The Truth is Out There. Still. Possibly

Make no mistake, I loved the X Files. I mean really loved it. I still have every episode on DVD, in nice box sets, the final four series are still unopened.

And that is the problem, or was the problem, with the show. In the end there was only so many layers of deception, scheming, lies you can in one story arc in a TV series before you give up. And I gave up in about series 6 when it was shown, and never sat down to watch the series I missed. I did watch the final episode, but then it was out of relief that it had been put out of it's misery.

All such a contrast to when it begun, and I fell in love with it. Posted to Germany, one of my friends at work, Karl Emmings was recording the show off Sky and passed me the tapes. I was hooked for the first episode, and spent many nights immersing myself in the whole series. Then there was a short wait until the start of the second series, that was even better, and you could feel the hype around the show was building. Then came the videos; first the so called "Unopened File", the final episode of the second series and the first two of the third, all in one movie length experience. I almost exploded.

There was even a proper film; Fight the Future, which was even pretty good. More conspiracies, but a good plot.

The mythology of the main arc, the abductions, the alien/human hybrid/ the consortium and so one, layered levels of conspiracy, deception, and so on that I lost as to if Mulder found his sister or not, who was good, bad could or could not be trusted. As David Duchovney took a step back, so did I. Agent Dogget came in, and the series continued with dropping ratings and meandering storylines. I stopped watching.

After the 9th series, there was a second film, so bad, I can't recall it's name, but starred Billy Connolly as a pedophile preacher who might be able to see into the future. Or not. It was dreadful. And to make matters worse, Mulder and Scully were shown in bed together, thus ruining the dynamic. Let us not speak of the film again.

And now there is a new, 10th series, maybe even a reboot. Mulder and Scully are older, they had a child, and separated in acrimonious circumstances. But wait, there is more, you know the conspiracy that we did for none series, what about if it was a conspiracy, bt not what you thought it was, or what any of the characters, including those who spoke of an invasion in the consortium, but something else? If you forget most of the alien invasion story lines, it just works, like squinting at a film not quite in focus.

That they are back, and all what has happened between them is not ignored, nor relationships with Skinner and the rest, well, OK. But the shadowy figure meeting Mulder in dark places in the middle of the night to expedite is there, just like there was one in the first series. Still ripping off All the President's Men.

And at the end, a text from Skinner; situation critical, come at once. And The X Files are re-opened. Just like that. And finally, The Cigarette Smoking Man is there, growling, the reopened the X Files. Like we never were away, and that might be the problem.