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

Sigh, yet another show I really liked that was cancelled early. I think the only series I got into that didn’t die before its time was X Files (I’m only a minor fan of the Simpsons so I don’t count it), and it could have continued if the guys in charge had sharpened their storytelling more. With so many years under its belt I thought that any spin-off was a sure-fire success. And a success it should have been.

I planned my evening for a week or more. I made certain nothing would keep me from seeing the first episode of the Lone Gunmen. I loved it! Such an excellent mix of conspiracy theory intrigue and humor with three guys I already felt like I knew – now I was getting to know them better.

That’s not to say that it was the most perfect show ever broadcast, but it was good enough that I looked forward to next week, and the next, and so on for a short period of time. Then I started having a hard time finding it. Where it should have been was a ballgame (one of the reasons I hate sports!) I think I saw 1 or 2 more shows after that, but between getting preempted for games and moved into other time slots with no warning, I bet I never saw half the episodes. And if I, someone who was most definitely a fan making an active attempt to see it, couldn’t find it to watch, how in the name of Mulder’s paranoia were they supposed to build up any kind of new fanbase??? I tell you, friends and neighbors, Fox Network screwed the Lone Gunmen like… well, I don’t want to go there, children might be reading this review. Anyway their treatment was worse than Futurama and almost as bad as Harsh Realm.

The point is, review after review that I have read agrees with my positive view of the show. Maybe it never would have lasted as long as its parent show, but it was good enough to be given a better shot than it got. All that to say don’t let the short life of the series make you think it’s not worth the time. Give it a chance.

Since the life was so short, you are not likely to be able to see this series on TV, but you can see "Unusual Suspects" in X Files season 5 , "Three of a Kind" in season 6 (I have complete reviews for both
seasons, by the way), and "Jump The Shark" in season 9 (which is also part of this collection) as well as numerous other small appearances by the Gunmen. If you like those, DEFINITELY check out the LG series, although "…Shark" wraps up the story line so you may want to save it for last.

There is a lot of humor even to the point of some episodes being on the verge of comedies, but one great thing about LG is that it’s not all-out silliness. There are some serious storylines of suspense and intrigue with tense and touching moments throughout. The government conspiracy stories in X Files began wearing thin, but LG does a much better job with the concept. If they had let LG take over that style and let XF focus more on the paranormal and otherwise unexplained without so much conspiracy, I think both could have continued to be great for years to come.

Speaking of the paranormal there is none of that in LG. Where the X Files is usually dark with monsters, aliens, mutants, bloody autopsies, and other things that make people have nightmares, LG stays away from all of it. They deal with microchips that spy on users, cars that run on water, and other fictional but down-to-earth ideas with only hints of extra-terrestrial technology towards the end. For an idea of what it’s like think of the story behind "Kill Switch" (the one about the murderous AI trying to blow everyone up with satellites) but more light-hearted (no gun battles or amputations) with the comedy of "Bad Blood" (the one where Mulder and Scully take turns telling the story of how Mulder killed a “vampire”) but with a technology-based story. I could also see the story about nanites in "SR819" (where Skinner thinks he’s been poisoned) being similar to a LG plot if it were more comedic.

I appreciate the fact that LG doesn’t try to be another X Files – it takes a different approach and tone. I also like the fact that it stands on its own without the need for regular X Files characters to appear in every episode. Granted a little more cross-over wouldn’t have hurt, but the rarity of those occurrences strengthens the series.

I’m still, when it comes right down to it, a geek. I can still pop off more useless Star Wars trivia than anyone I know, my idea of a good time is getting together with a bunch of other computer geeks and setting up our own local area network so we can play computer games, and if I had a crew I could get interested in playing role playing games I would be doing that.

What does that have to do with the price of water on Tattooine? LG is about three geeks that save the world, or parts of it, on a regular basis. How could it NOT appeal to someone like me? I am a less than gifted hacker (much less), but I can still see a little bit of myself in these guys which is great fun. Far from idiots, they are, nonetheless, bumbling and quirky. One minute they may be hacking the most secure computer in the nation and the next destroying an expensive golf bag while trying to clean it because one of them got sick in it. They take the old saying “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you,” to a whole new level.

They are anti-heroes in the sense that they are not the suave ladies’ men that typically dominate the screen (again I can relate), but they also make the bold statement that not everyone has to be James Bond to do great things (doubly ironic since the most bumbling character is named James Bond). These are guys with good hearts and a sense of responsibility to use their talents to find the truth. They’ve been helping Mulder since pretty close to the beginning of his journey into the unknown. There have been hints (such as the 2 episodes I mentioned early in the review) that they do a lot on their own, but mostly they have appeared as if they stay behind locked doors a good bit of the time. This series shows that they are not waiting on some piece of intrigue to fall in their laps, be it from Mulder or other sources, but are risking life and limb to hunt and expose conspiracies.

I enjoy the acting. I feel like Langly, Byers, and Frohike are real people. Jimmy is well-portrayed but doesn’t have much depth at first. He becomes more well-rounded after a time showing a few short moments of intellectual insight and a true growing interest in the events the Gunmen tackle. Yves is the most unbelievable after a kind of Laura Croft fashion. She is always on top of the situation, and never gets caught in a problem she can’t get out of. Beautiful enough to make a guy drop his popcorn and super mysterious she feels the least like a real person, although there is some development late in the series. This is not a reflection of the actress who does an excellent job but more the fact that she was used for specific plot purposes and never had the chance to develop beyond that.

The music has a lot of the grinding guitar sounds you might expect D&D aficionados to enjoy (some of you may say I’m just stereotyping, but I’ve known enough D&D players to speak with confidence, plus Langly fits that category). The theme song is essentially a rock song harkening back to the days when the Miami Vice theme was a radio hit. This is one of the best original themes I’ve heard since the X Files itself (songs by the Who don’t count) and ranks high among my all-time favorites.

Content:
The only thing you have to watch out for is some bad language, and it’s mild. There is the occasional sexual reference though nothing that pushes the limits. There is some violence but it too is mild. I would say the show is as appropriate for most young teens as its parent show. In fact, it’s more appropriate than X Files because the disturbing factor has been removed.

DVD:
I have several TVD sets from Fox. While packaging on some is better than others I have never had much to complain about until this one. At first it looks standard – a box with thin clamshell cases inside. There is some decent cover art and some episode info on the back of each case (original air date, directing and writing credits, plot summary) which is great.

The first thing that is odd is that all 3 DVD’s are double-sided. That allows this to be a 3 disc set instead of 6. That isn’t too big a deal since there are plenty of other releases that use both sides of the DVD and does save space on my shelf although having a picture on the top that corresponds with one on the case sure does make it easier to identify the disc. All these have is a ring on one side.

What raises the red flag is that there are 2 clamshells for 3 DVD’s. When you open case #1 there are DVD’s on both sides meaning the playable sides are all but rubbing against each other. How hard would it have been to include another thin clamshell case or at the VERY LEAST provide a regular sized case so that there’s more room between the DVD’s? I guess this is all to cut costs, but the set is not any more affordable than any other TVD set with less than 15 episodes. ALF season 1 is the only case design I’ve seen that is worse than this one. Oh, and if you put disc 2 in with ring side up like you probably expect is the proper way, you may end up watching episodes 9 & 10 instead of 7-8.

Get past the terrible case design and everything is standard, similar in design to the X Files though with unique themes. There are a few things to watch when you start the disc (disclaimers, logos and such) including some animation that is neat but too long. The menu has some music. Each episode has a menu of its own with language options, chapter selection (15 chapters for each episode is overboard but better than having too few), and such. Everything on that front is pleasing.

Picture is 1.78 anamorphic widescreen. It looks quite good. Audio is 2.0 surround.

Extras:
Extras are pretty good. The most pleasing thing is the X Files episode that completes the truncated storyline. They get major points for including it rather than making us get XF season 9 in order to see it (not that I don’t want season 9, I’m just not able to get it yet). I’ll give more detailed info on it when I go through the episodes.

There are 13 episodes (not including "Jump the Shark") clocking in at about 44 minutes each. Several have commentaries (I’ll tell you which ones when I summarize the episodes) though unfortunately none of the special effects and other such features included on the X Files sets. The biggest disappointment, though, is that the supposedly great deleted scenes and outtakes mentioned over and over in the commentaries are nowhere to be found.

Though extras are few beyond what I’ve already mentioned, there is a great behind the scenes feature. It’s long, features interviews with many people which also allows us to see how they look years after the show, and is very interesting. It touches on all but a few of the episodes, and shows the affection many of these people still have for the series. It does give away some plot points so you might want to watch it after the episodes.

There are 4 short trailers with a Play All option. Two of them are general watch-the-show kind of things, but two of them are more specific. One is about "Madam I’m Adam," and the other is about "The Lying Game."

Episodes:

Pilot: That’s a more fitting title than most pilot episodes since this one deals with airplanes. When Byers’ father dies a family friend suggests it was no accident. The trio begins their investigation. What they uncover is a plot to hijack (so to speak) an airliner and ram it into the World Trade Center.

I can understand why some people might not want to see this episode, but the great thing about the fiction is the good guys win. On a fictional level it seems like the writing is going to be too simple at first with the clues falling right into Byers’ lap, but it plays out better than the first act suggests it will. The drama early on is weak, but by the end of the episode I was on the edge of my seat. It’s a different tone than the rest of the series with more tension and less comedy, but my opinion is that it’s outstanding. Yves is introduced. She will appear in every episode hence.

There’s a commentary by writers and producers. It’s not bad, and gives a little history lesson on air travel as well as thoughts on 9/11.

Bond Jimmy Bond: In an unusual Matrix parody (one of the few that don’t grate on my nerves since Matrix allusions have been done to death) the trio attempts to stop a whaler with smoke and mirrors. Unfortunately it drains their coffers and they are desperate for money. Yves puts them onto a story involving a dead hacker. While investigating they meet Jimmy Bond who will later become part of the team and a much better addition to the permanent cast than you might expect upon first meeting him. Langly ends up kidnapped for his hacking skills, and the others rush to save him while trying to thwart a plot to kill countless people with gas. A really great and funny episode although the barf joke is counted by some to be their least favorite moment of the series.

There is a commentary by all 5 regular cast members and the director. It’s very entertaining.

Eine Kleine Frohike: A woman notorious for poisoning important men in WWII is looking for her lost son. Frohike bears a resemblance so, under much protest, he infiltrates her home to find proof of who she is. However, the people wanting that proof may have hidden agendas. The pacing of this one is slower than any other, but there are some greatly funny moments.

Like Water For Octane: Byers stumbles across a report about an inventor that developed a water-powered car. Convinced it’s still out there the guys go on a treasure hunt. For some reason when people talk about the Lone Gunmen this is the episode they most commonly remember. I think it was because the show had generated some interest by this time, and people had actually started watching. Unfortunately it was soon if not immediately after this one that it was regularly preempted or moved so it was likely the last one many people saw. As much as I enjoyed the show, I saw at most one or two more episodes before it became impossible to find.

3 Men & a Smoking Diaper: The Gunmen are trying to prove a senator running for reelection killed a woman to cover up an illicit affair. They end up babysitting his illegitimate child. Jimmy joins the campaign to find evidence, and they see sides of the senator they didn’t expect.

Madam I’m Adam: When a man finds strange people in his bed he’s convinced he’s from an alternate reality. He begs the Gunmen to help him get to his real home. They’re ready to dismiss him until they find some strange technology embedded in him. When he starts having seizures the guys finally start finding clues to his past. This is the weakest episode. Midget wrestlers having affairs with 1 eyed men is more suited for Jerry Springer than this show.

Planet Of The Frohikes: When a lab monkey starts typing coherent sentences a scientist takes excited notice, but the animal manages to conceal his intelligence long enough to contact the Gunmen in an attempt to get them to spring him. Soon the guys stumble across secrets of government animal testing sensitive enough to land them in federal prison. The plot is a little convoluted and, though still enjoyable, is one of the weaker episodes.

Maximum Byers: The Gunmen think Elvis may still be alive posing as an Elvis impersonator. They end up rocking the jailhouse when they break INTO a prison to help a supposedly innocent man. Things do not go as planned. The best part about this episode is that they do not take themselves too seriously. In fact, they poke fun by saying this is the kind of plot shows use when they run out of good ideas. It’s a good story with some great moments.

Diagnosis Jimmy: Committed to getting images of poachers selling grizzly gall bladders Jimmy skies into a tree which lands him in the hospital. While the guys continue to search for evidence Jimmy is laid up with a nurse coming on to him like a drunken prom date and a murderous doctor lurking about. This is perhaps one of my favorites. It has a great double plot with just the right mixture of tension and comedy.

Tango De Los Pistoleros: The Gunmen discover a deadly smuggling plot. The only way to get close to the villain is through a tango competition. That’s not difficult for the beautiful and graceful Yves, but the boys have a tougher time. This is an artistic episode with some of the more touching moments of the show. Yves starts becoming more like a real character than a convenient plot device.

There is a commentary by the regular cast and a few others. It’s entertaining and includes the story of Dean Haglund’s brush with death.

The Lying Game: Skinner attacks Jeff in a bathroom. The guy ends up dead and his body accidentally cremated. As a former friend of Jeff and his sister, Byers gets the Gunmen involved intent on bringing the assistant director of the FBI to justice, but when they find evidence implicating Skinner Byers’ refuses to run with it. What follows is the Gunmen making a huge mess of a sticky situation.

Mitch Pileggi guest stars. I like the involvement of Skinner in this one. There’s a real mystery here (though if you really think about it you can probably figure it out).

The Cap’n Toby Show: The Gunmen set out on the trail of a blond killer, the victims of whom worked on Langly’s favorite childhood show as stagehands. Government secrets are being sold to China through the show, and the Gunmen must prove the kids’ show host innocent or guilty. I enjoyed the plot of this one a good bit. With several strong episodes preceding it, I felt like the show had hit its stride and would have delivered more great episodes if given the chance. Instead it’s about to wind down.

All About Yves: The Gunmen shake down Morris Fletcher (from the X Files "Dreamland" episodes) on a tip. When they decide to trace the source of the tip they uncover an enormous government-sanctioned plot of terrorism. Yves is their only link, and they begin the arduous task of cracking the secrets of her life. The more of the conspiracy they discover, the more convoluted it gets.

The writing on this one is tremendous. The weaving of the conspiracy with its twists and turns is the best of any of the 13 episodes. It’s not as comical as the others which kind of balances out the ones that were too silly. It ends on a to-be-continued note that really left me wanting more. I can’t believe Fox refused to let them finish the story. Thank goodness they were able to do so in the X Files, but it would have been better if they could have done so within the Lone Gunmen series.

Michael McKean plays Fletcher, of course. Mulder makes a cameo that will give X Philes a chuckle.

There is an informative commentary by producers and such people.

Jump The Shark: It’s been a year (both in real time since the airing of the last LG episode and in the story). Fletcher, no longer working for the government, is attacked and turns to the FBI. He convinces them of the need to hunt down Yves who has been missing for the past year. They suspect her of being a super soldier (you will need to know a little about what has happened in the X Files as well as the Lone Gunmen) who must stopped. Who knows more about her than the Lone Gunmen? The group is a shadow of itself before tangling with Fletcher a year ago. Jimmy has disappeared, and the original trio has tapped their resources to the breaking point. Weary and ready to strap Fletcher to a rocket pointed at the sun the guys agree to help Doggett for the sake of Yves.

As I said, another LG episode would have completed the story better. The gap leaves some questions about Fletcher’s intentions and actions immediately after the last LG episode, but by and large this is a complete wrap-up of the series. It’s a mixture of styles from the 2 shows with little to none of the Gunmen’s trademark humor and plenty of brooding atmosphere. The regular X Files cast minus Mulder is joined by all 5 LG regulars plus Michael McKean as Fletcher.

There’s a commentary by producers and such talking about the difficulties and resistance to creating this episode as well as reflections of the series. I think it’s the same commentary as what’s in the X Files collection because they talk about not knowing if or when the Lone Gunmen would ever be released on DVD.

Final Thoughts:
This is great TV here. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to see all the episodes and will watch them many more times. I do wish for more extras. As I’ve already mentioned, the commentaries call attention to deleted scenes, outtakes, and extended directors’ cuts that didn’t make it to the package. This is a great set but those would have made it amazing. The feature is terrific and the commentaries enjoyable. The X Files episode is especially pleasing to have. My one real complaint is with the poor packaging. It’s bad enough that the set really deserves 4.5*, but my sentimentality, enjoyment of the show, and the quality of the extras I just mentioned convince me to round up.

Recommended: Yes

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