elaby | Obsessions are even better the second time around

Rachel and I have been watching The X-Files like whoa, a couple of episodes a night. It's Rachel's first time, and I haven't seen it since the first time it aired. We're in about the middle of the second season, a couple of Monster-of-The-Weeks after "One Breath". It's kind of a game for me, seeing the Netflix episode title appear before each one starts and trying to remember what happens and whether it's a good one. I can generally remember which ones are really good, but not so much when they're average or bad. So far we haven't skipped any of them (although we were REALLY tempted halfway through "3", good lord e_e). It's so much fun watching this with Rachel, who hasn't seen it before, when I remember lots about it but not quite enough to remember what happens in most episodes *laughs* The nostalgia and my ability to remember vague things, like "I know there's going to be a really good scene or line coming up but I don't know what it is", plays a big part in my enjoyment, I think, even aside from the fact that the show is so good. It's also interesting because the last time I saw all of this, I was 13 or 14, and now that I'm almost thirty, I feel differently about a lot of this. Then again, I also feel the same about lots of things XD

That thing I had for Mulder when I was a teenager? Yeah, I don't really have it anymore. I mean, I'm always interested in his character, and I do think he's kinda hot sometimes, but almost as often I think he's a complete asshole. Which is a little sad, considering how much I adored him :\ But I had gotten fed up with him by the end of the original run of the series anyway, so it's not that I'm terribly surprised. I just never realized how much of a jerk he could be even this early on. Even aside from his penchant for staring silently into space while Scully's on the other end of his cell phone going "Mulder? It sounds like you're being murdered over there, are you okay? Mulder? Mulder?!", he can be so horrible sometimes. We just watched "Excelsis Dei," the one with the old folks' home that was being haunted by the spirits of abused residents. As Rachel aptly put it, Mulder will believe absolutely anything in the universe from aliens to walk-in souls to demon possession to silicon-based lifeforms, but when it comes to women who've been raped by invisible entities, they're all making it up. Hint, Mulder: If you want to participate in humanity, don't ever tell a woman that she's making it up when she's been raped. I mean, he can be remarkably caring and reasonable and gentle, especially with Scully, but some of his comments that I remember thinking were funny when I was thirteen kind of piss me off now. I guess that just happens when you get older.

Scully was my favorite of the two of them by the end of the original run, and she still is. I just adore her. I seriously think she's the best female character I've ever seen in American television. Maybe it's because I got to know her before I was aware of how popular culture and gender stereotypes color TV shows, but I feel like she doesn't fall into the traps that so many other female leads do. She's not constantly smoothed and primped and perfectly dressed. She's so strong, but incredibly human. I think a large part of it is how fantastic an actress Gillian Anderson is. Scully's a fully fleshed out, complicated character, even this early on in the series. I also agree with Frohike's assessment that she's hot XD

By the time the series finished the first time, Skinner had become my favorite character. This still holds true XD I know I have an unmitigated adoration of side characters as a rule, but Skinner is special. I didn't remember how quickly he starts leaning toward Mulder and Scully's side; no later than the second episode he appears in, there's this fabulous scene where Mulder's like "AND YOU TAPPED MY PHONE AND HAD ME FOLLOWED WTF MAN" and Skinner gives the CSM this look, and then tells him to get the hell out of his office. It's glorious. We just watched the bit in "One Breath" where Mulder's trying to resign and Skinner refuses to let him. It was such a good scene, with spectacular acting from both of them. I loved Mulder's slow progression from defeated emo "nothing is worth anything anymore" to "Hm, my boss, with whom I have heretofore had a, shall we say, somewhat strained relationship, is spilling his guts to me about intensely personal things in an attempt to convince me not to leave. I should probably listen to him." Onnaccounta I'm a giant nerd I went and watched "Requiem" even though it's six seasons away, because it's such a good Skinner episode (and everybody else, actually, holy cow). I may or may not be at the fic-writing point of my X-Files re-obsession *shifty eyes*

KRYCEK, HOW WERE YOU SO ADORABLE ~~and what the hell happened~~? He was so little and cute in the first episode he was in! All shaky with a gun and almost throwing up during an autopsy. Rachel loved him. I admit to feeling some guilt over leading her on ^^;;;; At least the illusion that Krycek's a good guy only lasts until the end of that episode. I'll be interested in watching his character arc again. It was strung out over nine years the first time and so I don't really remember it much XD As of right now, it doesn't seem like he finds being the CSM's bitch is all it was cracked up to be. Silly Krycek, thinking he'd be allowed to know things!

We haven't seen a ton of the Lone Gunmen yet, but they're always an absolute delight. Frohike in a suit, bringing Scully flowers! B'AWW. I love them. And speaking of the CSM, he's so young O_o;; And I forgot we got to see him at home. Seeing his pathetically shabby apartment kind of stripped away some of his mystery (and at the same time, his power). Interesting choice on the screenwriters' part!

I didn't even remember which episode the scene from my icon comes from until I googled it, but OMG I had to have it XD XD XD Bathtubs!