The X-Files - The Complete Fifth Season (Slim Set)

After 8 years of being together, you miss having Scully and Mulder together on screen in every episode. If you are a true fan, you'll still like season eight and will look forward to nine.

For those of you X-Files fans that want to watch all of the episodes without the bells and whistles, the "Slim Sets" are the way to go.

The last season shot in Vancouver, BC before the move to LA and my personal favorite. By Season 5, the X-Files had really "found" itself and combined with some of the best writing of the entire series produced a great, great year of episodes. The Alien Conspiracy is here in full swing, and shuffled in are some of the best stand-alone episodes of the show. Highly, highly recommended. And I can only say "THANK YOU" to whoever is responsible the new, slim case edition and it's VERY nice price.

I won't belabor what so many reviewers here have already said so well and so completely... this season seems to be one of the more controversial: just read the comments by different reviewers regarding the Stephen-King coscripted "Chinga"-- which range from "one of the best" to "the worst"--

By the way, a few comments about "Chinga"-- another in the venerable line of tales in the "Evil Doll" genre, which harks back to the classic story by Algernon Blackwood, "The Doll" (memorably dramatized on NIGHT GALLERY). There are so many Stephen King classic elements in it: the withdrawn and/or autistic child with a fixation on a recording of music that is made to seem eerie by the obsession with it and by its accompanying horror or evil (in this case, "The Hokey-Pokey"; in ROSE RED, for instance, it was "A Summer Place"). And of course, the story is set in Maine, another King trademark.
(Just a note for those who might be interested: the music which Scully is listening to in her car, and later while taking a bath at her motel, is the Piano Concertos Opp. 89 and 85 by J.N. Hummel, and the specific recording-- I recognized it immediately because I own it-- is on the Discover Label conducted by Alexander Rahbari, and the pianist is Dana (!) Protopopescu. [I had always suspected Scully would be a lover of classical music.])
The episodes have been said to be quite unueven in quality, but I think it is in a sense more an unevenness of subject matter. In general I usually prefer the episodes directly in the X-Files "Mythos"; but some of the incidental, one-off episodes can be among the most memorable, and that is the case with this season as well. And even lesser X-Files episodes are (to me at least) head and shoulders over so much else produced for TV.
One of the most pleasant themes running through this season is one that has been remarked by other reviewers-- the increasing intimacy of the two protagonists. They are almost, at times, mirror opposites. They have come, however, to not only respect each other wholly, but to love each other in a fraternal way-- in fact, they are by this time intimate friends. One also gets the idea, never explicitly stated, that perhaps they are not (physically at least) each other's "type"-- but that their care for each other is slowly wearing this "objection" (If objection it be) down and that they are gradually drifting into a romantic, rather than platonic, love.... but we will have to wait a long time for the much anticipated kiss!
Anyhow, this season (as are all) is highly recommended.

I never got the chance to see the X Files when it aired originally. I tuned into it when it first aired in syndication on TNT around the 4th season and didn't think too much of it at first due to the silly stand alone episodes. I began watching it again a few months later and got caught up in it. Subsequently I ended up buying every season and paying top dollar for each. I was rather dismayed when the entire collection dropped dramatically in price a little more than 6 months later. That said, I don't regret having the complete X-Files collection as part of my DVD library. Everything about this series, from concept to elaborate sets and special effects was extraordinary. The conspiracy story line was done well enough to cause even a skeptic to question some things. A number of the paranormal episodes were astounding while some other episodes were absolutely hysterical. Some say it ran 2 seasons too long but the acting and scripts were even better after David Duchovny's departure. Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish's characters were a welcomed relief from the chronic tears of Gillian Anderson and mobid demeanor of David Duchovny for many fans of the show. The 2-part finale was a bit disappointing and it's difficult to tell if that was the fault of the writing team or David Duchovny's lack of interest in the project. Either way it's a piece of perfectly executed, mega budget, TV history and it shows in every episode.