified with it on an emotional level, although I do get why people were annoyed with its resolution.

All in all, he didn't do a perfect job wrapping up the series when it came to giving answers, but emotionally I felt satisfied. I think a lot of it for me is that I watched all of BSG in a matter of months after it had aired, while XF was a years-long fandom journey for me. My expectations were set so high for XF, and I was much harsher on it for that reason because my love ran so much deeper for it.

At the end of the day though, as much as I kid about slapping CC, I'll always love him for giving me XF. And I suspect a lot of the bitter BSG fans will probably feel much the same toward RDM in ten years too.

edited to add: Anyway though, so since you're rewatching season 1, you wanna join in on the epic rewatch with us?

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

Ewww, you shipper! M/S is icky! Though A/R isn't ;).

Heh, yep, just a tad bitter. I'll get over it though, and will probably be mocking him in a more fond way eventually. I'm probably pissed because I've been in BSG for the long haul, from when it got its premier showings on Sky One (ha ha, take THAT America), and had originally drifted off about half way through season 2 only to get pulled back in, even though the initial problems that had put me off were still there, and as time went on and they got worse I was hoping that this time it would work out. Then it got really bad, lol.

Oooo, rewatching is cool. I can never get over how young Mulder and Scully look in the beginning.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

*uses a shippy icon just to make you gag*

I'm probably pissed because I've been in BSG for the long haul

Yep, that's exactly what I was thinkin'. And exactly what I've run into with fellow XF fans too. Those like me who were heavy into the XF fandom for years & years were way more harsh & bitter--particularly toward the final two seasons and the latest movie--than the new fans who came along in the later years or even after the show ended. Same thing seems to happen with every fandom I've come across since. The longer you've been a fan of a show (and not just a casual fan, but a *fan*), the higher your expectations, the more pissed you'll get if those expectations aren't met in exactly the way you want. But the funny thing is, no matter how bitter the fan is, if you ask them, "so do you still love the show?", their answer will be, "well, fuck yeah, of course! What kind of question is that? BEST SHOW EVER, MUTHAFUCKA!" Haha.

Fans are funny creatures, at the end of the day.

I love Babyfaced!Mulder & Scully at the beginning! With their ugly clothes & poofy hair & giant cell phones. It gives me such joy. I think rewatching XF with a bunch of BSG fans is going to be epic fun too, because of some of the similarities between the shows. bsg_stardust already pointed out in "Shadows" Cottle is the cattle rancher. Ha!

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

EWWWWWWW! COOTIES!

Yep, that is definitely true. With X Files I ended up on a break around seasons 4-6 because of scheduling issues and Sky stealing it from the BBC, so didn't start watching again until we got Sky just in time for season 7, and didn't get on the internet until 2002. Hell, I'm sure that's the reason I managed to quite enjoy seasons 8 and 9, even though I won't argue that they have some serious problems.

Oh the Vancouver acting pool, it's always fun to spot familiar faces, like Romo as that creepy Fire guy, and General Hammond from Stargate as Scully's dad!

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Oh, this rewatch is going to be fun with you in it. *evil laugh* Just you wait for Pusher, beeyotch!

(this is making me so sentimental for the '90s days of epic shipper/noromo battles, yo! Ha. Ahh, memories.)

I started watching XF the summer before the 4th season (in '96), and remember "Home" was one of the first few eps I saw (at 14 years old). I remember thinking "This show is fucking insane, I HAVE TO KEEP WATCHING. Also: Mulder & Scully clearly need to get together. I hope that happens soon." (famous last words, hee) I then showed it to my (noromo) best friend, who was like "WTF is this shit?! Inbreds?! You freak!" Then she fell in love and the rest is history, haha.

Re: the acting pool, Elosha was also Scully's nurse in "One Breath!" And I'm pretty sure bsg_stardust was right that the place Scully's friend performs cello at in the first season is the Opera House. AND: Pusher was Roslin's running mate!

ETA: But omg I totally forgot about Romo as the fire guy! Haha, that's awesome!

[bibliodragon.livejournal.com]

It was Anasazi that was my first episode. I spent the whole episode going "I have no idea who these people are or what is going on." Luckily reruns of season 1 were shown after and I was hooked!

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

I can't remember for sure anymore which it was, but I'm almost positive the very first ep I saw was either the 3rd season finale or the 4th season premiere. All the bee stuff from those episodes left a huge impression on me because I had a huge bee phobia as a kid, heh. But I think everyone has similar thoughts when they first watch that show, hee. "What the hell is this shit???"

Lucky for me too F/X used to air that show twice a day so it took no time at all to catch up. I was uber addicted in about two seconds.

[teachlikeroslin.livejournal.com]

I did a Buffy marathon last winter, a West Wing marathon this summer, and a couple BSG marathons through the year, so I tried to go back and have an XF marathon this past winter and failed. Miserably. I got mid season three and stopped. Which is strange because I love season 3,4, and 5. What's the deal?

But I am currently reading Bonetree's epic stories set in her "Goshen" universe. I didn't mind seasons 8 and 9 (on some levels, at least), but I wish these stories had actually been on the show. So good.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

I got mid season three and stopped. Which is strange because I love season 3,4, and 5. What's the deal?

That is strange, because seasons 3-5 are the shiznit. But you know what it might be? If you're like me, you watched those seasons SO MANY TIMES back in the day that maybe now you just almost can't watch them anymore without some extra type of motivation to enjoy them in a new light. Or you just plain need to allow a certain amount of time to pass before watching them again. That or maybe you're just not in the right mood, who knows. Heh. Maybe you'd been watching too much BSG and then you turned on XF season 4 and heard the word "cancer" and were like "noooooooo, can't deal with more tears, must watch Buffy instead." Hee.

Wanna join us for this rewatch though? We can fight over your totally incorrect beliefs about Mulder & Scully gettin' it awn in season 3.

[teachlikeroslin.livejournal.com]

You mean my amazingly correct theory made of win?

I'm too lazy to go back to the beginning, but when you all get to the third season, say around Revelations, I'd pick it back up.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

You mean my amazingly correct theory made of win?

If that's what helps you sleep at night, then okay. ;)

I'll definitely holla at ya when we get to season 3 then!

[teachlikeroslin.livejournal.com]

Well, something has to keep me warm at night.

TMI.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Haha! Please refer to icon to see how much I relate & am not judging you.

[lynott.livejournal.com]

I think I've totally given up on Caprica....

Parks and Recreation: I started watching, and OMG I love it. It's so fucking funny!! Poor Jerry though, LOL. I sat down with a pen and a pad, and started writing down quotes XD

Modern Family: That's the one with Sofia Vergara, correct? I'm thinking I REALLY need to start watching it....

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

I think I've totally given up on Caprica

I don't blame you, but I will say the finale last night *really* kicked it into high gear in the last ten minutes or so. I finally felt excited by it.

Dude, Parks & Rec gives me such joy. I'm glad you're watching it now! And you should DEFINITELY check out Modern Family.

[huh920.livejournal.com]

I have to watch this X files. I have only seen random episodes but everyone on my flist seems obsessed with it.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

DO ITTTTTT. You won't regret it! And right now is the perfect time because you can join the rewatch we're doing! She's only on "Shadows", which is not far into season 1 at all.

Trust me, if you like Bones, you will like X-Files. It's basically impossible not to.

[huh920.livejournal.com]

Where can I watch the episodes at? LOL.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

There's this thing called "netflix", see, and they let you rent DVDs and download episodes. . .

haha, I'm such a smartass. Seriously though, you can do netflix, or you can even go to your local library (that's how I got into BSG), or try surfthechannel.com.

*edited to add: or we can wait until britishwannabe1 possibly makes it in here, because she'll inevitably have a stockpile of links at the ready to provide you at a moment's notice, haha. She's like Command Central for the "Convert the World to XF" Movement. (P.S. I hope you're reading this, britishwannabe1! Hee)

[huh920.livejournal.com]

LMAO! I have heard of Netflix but I was trying to be cheap.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Hee, I know. You really should check your local libary though and see if they have copies, because that'd be a free (and legal) way to watch. If that fails though, there is always megavideo & stuff like that, which you can usually find through sites like surfthechannel.

[britishwannabe1.livejournal.com]

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<font size-"50px">HOLY SHIT YOU'RE DOING A REWATCH.</font>

This actually makes me really excited! I can't wait to read your thoughts. In my experience, sometimes rewatches are even more fun then initial first time go-arounds.

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

Haha, you broke my lj! It wouldn't even accept your giant font this time. Well done!

Oh, this wouldn't be my first rewatch, silly girl. I did about ten thousand rewatches back in the day. But it would be my first rewatch of more than just the first season (or just random viewings of episodes picked at random) in about five years or so, so it's still a big deal!

P.S. huh920 up there needs your expertise on where she can watch it online for free (and I know you can hook her up with links). I'm trying to drag as many people into this as I can to spread the pain the joy.

[bsg-stardust.livejournal.com]

OMG, yay, cool post. =D

That vid!!! Teh CRACK! It's brilliant!
"Mulder gets killed at least once every year and it gets really so old that we don't care." LOLZ!

Can't wait for our (re)watch to begin!

[rachg82.livejournal.com]

"Mulder gets killed at least once every year and it gets really so old that we don't care." LOLZ!

Dude, you have no idea. Haha.

I love that song so much I want to marry it. I should upload another one I have on my computer too, which is also hilarious (you'd be surprised how many bands have made songs about her, ha).

Just for fun, watch this one too (hee):

[bsg-stardust.livejournal.com]

That vid!! Seriously, I have no words for it...

OMG, LOL!

David Duchovny, I know you could love me
I'm sweet and I'm cuddly - I'm gonna kill Scully!

WHAHAHA, best line of the whole lyrics! WHAHAHA =D

Whoopi Goldberg! Jerry Springer! Gillian Anderson! TEH LOLZ!