Season Six of "The X Files" is brilliant. It's astonishingly good, beating out even classic seasons like 3 and 4 for the title of my favorite. Sadly, it would also be the 'plateau season' after which The X Files entered into a three-season period which didn't quite match expectations, in particular the final season. Season 6 takes The X Files in a bold new direction, replacing some of the more formulaic monster of the week episodes with original, inventive classics like "Triangle", the "Dreamland" episodes (humorous quasi-mythology episodes? Unthinkable), "Drive", "Arcadia", and "Field Trip". It's a change that The X-Files needed, but it's a shame that the series grew as far astray from its roots as it did in season 7.
I didn't mind the addition of more humor. Frankly, it was needed after the extremely dreary season 5. It's not overbearingly silly, and it's brilliant writing for the most part. Season 6 marked the addition of Emmy-winning cinematographer Bill Roe, who works brilliantly with the directors to create a fantastic aesthetic feel to the series, markedly different from the first few seasons, but great in its own way. The actors are now doing better than ever, with David Duchovny reaching the peak of his skill. The variety and different feel of so many episodes gives Mark Snow a chance to show off his skill and do something different on occasion.
Picks for best episodes:
"Drive"- great concept, great guest star in Bryan Cranston, nice writing throughout. Beautifully-done teaser that immediately lets us know there will be a break from formula here.
"Triangle"- hilarious, great acting, costumes, art direction, score, use of music other than the original score, and long takes that aren't just long takes, but GOOD long takes which move the episode at a great pace. Proof that Chris Carter is a capable director.
"Dreamland/Dreamland II"- brilliant humor-filled episodes with sections of seriousness and even slight exploration of the mythology. You have to love Mulder struggling with a wife and kids who aren't his. Plus, there's a Mulder Porn Joke. Mulder Porn Jokes are always spectacular.
"Two Fathers/One Son"- fascinating mytharc two-parter that could have been a reasonably effective ending to the mythology. Shame it wasn't.
"Monday"- The X Files as an action/thriller/sci-fi thing. Executed brilliantly.
"Arcadia"- Oh come on? Mulder and Scully 'married'? Perfect planned community? Monsters that kill you if your house isn't 'perfect'?
"Field Trip"- What a great episode, even when you know the twist in advance.I'll never forget seeing it for the first time and being shocked repeatedly though.
Sadly, the season finale "Biogenesis", while fun on its own and promising an intriguing and different (and completely unneeded, contradictory, and muddling) direction for the mytharc, is in many ways signs of things to come. The concluding episodes for this three parter are at the start of season 7, and season 7 does not start well. The Colonization arc picked up enough steam to eventually do well enough, but the mytharc would never be the same again.
In short, season 6 of "The X Files" is probably one of the absolute greatest television seasons in history. It's almost impossibly good and consistently fantastic. It's a shame the series would take a dive after this, and nobody who tuned into season 7 in late '99 was expecting it not to continue this sort of excellence. Oh well.
Season average based on ratings for all episodes: 8.68/10
