The Lone Gunmen

Season 1 – 70% – The Lone Gunmen have always been an integral part of The X-Files and I'm quite surprised that it took this trio of sympathizers so long to try for a solo act. Fortunately, they did it at the right time, and even though FOX only granted them thirteen standalone episodes, they grew closer to my heart by a wide margin. They unsurprisingly took on the biggest cases in a great pilot and a thrilling finale, while in between they sometimes triumphantly (a TV show with Langly's childhood idol or a tango dance competition) and sometimes less successfully, or unfortunately even embarrassingly (conspiring monkeys or a psychopathic doctor), addressed ideas for their magazine. It's amazing what crazy ideas the screenwriters John Shiban, Vince Gilligan, and Frank Spotnitz managed to squeeze into individual storylines under Chris Carter's leadership, and I wouldn't be surprised if most viewers ran away in horror around the third case. One wouldn't expect certain toilet, baby, or animal jokes in a series where Fox Mulder himself briefly appears. While the mysterious atmosphere is supported by the sophisticated Yves, my favorite character – the silly Jimmy Bond – adds humor and almost a familial mood. Many fans can't stand him, but when I see his enthusiastic expression during even the smallest action, I can't be mad at him. The series as a whole is a pleasant snack and a small obligation for true fans of The X-Files. The episode Jump the Shark from the ninth season of The X-Files functioning as the series finale: – 85% – The Gunmen have withered, become poor, and had to give up many things, but they are still together. Even Jimmy is now smiling rather sadly. But despite the lack of money and enthusiasm, there is still one real challenge lying here. Chris Carter acted like a boss when he dedicated one of the final episodes of The X-Files to concluding the fates of characters that even some fans of the original series don't know. As for how this race against time ended, everyone reading this review probably knows. And even though I wanted to say goodbye to Frohike, Langly, and Byers in a slightly different mood, I believe they will never be forgotten thanks to Jimmy and Yves. (10/01/2012)