The Indie Pen Dance: “X” Marks the Spot

A thousand apologies for my absence last week. As the era of the Spring midterm is upon us, I am forced to slice up the time I devote to the things nearest and dearest to my heart. However, in the midst of all that chaos and priority, I have rediscovered something that has meant so much to me in the past.

I, for the most part, was a child of television. Every day after school, I would sit in the living room and watch “Arthur” on PBS (my family didn’t have cable, but we were able to manage with an old-fashioned grid antenna that we still use to this day). I loved TV. I still love TV. It has molded me into the student of media I am today. However, let me digress from the influence and tell you what specifically I love.

In the mid-90s, during my formative years, the constant weekly exposure to “The X-Files” influenced me the most. With early exposure to something other than sitcoms on other networks, this regular exposure of paranormal drama on television was the best part of my week. I remember watching it with my older sister, my brain constantly working to catch all the elements of the story. I had to understand all the characters, the situation, and the stories behind the show. The show made me care about all those weird, paranormal, and outlandish things that I care about to this day.

“The X-Files” was undoubtedly the launchpad of so many faces. It made a household name out of David Duchovny. The shameless (and possibly low-budget) recycling of actors for similar roles on the show set it apart from many of the higher-budget television shows of the time. Thanks to “The X-Files,” conspiracy theories about the paranormal and government involvement in terms of extraterrestrials have run more rampant than in the past. Three of the reoccurring characters on the show “The Lone Gunman” (who explored government conspiracy theories), were given their own spin-off, which became a cult classic soon before “The X-Files” went off the air. “The X-Files” in of itself has acquired a large cult following, from college students to middle-aged collectors of memorabilia. The low budget appeal and look of the show have created a greater appreciation for kitsch that isn’t found in TV dramas today.

For me, “The X-Files” has created an incredible outlet. I remember myself as a wee-little child writing “X-Files” fan fiction, in sheer pride and hope that one day, it would be found by the producers and put on the air. It gave me hope, and let me feel free to entertain my thoughts about conspiracy theories and the paranormal. It’s a fantasy, a fallacy, and a farce. It makes me feel all warm and nostalgic inside, remembering how happy I feel when I watch it. It gives me a little piece of my past to hold onto. And in a time of midterms, I am at my most content when I can open Netflix and watch every single season to my heart’s content.

Last 5 posts by shetrick

• The Indie Pen Dance: The Long Haul - March 28th, 2012
• The Indie Pen Dance: Semi-Apathetic Discord - March 7th, 2012
• The Indie Pen Dance: Let’s Talk. - February 8th, 2012
• The Indie Pen Dance: 3 Reasons Why You Should Choose “Archer” - January 25th, 2012
• The Indie Pen Dance: Home Is Where the Hate Is. - January 18th, 2012