The special efx haven’t gotten more expensive, cameras haven’t risen in price, writers don’t seem to be demanding particular high prices, netflix takes anything that you can pitch without saying the word disney.
So what in the world happened? X-files was an amazing show and watching it you are not only entertained but you care about mulder and scully. The show is genuinely a great time. Why did they stop making them like this?
There’s been plenty good shows since X files came out, maybe it’s more of a problem that you’re in a different head space than you were and not as open to like new shows anymore. Happens to me with video games, I keep going back to the ones I played in my early twenties when I had more time over the summer to invest into games. Now I have much less time to start a new game and get over the boring introductory bits before getting to the good parts.
I’m in the middle of rewatching X-Files yet again. It’s really hit and miss, even in the good seasons. I think people remember all the good episodes and forget about the bad and average ones.
You looking for a new X-Files type show? I can’t think of any good ones but I don’t really look for that type of show anymore either.
I’d have to agree. I’m working my way through it again and got stuck on season 5 because I’m not really interested in the whole convoluted “aliens abducted Scully and Mulder’s sister but also maybe they weren’t really aliens” plotline. The monster of the week episodes were the best. I didn’t remember til this point how much I disliked this part of the show last time, and I’m really not looking forward to hearing “Agent John Doggett” 42 times per episode a couple more seasons from now.
Not neccessarily x-files related, just of the same quality and make. Something that is as entertaining as watching xfiles.
Mr Robot. Rewatching it now and x-files rewatch is next on the list.
Maybe Lost but you gotta kinda vibecheck if it’s your thing. And Stranger Things also has the whole mystery vibe going.I was interested in Mr Robot but then they had this cringy exchange and i just couldn’t bring myself to continue to watch…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQM5fU7V-MM
There are a lot of weird cringey exchanges in this show similar to this that end up being stylized writing to trick or subvert the viewer. You should continue watching
Well, you’re missing out. You want a show with an accurate portrayal of hacking and tech culture? Good luck, it doesnt exist. But at least this show tries to use legitimate tools and techniques used in the real world.
It’s also not what makes the show interesting though. I can understand if it’s not your thing but this scene should not be the deciding factor.Come on man, it’s linuxey and exotic!
Honestly i laughed at the joke.
I only saw the first episode.
I then gave myself an summary spoiler and didin’t like at all the way the story went on.
Oh please don’t let this keep you from watching this show. This show has at least two of the best end-of-season reveals of all time (first and last season).
I’ve never seen x-files, but it does get brought up a lot in conversation about Fringe (one of my favorites). Fringe starts off as {insert scifi thing} of the week, and then the plot starts to develop later. I recommend giving it a shot.
Travelers
Supernatural seasons 1-5 are some quality monster of the week episodes. I never watched past that point because it was a fitting conclusion and I heard the show went off the rails after that.
Star Trek (TNG, DS9, VOY) would also be quality serialized shows.
What type of stuff do you like? I see down below you stating your dislike for modern popular shows.
But they still make good shows? I don’t understand your point? There were plenty of mediocre and bad episodes of xfiles. Are you just talking like low sci-fi? Also how old are you - depending on your age - xfiles may have just played a big role in shaping you, so it will be hard for you to find anything that tops xfiles. Like for example - no game has ever grabbed me as hard as Earthbound - there have been so many good games that have come out, but nothing tops Earthbound for me. So i think it would help if you didn’t compare other shows and media to xfiles and try to find something that makes each of those shows worthwhile in their own way - plus, would you really want another xfiles?
The only thing that can top Earthbound is Mother 3 🎮
I mean there were great shows besides xfiles like twilight zone for example but that was in the 60s
Twilight Zone is a show that still holds up well. It covered topics like racism very well. Rod di a great job.
I’m middle-aged, and Xfiles was great, but some of the best shows I’ve seen have been in the last decade
some of the best shows have been in the last decade
like what do you recommend?
For example, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are two series I could watch on repeat. Absolutely solid.
First few seasons of Orange is the New Black (really ran out of steam after that imo)
Now, sci-fi specifically … it’s been a while since I’ve seen a good one. Some people I know really, really like The Expanse, though for me it just didn’t connect. Black Mirror is hit and miss, but when it hits, it’s amazing (the stinker episodes are real stinkers though).
I mean … Game of Thrones. Just not the finale lol
The Expanse
Funny, this is another one of those shows I hated after watching an episode.
maybe it’s me. maybe I should move on to maybe comics or cartoons or something idk anymore
The expanse starts with very little background in my opinion, they barely give you enough info to figure out what is going on.
I’d recommend trying to stick out a few more episodes if you like sci fi, it gets really good.
I’ve also only watched a few episodes, but I hated every single character. Does that get better?
The Expanse spent the first three episodes setting things up; it got much better after that, although eventually it stopped being as good to me; kind of like Battlestar Galactica in the day.
Give The Expanse another try; it does truly get good before it gets derivative in later seasons.
I don’t have Netflix anymore, but there are some good cartoons on it. I can’t recommend Kipo enough.
You have to give The Expanse a chance. I had no idea what was going on for most of the first season, but I really enjoyed the world-building and character development. It pays off later.
S1 is good, though a bit rough imo. Later seasons (after Bezos bought the rights, said “finish the story”, and threw money at it to make it happen) do have a much more polished feel. Overall, I found it to be a very good adaptation of the source material.
The books are excellent - can’t recommend them enough.
A lot of people didn’t like season 1 of the Expanse (I enjoyed it) and said it got much better after that. I will say the Amazon seasons aren’t too great either as it looked and felt more like a low-budget soap opera.
Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad were both made by Vince Gilligan who worked on X-Files as well so they’re a good choice assuming you’re one of the few who haven’t already seen them.
I tried Breaking Bad - hated it. I never gave Better Call Saul a chance as there is nothing that seemed promising about it. I guess I could watch an episode of Better Call Saul, I just don’t see this being a good idea. Now I can’t hate it because I never watched, it once I watch an entire episode, I have a hunch I won’t remain so indifferent… :/
It might not be your thing, and that’s okay.
Like I said, I’m surrounded by people who love The Expanse, yet it just isn’t my thing.
yeah it’s the worst when you hate something and society insists it’s the best thing since sliced bread…
Ok then… can you explain (in detail prferably) what got you hooked oh X-Files, the things you live about the show?
I like it too, but saying Breaking Bad is a bad show, just… IDK… doesn’t sit right with me. And I don’t watch just any show, I’ve probably watched like 5 or 6 in my entire life (I’m 38 BTW).
edit2: I hate HATE HATE game of thrones with a passion, I gave it a shot twice! (2x) What’s worse is the entirety of society gaslighting you into it not being an awful show.
Admit got is no-where near as good a time as x-files. I just watched a humanoid leech escaping through a system of sewers. I witnessed alien abductions. Intrigue within the fbi. Secret allies, even more secret conspirators and classified government units on even more classified government missions.
got is like a bad off brand xenia warrior princess…
got is like a bad off brand xenia warrior princess…
It has nothing in common with Xena other than being in the fantasy genre.
You may not like GOT, but that doesn’t make it awful.
It also relies on a great deal of tits to sell itself.
It still transcended that.
You’re right there was also a ton of dicks.
You are right, my dislike of GOT in no way makes it an awful show
Things like good an awful are subjective, so yeah. Sometimes I feel like a lot of people insist something is good based on their own connection to the media, but nothing is really objectively good or bad.
People warned me against playing Final Fantasy 15, the critics trashed it, yet it’s one of my favorite games in the franchise.
what’s so great about final fantasy 15?
why in the world are there 15 games in that series???!??
There are 16 actually, and that’s only including the mainline games.
Each game is standalone, but shares certain attributes. Think similar to the Legend of Zelda series.
For me, 15 was just a great escape. I often call it my “bro roadtrip simulator” because it’s a lot of driving around an open world and getting to know the characters.
The last segment was rushed in development, and it shows, but for me it works because by the time I enter that segment, it’s because I’m ready to be done.
I’ve played through it 3 times.
Did you just compare Final Fantasy and Zelda??
I’m sorry but i just can’t stand the lack of imagination Zelda has gotten after Majora’s Mask (which i absolutley love 🖤)
Firefly. Watch the one season before the Movie. Then there are 8 novels now and comics by both Dark Horse & BOOM! Much disagreement about BOOM!'s but they got canceled too. It’s at least critical to read up on Wash’s family history and more, I think, but whatever.
why ty, I will give firefly a try.
You like it enough, gimmie a buzz and we’ll set up signal and video chat you into participating the original board game.
Here in a couple months or so I’ll be excited to do exactly that as the decade celebration of the original publish of the game has been conducted to issue an upgrade with minor extension elements, a make on quality parts for the game, and some extra things like options for player ships and whatnot.
Then there’s Firefly: Adventures which is a co-op game I got a friend who is excited to learn and play as I am seeing as we haven’t gotten to do so successfully yet. I have all the extensions and all that for everything too.
Mr. sighofannoyance this is a lie detector.
I’m gonna make you some questions and you shall answer with honesty.
Have you ever watched any tv show other than “X-Files”?
deleted by creator
yes
Episodic vs Serial.
Everything is a serial now. They’re not bad, but you can’t just pick any random episode and have a good time. I prefer episodic stuff for that very reason.
The idea is to have you itching for the next fix. More money that way, you don’t cancel subscriptions, etc.
Sure… If they did 1 episode a week. But when they dump the entire season in one day, I can just watch the whole thing over a weekend and cancel my subscription until the next season.
Oh, wow… I’m really out of touch with how shows are “aired” nowadays.
Whelp, better go back to the cave, have no intention of getting back on that saddle.
It’s mostly Netflix that dumps it all at once.
HBO, Apple TV and Prime still usually do staggered releases.
Disney+ does it too
I find myself enjoying episodic shows more than serials like star trek TNG, Voyager, House MD, etc. I tend to get bored with non episodic shows because with episodic ones I can look forward to watching a new story every episode. Keeps me interested.
Might be that it is hard to make good art.
And even the X Files got bad after about 5 seasons.
It’s also not like good stuff has stopped being made. And back then there was also plenty of bad stuff. You just remember the good shows.
I’m going to interpret the question more as "why don’t they make shows like “The X-Files” any more than on specific quality.
The 90’s was the last hurrah of quality serialized television. You were seeing a lot of improvements in the quality of writing and willingness to push against norms and standards. You could still make a shallow serialized series and they still do today, but you could make a show back then with a lore tied together from callbacks.
So why did these kinds of shows stop? DVD sets and ubiquitous time-skipping technology meant that writers could shift from good serialized content to longer form and continuous stories. You started seeing shows filled with “previously on…” because it became the expectation that viewers watched all the episodes up to then. Streaming make it the default.
There has been a recent push to go back to a serialized model, but the economics of the industry has changed. Writers rooms able to churn out 26 shows a year have been whittled away. You also have some actors that don’t want the work schedule that comes with it. You also had a time where a show that lasted a year found it easier stay on air to get to the 100 episode minimum to make syndication valuable; there isn’t that profit motive any more.
Have you seen Fringe? It’s a tv show from about a decade ago, very similar vibe to the X-files.
If you don’t like that and combined with all the other stuff in this thread, then I think you might just not like TV as a medium anymore.
Fringe ended weird though. I chalk it up to JJ Abrams getting bored (yet again) with his wildly successful project and letting it sputter to an end instead of letting it go out with a bang.
Blame the network for rushing the ending.
I watched Fringe when it came out and loved it but for whatever reason never saw the final season. Last year I finally went back and finished it. I will concede the ending was a bit rushed but also I’m grateful it did get an ending. A lot of great shows get axed and don’t get to wrap up anything. So while not perfect, I’m going to say it was decent enough and does wrap everything up.
It’s a great ride along the way too.
Because they have started making better ones.
In TV there is a watershed moment. Before sopranos and after sopranos.
The shows that came before were specced to the particularities of broadcast television. Season length, episode lengths, budget, guest appearances, were all determined by the details of how broadcast television was organized in the late twentieth century, with seasons and sweep weeks and all that crap.
HBO was the first TV producer to bin all of that, and enable TV to reach its creative potential.
X files was a very cool show, but its late 20th century broadcast pedigree is on full display.
The BBC did it first, in part thanks to a lack of ad breaks and shorter seasons.
Eg. the UK version of House of Cards is genuinely excellent and arguably better than the US version, even before Spacey.
were all determined by the details of how broadcast television was organized in the late twentieth century, with seasons and sweep weeks and all that crap.
Another thing is the production schedule on some of these shows. They’d be doing 12 hour days, 6 or even 7 days a week, sometimes writing shows that were going to be released within days. Far harder to create a coherent arc or plan stuff, when you have to write and direct far more episodes in a limited time frame.
Agree so much on HBO. We just moved to the US and got the “Max” subscription and we’re finding gem after gem, some of it a decade old. Like TV that rivals any great movie, amazing storytelling/directing/music/concepts. Still plenty of filler to sort through, but some genuine art in there.
Too bad their mobile app is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life regarding streaming services. I know people like to rag on Netflix, at least their app is top notch. How can a big company like HBO have such a piece of crap software when dozens of better examples to copy from already exist is beyond me.
Yup! Now we get cheap crap shoveled out six episodes at a time once every couple of years! If we’re lucky.
That’s mostly Disney content. Most series are 8-10 episodes long still, and there’s more series made than there was in the 90s and 00s.
I haven’t watched sopranos, but after all the mafia/gangster movies, i felt the genre was done with, the god fater 1 to 3, once upon a time in america, good fellers, casino, scarface, the list goes on and on. I’ll give sopranos a shot but i am not holding my breath…
That’s… not what the poster was saying. Prestige TV extends much farther than the mafia genre, sopranos was just the turning point when higher budget dramatic things were more commonly greenlit.
The Wire, Breaking Bad, Watchmen, The Expanse Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Mad Men etc all absolutely blow X files out of the water. And while I do love X files, the monster of the week format is not even in the same ballpark as those long form character dramas.
I think you might be letting nostalgia blind you to how great television has become.
It sounds like the OP wants ‘monster of the week’ stuff
Watchmen - holy shit. I decided almost on a whim that I’d give it a try and I was totally unprepared for the awesomeness. It took a few episodes to kick in, but once it did, I was like OH MY GOD THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS I’VE EVER SEEN WHY DID IT ONLY GET ONE SEASON THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY
bro you are seriously telling me walking dead is better than x files? I had to stop walking dead after 5 episodes because i couldn’t bare it anymore. Xfiles you get excited about every episode you watch. Don’t get me wrong i love zombies, but walking dead just aint it…
I mean, I am not a huge fan of the show and didn’t finish it. But the first season was stellar. But that aside, reading your other comments it seems like you don’t like a lot of modern shows. Which is fine, but personally I find older stuff I watched when I was a girl just sorta meaningless. X files had so many skipable episodes without serving the overarching plot. I’m honestly kinda baffled that you would prefer monster of the week instead of expanse and breaking bad, but you are allowed to think as you please. Just seems at odd with two of the most higely praised shows of recent history.
And I don’t super appreciate being called bro… >_>
I don’t think it’s the monster of the week part. I definitely understood your opinion though.
You have not understood anything I wrote.
I’ll do better
I’ve never watched the X-Files, but the crossover episode with the Simpsons is one of my favorites.
Since you seems to be a big fan, i’m gonna ask.
Does Mulder always show people a photo of him wearing a speedo?
only in the early seasons
hahaha
Mr. Vicepresident!!
Someone is talking about the X-Files!
Shows like that are still happening.
The real issue is that instead of 5-15 channels, there are dozens-hundreds, plus a dozen streaming service, and intellectual property is constantly pinging back and forth between them all.
No media has a reliable “home” you can consistently access it from. And when it does you still run into the discoverability issue. So many shows are made that you can’t reasonably scroll through all of them, so personal recommendations and algorithms ultimately dictate what we find.
If you want unusual and stand-out sci-fi then I’d recommend Twin Peaks: The Return, assuming you’ve seen Twin Peaks.
Also the show “Dark” on Netflix is incredible.
I still have a cue of newer stuff I haven’t gotten to because there’s so much to try.
I think what we’ve really lost is the social element. When FAR fewer things were on, and everyone had to “tune in” to see new episodes, it meant a ton more people would be watching the same thing at the same time.
Now the default has become everything on demand, and released in full seasons at a time. “Dark” is actually from several years ago, but became big in the US just a few years ago, and I just found it last year.
The viewing and Fandom experiences are just more fragmented and scattered now.
They still make amazing shows, it’s just a matter of taste and preference.
You can try Fringe, it’s obviously inspired by X-Files. I even prefer Fringe but I don’t think it’s a popular opinion.
There’s also From, it’s like the only mystery horror TV show that gets horror right in a series setting. It gave me some similar vibes though it’s a very different show.
Updoots for Fringe. Season 1 is very monster of the week but it’s laying groundwork for everything that’s coming. It’s a fun ride all the way through and it got a decent conclusion. Watch it if you haven’t already.
OP, are you sure you’re not conflating the X-Files being your favorite show with it being good? Because Breaking Bad exists and that came out after X-Files. Also is arguably better than the X-Files lol
I hate breaking bad. Take that for what it’s worth. I hate it even more after people recommended it to me specifically praising how good of a show it was.
Fair enough - everybody’s tastes are different. Fwiw I didn’t really enjoy the X-Files that much when I watched it, but I have heard the same thing that it’s a really good show.
Only the first like 4 seasons were good.
Maybe you don’t want to believe… and there is nothing wrong with that. Just know the truth is out there…
😂 🤣 😜
IMHO Breaking Bad is exactly like modern day X-Files. That’s why I hated it. BB happens in TV reality. It all feels incredibly fake, artificial and manufactured. In the 90s that’s all we had: fairly small and disjointed TV shows built on common tropes and similarly produced. Breaking Bad is a modern show that pretends to be more complex but in reality just regurgitates all the same tropes. That’s why it was so popular: it was same old stuff in shiny new packaging.
