Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

The Show:

When Season 6 premiered The X-Files was on top of the world. The X-Files movie had been released a few months earlier and had done very well both domestically and overseas. The show's fifth season had been their most viewed to-date, and The X-Files was Fox's top rated series. But all good things must come to an end, and although the sixth season still contained many excellent episodes and remained quite high in the Nielsens, it never would achieve the ratings summit set by season five. Season Six isn't without problems, but it is still an excellent season overall and is far better than most other shows on television.

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).

The Sixth Season:

Maurice: "You kindly think of yourself as single-minded but you're prone to obsessive compulsiveness, workaholism, antisocialism... Fertile fields for the descent into total wacko breakdown."
Mulder: "I don't think that pegs me exactly."
- How the Ghosts Stole Christmas

The sixth season has its share of problems, but has some very bright moments as well. Let's discuss both the good and the bad:

The Bad (perhaps I should title this "pardon me whilst I rant"):

The X-Files movie had hit theaters in the summer between the fifth and sixth seasons. Although the movie did an excellent job of entertaining old fans as well as people who had never seen the television show, it did anger some old-time fans. We had been promised that answers to long-standing questions would be revealed in the movie -- but ultimately they weren't (some of the scenes fans might have liked to see where removed from the film because they were deemed "confusing" to newcomers). Many fans expected the sixth season to pick up right where the movie left off, both storywise and Mulder/Scully relationship wise, and perhaps get some of those promised answers as well -- but that was not to be...

Instead, the very first episode had Scully, who had witnessed quite a lot in the movie, right back to her old, "I'm not sure I really believe in aliens" self -- infuriating many fans. And Mr. Sensitive Mulder, who had traveled to the ends of the earth to save his partner and nearly kissed her in the movie, was now questioning her loyalty and their friendship!?! But that wasn't even the worst of it.

Sure, after 5 long years the show's writers wanted to mix things up a bit -- try new stuff, keep it feeling fresh. While this approach had worked (for the most part) in season five, it toppled over in season six. At the beginning of season six we find the Mulder and Scully are no longer assigned to the X-Files. Instead, Mulder and Scully work for the rather hostile Assistant Director Kersh (a new character). The Cigarette Smoking Man's son, Jeffrey Spender (introduced mid-way through season five), was assigned to the X-Files along with Mulder's ex-flame Diana Fowley (played by Mimi Rogers, as introduced in the fifth season finale).

New characters aren't always a bad thing. We grew to love Skinner, Krycek, Mr. X, the Well-Manicured Man, Gibson Praise, and others who were not a part of the original cast. However the characters of Fowley and Spender never caught on with fans, and Kersh could have been an effective character but was under-used or poorly-used.

Fans loved to hate Krycek, but they simply hated hating Fowley. I suppose she was supposed to mix the Mulder/Scully dynamic up a bit -- bring back an ex-love interest who appears to still be interested in Mulder, and have Scully start acting jealous. People who watched The X-Files for the Mulder/Scully relationship and who hoped the two would get "romantically involved" someday were angered because Fowley tended to drive a wedge between Mulder & Scully. People who watched The X-Files for the scary stories and who didn't want there to be a romantic relationship were angered because if Scully acted jealous of Fowley, then that must mean she's "interested" in Mulder, and they didn't want to see that relationship-stuff. Fowley was just a bad idea, all around. When she turned out to be working for the "dark side" no one was surprised. Spender had some interesting aspects that could have been further explored, but the writers were too busy making him whiny and weasely. I think fans were so afraid that Spender was being groomed as a replacement for Mulder that they were almost afraid to like him. The whole "other people assigned to the X-Files" thing might have worked, if it had been handled differently by the writers -- as it was the whole thing was poorly executed and grew tiresome very quickly.

But the new characters weren't the only thing working against season six. Dubbed "The Season That Wasn't" and "X-Files Lite" by many fans, overall many of the shows lacked a quality that had been present since the show's beginning. "The Season That Wasn't" moniker came about because so many of the episodes (almost a third of them) had some twist at the conclusion that effectively wiped-out everything else that had just happened in the episode. It might have been okay once, maybe twice, but it just kept happening in season six, and it annoyed fans because it made you feel like you just wasted an hour watching something that ultimately didn't happen. Season Six was called "X-Files Lite" because so many of the shows were more humor-oriented than horror-oriented. Don't get me wrong, many of the all-time fan favorites are humorous episodes, but the overwhelming majority of the episodes are usually dark, serious, and scary. Having far too many light-hearted episodes, not all of which are of the best quality, made "X-Files Lite" an appropriate nickname for season six.

And last but not least, the mythology of season six is just a mess. The mythology episodes are those that make up the continuing storyline -- effectively forming the backbone of the show. It had gotten beyond confusing in the seasons leading up to season six, so someone came up with the bright idea of "cleaning the slate" -- the "syndicate" (a shadow government who had entered into a deal with the aliens and who were in control of all the world's governments) was completely wiped out (with the exception of the Cigarette Smoking Man, of course). I guess after this the writers thought that they didn't have to explain any plots having to do with the syndicate or Mulder's father or faceless-rebel aliens anymore -- which angered fans who were still wanting answers.

The Good:

It wasn't all bad, of course. Much of what makes the show great is still there -- namely Duchovny and Anderson bringing the characters of Mulder and Scully to life, and some excellent stand-alone episodes that allow the agents to shine.

Certain episodes in particular make the season worth watching. "Triangle" springs to mind as one of the risks they took that turned out well. Filmed in a unique style that made it look like there were no cuts or edits, the entire show was a fun romp that was unique and entertaining. Another risk was in letting Duchovny write and direct his own episode. Duchovny had contributed ideas and received writing credits before, but "The Unnatural" was his first solo writing and directing effort, and it is such a jewel to behold.

Season Six was the first season filmed in Los Angeles (seasons 1-5 had been shot in Canada -- Vancouver to be exact). I refuse to blame the downfall of the show on the move to LA -- the lighting and atmosphere is definitely less gloomy, but the production quality is still very high, and the stories speak for themselves. The X-Files was always known for its dark, moody atmosphere, but I don't think the move damaged the look of the episodes at all (although it certainly was changed).

Overall, I would say season six has some really standout episodes (Triangle, How the Ghosts Stole Christmas, Monday, The Unnatural, Field Trip), a lot of mediocre episodes, and some real clunkers ("Agua Mala" in particular is "muy, muy mala").

For the sixth season, The X-Files was nominated for 8 Emmys (including Outstanding Lead Actress, Cinematography, and Guest Actress for Veronica Cartwright), and won 1 (for Outstanding Makeup). They were nominated 3 Golden Globe Awards (Best TV Series, Actor, and Actress), but did not win. They were nominated for 3 Screen Actors Guild Awards (Actor, Actress, and Ensemble Cast), but did not win. Gillian Anderson did win for Best Actress in the Viewers for Quality Television Awards, and David Duchovny won a TV Guide award for Favorite Actor in a Drama.

DVD Technical Specs:

This set includes 6 single-sided, dual-layered discs.

5 discs contain 4 episodes apiece (along with deleted scenes and international clips) in the original airing order. The 6th disc contains 2 episodes 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 1056 minutes (that's 22 episodes at 48 minutes apiece).

The 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 English is also closed captioned.

The video quality is wonderful! Hurray for widescreen! The episodes look great in 16x9, presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. 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 6 discs. You can see a graphic of the packaging if you follow the official Season 6 DVD Set link at the bottom of this review.

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 eight seasons.

The Discs:

~~Disc One:

The Beginning (6x01) - Mulder and Scully find that they are not assigned to the X-Files, but the pair still attempts to track down the alien virus (the same one that appeared in the feature film). It was an okay season premiere, with some good stuff but other opportunities missed. Fans, after waiting all summer to see Mulder and Scully in-action, were annoyed to watch Mulder and Fowley instead. There is a way-cool scene of the vicious-alien changing into a cute grey alien at the end of the episode -- but it is annoying to look back now and see that it was never addressed again in the show -- another opportunity lost. (MizGnomer's episode grade: B)

Drive (6x02) - Mulder is stuck in a car with a deranged man suffering from a strange illness, and Scully must work to cure the illness before the man dies and takes Mulder with him. Another excellent story penned by writer Vince Gilligan. A bit like the movie "Speed", but with a twist. (My grade: A-)

Triangle (6x03) - Mulder in the Bermuda Triangle on a ship that disappeared in 1939 -- it must be the X-Files. This episode was filmed with no cutaways or breaks in the action, so each segment (broken only by commercials) appears to be one long take. Although the first segment (Mulder on the ship) is a bit slow at times, from the second segment on it is non-stop, with fun (Scully running through the halls of the FBI) and suspense (Nazis on the ship in 1939) and surprises (the first official Mulder/Scully(kinda) kiss!!). Very fun, unique, and entertaining!! (My grade: A plus)

Dreamland (6x04) - Mulder wants to investigate Area 51, but gets body-swapped on the way. I apologize in advance for another rant, but I really don't like the Dreamland two-parter. Lots of fans love them -- I don't. They are supposed to be campy and fun, but I find them grating. I think the writers were trying for the "funny" a bit too hard. Mulder swaps bodies with a man-in-black who works at Area 51 (Morris Fletcher, played by the excellent Michael McKean of "Laverne & Shirley" and "Spinal Tap" fame). Mulder finally gets to explore Area 51, a place full of answers to the questions he has spent his life asking, but he is too busy delving into Morris' personal life. Scully's partner is replaced with a man who is a sexist pig and acts nothing like Mulder, and she doesn't suspect anything? The science isn't explained well, and someone-in-the-wrong-body has been done so much better in other episodes (like Season Four's wonderful "Small Potatoes"), so it just comes off as lame to me here. There are some redeeming moments (particularly at the end of Dreamland II, when Mulder thinks he must remain in the wrong body forever), but overall I'm not a fan of these two episodes. (My grade: C)

~~Disc Two:

Dreamland II (6x05) - see above entry for "Dreamland" (My grade: B-)

How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (6x08) - Mulder and Scully spend Christmas Eve investigating a haunted house. Although this episode can also be considered one of the "X-Files Lite" episodes, I still really like it. It had a claustrophobic, moody atmosphere, and guest stars Lily Tomlin and Ed Asner made excellent ghosts. The ending was a bit confusing to many fans, I still find it to have a good blend of creepy and funny, with some touching moments thrown in as well. (My grade: A)

Terms of Endearment (6x06) - A demon who is seeking some spawn is the centerpiece of this episode. A visually cool but awfully gross episode that is okay but really doesn't pack much punch. I adore guest star Bruce Campbell (of "Evil Dead" fame), but even he can't make me like this episode. There is a somewhat nice twist to the story, but not enough to win me over. (My grade: B-)

The Rain King (6x07) - Mulder and Scully investigate a man who claims to control the weather. Another "Lite" episode, another episode that isn't anything spectacular. It does have some nice moments and some clever stuff, and Mulder & Scully are particularly "cute" in their comic-ness. (My grade: B)

~~Disc Three:

S.R. 819 (6x10) - Agents Mulder and Scully have 24 hours to find a cure for a strange illness that has afflicted Assistant Director Skinner. A Skinner-centric episode, and a fairly good one at that. (My grade: B plus)

Tithonus (6x09) - Scully and a new partner investigate a man trying to capture the essence of death on film. Another solid Vince Gilligan script that shows us more insight into Agent Scully. Nice guest appearance by Geoffrey Lewis. Good story, well acted, nicely shot. (My grade: A)

Two Fathers (6x11) - Cassandra Spender returns to help Mulder and Scully expose the truth about extra-terrestrials. While Veronica Cartwright's return as Cassandra was nice, this episode just helped to show that the writers themselves had no idea how to wrap-up all the mythology loose ends. Even the Mulder and Scully interaction, usually such fun to watch, was really lacking in this one. Still, the episode does reveal some useful information, and has some good moments (including more Krycek, which is usually fun). (My grade: B)

One Son (6x12) - In this follow-up to "Two Fathers", the mythology is simply a mess, and the powers-that-be behind the show decide to just kill everybody (except the main characters) and start over from scratch -- which seems like a big cop-out to me. Fowley and Scully butt heads, while Mulder seems to show some allegiance to Fowley (which is highly annoying). There are more interesting scenes (including Mulder & Scully under quarantine procedures), but not enough to make this episode great. (My grade: B-)

~~Disc Four:

Agua Mala (6x14) - Agent Arthur Dales calls in a favor and asks Mulder and Scully to investigate a "sea monster" during a hurricane. The story itself actually had some potential, but the episode simply didn't live up to it. The episode jumps too quickly between horror and humor, causing the humor to fall flat because it just isn't the right time for laughs. Scully complained far too much, and it is criminal that she didn't find a way to help her partner in his time of need. There were some good moments though, and I loved the look of the episode. (My grade: C)

Monday (6x15) - Mulder is having a bad day that ultimately ends in tragedy... and he must relive it over and over. I adore this episode. Vince Gilligan proves again (as he did in Season 5's "Bad Blood") that he can tell the same story multiple times yet keep it interesting. There are some really excellent shocking moments in this one, plus some great Mulder/Scully interaction (freewill vs. fate discussions are always fun). Great guest-appearances by Carrie Hamilton (Carol Burnett's late daughter) and Darren Burrows. (My grade: A)

Arcadia (6x13) - Mulder and Scully go undercover as a married couple to investigate odd disappearances from an exclusive community. As with the Dreamland episodes, this is another "fan-favorite" episode that I'm not terribly fond of. Again, this is "X-Files Lite", however it is one of the better season 6 "lite" offerings. There were definitely some adorable moments between Mulder and Scully, but the monster was rather lame, and sometimes the "domestic" moments were too over the top for me (such as Scully's green mud-mask). (My grade: B)

Alpha (6x16) - A rare and seemingly super-intelligent dog is on the loose and killing people. This episode reminded me of Season 1's shapes. It has some nice moments. It was okay, but nothing spectacular. (My grade: B-)

~~Disc Five:

Trevor (6x17) - Mulder and Scully must track down a man who escaped from prison in what appears to be an impossible way. Another decent X-Files episode -- nothing fantastic but not bad either. Some nice Mulder/Scully interaction. (My grade: B)

Milagro (6x18) - Mulder and Scully are tracking a killer who is killing "true love", and the prime suspect becomes enamored with Agent Scully. I love this episode on quite a few levels. I adored the dark mood, the look into Mulder and Scully's relationship, and the further exploration of Scully. After watching Scully be jealous all season it was nice for Mulder to have a turn for a change. (My grade: A)

The Unnatural (6x20) - Mulder researches the past of an amazing Negro League player, and uncovers more than he imagined. A simply stunning episode, full of optimism and inside jokes. Duchovny's (solo) writing and directorial debut is just amazing. He managed to take a totally new character (wonderfully played by Jesse L. Martin) and make us really care about him! He even managed to advance the mythology a bit (tying shape-shifting aliens to gray aliens). Not to mention that the Mulder/Scully scenes are so adorable they practically gave me cavities from the sweetness!! Simply fabulous!! (My grade: A plus)
special note on the bonus features for this episode: - Arthur Dales was a recurring character played by Darren McGavin. The character was a nod to McGavin's series "The Night Stalker", which X-Files creator Chris Carter credits with giving him the idea for the X-Files. Duchovny wrote "The Unnatural" around Arthur Dales, however Darren McGavin became ill during filming and was unable to finish. I am very grateful to the producers of this DVD set for adding to the special features the scenes Darren McGavin filmed before he fell ill. The other episodes McGavin appears in ("Travelers" and "Agua Mala") were not that well received by fans, however "The Unnatural" is a classic and I'm saddened that he was unable to be a part of it.

Three of a Kind (6x19) - The Lone Gunmen and Scully investigate an old acquaintance at a Las Vegas convention. A Mulder-free, Scully-lite episode featuring The Lone Gunmen -- much like Season 5's "The Unusual Suspects". I prefer "The Unusual Suspects", but this episode was still a rather fun romp. Great stuff (as always) from Gillian Anderson, in a "drugged" role. (My grade: B)

~~Disc Six (and other bonus material):

Field Trip (6x21) - This episode is hard to summarize in a sentence. It is one of my favorites from season six. It really keeps you confused and guessing, yet comes up with some pretty cool explanations for what you see (although there is no way to explain the "shared trip", but I like it anyway). Definitely full of surprising moments, and some great acting by Duchovny and Anderson. (My grade: A plus)

Biogenesis (6x22) - An ancient artifact has a strange affect on Agent Mulder. For a sixth season mythology episode, I really enjoyed "Biogenesis" -- it reminded me of earlier seasons with its "keep 'em guessing" storyline and its quick moving plot. It ended in a cliffhanger that left me cursing them for making me wait all summer to get answers. Scully was extremely excellent in this episode as well. Excellent season-ender. (My grade: A)

~~ Bonus Features ~~

The Truth About Season Six:
A 21 minute featurette including interviews from a lot of the writers and directors as well as Mitch Pileggi (Skinner), William B. Davis (the Cigarette Smoking Man), Dean Haglund (of The Lone Gunmen), and Mimi Rogers (Agent Fowley). It does a behind the scenes look of a few episodes, but mainly focuses on "Triangle", "Two Fathers", and "One Son".

Season Six Featurette:
A quick, 4-minute "featurette" about the show. More of a commercial than anything else.

Deleted Scenes:
with optional commentary by Frank Spotnitz
* Tithonus - Stalking the next photo op
* Tithonus - Ritter & Scully look at the autopsy report
* Tithonus - Fellig's bath
* Two Fathers - CSM watches Cassandra's ward
* Two Fathers - CSM and Krycek
* One Son - Spender talks to Fowley
* One Son - Operating on Cassandra
* Arcadia - Gene says it's "Just a deer"
* Alpha - alternate ending
* Milagro - victim's girlfriend explains her love to Mulder
* The Unnatural - Darren McGavin instead of M. Emmet Walsh
* The Unnatural - Final version with M. Emmet Walsh
* The Unnatural - Mulder asks Arthur (Darren McGavin) why he would want to join the FBI
* The Unnatural - Mulder asks Arthur (M. Emmet Walsh) why he didn't join the FBI
* Biogenesis - Albert Hosteen helps Dr. Sandoz translate the Artifact

Special Effects Clips:
with commentary by producer Paul Rabwin
* Triangle - Mulder lifted out of the water
* Dreamland - Add dawn to shot
* Dreamland - Add steam to faux mirror
* Dreamland II - Time Warp pass over
* Terms of Endearment - Devil/Fire comp
* Rain King - Abducted cow
* Rain King - Wire Removal
* Rain King - Lightening and Rain added
* Rain King - Composite Window
* How the Ghosts Stole Christmas - Gun Holes
* Two Fathers - Add fire to cattle prod
* Trevor - Add storm effects
* The Unnatural - Alien morph

44 Television Commercials:
For each episode there are two commercials (one promo-spot is 10 seconds long, the other is 20 seconds).

X-Files Profiles: Cigarette Smoking Man
Overseas most of the 2-part episodes are edited together and released as movies. To accompany the release of the "Two Fathers/One Son" movie, this 1 minute teaser and 5 minute featurette were produced (you can tell that the same people who do the FX "Behind the Scenes" shorts did this one -- they've even got the same announcer guy). It includes some nice behind-the-scenes footage of practically everybody.

DVD ROM features:
Similar to the games on the previous seasons' DVD Boxed Sets, this time called "Dreamland". 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, Shockwave, and Windows 95 or higher.

"International" Clips (available only on the episodic discs):
These are episode clips with the voices dubbed in Japanese, German, Italian, and Castilian Spanish. The featured episodes are The Beginning, Dreamland II, Two Fathers, Arcadia, Three of a Kind, and Biogenesis

Optional Commentary Tracks (available only on the episodic discs):
~~ Triangle - commentary by Chris Carter.
~~ Milagro - commentary by Kim Manners.


Cast/Crew Listings (available only on the episodic discs):
Each disc contains a special listing of the cast and crew for the episodes on that disc.

Final Thoughts:

Scully: "Mulder, it is such a gorgeous day outside. Have you ever entertained the idea of trying to find life on this planet?"
Mulder: "I have seen the life on this planet, Scully, and that is exactly why I am looking elsewhere."
The Unnatural

The only negative I can come up with on the DVD set itself is that I wish there were even more extras! While this set really has tons of extras (including more deleted scenes than any other season), most rabid X-Philes are still longing for the wonderful gag-reels and know of other deleted scenes that would have been absolutely fabulous additions to this already fantastic set. I also really missed the "Behind the Truth" segments that have appeared on the other discs -- I love those things.

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 and the show's "mythology". You can't count on re-runs -- both the Sci-Fi channel and TNT cut out pieces of the episodes in reruns, just so they can air more commercials. I highly recommend this set to anyone (although I would certainly recommend getting the previous seasons' DVD sets first).

Web Sites of Interest:
Official X-Files Website: http://www.thex-files.com
Official Season 6 DVD Website: http://www.foxhome.com/xfiles6/

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


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older