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The X-Files - The Complete Third Season Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 15 Reviews)

A season that exceeded even the two previous ones
Season Three was, in many ways, the pivotal season in the development of THE X-FILES. Though the show would continue to develop and evolve, there was beginning this season a self-consciousness about the show that hadn't previously existed, a self-consciousness that expressed itself brilliantly in several episodes that are among some of the finest instances of self-parody that has ever been witnessed on television. In engaging in self-parody, the show learned to laugh at itself and not take itself so seriously, while at the same time continuing with some very serious plot lines. I have to confess that the shows that were essentially comic are unquestionably my favorite among the stand alone episodes. One can precisely pinpoint the moment that THE X-FILES developed a sense of humor. Mulder becomes involved in an investigation in which humans are apparently being killed by cockroaches. One's initial reaction upon seeing this is that it is the most stupid idea in the history of TV, until the realization kicks in that this is supposed to be absurd, that it is all a big joke. After that, it is all laughs, including Mulder working, to Scully's great and unexpected jealousy, with a entomologist improbably named Bambi. Later in the season people become endangered by gangs of killer feral kitty cats, and in a superb parody, we see an X-File investigation through the eyes of folks unfamiliar with Scully and Mulder, and see them hysterically transformed into sinister and threatening Men in Black.

My favorite episodes during the course of the season are always the ones that link two or three episodes together, and there are some spectacular such sequences. But I think that during this season the stand alone episodes were sharper than ever. Many of the most famous shows of the series appeared in this season, and only rarely was there a weak episode. We get gradual hints as to the expanse of Cancer Man's responsibilities and to whom he answers. Skinner comes to be a more integral part of the show, and begins siding more openly with Mulder and Scully. Although Seasons One and Two were both fabulous, this surpassed both.

This is also the season where some of the systemic problems that eventually afflicted the show's overall structure started appearing. This is a difficult issue, but perhaps it can best be explained by contrasting THE X-FILES with another show. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER over the course of seven seasons had many stellar seasons, but apart from the internal coherence of each season, they also related marvelously to each other. The writers created a worldview and mythology that created structures around which all of the individual seasons could relate. For instance, we are told repeatedly that only a girl can become the Slayer, and in Season 7 the reason for that is explained. The show would bring forth ideas, and then manage to relate them to all of the other elements of the show. On THE X-FILES, however, a continually increasing number of elements were being introduced in each season, without them being clearly related to any of the other aspects of the show. No doubt some of this was due to the producer wanting to inculcate a sense of a mystery and conspiracy that was so vast and unfathomable that it was impossible to make complete sense of it. But as the show went along, this felt less like paranoia than like they were simply making it up as they went along. Any great show-and by any standard THE X-FILES was a very great show indeed, despite this structural failing-needs when it ends either to have made some sense of all its disparate elements or at least leave the impression that this could have been done had the show gone on a bit longer (e.g., DARK ANGEL ended with many loose ends, but it is clear they could have tied them up). The result of this weakness in the show is that THE X-FILES, unlike BUFFY or FARSCAPE, is best enjoyed in bits and pieces, rather than in huge swathes. BUFFY is like reading a novel, while THE X-FILES is more like a series of short stories with the same characters. Or, BUFFY is to albums what THE X-FILES is to singles. I enjoy watching Season Five or Season Three of BUFFY; I like watching individual episodes of THE X-FILES.

An excellent season!!
This is an excellent season for the X-Files. Here things get more intense than in the first two seasons. Here you get to see how badly Mulder's enemies want to eliminate him. It becomes a personal battle when both Mulder and Scully lose their loved ones in their quest to expose the truth. This season also has some wonderful stand-alone classics: Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose, 2Shy, War of the Coprophages, Grotesque, Pusher, Teso Dos Bichos, Hell Money, and Jose Chung's "From Outer Space". They're all highly recommended. Kudos to the actors, directors, producers, and others behind the making of X-Files Season 3. Here, they are at the top of their form.


Solid Series gains in popularity and takes a few risks
Series 3 really catapulated the X-files into super show status, and saw the show introduce a new element to some episodes- comedy.
Some of the humour was quite dry- The excellent Clyde Bruckman's Final Reprose , and some bordered on the ridiculous " Jose Chung's from Outer Space", the latter was still hugely popluar with fans, and rated as one of the best ever ( I thought it was just OK, but you do need to watch it two or three times to understand it )
The conspiracy episodes deepened, leaving the viewing begging for more. " Nisei " and " 731 " were high quality television bordering on movie quality.
I found season three to be the weakest of the first five outstanding seasons, simply because for me a few episodes just didn't work- the first since the show started for me.
" The Walk" was just average, but " Teso Dos Bischos" was a plain stinker, the first, thankfully rare episode to fit that catergory!
But the show continued it's brilliant special effects, great scripts and great casting and interaction between the characters, and worthy still of 5 stars as an excellent series into the paranormal and unusual.
Those viewers unfamiliar with the early seasons, should definitely buy this series if they are not sure that it will be up to the standard of the first two- it is.
The brilliance of a number of episodes, more than makes up for the few bad ones in this season.
Overall, a worthwhile addition to your collection of " X- Files"
Excellent TV viewing in the comfort of your lounge room!

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