Critical Condition: The X-Files (S11)

The X-Files | TVNZ 2, 8.30 Thursday

➢ “With a confidence that was lacking in the six episodes that made up Season 10, there are some intriguing mysteries, some eerie moments, solid action, and — praise the Lord and little green men — a fantastic comedy installment written and directed by the always-amazing Darin Morgan … Season 11 so far isn’t flawless, but it’s a lively, character-focused affair that feels far more unified than we’d ever anticipated, a massive improvement over Season 10.” — IndieWire.

➢ “The 10-episode season will be bookended by mythology-heavy episodes with standalone episodes in between. These middle episodes will have slivers of the ongoing storyline woven throughout to tie the whole season together, but will primarily be monster-of-the-week fare, which should be welcome news to fans who only got one truly memorable standalone episode last season.” — TV Guide.

➢ “Midway through the first episode of the 11th season of The X-Files, FBI agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) clutches her head and moans, ‘What’s going on here?’ We can sympathise. Up until then, the episode had played like a frenetic trailer, filled with crazy action and angst. In subsequent episodes, the Chris Carter series settles down to familiar entertaining territory, but there is a danger you might turn it off before then.” — Los Angeles Daily News.

➢ “The X-Files still produces excellent stand-alone TV episodes — tremendously entertaining hours with the show’s familiar blend of spookiness, self-deprecating humor and cleverly conceptual in-jokes that only the initiated can really appreciate … It will be interesting to see whether the addition of new female writers and directors in the second half of the season — a response to criticisms of the show’s mostly male, mostly white core group — shakes things up.” — New York Times.

➢ “Anybody hoping for more consistency from The X-Files in this latest resurrection should probably get used to this being what the series is. Since the show is Carter’s baby and he isn’t going anywhere or loosening up on the reins, you either find the bursts of inspiration and spookiness worth the plodding stretches of perfunctory mythology or you don’t.” — The Hollywood Reporter.