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Television

The X-Files - The Complete Fourth Season

The X-Files - The Complete Fourth Season

List Price: $99.98
Your Price: $74.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE XFILES IS THE BEST!
Review: wellllllll im a hugeeee xfile fan, so of course i have to get thisssss dvd. i have one and two. ill get three later. but i NEEEED SEASON FOUR. will all the deleted scenes. and the MEMENTO MORI deleted kiss scene, this a have to have, for all xfiles! and i heard that there gonna try and get out two dvd's every year for us xphiles. :))))) yeahhhhhh.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: SEASON 4: the center of the glory years
Review: While the fourth year of THE X FILES does not inhabit the Olympian heights of its immediate predecessor, the 1996-97 season is without question superb. It is also very likely the "darkest" season of THE X FILES. The prodigious, brooding intelligence of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully's continuing conflict of faith and purpose convey a tension culminating in a series of crises, with dramatic ramifications that extend through all of the following seasons. The consistency of the writing, expansion of characterization ( Anderson and Duchovny in their most intensely committed acting ) , the complexity and interest of the "mythology arc", the ever greater feats of craftsmanship on the part of an amazing production team; all these aspects lead me to believe that the crucial 4th Season, along with the 3rd and 5th seasons are the real "glory years" of THE X FILES, the crème de la crème of the greatest television show in history.

The season opener "Herrenvolk" doesn't quite keep up the level of quality exhibited in the previous years cliff hanger ( "Talitha Cumi" ) but does effectively link to the conspiracy storyline which would shortly be taken up in the first series of myth-arc episodes. According to a tradition that had been established in the two prior years, the 4th Season contained a couple of these two-part scripts, airing in the early and late season respectively. This well planned bit of strategy helped balance the "stand alone" episodes while maintaining a forward momentum leading to the cliff-hanger at the very end.

"Tunguska"/"Terma" are action oriented episodes, featuring both the return of the ever-treacherous Alex Krycek and Mulder's chilling imprisonment in a Siberian gulag. The late season two parter, "Tempus Fugit"/"Max", skillfully reintroduces a beloved and eccentric character not seen since Season 1. The prevailing mood is one of darkness, where Mulder and Scully face yet another series of losses. A technical note: the re-creation of the plane crash is mind-bogglingly good, even in a show where miracles of production are common. The overhead, wide angle cinematography conveys a grim, documentary style realism that is very disturbing.

The "stand alone" episodes, while not as brilliantly quirky as those of the 3rd Season, are of a high quality and originality. In the infamous "Home" humor is mixed with gruesome violence in a manner that makes one understand why the television censors were, to put it mildly, "concerned". A lesser (though entertaining) bloodletting episode in the same vein, "Sanguinarium", is the 4th season representative of what could be termed "Exorcist Files" (there are numerous scripts of this type throughout the history of the show ).

"Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" is a take, somewhat whimsical, on the Cigarette Smoking Man's background. In an interview Chris Carter gave in response to this episode, he made it clear that this story was more a type of fantasy than the true history behind the mysterious arch villain played by William B. Davis.

"The Field Where I Died" is a mixed bag; a very good performance by David Duchovny but the "reincarnation romance" script strained after a dramatic effect that didn't seem to fit his character.

"Paper Hearts", written by Vince Gilligan, is rightly acclaimed for its interweaving several strands of plot: Mulder's quest for his sister ( and her then unknown fate ) and yet another unstinting look at human evil ( great guest actor ). Mark Snow's score is particularly memorable.

Mid season is the literal and figurative "center" of Season Four, the point where the dramatic action really heats up. The folks at Chris Carter's "1013" productions arranged the airing of several mid season episodes with a mind to showcasing Gillian Anderson's superb acting ability. "Leonard Betts" (4X14) was, as the episode number indicates, the 14th episode put in the can, but it was aired before "Never Again" (4X13) in order to build up the suspense regarding Dana Scully's physical and psychological state, reaching a climax in "Momento Mori" (4X15). Following the latter episode, a distinct and pervasive sense of gloom fell over the shows imaginative landscape, a melancholia reflected not only in Scully's ongoing "condition" but also in the subject matter unique to the episodes subsequently aired: "Kaddish", "Unrequited" and the two-parter previously mentioned ( "Tempus Fugit"/"Max" ).

In the myth arc episode titled "Zero Sum", F.B.I. Assistant Director Walter Skinner is forced into a nefarious scheme due to the Faustian bargain he made in "Momento Mori". Mitch Pileggi turns in a customarily fine performance that adds another layer of substance to Skinner's character and at the same time represents the latest link in the "conspiracy chain" ( which arguably unraveled when the show moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles for its 6th Season ).

Writer John Shiban is the unfortunate creator of Season 4's worst episode ( "El Mundo Gira" ) but to his credit the episode doesn't take itself too seriously. As with Vince Gilligan's clever, lighthearted comic episode "Small Potatoes" ( featuring former X FILES writer Darin Morgan in an onscreen role ), Shiban's script lends an air of levity that is welcome relief in a predominantly dark year. In fact, both episodes seem almost out of place when considering the season in its gloomy totality, which reaches its zenith in the tragedy of the cliffhanger, "Gesthemane".

In closing, it is necessary to point out yet again what has been oft said; that the success of THE X FILES is shared amongst many talented and dedicated individuals, most applying their craft off screen. Mark Snow's custom tailored music is simply gold: consistently excellent, moving work ( with the occasional sly quote from classical composers woven in ). The directors frame their shots in very interesting ways. The lighting, sets and camera work are redolent of high quality film making ( television standards are left in the dust ). The writers ( truly the core of the show ), most especially in Seasons 3 thru 5, created layered, complex scripts that challenged the considerable talents of Duchovny and Anderson ( not to mention the numerous excellent guest actors chosen by superb casting agents ). Finally, regardless of what some embittered fans may opine, Chris Carter deserves credit for continually guiding his creation through the years. His labor of love was especially evident during the "glory years" of 1995-98, of which Season Four is an inspired testament.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Love them all
Review: X-Files rocked my world when it came to T.V. then I whooped for joy when it came to DVD. A permanent collection of my all time favorite TV show!

"Home" still haunts my memory. When I saw that on television I thought that those little green men did NOTHING for me; that the X-Files really knew how to throw a good party! And I enjoy these kind of stories far better.

I cannot wait for this to come out in November. I'll have another popcorn session with my couch and enjoy the hours of Season 4 all over again and I love seeing the ones that I've missed!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the finest season!!
Review: There are many reasons I consider season 4 the best. "Home" is
certainly one reason...I'll never forget how my jaw dropped open
about 10 minutes into the show and didn't close until at least 5 minutes after the episode ended!! But the real reason this is
the must own that it is...."Zero Sum" Oh MY!! I've got the
"frame by frame" button on my remote ready for the scene of
Mitch Pileggi (A.D. Walter S. Skinner) stripping down to his
BVD's on the stairs...truly one of the finest bodies ever exposed
on tv or movies *growlf*

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Probably the best season!!
Review: This was probably the best season next to season two...it doesn't get any better than this.Everything from CSM to Krycek back to Skinner/Mulder and Scully is pure entertainment with a little bit of conspiracy.Its only when you get to season six where it seems the air is let out of this show.Season four is a definate must have on DVD!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: X-files at it's best
Review: As a long time fan of the show,it's a must for me to have every x-files seasons on DVD.I have many favorite episodes in Season 4 and I strongly recommend this DVD set to any fan hardcore or not.
I think that from season one all the way up to the movie was the x-files best years.It started declining in season 6 and has and is still going down...Personally,season 9 is a huge mistake and the network will pay for it in losing a lot of fans and viewers to other shows...I don't think seasons 8 and 9 will sell as good as the early seasons on DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best season of The X-Files [1993-2002]
Review: This is something i say with slight trepidation, but ultimately am convinced is true. This season was the peak of the series in so many ways, in terms of the acting of the two stars [David Duchovny earned an Emmy nomination for his role, and Gillian Anderson won], and not only in terms of production and directing of episodes ['Tempus Fugit' and 'Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man', respectively] but, perhaps most importantly, with regard to the story-lines, which were so rich and diverse, from the conspiracy arc of classics like 'Memento Mori' and 'Gethsemane' to stand-alone supernatural features such as 'Unrequited' and 'Synchrony'. This season also features a refreshing and I think unique number of conspiracy stand-alone episodes, (eg 'Memento Mori' 'Zero Sum' 'Demons' and 'Musings of a CSM'), which is perhaps what made '4' [pun intended] such a great season, and made '97 such a great year.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Season 4 - the last truly great season of The X-Files
Review: In my humble opinion, Season 4 was the last truly great season. In Season 5, the alien conspiracy episodes were not quite as well thought-out, and the stand-alone episodes less engaging than those in previous seasons. Chris Carter was either starting to run out of ideas, or he was shifting his energy to his other show "Millenium". Note that the X-Files movie "Fight the Future" was filmed between Seasons 4 and 5, even though it didn't hit theaters until after Season 5. Season 6 was better, but not up to the standards of excellence set by Seasons 1 through 4. In Season 7, the writing started going downhill, and there have been only a few really good episodes since then (and even these are not nearly as good as the typical episode in Seasons 1-4). One last gripe: the soundtrack used to be so great - the music really helped build the suspense. But ever since season 5 or 6, the background music has always been somber or brooding, never suspenseful.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Televison series ever.....
Review: The X-Files is by far one of the best orginal series that I have seen in many years. I am a long time X-Files fan and am happy that they are releasing all of the seasons on DVD. There is nothing better than DVD's and if you have never seen the X-Files. Watch It. You will be hooked!!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lots of Extras in this set!
Review: Looks like The X-Files just keeps getting better and better with each DVD set they release. Season 4 is one of my favorite seasons, and this DVD set has so many extras on it, it's sure to be a best seller. There are 7 deleted scenes in this set including the previously unseen kiss between Mulder & Scully in "Memento Mori" :) That's worth the price right there!

According to FOX there are plans to release every season, about 2 per year, so hopefully season 5 will be available around May 2002.


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