The Show:

What do you do when your leading lady becomes pregnant? Why, have her get abducted by aliens, of course!

But first the basics -- The X-Files television show followed the investigations of FBI Agents Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). The X-Files were cases that could not be solved by conventional means -- cases that the FBI had given up upon. Mulder investigated the cases with a view toward the paranormal, Scully with a view toward the scientific. The writing was clever and intelligent, the characters unique and endearing. The show received mountains of critical acclaim (a first for a show of the "Sci-Fi" genre) and ultimately became part of our pop-culture. The show lasted for 9 seasons (although it should have ended after season 7 -- but I digress).

When Gillian Anderson, the actress who portrays Dana Scully, became pregnant late in the show's first season, she was sure she would be out of a job. Instead, the writers took a difficult situation and turned it to their advantage. For the early episodes of the show's second season they used creative camera-angles and limited appearances to hide Anderson's growing belly, then to explain her disappearance (to give birth) her character was abducted by aliens (or was it our government) in a series of remarkably well-written and compelling episodes. Unbeknownst to them at the time, they kicked-off a storyline that would keep fans hooked and guessing throughout the show's long life (and beyond). It has been argued that Anderson's unexpected pregnancy was the best thing that ever happened to the show!

This season turned me into a crazy-ape-bonkers, card-carrying X-Phile. The "abduction arc" stories took a topic that sounds so silly, so outlandish, and handled it with intelligence, suspense, and much creativity. Those were the episodes that made me fall in love with the characters. Before that I thought the show was good, but after those episodes I was completely hooked (or as one fan named gizzie liked to say "We're not obsessed, we're FOCUSED!").

The Second Season:

Scully: It would take a large python hours to consume and weeks to digest a human being.
Mulder: You really do watch The Learning Channel.
- Die Hand Die Verletzt

So what makes the second season so special? If the first season was the one to lay the groundwork, then the second was the one where everything came together and they struck series-television gold.

Although the first season's finale contained hints of what the "mythology", or the continuing storyline which formed the backbone of the show, would be, the second season molded it into an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting, roller-coaster of a great time. We got to see the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), nicknamed Cancer Man, step out of the shadows and become one of the most recognizable villains on television. We meet Mulder's parents, who each become very important to the "mythology". With the loss of Mulder's first informant he now turns to the more mysterious Mr. X (Steven Williams). We meet the first of the clones, the alien bounty hunters, and the first people to claim to be Mulder's sister. Mulder and Scully's boss, Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) gets a more prominent role. And of course, we meet Alex Krycek (Nick Lea), who becomes quite an interesting thorn in Mulder's side.

The beauty of the second season is that the mythology was just starting to take off, thus it hadn't grown out-of-control and wasn't so confusing (a complaint commonly heard in later seasons). It was fun to tie the storylines together and attempt to figure it all out. It was a fun challenge to try to resolve the storylines yourself -- the stories weren't "dumbed-down" for public consumption.

But, in my opinion, one of the best things about the second season is getting to watch Mulder and Scully grow. While the first season had Scully lose her father and Mulder become angst-ridden whenever a little girl reminded him of his sister, this is the season when the big-deal stories start happening and tragedies really start to build-up. Mulder and Scully get separated and the X-Files get shut down. Scully gets abducted and disappears for 3 months. Shell-shocked Mulder searches for her and we see for the first time how much he really relies on and (dare I say it?) loves his partner. Then the newly-returned but still skeptical Scully must deal with having 3-months of her life missing from her memory. Mulder thinks he finds his long-lost sister -- but does he really? Mulder's life is turned upside-down when he discovers that his own family is involved in the conspiracy he's trying to uncover, and he loses his father in the quest. This is the season that grabbed-hold of my heartstrings and didn't let them go.

...and apparently I wasn't alone. Although the show developed a very loyal cult following in its first season, the second season's popularity was growing by leaps and bounds. The show was increasingly popular all over the world, and Duchovny and Anderson were popping up on magazine covers and talk shows.

After winning the Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Series in their first season, the second season found them showered with award nominations -- including 7 Emmy nominations (outstanding dramatic series, outstanding writing in a drama series, etc).

Technical Specs:

Scully: Mulder, toads just fell from the sky!
Mulder: I guess their parachutes didn't open.
- Die Hand Die Verletzt

This set includes 7 single-sided, dual-layered discs.

6 discs contain 4 episodes apiece, the 7th disc contains one episode and the bonus features.

The bonus features can also be accessed while watching the episodes they come from by selecting the "X" that appears at the bottom of the screen (like the "Follow the white rabbit" scenes from the Matrix DVD).

The discs run for approximately 1200 minutes (that's 25 episodes at 48 minutes apiece).

Episodes have 15 chapters per episode.

English and French audio tracks are in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo surround. Subtitles are in English and Spanish.

The video quality is wonderful (it certainly puts my videotaped copies of the episodes to shame). The episodes were not filmed in high-definition back then (the HDTV aspect ratio was not used until season six), so while it isn't perfect it is still pretty darn fantastic. The surround sound quality is very good as well.

The packaging is very clever (when introduced with the first-season set it won an award). A slip-cover holds the gate-fold packaging closed, with X-Files images and quotes decorate every available inch of space required to hold all 7 discs.

A "collector's edition" booklet is also included with the discs, listing episode titles and chapter stops, as well as titles and air-dates for the first seven seasons.

The Discs:

~~Disc One:

Little Green Men (2x01) - We begin this first episode of the second season with the X-Files division closed and Mulder and Scully separated. We get to see a very important event from Mulder's past (one that helped make him the man he is today), as he struggles to continue his investigation without the FBI's help and against our government's wishes. (MizGnomer's episode rating: A+)

The Host (2x02) - Mulder is assigned a case in the sewers of New Jersey, but what he thinks is a punishment-assignment actually uncovers a rather remarkable creature. (My grade: A)

Blood (2x03) - What is causing normally mild-mannered people to go absolutely berserk? Mulder follows the trail, and discovers machines with "messages". (My grade: B+)

Sleepless (2x04) - Mulder and his new partner, Agent Alex Krycek, are looking for a murderer who kills in dreams and uncover people who were the product of sleep deprivation experiments during the Vietnam War. (My grade: A)

~~Disc Two:

Duane Barry (2x05) - Mulder and Krycek are brought in on a hostage negotiation because the perpetrator, Duane Barry, believes himself to be the victim of multiple alien abductions. In his desperate attempt to avoid another abduction, Duane Barry offers up another victim to go in his place -- Agent Scully! Very powerful performances from Duchovny and the guest stars, along with an intriguing storyline, make this episode one of the very best. (My grade: A+)

Ascension (2x06) - This story continues where "Duane Barry" left off -- with Mulder on a desperate search to track down Duane Barry, who has kidnapped Agent Scully. Mulder's new partner, Agent Krycek, is revealed to be a bad guy! Can Mulder find Scully in time? (My grade: A+)

3 (2x07) - Scully is missing. Krycek has disappeared. Mulder is miserable. The only positive in Mulder's life is the newly re-opened X-Files Divison. On his first case alone he must investigate a series of vampire-like killings -- but will his own depression hinder his investigation? (My grade: C)

One Breath (2x08) - After being missing for three months, Agent Scully mysteriously reappears in a local hospital. She is in a coma and fading fast. Scully's family mourns and Mulder is out for revenge -- but first he must find who did this to her. As Scully nears death, Mulder must choose between staying by her side or exacting his revenge. (My grade: A+)

~~Disc Three:

Firewalker (2x09) - In their first case since being reunited, Mulder and Scully investigate strange deaths among an isolated group of volcano researchers. Over-protective Mulder and Scully search for what might be a new, silicon-based life-form. (My grade: B-)

Red Museum (2x10) - A number of Wisconsin teens are abducted and returned acting very strangely. Thoughts of alien abduction are dismissed when a local religious cult becomes the most likely suspect -- however the real answer turns out to be something even more devious (involving our government and more experiments). (My grade: A)

Excelsis Dei (2x11) - Mulder and Scully investigate when a retirement home nurse is assaulted by an invisible force. They discover that a "miracle cure" for Alzheimer's comes with some serious side-affects. (My grade: C+)

Aubrey (2x12) - A pregnant police detective in Aubrey, Missouri appears to be having visions which solve murders from a half-century ago. But the helpful "visions" come with a serious price. (My grade: B-)

~~Disc Four:

Irresistible (2x13) - The agents travel to Minnesota to investigate a death-fetishist. While Mulder dismisses the perpetrator as a garden-variety fetishist, Scully finds out that's not the case when she becomes the next target. (My grade: A+)

Die Hand Die Verletzt (2x14) - Mulder and Scully investigate a town with a penchant for witchcraft and satan-worship. (My grade: A)

Fresh Bones (2x15) - The agents are up against powerful voodoo in their investigation of a government processing center for Haitian refugees. (My grade: C)

Colony (2x16) - Another addition to the X-Files mythology, this excellent episode introduces the cloning storyline, as well as the alien bounty hunter (sometimes called the Mighty Morphin' Power Alien in fan circles). A woman claiming to be Mulder's sister mysteriously appears, meaning this is an angst-filled and powerful episode. (My grade: A+)

~~Disc Five:

End Game (2x17) - In this excellent conclusion to "Colony" (2x16), Mulder exchanges his "sister" for Agent Scully, and discovers that she wasn't exactly who she claimed to be. Mulder travels to the end of the world (otherwise known as the Arctic wilderness) in a last-ditch effort to find his sister's real whereabouts. (My grade: A+)

Fearful Symmetry (2x18) - Someone keeps setting the animals in an Idaho zoo free -- and the animals are killing people. Mulder and Scully learn that this isn't a simple case of animal-rights activists letting animals out of their cages (this is the X-Files, after all). (My grade: B-)

Dod Kalm (2x19) - A Navy ship disappears in the Atlantic, and when the surviving crew, all men in their 20's, are rescued from their life-boat, they all appear to be elderly men! Mulder, Scully, and a rag-tag crew set out to find the missing ship, and find out more than they ever cared to learn about the aging process. (My grade: B)

Humbug (2x20) - In this X-Files debut of much-beloved writer Darin Morgan, Mulder and Scully investigate murders in town full of circus performers. Jim Rose and The Enigma from the Jim Rose Circus guest-star. (My grade: A+)

~~Disc Six:

The Calusari (2x21) - The erratic movements of a helium balloon spark Mulder's interest in the case of a young boy whose family is plagued by mysterious accidents. (My grade: B-)

F. Emasculata (2x22) - A deadly contagion is on the loose in a Virginia prison. While Scully works to study the exact nature of the illness, Mulder tries to track down two infected escaped convicts before the contagion spreads to the outside world. (My grade: B+)

Soft Light (2x23) - Spontaneous Human Combustion appears to be the culprit in a series of unusual deaths, until they find a connection to the local research facility and a physicist who is afraid of his own shadow. (My grade: B+)

Our Town (2x24) - Mulder and Scully are investigating the disappearance of a government employee and discover that quite a few people have gone missing from the small Arkansas community. Years before Mad-Cow disease was all over the news, it became a key to solving this X-Files case involving prolonged-youth and cannibalism. (My grade: B)

~~Disc Seven:

Anasazi (2x25) - The second season's cliffhanger finale (and one of my all-time favorite episodes), Mulder is acting very unlike himself as he receives top secret files from a computer hacker. We learn more about "the conspiracy" and the involvement of Mulder's own father, who is gunned down (apparently by Alex Krycek) before he can reveal all to his son. As Mulder gets closer and closer to uncovering the conspiracy, the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man will stop at nothing to destroy the evidence -- and Mulder along with it. (My grade: A+)

The Truth About Season Two:
This is an all-new, 14-minute documentary which includes commentaries from creator Chris Carter and various producers, directors, and other staff and crew. Cast members also add comments, including Mitch Pileggi (Skinner), writer/actor Darin Morgan, "Lone Gunman" Dean Haglund, and Steve Railsback (Duane Barry).

12 Interview Clips with X-Files Creator Chris Carter:
If you purchased the X-Files videos from Fox, these are the clips that accompanied the episodes on those tapes. Each clip is between 3 and 4 minutes of Chris Carter discussing a particular episode. The episodes discussed are: Little Green Men, The Host, Sleepless, Duane Barry, Ascension, One Breath, Irresistible, Die Hand Die Verletzt, Colony, End Game, Humbug and Anasazi

9 Behind the Truth Segments:
These are behind-the-scenes specials, each approximately a minute long, that aired before the episodes when the series began running in syndication on FX. I wish I had known that these clips would be available someday, as I spent a lot of time trying to catch all of the spots on video when they first aired on FX. I'm a huge behind-the-scenes junkie, so I absolutely love these short specials.

Deleted Scenes:
~~ From "Sleepless" - the original "Ms" X. (with commentary from Paul Rabwin)
~~ From "3" - Mulder's vampire-chic talking to a fireman
~~ From "Humbug" - the hermaphrodite waiter/waitress
~~ From "Anasazi" - Mulder's informant (The Thinker) is kidnapped

Special Effects Clips:
~~ From "End Game" - Carter narrates some footage of the conning-tower (which was done on a huge sound stage).
~~ From "Anasazi" - The process of making a Vancouver rock quarry look like the red/orange rocks of New Mexico.

Behind the Scenes:
~~ From "Humbug" - The infamous Gillian-eats-a-bug scene.

49 TV Commercials:
For the first 24 episodes there are two commercials per episode (one promo-spot is 10 seconds long, the other is 20 seconds). For "Anasazi" there is one 20 second spot.

"International" Clips:
These are episode clips with the voices dubbed in Japanese, German, Spanish, and Italian (most of these are only available on the episode-discs). The featured episodes are Duane Barry, One Breath, Irresistible, Humbug, and Anasazi.

DVD ROM features:
Similar to the one from the First Season's DVD Box Set, this time called "Unholy Alliances". The game is part trivia quiz, part puzzle, and part episode guide. Players can investigate Mulder and Scully's multimedia case files. The game requires a DVD-ROM drive and Windows 95 or higher.

Final Thoughts:

Scully: "Did you find what you were looking for?"
Mulder: "No. But I found something I thought I'd lost -- faith to keep looking."
- End Game

The only bad thing I can say about this DVD set is that I wish there were more extras. Most rabid X-Philes have seen the wonderful gag-reels, and know about other deleted scenes that would have been absolutely fabulous additions to this already great set. Commentary on at least a few of the episodes would have been nice too (commentaries are available on later seasons' DVD sets).

While this DVD set is an absolute must for any obsessed X-Phile, it is also a great way for casual fans or those who came to the show in later seasons to get caught up with the characters, their origins, and the show's "mythology".

Web Sites of Interest:
Official X-Files Web site: http://www.thex-files.com
Official Season 2 DVD site: http://www.xfilesseason2dvd.com

Related X-Files DVD Set Reviews:
First Season
Third Season
Fourth Season
Fifth Season
Sixth Season
Seventh Season
Eighth Season



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older