This lack of personal space in EPISODE TWO.

They are the blueprint.

1x03 “Squeeze” is so fuxking good! Eugene Victor Tooms is a TOP X Files villain I won’t be taking criticism. Plus Mulder’s Scully territoriality?? DELICIOUS

Plus Squeeze gave us THIS Iconique image

The fact that I was born less than 24 hours before 1x04 “Conduit” and this iconic scene aired is honestly legendaric.

This ep sets Mulder up as an utterly unique male protagonist I am PROUD to stan

“I want to believe”

In addition to setting up Mulder’s series-long arc and positioning him as the ultimate advocate for the forgotten and marginalized— the sheer NUMBER of lack of personal space scenes this episode serves... stan 1x04!!

1x05 Scully turned me Bi like this suede vest/sweater combo is MILES away from heterosexual behavior

1x05 The Jersey Devil is underrated bc:

1) the Humour (“I’ll hurt you like that beast woman Mulder”)

2) Mulder is?? So Soft??? For cavewomen??

3) is it NECESSARY to touch each other like this ma’am he has a SCRATCH
https://lukesdanes.tumblr.com/post/187480042726/the-x-files-the-jersey-devil-1x05

1x07 “Ice” is one of the top 10 episodes of television of all time I won’t take criticism it is terrifying, sexy, paranoid; the gold STANDARD of bottle episodes.

The Mully/Scully stand off scene IS THE BLUEPRINT

Also Gillian looks like THIS the whole time?? My x files rewatch is way gayer than my initial watch

Even the guest stars in 1x07 are amazing. Felicity Huffman??? And Xander Berkeley is incredible as Dr. Hodge.

Also, and I can’t emphasize this enough, THE! TWO! OF! THEM! IN! THIS! EP!

Whoever directed 1x10 “Fallen Angel” deserves an Emmy. THIS ENTRANCE. MA’AM.

Also Mulder is like so fucking soft AND sexy in this episode who on EARTH gave him the right??? WHO????

Idk what got into David Duchovny in Fallen Angel but it is a NON-STOP SERVE.

LOOK AT HIM LOOK AT MY SOFT BOY

1x12 SERVES when it comes to jealousy, yes, but Scully being protective of Mulder when Phoebe comes to fuck him up emotionally with a case about fire, which is traumatic for him, is so underrated

The way she’s ready to THROW DOWN w this British bitch

It’s amazing how often the X Files subsists off dramatic irony. Most procedurals NEED the rote whodunnit format to get thru 45 min but TXF often tells you who/what the culprit is up FRONT, & the tension is in watching Mulder and Scully figure it out (or not).

That’s Excellence

THE WAY SHE HATES HERRR SKDJDJDHD THEY JUST DONT WRITE PLATONIC JEALOUSY LIKE THIS ANYMORE

LIKE. THIS WAVE!! MISS GILLIAN!!!!

Guys I’m about to watch Beyond the Sea SOMEONE HOLD MY HAND

Mulder calling Scully “Dana” for the first time IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SO PERSONAL

Only 5 min in and I’m not gonna make it

The way Brad Dourif OUTSOLD as Luther Boggs in this ep... should have known he was destined for greatness as Gríma Wormtongue

God when this show is good it’s SO GODD

Beyond the Sea is legendary if only for this BTS pic alone

ICON ICONIQUE ICONOCLASTIC ICONIFIC ICONTASTIC SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE ICON IM SCREAMINGGGG

The role reversal in this episode is so fucking delicious, the way Mulder is desperate for Scully NOT to believe because he’s so scared he’s gonna lose her, the way he’s worried about her, the way she can only believe at all because of HIM, the softness between them IM LOSINGF IT

“But I do know”

“How?”

“He was my father”

THE WAY THE EPISODE IS BOOKENDED BY MULDER’S SOFT “Dana...”s LIKE IM REALLY GONNA MCFREAKING LOSE IT OVER THEM. THE INTIMACY

I love “Lazarus” for a lot of reasons, but this scene sticks w me. Mulder mostly keeps his cool when telling the agents where to look for kidnapped Scully but then his facade breaks a lil— “And for those of you who don't know already, [unsteadily] this one's important to me”

Mulder’s paranoid conspiracy cult friends: “Oh Scully’s hot. Also the government is tracking you via magnetic strips on your money.”

Scully: “Mulder I don’t know how you could think what they say is remotely plausible”

Mulder:

THEM

So “Shapes” is pretty problematic in its portrayal of Indegenous people but I will say I enjoyed the number of times the FBI was rightly dragged for negligence on Indian land... unfortunately still relevant today

Did I hear y’all say you like height differences??

Seriously: WHAT! IS! THE! REASON!!!! Like, is there one bubble of oxygen in every room they enter that they are forced to share???

Y’all don’t even realize the sheer amount of Mulder/Scully energy bellarke exudes. Legends only

Episodes where Scully’s hair looks like this >>>>>>>>>>

The car conversation in “Tooms” just hits different. HIS FACE

I mean look at him!! They are flirting!!!

Time for 2x01 “Little Green Men” oof I remember loving this episode let’s gooooo

Mulder: “Seeing is not enough. I should have something to hold on to, some solid evidence.... I learned that from you”

WHY DID MY BRAIN IMMEDIATELY GO TO—

There are so many intimately little touches in this ep uGHHHH HOW SOFT IS THIS??????

MULDER’S SPEECH TO THE AUDIO RECORDER WHERE YOU REALIZE IN HIS MIND HES BEEN TALKING *TO SCULLY* THIS WHOLE TIME,,, THE WAY SHES BECOME HIS ONE LINK TO THE BELIEF HE USED TO HAVE UGHHHHH THIS MONOLOGUE OUTSELLS

Me vs. trying not to tweet a gif of every time Mulder and Scully touch each other in 2x01

Same Scully,, his biceps in that cutoff T-shirt are too hard to resist

I may not have the X Files but I still have my work...

And I still have you.

For some reason Mulder being so fucking melodramatic about not working with Scully anymore while she tries to mollify him SENDS ME like... he’s so needy I LOVE IT

AND SHES JUST AS STUPIDLY NOSTALGIC!!! BITCH YALL ARE HAVING DAILY CLANDESTINE MEETINGS ON PARK BENCHES AND CALLING EACH OTHER EVERY DAY WHERE DO YOU GET OFF BEING THIS DRAMATIC

Omg i forgot Krycek came on this early!!! Love this little whore

Mulder melodramatically telling Krycek “I work alone” and then calling Scully to plead with her to work the case with him I swear to god asking her for autopsies is Mulder’s version of foreplay

The fact that Mulder enters the room w Krycek but immediately goes to stand 30 centimeters from Scully’s face while Krycek is just like... uh why are they having pillow talk over dead body PEAK COMEDIE

The FBI: the X Files are closed, you and Scully can no longer work together

S2 Mulder: ..but she’s my eMOTIONAL SUPPORT SKEPTIC

WHY DOES THIS SCENE MAKE ME MULDER IS SO SOFT WHEN HE REALIZES SCULLY IS JEALOUS

FUCKXJSNDJD I FORGOT THE WHOLE POINT OF 204 IS THAT KRYCEK REALIZES HOW ESSENTIAL SCULLY IS TO MULDER AND THEN THE NEXT EP BEGINS THE JUICIEST KIDNAPPING PLOTLINE IN ANGST HISTORY,,,, COINCIDENCE?? I THINK NOT !

Tomorrow it’s 2x05 “Duane Barry” my body is Ready

Person: *goes missing*

Mulder: scully it fits the profile of an alien abduction case

Scully: mulder you say that every time

Mulder:

Costumer working on Scully: hm she should wear a blazer 6 sizes to big

Costumer working on Mulder:

The Duane Barry episode genuinely gives me anxiety... Mulder being taken advantage of bc of his belief makes me genuinely nauseous... just like Scully

Scully whispering thru Mulder’s earpiece “Mulder it’s me” trying to save his life in a hostage situation is something that can be so personal

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck I thought I was ready for angst but Mulder walking like a zombie through the crime scene at Scully’s apartment not knowing if he’ll find her body or if she’s gone, his utterly blank expression... scoops my absolute GUTS out of my chest

Mulder climbing up a fucking SKYLIFT like an IDIOT just to get to Scully... why does this have Bellamy Blake energy

God the way Mulder bottles everything up inside and doesn’t sleep and barely shows emotion and seems cold and calm when Scully is in danger until he just FUCKING BREAKS UGHSJDBSJBD HE IS THE BLUEPRINT

Also, apropos of nothing, definitely not @ any other shows, THIS is how you execute a kidnapping plot line when one of your leads needs to “step back for a few episodes.”

The way David Duchovny does that THING with his voice where he makes it so so soooo soft when he’s talking to or about Scully (yall Know what I’m talking about) makes me go absolutely FERAL

I know this is controversial but I actually love “3.” David kills it in this ep... he’s so dead-eyed, it’s like his very soul has gone missing & you can FEEL Scully’s absence. And that scene where he smiles & tells the detective, “I don’t sleep anymore”— CHILLS

It’s time for the full course MEAL that is ONE BREATH ugh we love to see Mulder losing his everloving mind within the first fucking minute demanding to know who hurts his Scully we love to see it !

Scully’s mom being the only one who can consistently get away with calling Mulder “Fox”

My favorite thing about the X Files is that it really doesn’t give a single fuck about any character that isn’t Mulder or Scully.

That being said, I do fucking LOVE when AD Skinner starts coming into his own. The things Mitch Pileggi can do with one Look...

THE WAY HIS VOICE BREAKS ON “WHY HER?” >>>>>>>>

WHY IS HE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

OOF OOF OOF OOOFFFFFFFFF

“I don’t know if my being here will help bring you back...... but I’m here”

SJSHEJSNDDUDBSKSHEHSGSBBSNSNSNSJS

“I FEEL YOU BELIEVE YOU’RE NOT READY TO GO... AND YOUVE ALWAYS HAD THE STRENGTH OF YOUR BELIEFS”

MULDER BREAKING DOWN WHEN HE GETS HOME

“MULDER, I HAD THE STRENGTH OF /YOUR/ BELIEF”

GODDDDDDS IM SO OVERWHELMED FUCKK I DONT REMEMBER THIS EP COMING FOR MY THROAT LIKE /THIS/

Omg I forgot 90s heartthrob legend Bradley Whitford guest starred on TXF... why is him playing the Josh Lyman of volcanic science in a dirty wifebeater so damn hot... Thank you sir

Do I even have to say it DO I EVEN HAVE TO SAY IT

Oof I forgot how dated and gross “Excelsius Dei” is between the elder abuse and Mulder being so dismissive of a rape case just to contrast with Scully’s interest in it. One of VERY few s2 skippables

Mulder: “That’s a pretty extreme hunch”

Scully: “I seem to recall you having some pretty extreme hunches”

Mulder, smiling: “I Never have”

THE WAY I HATE THEM

Tell me Mulder didn’t fly 3 hours and misuse FBI funds on a car and a hotel room just to ask Scully out on a date I DARE YOU

I relate to Scully because I too am creeped the FUCK OUT by the death fetishist ep like, it’s definitely successfully suspenseful, but something about the way it’s shot feels exploitative. Still a top tier character episode tho

Ok I know everyone loves the hug in “Irresistible” but honestly THIS scene is the one that sticks w me because of how GOD. DAMN. SOFT. HIS VOICE GETS???!? like if u just read the lines it’s a nice scene, but it’s the PERFORMANCE that just EXUDES intimacy & vulnerability,, HOWWW

Like seriously you gotta watch to Understand my feels like THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT WHEN I SAY DAVID DUCHOVNY HAS A SCULLY VOICE. THE WAY IT GETS WHISPER-SOFT WHY IS THIS OF ALL THINGS WHAT DOES IT FOR ME

Oof Scully’s therapy scene in “Irresistible” is some of Gillian Anderson’s best work and that is SAYING something. She absolutely fucking murders this scene, which is basically just one long close up of her face... it’s subtlety Excellence damn I forgot how iconic 2x13 is

The fact that she’s teasing him and he’s SO SERIOUS when he says “Always” THE LITTLE SCENES IN THIS EP

NOT MULDER DESPERATELY TRYINF TO SHIELD SCULLY WITH HIS BODY

“It was science that isolated the retrovirus Agent Mulder was exposed to, and science that allowed us to understand its behavior.

And ultimately, it was science that saved Agent Mulder's life.”

IN “ONE BREATH” HIS BELIEF SAVED HER
IN “END GAME” HER SCIENCE SAVED HIM

LOOK HOW SMUG SHE IS SKDJDJD

Unpop opinion potentially but Dod Kalm is actually a great ep bc we see Mulder & Scully grow old together and they’re literally a married couple... the tension in this ep is so different from other bottle eps bc they’re kind of resigned to dying together ITS ROMANTIC OK