Big news: The decision on season 8 is going to be made NEXT WEEK. So keep your fingers crossed for whatever outcome you want! Apparently the decision is currently resting solely on DD's decision on whether to continue. Also, Vince Gilligan is writing and directing 7X21. (He himself said that in yesterday's chat which I had to miss for the same reason that I've been neglecting the site. :-() So I don't know what this means for the previous info on a three-part finale. Could there be more than 22 episodes this season? That would make sense. Here's some info on 7X15: "It's about a young boy with cancer whose parents refuse to treat him because of their religious beliefs. Protestors show up at their house and rush their car as they pull up their driveway. There are reporters and photographers and police trying to keep everyone back as the family rushes into the house. I don't know much else about the episode but I do know that MIBs show up later and at one point the MIBs are in leotards!!" I wonder if CSM is psychic in this episode.... Now I think the following two excerpts are from TV Guide: "'I basically have to kick David Duchovny's butt all over the screen.' So says Krista Allen, the ex-star of NBC's Days of Our Lives, whose next gig is in 'First Person Shooter,' the February 27 episode of Fox's The X-Files. In it, she plays a sword-swinging, gun-slinging fantasy goddess in a virtual-reality game. 'I give him triple-spin kicks to the chest and face,' she says." Which means no, Sarah-Jane Redmond does not play Maitreya. And: "['X-Cops'] begins on a ride-along with an L.A. County sheriff's deputy (Judson Mills), who is investigating a report of a 'monster' in a drug-plagued neighborhood during a full moon. Suddenly, their patrol car is attacked and turned upside-down. Responding units find two 'suspects': Mulder and Scully, who say they're on the same case--looking for a werewolf." More info on "X-Cops" can be found at the official site, which added its video feature on the episode, actually Vince Gilligan touring the set in three parts. Plus Chris Carter is in another video talking about the episode. Two other additions are Rebecca Toolan talking about Mrs. Mulder and the "X-Cops" trailer. Don't forget to answer this week's question in the sweepstakes!

This past week's Cool Fact was false, so I'm not archiving it. Sorry and thanks to Dennis X for the correction! Anyway, McFarlane Toys didn't totally give up on X-Files figures: click here for pictures of an exclusive Flukeman figure! Finally, another cool thing is here: USA Today will interview David Duchovny and is accepting submissions for questions to ask him!

The LG spinoff pilot goes to camera next month in Vancouver, and if the series is picked up, filming will start in late July! Anyway, some info on "First Person Shooter" from the official site's mini-update: "The agents try to locate Phoebe's 'goddess.'" Plus "the official site will have an exclusive look at the show's computer graphics, as well as interviews with Chris Carter and the Lone Gunmen." Anyway, it looks like "Maitreya" is played by Sarah-Jane Redmond, from Harsh Realm, "Schizogeny," and Millennium. Oh yeah, more great news: DD and GA were nominated for TV Guide Awards. Plus the show was nominated for Best Sci-Fi Show. Thanks to mulderitzmi for the great effort in organizing fans together to help this happen!

Finally some miscellaneous news. It does look like Rob Bowman will direct I Am Legend with Arnold Schwarzenegger after he finishes Riptide. Anyway the season 6 episode guide has been pushed back to a March 3 release (thanks Jason!). And finally, the Fox Store is all-new, and it has an X-Files section.

Apologies for the lack of updates. There's a lot of info in this update too, but first...how about "Sein Und Zeit"??!?! That was the most intense, electrifying episode I've seen in a long time. I am now asking so many questions I don't know where to start. David Duchovny was incredible! All the way through! Michael Watkins' direction was excellent. And I can't wait till all the answers on Sunday! I have faith that the answers will tie into everything we've seen before. Ooh boy. The Mulder breakdown scene was just perfect. His failed attempt at flipping over his desk didn't come off as silly, but magnified Mulder's hopelessness and made me feel so sorry for him. What a perfect scene. Plus, although Scully didn't do much in this episode, Gillian was on the mark when she told Mulder the news. Oh yeah, there was a good fan reaction to this episode. In fact, the episode had 500,000 more viewers than the season average, and got a 9.9/14 household rating. The only thing disturbing me is the lack of interest about Samantha. Come on people, Samantha has been the center of Mulder's quest since the pilot! If you've lost interest in Mulder's quest, well...I don't know what to say. And, I want to get two more things out of the way. Spoilers are cool and fun. They get people excited about upcoming episodes. That's why I post spoilers here. But there is a limit. I don't post any big spoilers, and if I do, I found them out by accident (i.e. Mulder's mom) and I put them in white-on-white text requiring highlighting to be seen. Anyway, I think that it's important to be surprised during episodes. The element of surprise is a fundamental part of what makes TXF so great. I still remember how shocked I was at seeing the fake abductions in "Redux," who Mulder thought was Samantha in "Redux II," CSM being shot in that episode, CSM returning again, the mean alien turning into the grey in "The Beginning," although that fact had been hinted at since "Nisei" and "Piper Maru," figuring out how Mulder "came back to life," discovering that Mulder was actually a ready-made hybrid, seeing Krycek locked up in a silo, his return, his arm getting cut off, the burning of the Syndicate, finding out that CSM was Mulder's father, and so many other things that I didn't see coming, but in retrospect make so much sense. Like I said, there is a limit. Reading script excerpts that give away plot info and answers spoils everything. And what bothers me the most is when people read detailed synopses of an entire episode the MORNING it airs (NO criticism intended to the person who runs the site). Honestly it's possible to wait a few hours. Anyway I still plan on going spoiler-free for the last few episodes of the season. Finally, I wanted to get out my opinion on an 8th season. I am against it, not because I'm getting sick of the show/mythology. I'd love more seasons. But I think that this season is going great and will be one of the best yet. After this year, the truth is that (I don't know about the writing) the actors will not have their hearts in it. If only Scully is in an 8th season, the show would not be the same. GA has expressed her desire to leave after this year. And if both leads were in a new season, they'd both be doing it for the money. Their interest would not be there, resulting in worse acting. And the last thing I'd want to see is our beloved show dragging to a halt with uninteresting characterizations and decreasing popularity. I say, end it with a bang. Surprise us (even piss us off, as Frank Spotnitz hinted at Monday's chat) and end it well, so that the show will go off the air in dignity. Well! Time for the news.

The official site had a super-update yesterday. There's a new clip from "Closure," new pictures, news, and what looks like a promise of an interview with Rebecca Toolan (Mrs. Mulder). Even a contest! The news: 7X16 is not "The Banshee"; it is David Amann's last episode. Cliff Bole, who was knocked off "Orison" by Rob Bowman, will direct starting tomorrow. So far we know this: "Mulder investigates a grimoire." The earlier raven spoilers are still true. Frank Spotnitz chatted on Monday, and we got some tidbits of info. He's got an idea for the finale, if this is the last season. He thinks the last episode will "piss off a lot of people." I'm for it! In GA's episode "you'll see Scully's belief system examined in a way unlike any we've done before." The writers also haven't forgotten about Krycek's control over Skinner--that arc will be picked up again. In fact, according to the new official magazine (I haven't gotten it yet though), Krycek is in 7X15! And the movie sequel "will in some way be connected to the end of the television series." Also, currently the writers are working on the story for 7X19. And it's Feb. sweeps so of course "Closure" has a print ad. Speaking of which, some perfect spoiler tidbits on what's to come this Sunday: "A mini-seance and Mulder suggesting spin-the-bottle with Scully; a schizophrenic lead; the reappearance of Mulder's mom; a journal from 1979 and a 14-year-old girl; CSM waiting for Scully in Scully's apartment...and for some reason I enjoy the fact that she tells him he looks sick." BTW next week there is a completely new actress playing young Samantha (no Mulder). In "Sein Und Zeit" the actors playing young Mulder and Samantha were listed in the credits because they were in the photos shown in Mrs. Mulder's house.

Thanks to NeAl Schwarz for the following info. The second draft of "BioForge" (7X15) was called "Chemolithotrophy." Good thing it was changed! And on the 7X21 title, this is apparently straight from CC: "An example of an expression that might be considered inappropriate or insensitive by some is related to the employment of poison gas as a particular mode of mass murder; that is to say, the common German expression 'Bis Zur Vergasung,' meaning 'until you are blue in the face.' It was coined before the Hitler period and used during that time. Today, despite the knowledge of the murder of millions through gassing, this expression is still part of Germany's spoken language...." The following is on the finale episodes, and is speculative but could very well be true. Beware! "There really is an (as of now) unused Hitler connection! I was told that Chris and Frank have talked about a CSM-Strughold connection to their past leader, Adolf Hitler. Besides, that [7X21] title phrase is in fact known for its Nazi use throughout the universe! The story idea is literally ancient. Anyway, no scripts are out there yet. But I already heard of this scene called 'Skinner's farewell scene,' but I don't know anything about that (it's about a rumor that Skinner is going to hell, so I dunno). [That] Strughold brings the Project to an end has been mentioned as well. Now, the most frightening thing I've heard is that Mulder kills Samantha (not the real one anyway) and Krycek gets rid of yet another main character...the timetable for colonization [may be] finally stepped up...."

More on 7X16: "Mulder is kissed by a small-town housewife who is estranged from her husband who has been arrested for murder. The woman is attractive that kisses Mulder and it does spark a little something; however Mulder does not want to comfort the woman in that way (i.e. in the physical or romantic)." And: "Be on the lookout for some real shippiness from Mulder. He reveals his feelings without revealing." Plus it looks like the TLG pilot will start filming soon in Vancouver. There will be a new character added in the series, "a competing and very attractive female conspiracy theorist." Anyway, Krycek (like I said before) will most likely be in the finale episodes. So far we're looking at the last two, or one of them, but no word on whether he'll be in 7X20. Don't expect the Bounty Hunter to return. Brian Thompson is still not contracted this season. Plus if Fowley does return in the finale episodes (I doubt it), she could be in 2 of them.

A little interjection of merchandise news. I have heard from a pretty reliable source, Treegate, that the season 1 DVD has been moved up to be released on May 9. Plus Christopher Wooff and David Yeldon confirmed that "Biogenesis" came out in the U.K. on Feb. 7 (Monday), not the 5th. Finally this is from Dennis X, on a book called The Official Millennium Companion, for CC's show that ended last season: "I just called the publisher and it has not been published yet. Also, there is no assigned due date either. That means it may never be published."

I can't mention one canceled CC show without mentioning the other. I got more summary info on the HR episode "Kein Ausgang" from Dennis X: "Driving through the countryside in search of a mysterious soldier who may hold the key to getting rid of Santiago, Hobbes and Pinocchio unexpectedly travel through a 'tear' in the Harsh Realm virtual fabric and enter what seems to be another dimension. Immediately coming under fire from WWII-era Nazi soldiers, our guys eventually learn that they are in an earlier (and thought to be discarded) version of the Harsh Realm simulation (the alpha version). After one of the American GI's asks for help, he shows that he can predict the next shot, bomb, etc. before it happens as he has been trapped in this game playing it over and over again for years. As Tom is captured by the Nazis and Mike fights for the Allies, our heroes fear they are doomed to repeat the fate of the GI and be stuck in this perpetually recurring battle simulation...."

Click here to read about how to help a fellow X-Phile in need. The fan in question is a captain in the Air Force stationed in Kosovo who can't get her XF fix. I can't imagine...! Finally, TXF was nominated twice for the first annual Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards. For Best Period Makeup--Television, Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf, Kevin Westmore, and LaVerne Basham were nominated for their work on "Triangle"; for Best Character Makeup--Television, Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf and Kevin Westmore were nominated for "Two Fathers" and "One Son." Ironically their scenes from TF were cut. :-(

7X15 is called "BioForge"; 7X19 is the Lone Gunmen solo episode, called "Acid Dreams" (Gilligan/Manners), about "the development of the CIA's interest in the mysterious drug, LSD. [The episode] is alternately funny, disgusting, and horrific. ...X--an 'enlightened operative'--tries a mind-control vaccine." The information agrees with the rumor of a 3-part finale. According to this, it's "Halo"/"Bis Zur Vergasung"/"Nemesis." The writers are Spotnitz and Carter, only Carter, and only Carter again for the finale, respectively. He will apparently also direct the final episode. 7X21's apparent title is Nazi German for "Until the End." There is more detailed info on 7X15. Apparently Mulder's "dad" and Deep Throat are in flashbacks. It takes place in Vietnam, Roswell, Berlin, the State Department, and a D.C. hospital. "As well-known a UFO [as the famous one] crashed in Roswell, NM on July 2, 1947. Now, Ellens Air Base (ID), the same base Mulder and Scully visited in 'Deep Throat'--that for some strange reason doesn't appear on U.S. government maps, is in fact one of the 6 sites where parts from the wreckage were shipped. When Deep Throat, CSM, and Bill Mulder were young men they came together to work for a group known as the Syndicate. Each of them commanded different sites. Agent Scully stumbles upon the project, code-named 'Terra Incognita Simulator' (Latin)--leading her to CSM.... CSM and company achieved a microchip--a small metallic implant--the ultimate cure for cancer. Implanted in the neck of abductees as part of a secret military project to develop a biochemical weapon, to monitor their immunity, or to destroy 'em like lab rats. ...In Vietnam the average age of the combat soldiers was 19--they were exposed to hostile fire almost every day. Deep Throat was with the CIA in Vietnam. During the teaser they spot a UFO over Hanoi. The Marines couldn't shoot it down in one piece. Nevertheless they captured an extraterrestrial biological entity--alive. Deep Throat is one of the few men to have exterminated a living E.B.E." Seems to tie into "Deep Throat," "E.B.E.," and/or "Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man." Finally there is info on the first 3 episodes of The Lone Gunmen, the spinoff series. 3LGM79 is the pilot, 3LGM01 is called "Bad Karma," and 3LGM02 has also been written. The writers for these three episodes are Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, Chris Carter, and Frank Spotnitz. Mark Snow is doing the music. "With a three-part story arc the X-Files writers will spin off the Lone Gunmen into their own series. Episode 1 'Bad Karma' (translates to 'bad deed') is partially set in Egypt." Glen Morgan and James Wong may join the writing staff.

The source of the above info is NeAl Schwarz. If some of the "BioForge" info seems not right or isn't in the final episode, it's because it is from an early draft of the episode. The episode title is real too, if only a previous title. But that's what I'm going with. "Il Fumatore" was a false rumor. NeAl since told me that the first 2 LGM episodes above are just about done (written), but the third isn't done yet and is still untitled. Fox approved the pilot so that is obviously done. Also he just received the shooting (final) script for "BioForge," and confirms that the teaser now involves the boy with the implant as Autumn T. said. Mulder has a very small part (RTM). BTW the Lone Gunmen were not in the first draft. Also CSM's mom had lung cancer but was saved by an implant. And check this out: "WBD's 2nd draft even starts with someone who works for a tobacco company: His name is Axel Krebs, an executive with Morley Tobacco, who earns his paycheck making cancer sticks; he himself smokes Morley Lights." Heh! Now then...to the finale episodes. Dennis X confirms that 1013 has started plotting them. In fact CC & FS started figuring out the storyline back when "Biogenesis" was being written. NO scripts are out yet. DeX has this to say about the plot: "I can tell you only this--I can't tell ya how it scares me, it's probably scarier than anything you've ever heard before!" Based on this, he said that "we can trust a solid concentration on characters and drama. These will be (of course!) very well-crafted installments...sure to be among the best to air this or likely any other past season." The cast, from what he knows so far: Scully, Mulder, Krycek (apparently straight from him or his agent, he will most likely be in the last episode, if not the others too), CSM, Samantha, the Lone Gunmen, Fowley (!), Covarrubias, WMM (!!), Margaret Scully, Dr. Heitz Werber, Bill Mulder and Deep Throat (flashbacks I'd assume), the Bounty Hunter, the black oil (!), and...Elvis (?!!). It looks like CC, Rob Bowman, and Kim Manners will be directing the finale episodes. Daniel Sackheim and R.W. Goodwin (!) are possibilities, however. DeX confirmed that there are titles already for the episodes, which supports NeAl's info. He said that this should be a huge event. They will be BIG episodes...and they will be "Special Event Programming--stay put for an important final tagline." Finally, DeX predicts that IF there is a season 8, it will move back to Vancouver, where TLG will be filming. And he confirms that Morgan and Wong may be involved in the spinoff, which supports NeAl's info again. I love when sources agree! BTW that would actually make sense (except that they are hard at work on The Others) because they created the characters. A little info on "Hollywood A.D." now...Téa Leoni is confirmed as being in the cast, and the Skinner/Scully thing is in fact a humorous thing...not serious, in case anyone was worried. ;-) Finally, Signy Coleman may sign for a few episodes of the spinoff. Another rumor I heard which probably is not true is that Morris Fletcher is the "CSM" of the series. That would be pretty cool though.

Not episode news, but still insider information: The Frank Spotnitz chat will be at AltaVista at 10 p.m. EST (it was already announced for this Monday, Feb. 7). Anyway I'll end with some more miscellaneous news. Leaving Los Angeles Newsletter's official site has a new address, www.xfilesdoc.com. "The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" was nominated for the fourth annual Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Awards. The production designer is Corey Kaplan. The season 6 box in the U.K. has been delayed a week, from Feb. 7 to Feb. 14, "because of a printing error on the sleeve of the fifth video." Thanks David Yeldon! Finally, if you don't already read The Onion online, it is hilarious and a must! Their book that is out, Our Dumb Century, is incredibly funny too. But anyway, there's an article there now that actually pertains to TXF. Check it out!

GA's episode will air on April 9, and 7X16 on April 2. Thanks DeX! BTW Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were both nominated for Screen Actors Guild awards! Yay! And from The X-Files Merchandise Web Site I found out about some movie items sold exclusively at Fox Studios Australia. They are pins (either one kind or more than that...I'm not sure) and life-size cardboard standees of Mulder and Scully from FTF! The XFMWS may get pictures of these items soon. Also interesting to note is an exclusive video sold there called "Cancer" with "Leonard Betts" and "Memento Mori" on it. Time for an update of Episode Titles! I also added the 3 XF specials to that page. There was The Secrets of The X-Files at the end of season 2, More Secrets of The X-Files near the end of season 3 (narrated by Mitch Pileggi), and Inside The X-Files around the middle of season 5. The XF staff actually had an active role in the latter (the only one with a production number, SP9840): Frank Spotnitz and John Shiban wrote it. Glen Kasper directed. The second special had less 1013 staff involved: Frank Spotnitz and Mary Astadourian were executive consultants, but a Bart Montgomery produced it. The first was produced and written by Montgomery and Ron Scalera. No 1013 involvement that I could see. Anyway, check out Ghost Ship Theater. That is a really funny site, go for it! That's it for today.

Finally, I received some exclusive info on upcoming episodes, but I am NOT sure at all if it's true. I'm not putting it in the Season 7 Spoilers page unless I get some kind of confirmation. But here goes. 7X15 is called "BioForge"; 7X19 is the Lone Gunmen solo episode, called "Acid Dreams" (Gilligan/Manners), about "the development of the CIA's interest in the mysterious drug, LSD. [The episode] is alternately funny, disgusting, and horrific. ...X--an 'enlightened operative'--tries a mind-control vaccine." The information agrees with the rumor of a 3-part finale. According to this, it's "Halo"/"Bis Zur Vergasung"/"Nemesis." The writers are Spotnitz and Carter, only Carter, and only Carter again for the finale, respectively. He will apparently also direct the final episode. 7X21's apparent title is Nazi German for "Until the End." There is more detailed info on 7X15. Apparently Mulder's "dad" and Deep Throat are in flashbacks. It takes place in Vietnam, Roswell, Berlin, the State Department, and a D.C. hospital. "As well-known a UFO [as the famous one] crashed in Roswell, NM on July 2, 1947. Now, Ellens Air Base (ID), the same base Mulder and Scully visited in 'Deep Throat'--that for some strange reason doesn't appear on U.S. government maps, is in fact one of the 6 sites where parts from the wreckage were shipped. When Deep Throat, CSM, and Bill Mulder were young men they came together to work for a group known as the Syndicate. Each of them commanded different sites. Agent Scully stumbles upon the project, code-named 'Terra Incognita Simulator' (Latin)--leading her to CSM.... CSM and company achieved a microchip--a small metallic implant--the ultimate cure for cancer. Implanted in the neck of abductees as part of a secret military project to develop a biochemical weapon, to monitor their immunity, or to destroy 'em like lab rats. ...In Vietnam the average age of the combat soldiers was 19--they were exposed to hostile fire almost every day. Deep Throat was with the CIA in Vietnam. During the teaser they spot a UFO over Hanoi. The Marines couldn't shoot it down in one piece. Nevertheless they captured an extraterrestrial biological entity--alive. Deep Throat is one of the few men to have exterminated a living E.B.E." Seems to tie into "Deep Throat," "E.B.E.," and/or "Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man." Finally there is info on the alleged first 3 episodes of The Lone Gunmen, the rumored spinoff series. 3LGM79 is the pilot, 3LGM01 is called "Bad Karma," and 3LGM02 has also been written. The writers for these three episodes are Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, Chris Carter, and Frank Spotnitz. Mark Snow is doing the music. "With a three-part story arc the X-Files writers will spin off the Lone Gunmen into their own series. Episode 1 'Bad Karma' (translates to 'bad deed') is partially set in Egypt." Glen Morgan and James Wong may join the writing staff but that doesn't sound right. As I said before none of this is confirmed.

1/30/2000

Here's basically what 7X17 is about, according to Gillian Anderson in TV Guide: "It delves into Scully's struggles between her place in life as an FBI agent and as a medical doctor." Coolness...well that's all the news for today!

Source: Haven for the FBI's Most Unwanted

1/29/2000

Very little news lately. But if you're a spoiler buff, and want to spoil the ending of "Sein Und Zeit," here's a video of it. This is a video of the beginning I think. I haven't seen either of those BTW. Both were linked from this Michael Watkins interview. Anyway, The Alph, which revamped a year ago then stopped updating again because of a need for a new server, is coming back soon. A new graphic is up at the front page. Finally, season 7 begins in the following countries at the following dates: Denmark on March 23, Israel on February 8 (11:15 p.m.; episodes showing every Thursday night at that time), and Singapore on February 9 (10 p.m.).

Source: The Official Gillian Anderson Web Site

1/27/2000

DD's ep has a name, and it's "Hollywood A.D.," obviously referring to Skinner. It airs April 16--I added this info to Season 7 Spoilers yesterday. This info courtesy of the awesome official site, which also hints at "an exclusive interview with Frank Spotnitz that helps wrap things up." There is already one scheduled for the day after "Sein Und Zeit" airs; is this another one for "Closure"? Also, the official site notes that Fox "decided" to make "X-Cops" episode #150 (that doesn't count the pilot). We all know the real 150th episode ("Closure")! Anyway, I've been getting a good response to last update's rant...any other supporters (or opponents) out there? Send me an e-mail. Anyway "Signs and Wonders" had 13.8 million viewers and ranked a disappointing #42 for the week. I really hope, and it looks like, Fox is pushing XF a lot for February. Thanks Roda93!

Sources: Cinescape Online and The Official Gillian Anderson Web Site.

1/25/2000

"Signs and Wonders" was quite disturbing, to say the least. Kim Manners upholds his reputation as being master of the macabre on TXF. And Jeff Bell shows us that he can be scary. Which this episode was. It came pretty close to "Home" in the birth scene for being just plain gross. I thought the ep was going to start dealing with incest too for a while there, but we found out later that that wasn't the case. I have to say I loved the snake/staple remover imagery, and the ending was so cool!! My feelings about this ep? Not only was it scary and well-acted and -directed, but it had a pretty powerful message. We have someone who has a rigid interpretation of the Bible, yet he turns out to be the "good" guy. When normally we see things on TV and movies against these kinds of people, Bell shows that even though they try to force their views on others and may seem crazy, they still work from the same Book, and are righteous. God saved O'Connor from the snakebites! So, who exactly was the bad guy? Satan? Or a reverend who just hates ministers like O'Connor and takes his beliefs a little too far? We never really find out, but I'm kind of leaning toward the latter. A thought-provoking episode nonetheless, and that is still the one thing that designates a good episode of TXF.

Sources: eBay and The X-Files Australian Conne-X-ion.

1/22/2000

What's been happening lately...GA's episode is 7X17, and it looks like she's getting full writing credit. DD's ep is in fact 7X18, and Bill Davis's will be directed by Rob Bowman! The Lone Gunmen will be in it and we have some cooool plot info: "It's about a cure for cancer that involves men in suits. And the kid in the teaser who gets cured (and he has those God-will-cure-you-not-medicine-type parents) has a scar on his neck very similar to that of Miss Scully." FoxFlash updated with some pictures from "Closure" and "X-Cops." I will paste some stuff from the captions and accompanying press release: "Agents Scully and Mulder are mistaken for suspects by the Los Angeles Sheriff's department" ("X-Cops"); "Mulder discovers information that re-opens the case of his sister's abduction 25 years earlier" ("Sein Und Zeit"); "Mulder's search for clues to his sister Samantha's abduction culminates in a race against time to find the long-sought-after answers to his sister's fate" ("Closure"); "In this episode, agents Mulder and Scully investigate a murder inside the high-tech world of a virtual reality game, and Scully must battle a deadly digital character to save Mulder's life" ("First Person Shooter"). Here's more on the latter episode: "A friend of mine interviewed the actors who play the Lone Gunmen in L.A. recently. They were on break from filming FPS at the time. According to them, they do an unusual (for them) amount of running and yelling in this ep, chiefly in the virtual reality environment. And M&S have to come in and save the day. They were on a night shoot, which they said was unusual for them."

Sources: Haven for the FBI's Most Unwanted and About.com Guide to X-Files Fans.

1/18/2000

It's been confirmed that Gillian Anderson is directing the same episode that she is writing. Plus so far the Garry Shandling thing is a rumor at best, so we'll see. But from the Mitch Pileggi chat we got some info on DD's episode: "There is a funny scene involving or referring to the question about a romance developing between Skinner and Scully." Skinner is heavily involved in the episode. (Skinnerholics rejoice!) Anyway, just a few more things today. "Signs and Wonders," just like "The Amazing Maleeni," has no print ad. What is going on here?? Thanks to Amy for the heads-up. Season 7 starts on March 19 at 9 p.m. on Sky One in the U.K. The Australian movie DVD comes out on March 22, basically the same as the U.K. version (anamorphic etc.). It is coded for Region 4. Speaking of which, those Japanese episode DVDs I mentioned in the update before last are actually not coded--that is, you can play them on any DVD player anywhere!

Sources: The X-Files Merchandise Web Site and About.com Guide to X-Files Fans.

1/16/2000

"The Amazing Maleeni" looks pretty damn cool judging from the previews...and it seems like they are using different music for the previews for this episode. The only other time I remember them doing that is for season 5's "The Pine Bluff Variant" with Mark Snow's cool undercover/conspiracy score. I don't think Snow wrote the music that is in this week's previews, but we'll see after watching the episode. Although the "Triangle" previews may have had some swing music...don't remember. Anyway, I remembered yesterday after watching "Fallen Angel," one of my favorite episodes, that I didn't include "Tempus Fugit" and "Max" in this week's Cool Fact on episode sequels! Silly me...I added that info above. Now, about those rumors that CNN said that there is definitely an 8th season...I don't believe those one bit, and there isn't anything supporting them at all. The rumors all stem from one person's post to SpoilerVille, and it wasn't even a direct quote, just their impression of what was said. I believe it was only a misinterpretation of CNN's reporting of the same thing that has been reported in the past few days. That is, the decision is about a month away, Grushow is trying for an 8th season, etc. See last update.

Sources: Haven for the FBI's Most Unwanted, Cinescape Online, and eBay.

1/13/2000

The big news is out on Fox's plans for The X-Files. Their agenda is to get an 8th season, and Sandy Grushow admits that the chances are currently "no better than 50/50." There will be a final decision within a month. Fox will try to deal with CC and DD for another year, and will hold GA to her contract if there is an 8th season. It will be up to Chris Carter in the end, though, whether there will be another season if only Gillian Anderson will be able to continue. Grushow believes that in CC's heart is the desire to do another year...but who knows. Plus, it really does look like the Lone Gunmen spinoff will happen, regardless of whether there is another season! It all depends on whether Chris Carter likes the scripts that will be produced. CC, Frank Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan, and John Shiban are currently developing the series and would executive-produce it. Thanks to Dennis Sung for passing the Gunmen info along! Another tidbit on this is that there would be probably two character additions for the spinoff, two younger characters, at least one of which would be female.

Source: Yahoo! News

1/11/2000

New episode titles, from the official site! 7X13 is officially called "First Person Shooter," and 7X14 is "Theef," and that's the right spelling. "Theef" isn't another title for "The Widow's Eye"--either that was just made up by someone, or it was bumped back. 7X14 was written by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz, and Kim Manners will direct. The episode is about a doctor's family (in San Francisco) being threatened, and will air on March 12. BTW the Jan. 30 rerun is "Millennium," not "The Unnatural." Anyway, some more dates from the official site: There will be a live chat with Frank Spotnitz on Feb. 7 (right after "Sein Und Zeit"), 7X16 starts filming on Feb. 10, and 7X17 starts on the 23rd. And FINALLY, confirmation that Harsh Realm is airing on FX! The pilot will air on March 24 at 9 p.m., and the episodes will keep going in order on each subsequent Friday at 9, all the way to "Camera Obscura." Now check out this Gillian news:

The above was posted on alt.tv.x-files from a news update on Dark Horizons. Thanks to The X-Files Merchant, I have a picture of the 3rd little promo slip for the character puzzle cards. This one came from "Biogenesis," which comes out in Australia tomorrow (but videos are usually available the day before in stores there anyway). On the back of the box for the video, 7X04 is called "The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati." Finally, here's another "support group"-type thing to support for the end of the show: The End.

1/10/2000

UPDATE: Season 6 starts on Wednesday, Jan. 12 on Kanaal 2 at 8:25 p.m. in Belgium (subtitled).

Sources: About.com Guide to X-Files Fans and The Official Gillian Anderson Web Site.

1/9/2000

Everyone remember last year, that a Michael Scott wrote a script called "The Banshee" that was supposed to be made in season 6? Well apparently it is going to be made this season instead. How do I know? Our good friend elwood blues alerted me to the fact that the official site had something like "STAY TUNED FOR NEWS ON MICHAEL SCOTT" written in the News page for about a day a while back, then it disappeared. The rest of today's update is on U.K. merchandise, from David Yeldon.

"Most prime-time programs from the BBC, ITV, and Channel Four are now filmed in 16:9 widescreen. These are then broadcast as anamorphic 16:9 over digital services. For the vast majority of us without digital TV (it was only introduced in late 1998), these programs have their sides cut off to change them to 14:9 to reduce the black bar height (a lame excuse). This is irritating beyond belief: ears, ends of titles, even whole people get left off. It is not a carefully considered pan-and-scan process, they just show the middle all the time. Around 10% of the picture is lost. What the BBC did to The X-Files is even worse. They have uniformly cropped the top and bottom off of the original X-Files 4:3 picture to change it to 16:9 (losing a staggering 25%). This is broadcast over the digital services as anamorphic 16:9. By the process I described above, this 16:9 picture is then cropped again to 14:9--losing the sides of the picture--and broadcast over the analog service. Result: the top, bottom, left, and right of the picture are missing (totalling one third) and black bars have been added. For example, the main title screen looks dreadful: the top and bottom of the big X in the background are way, way off the screen, and the outermost T and S are perilously close to the sides. In short, it is uncomfortable, irritating, and heart-breaking to watch. Why they have done it is beyond the realm of common sense: when a program has been made in 4:3 and the overwhelming majority of TVs in the country are 4:3, it is ludicrous to even think about doing anything to it. It is mindnumbingly stupid! I am about to write the BBC an e-mail expressing my disappointment at their treatment of season 6 and would urge any other U.K. residents to do so (the address is info@bbc.co.uk)." Sorry, but that is just ridiculous (my 2 cents!).

1/8/2000

A set report from the filming of "X-Cops" mentions a pink-haired prostitute with "two faces." The Great Mutata? Anyway I have some neat internal Fox/1013 news from the XF newsgroup. Memos were given out last Monday, January 3, saying that the next movie will not be filmed this summer (well, we already knew that anyway). On January 4 Fox executives met with the 1013 people and agreed to give compensations to employees of Fox working on XF who wouldn't be able to continue without definite news of whether there will be an 8th season. It doesn't appear like there will be an 8th season, but nothing definite still. And finally, apparently the people from the XF crew were "shocked" at GA being cast as Clarice Starling. CC had no comment--but the film shouldn't interfere with her work on the show. I have heard from other sources that the film might be scrapped and that the GA thing is all a false rumor, but I still think that it is probably true.

1/7/2000

We have the new title for 7X11, "Closure," from the official site. Dennis X informed me that that is also the title of an episode of Millennium. It's the same kind of title as "End Game" or "The End." Also at the official site is an entire scene from "Sein Und Zeit" in Real format! Check it out! Here's the summary info provided: "The strange disappearance of a little girl leads Mulder to make connections with previous unexplained kidnappings. As he begins to personalize the investigation, Scully believes he is associating the case with the abduction of his sister. In this scene, Skinner has just briefed his agents assigned to finding the missing girl. Mulder demands to work the case even though there is no indication that it is an X-file." That's all for today folks.

1/6/2000

Big news, from Autumn T. on SpoilerVille: "I'd heard a rumor earlier this week that Gillian was going to be directing an episode of XF so I checked it out and apparently it is true. I hope to have more information soon. I don't know what episode at this point." Probably the one she is writing/co-writing? Plus some Daniel Sackheim news: "TV helmer Daniel Sackheim has signed to make his first leap to the big screen directing Sony Pictures Entertainment's Glass House." Anyway it is confirmed that season 6 is being shown in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen on BBC1 Digital and 14:9 on BBC1 Analogue. Some semi-new merchandise: Remember the sets of stamps printed in various republics of Russia? (5 of the sets featured stamps from the XF movie or the background for the stamps from the posters promoting the movie.) Those 5 sets also came out in very rare "attached pairs," stamp sheets originally run off by the printer before the general release stamps were run off, cut, and trimmed. The attached pairs are exactly that, 2 identical connected sets of stamps. Here are the attached pairs of the Chechenian, Dagestanian, Buriatian, Mordovian (#1 with Krycek), and Mordovian (#2) stamp sets. Finally, the source of the rumors about GA and The Animal is the American Forces Network and Air Force Sgt. Ron Rogers, not a German newspaper.

Source: The X-Files Total Resource

1/5/2000

The sporadic updates are over; it's back to business! I did a huge update today of many pages of the site--see Site Updates. Also I updated the Mythology section a little--check under Revisions. Anyway, last update's news about GA playing Clarice Starling instead of Jodie Foster has, I'd say, around a 70% chance of being accurate--it was from a German newspaper, but no other publications are reporting it and some people are wondering. Just reporting what I hear! Another thing is that the TV Guide Awards have started--get your TV Guide today to vote, and click here to vote for XF and M&S in everything you can! BTW XF was nominated in the real ballot. News from mulderitzmi on Return to Me: It's the first movie ever to use High-Definition Video for post-production and preview screenings. Plus the preview screenings are getting really positive feedback for the movie. And, LVxPhile gave me the following info: The scene I mentioned that gave GA nightmares (a body with maggots) was from "The List." And Nick Lea will be on a new episode of The Outer Limits Saturday night called "The Inheritors." Don't know how exactly he filmed it....

Source: Haven for the FBI's Most Unwanted

1/3/2000

Back for the year 2000! First the breaking news, and I believe it is true (from elwood blues): GA has agreed to play Jodie Foster's former part in the sequel to The Silence of the Lambs--but the movie is not being called Hannibal anymore; now it's The Animal. Yeah! Shooting begins April 2 in Italy. Anyway DeX kindly corrected a "slight" error in my Harsh Realm info: I was missing an episode. 1H07 is "Cincinnati," written by Chris Carter. "Camera Obscura" is 1H08 and "Circe" is 1H09. 1H08 was the last episode to film (that's 9 including the pilot). All this confirmed. "Manus Domini," John Shiban's episode, was directed by Tony To not Daniel Sackheim. "Cincinnati" was directed by Larry Shaw, that's right, the man behind "Fallen Angel"! "Camera Obscura" was directed by Jefery Levy, who was rumored to direct an episode a while back, and written by Steve Maeda. "Circe" was written and was to be directed by Mark Rosner. No more Bryan Spicer! Speaking of HR, 2 more things: People from FX are denying the March airings of the episodes. But this probably means nothing. And, in "Sein Und Zeit" one character in the teaser is watching Harsh Realm and says: "That was pretty good. I never knew this show was on!" HAHA! Thanks Dennis X!