I just watched episode 1 of Season 10 at NYCC. AMA. [SPOILERS]

  1. Gethsemane is an episode packing in a whole lot of plot, but like Anasazi (which Gethsemane feels modeled on, structurally), Gethsemane never feels rushed, because it is so committed to exploring the characters, first and foremost. Even though they are fast paced, the plot never feels like it rushes onward without pausing to examine their lives. There are so many small, yet extremely important, "real" moments in these episodes (and especially, great moments for GA to show her subtlety as an actor) despite their grandiose drama and action. Would you say the new series lacks such moments for the characters... and actors?

  2. So it's neither explicitly right/left, but it's genuinely angry at the way an elite oligarchy (however we define them) metaphorically associated with the entire global political/military/financial establishment are destroying things? So like, as long as you are either just anti-political overall, or (just to use a US context for illustration) you're a left winger favoring someone like Sanders, or (god forbid) a right winger favoring someone like Trump, you may still see a degree to identify with? But maybe WOULDN't identify with if you support very mainstream politics? But then you'd probably enjoy it as escapism anyway? So just like the original show? The reason I'm asking this is it's hard to predict Carter's politics. He's never been a right winger (contrary to the common opinion of some who never watched the show) but depending on who he is working with, different episodes or seasons can be more right or left oriented than others, in the way they make their critiques of power. Nisei, for instance, is a xenophobic, right wing episode in the way it explores an international conspiracy. The Anasazi trilogy is attempting (though its racial depictions are certainly questionable) to affiliate more with a leftist sort of critique, and most of the early (season one and two) mythology is certainly critical of US power in a way generally connected more to the left. Many episodes are not easy to define this way though. Over time, the show became more purely escapist in its mythology, but also at times, conveyed conservative messages. I guess my concern was that Carter was going to try to make some kind of definitive statement one way or the other, i.e. "this show has always REALLY been left/right wing," using this plot with the right wing radio host to do that. Does he come off as a great hero?

  3. So you can't really say (without having seen the next episode obviously) whether a lot of the mytharc plot elements here seem likely to continue on the back burner into the next MOTW? Like, even the way you get in Drive or The Host?

  4. In truth, a lot of the original, even early and great mythology was never focused on fog, rain, mist, forests, which were more common MOTW settings. A lot of the mytharc took place in mundane settings like hallways and parking lots, and it was often full of bright lighting (including from UFOs!) while the MOTWs tended to look dark- but the cinematography still transformed everything into having an aura of ethereal mystery. And it is perfectly possible to shoot things in digital that have a digital, yet ethereal and mysterious cinematic look (I even think going digital is a good artistic decision for this show). So, are you saying the new series has a more mundane, slick, pseudo realistic feeling and lacks these cinematic reveries?

/r/XFiles Thread Parent