Tag Archives: The X-Files

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#TBT 8 Iconic Magazine Covers of the 1990’s

The magazine may be a slowly dwindling media format thanks to the internet and its ability to provide up-to-the-minute breaking news easily shared through various social media channels, but throwback to pre-world wide web, where prime time television shows like Friends and Melrose Place were bringing in 20 million viewers weekly and magazines were selling just as many copies of issues where exclusive interviews with A-listers would be accompanied by ‘that’ magazine cover photo.

Whether it be scandalous, beautiful or emotive, magazines in the 90’s provided some of the most iconic covers that still could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Kim K on Paper Magazine or Caitlin Jenner on Vanity Fair. Take a look below at some of the most iconic magazine covers from the 90’s.

Magazine: Vanity Fair | Date: August 1991 Issue | Cover Star: Demi Moore.

Such uproar occurred from this photo of a 28 year old Demi Moore, naked and heavily pregnant on the cover of Vanity Fair’s August 1991 issue that some supermarket’s pulled it from shelves while others hid it, treating it like an issue of Playboy. The pose however would be later recreated by such stars as Natalie Portman, Britney Spears and Serena Williams

Magazine: Vanity Fair | Date: August 1992 Issue | Cover Star: Demi Moore.

It was a mere twelves months later when Demi Moore returned to create another iconic cover for Vanity Fair, once again shot by Annie Leibovitz, once again naked, this time however, covered in a painted on three piece suit.

Magazine: Vanity Fair | Date: August 1993 Issue | Cover Star: K.D Lang and Cindy Crawford.

Vanity Fair cover for August shows model Cindy Crawford giving a shave to singer K.D. Lang. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)

Cindy Crawford clad in a tight black swimsuit shaving a suited up K.D Lang who is happily nuzzled into the cleavage of the supermodel. In 1993, the controversy writes itself with the two women, photographed by Herb Ritz, causing a stir with the gender bending image of Lang who had recently come out as a Lesbian.

Magazine: Rolling Stone | Date: May 19th 1994 Issue | Cover Star: Laura Leighton, Heather Locklear and Josie Bissett

The Melrose Place ‘bod squad’ featuring Laura Leighton, Josie Bissett and Heather Locklear, all clad in night-times whites, tousled hair and alluring stares. The cover was hot but caused a stir when it was revealed the other two stars Daphne Zuniga and Courtney Thorne-Smith were hidden under a flap. This shoot and resulting cover was brought up in the Unofficial Melrose Place Story created by Lifetime that mentioned Leighton contacting her agent with her concern about her co-stars not making the cover.

Magazine: Rolling Stone | Date: May 16th 1996 Issue | Cover Star: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson


HOT. HOT. HOT. No other words to describe this Rolling Stone magazine cover that sent a million X-Files nerds into boner frenzy. A topless Gillian Anderson offering some side-boob, draped over a topless David Duchovny, arms wrapped tightly around each other. The image played heavily on the public’s want of their on-screen alter ego’s FBI Agents Mulder and Scully to hook up.

Magazine: Rolling Stone | Date: April 15th 1999 Issue | Cover Star: Britney Spears

Coming off the back of her number one hit “Hit Me Baby One More Time”, 17 year old Spears, wound up on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine wearing not much at all. The photos, shot by David LaChapelle caused outrage from the parents of her tween fans while In 2008, the singer’s mother, Lynne, explained how her daughter ended up posing for the controversial photos. “We were in shock at what was going on, and we were in awe. We didn’t have any choice in the pictures. We had no one that could tell us what we were supposed to be doing.”

Magazine: TIME| Date: April 14th 1997 Issue | Cover Star: Ellen Degeneres

42 million people in the USA alone watched Ellen’s alter-ego Ellen Morgan, come out as a lesbian. It was unheard of and the moment became an iconic one in television history. TIME’s magazine cover featuring Degeneres, herself, coming out as a lesbian proved too much for America in 97′ which eventually saw Ellen lose her show and become an unwanted talent in Hollywood.

Magazine: People| Date: September 15th 1997 Issue | Cover Star: Princess Diana

Magazines were feeding into the public frenzy that was the untimely death of Princess Diana in 1997. Covers showing grainy paparazzi snaps of the crash scene or of Diana pre death were everywhere. People’s tribute issue featured a touching black and white photo of the peoples princess, smiling brightly, allowing us to remember the woman so loved by the public. The issue became the magazine’s highest selling issue (3.1 million) until the 2001 9/11 attacks.

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First Run ReRuns – George Lange Delves into his 90’s Archives for New Show.

From ER to Friends, Melrose to X-Files.

For anyone who was pop-culture loving teenager in the 90’s, the name George Lange might not sound that familiar, but his work as a photographer should be more than burned into your teen psyche as Lange’s photographs graced not only the covers of major magazines world wide but also many a teenage bedroom wall (certainly mine) with his iconic photos with the casts of Seinfeld, Melrose Place, Dawson’s Creek, The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer – just to name a few.

Those iconic photos featured the cast of Friends all dressed in black and white, perching precariously in white shadow boxes on a red backdrop, the cast of Seinfeld, dressed in their character garb, posing under an umbrella with pigeons, X-Files star Gillian Anderson perched high on co-star David Duchovny’s shoulders and Merlose’s Marcia Cross and Thomas Calabro playing in copious amounts of feathers while Laura Leighton shot out of a television dressed in a slinky silver mini.

While these photos iconic and a flashback to the heights of prime time television that was the mid 90’s, these images slowly faded into fond memories perhaps found years later on a dusty Entertainment Weekly cover found in the attic and as Lange even notes on one of his Instagram posts, they become buried under the weight of history.

For 2019, Lange though, is taking a new positive approach to his archives with a new collection of his classic prints and embracing the work that he was once afraid to look into for fear of being unable to move forward. The collection, titled ‘First Run ReRuns’ offers a look at the never before printed images from some of Lange’s most memorable work. The photos that didn’t make the cover or included in the photo spread.

‘First Run ReRuns’ opens on March 7th at The Dairy for the Arts in Boulder, Los Angeles and runs until April 14th. For those wanting to know more about the images, sessions and Lange’s process can attend an evening with George Lange on March 20th where you can check out scenes from actual photo shoots, hear from those who admire his work and get an inside look at his dynamic process. 

For more info on select photo shoots, visit GeorgeLange.com

FRONT, Sci-Fi, The X-Files, TV

Season Review: The X-Files Season 10

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Spoilers below for those who have not seen ALL 6 episodes!!!

WARNING!!!  SPOILERS LAY BELOW!  DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN ALL 6 EPISODES!!

It’s been a very welcome return for our long time truth hunters who returned to our screen in January after a decade plus long absence.  The shows main hurdle to overcome was whether or not Mulder and Scully could still draw in the audiences it once drew in all those years ago while being reachable to new viewers not overtly familiar with the characters and the show.

When season 10 closed with that insane final episode, I for one, like to say that yes, The  X-Files was able to bring me – a long time fan of the show – back into it’s fold and also welcome in new viewers.  With the revelation that ‘little green men’ do in fact exist and that their alien mechanics had been used for decades to create secret technology and their DNA used to protect chosen ones from an impending global disease crisis, dedicated fans got to travel full circle with Mulder and Scully on their hunt for the truth.

This reveal, in some form, closed the ‘is the truth out there’ book and opened a brand new one revolving around powerful men and the Alien secrets they have been choosing to hide from the public basically transforming what we all knew about The X-Files and the team involved brining back this show did it good.

That’s not to say though that The X-Files return did not come with its flaws.

While many critics applauded the shows quick return to monster-of-the-week flair (episode 3 – Mulder and Scully meet the were-monster) I found that to be one of the series weakest. While the on-screen chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson was stronger than ever, the tongue-in-cheek poke at Mulder and Scully’s monster hunting felt incredibly far fetched with the story of Guy Mann, a lizard to human shape changer that included way too much dialogue and not enough of the dark stuff we had been treated to in the second episode with insane geneticist Augustus Goldman (Melrose Place’s Doug Savant) building genetically enhanced (and disfigured) children.

Episode five introduced two new agents – Agent Miller (Robbie Amell) and the ridiculously named Agent Einstein (Lauren Ambrose) to the fold and went even further south of episode 3 and gave us Mulder, deep in the heart of Texas, boot scootin and line dancing his way through a psychedelic trip that eventually saw him face to face with a comatose bomber.  These two weak episodes felt like a very poor and feeble attempt at recapturing some of the more light hearted and fan favorite episodes of seasons past such as Bad Blood from season 5.

Funnily enough, what critics hated the most, I found to be engaging and very X-Filesey. The cigarette smoking man playing puppet master god, Scully’s alien DNA proving to be a most useful tool, Mulder working with conspiracy theorist Tad O’Malley (Joel McHale), Scully’s former partner Agent Reyes (Annabeth Gish) returning out of the blue to provide a shocking piece of information….this funnily enough is where most felt the X-Files lost it’s way during its original run yet felt like The X-Files.

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Annabeth Gish returns in the season 10 finale as Agent Monica Reyes

So how did each episode fare?

Episode One – My Struggle

7 out of 10

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The X-Files not only had to re-connect with long time fans but also, draw in new ones and in doing so, produced a lot of information, like mountains of it. From Aliens landing in the 1950’s to how their technology was stripped from them to the semi-annoying Tad O’Malley gobbling up too much screen time to learning about what Mulder and Scully had been up-to since we last saw them.

MVP: Sveta ( Annet Mahendru) was the perfectly eerie and damaged character to bring Mulder and Scully back together. A survivor of multiple abductions, Sveta’s fragility in coming forward with her claims played immensely well into the X-Files lore. 

Episode Two – Founders Mutation

8.5 out of 10

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An almost perfect return to form for the show, the mystery surrounding Mulder and Scully’s son William was answered and the two shared a wonderful amount of screen time together that made us all happy.  Pair this with the mad scientist trying to genetically breed children story line and we have ourselves a fantastic episode.

MVP: Augustus Goldman (Doug Savant) was the bad guy we needed to see early on in the series return.  While for only one episode, his elusiveness to reveal just what he has been up-to provided a much needed creep factor to the show plus, it was great to see Savant play against type.

Episode Three – Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster

3 out of 10

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The weakest of the bunch, Mulder and Scully’s monster hunt episode felt forced and contrived as they hunt for a monster that has been killing and feeding on innocent people. The lame attempt at touching on the humorous side of the show fell flat and produced nothing really new that had not been done before – even Guy Mann’s overtly sexy retelling of his encounter with Scully felt icky.  There was also waaaay too much dialogue – the scene with Mann and Mulder in the cemetery…it needed to end long before it began.

MVP: N/A

Episode Four – Home Again

7 out of 10

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Another ‘monster-of-the-week’ episode but done very very well.  The gruesome “band-aid nose man” was terrifying and chilling enough to rekindle my love of those episodes from seasons past and Scully’s heartbreak at loosing her mother was equally touching and tear-inducing.

MVP: John DeSantis’s Band-Aid nose man was freaky enough to join the ranks of other well known X-Files monsters such as the Flukeman and Tombs.  

Episode Five – Babylon

5 out of 10

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Mulder and Scully parting ways to try and communicate with a disfigured and comatose bomber was a premise I truly wanted to love but there was too much other stuff getting in the way for me to actually enjoy.  Agent Miller and Einstein proved no real purpose other than to accompany Mulder and Scully on their efforts and Mulder’s drug induced Billy Ray Cyrus trip…I swear you can see in Duchovny’s eyes he’s thinking “What the actual fuck am I doing?”

MVP: David Duchovny only for actually going through with this episode.

Episode Six – My Struggle Part 2

8 out of 10

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While this episode once again featured a little bit too much of Tad O’Malley (are people seriously using his web show as their source of nightly news?!) the Scully based episode actually bests the Mulder led episode one in which Scully learns she may hold the cure to the impending global medical disaster.  Even Agents Miller and Einstein were tolerable as they try and help the masses and that final scene…..cliffhanger much?!

MVP: Agent Monica Reyes! So glad to see her back (even though it’s without Robert Patrick’s Agent Doggett) but wasn’t too keen on her portrayed as a weak willed woman who would give in to cigarette smoking man’s demands.

Clearly that final scene with Scully looking into the down-shining lights of the UFO opens up the likelihood of more X-Files episodes.  I’d be more than happy with these short 6-10 episode stints and now with the backstory told, it opens up the ability to give fans a continuation of the X-Files we knew and loved.  Many fans are suggesting that if and when the show returns that creator Chris Carter ‘share the load’ or so to say and not monopolize his control of the show.  bringing in new blood to the world of The X-Files can only be a smart move to keep things fresh.

What did you think of the series?  Agree with my thoughts on each episode of disagree completely and feel that 10×03 was one of the best episodes yet?  Sound off in the comments above!

FRONT, TV

The Truth is out There With X-Files ReBoot

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THE X-FILES: Gillian Anderson in the “Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-monster” episode of THE X-FILES  ©2016 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Ed Araquel/FOX

Let’s just put it out there….there is going to be a lot to take in during this first episode back of our favorite alien-hunters show The X-Files. With 9 seasons and two movies worth’s of back-log to go through, Mulder (David Duchovny) of Mulder and Scully (Gillian Anderson) gives viewers a 3 minute history lesson in the world of The X-Files.

In an attempt to catch up viewers not yet inducted into this world of aliens and conspiracy theories and to offer those who are, a nice slice of remembrance pie, Mulder pulls out the old case files and explains just what he and former partner Scully had been through. From the story of his missing sister to case photos showing very familiar villains of days gone by, it’s enough to bring even the greenest of fans up-to today’s case in point.

And that point? Conspiracy theory cover-ups of course! While the existence of such a thing within the X-Files world is nothing new, this specific conspiracy theory brought to our attention by a scaremongering Tad O’Malley (Community’s Joel McHale) which begs Mulder to question everything he and Scully had done during their time with the X-Files and justifiably, bringing the two back together once again.

So does this new installment of the X-Files feel like The X-Files? Well it helps to have Mulder and Scully back on board and AD Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) is back too plus everyone is still looking flawless (especially Anderson who is aging like fine wine) and – fans are going to love this – the original title credits have been left….untouched! So yes, for the most part this does feel like the X-Files. Mulder is now a recluse hermit still crazed and wanting answers, Scully is sort-of along for the ride even if at first she’d rather be back in the ER attaching ears to children who were born with none and there are UFO’s and aliens.

That said, there is so much jam packed into this first episode.  Some scenes of dialogue can be a bit much to take in, even for weathered X-files fans like myself. A certain scene involving Mulder linking Uber, Facebook, Snowden and the NSA (among a myriad of other things) all to a massive alien cover-up had me reaching for the remote to rewind and grasp some sanity of what lines he just spewed out. Throw that in with some flashbacks to Roswell and things seem a little less exciting once the rose tinted glasses come down.

It’s not until the last 10 minutes of this episode where everything falls into place and we begin to make sense of what Mulder had been banging on about this entire episode and just like Scully, we’re dragged right back into the X-Files.

The second episode which airs the following night flows much more like a proper episode as by this stage, the set-up has already taken place and we’re into full X-Files mode.

Considering the love of re-boots of late (Girl Meets World and Fuller House to name a few) The X-Files falls into the ‘on a winner’ box. 2009’s Melrose Place reboot went to hell because it refused to acknowledge any link to its original backing and last years Heroes reboot failed due to…well…pretty much the same reason. Thankfully, The X-Files welcomes its history with open arms and we welcome it with even wider arms. Fingers crossed this miniseries opens a door to brining back Mulder and Scully for a longer stay.

Episode one of this six episode reboot begins Jan 31st (6 days after it’s US release mind you) on Network 10.

P.S: Keep an eye out for former Melrose Place alum Doug Savant (Matt Fielding) playing a doctor you wouldn’t really want your children to see in episode two!

The X-Files, TV

Let’s Fanboy(girl) Together! The X-Files New Season Sneak Peek Trailer is Here!

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back for the 2016 X-Files reboot!
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back for the 2016 X-Files reboot!

13 years!  Yes, it’s been 13 years since Special Agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) last graced our screens (save for the two feature length films) and now the two are back in Jan of 2016 for a re-boot of the massive 90’s cult series that we’ve all been begging for on FOX.

The six episode mini series will pick-up after where the series ended in 2002 which will see our reunited duo chasing monsters and little green men but also dealing with modern day threats like drones, NSA spying and constant surveillance.

Check out the recently aired two-part teaser trailers below:


Joining our two favorite heroes in the reboot are familiar faces including Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner, William B. Davis  as The Smoking Man and Annabeth Gish as FBI Agent Monica Reyes along with Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund, and Bruce Harwood as The Lone Gunmen!

The X-Files mini-series returns to screens, Jan 26th 2016 on FOX

(Australia TBA)

Drama, FOX, Sci-Fi

The Return of The X-Files? FOX Says Yes!

Anderson and Duchovny could return to their famous alter-egos!
Anderson and Duchovny could return to their famous alter-egos!

Thanks to the success of 24’s limited run reboot last year, FOX have begun to look at other favorite shows from their back catalog that could also do with a comeback including one small show about little green men.

Fox TV Group chairman Gary Newman has confirmed that talks have begun to look at bringing back sci-fi hit The X-Files starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson – who apparently are all interested in revisiting the characters that kick started their careers (X-Files creator Chris Carter included!)  Another Fox TV Group chairman, Dana Walden, also confirmed that if and when the reboot was to happen, it will be with it’s two main leads in Duchovny and Anderson but was quick to state that no ‘creative’ talks have taken place.

With David prepping for his new series Aquarius and Gillian working in the UK (The Fall) and on the new series of Hannibal timing will be the biggest player in ensuring the project would have any chance to move forward.

The news comes off the back of whispers of a possible limited reboot for Prison Break, but FOX have stated they were in fact, just whispers….for now.

The X-Files became an instant cult classic when it premiered back in 1993, running for more than 200 episodes over nine seasons before ending in 2002.

IWhat do you think?  Would the X-Files work in a limited series format like 24?  Sound off in the comments below!

FRONT, Sci-Fi, TV

Best of 90’s TV – Part One – Sci-Fi and Fantasy

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Buffy, X-Files, Xena and Sliders all aired in the 90’s

Television in the 1990’s was massive.  It was a time before reality TV became the monster that it is today. The ratings were big and the hair was even bigger.  Stars like Gillian Anderson, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Julian McMahon were finding their feet in prime-time shows and the term ‘shipper’ was created.  Cable networks virtually consisted of running shows in syndication and wasn’t until the mid 90’s that cable channels began to offer original shows. Sitcoms were popular and covered almost every topic, legal and law enforcement shows were in demand and family drama’s threw almost anything imaginable at us.

Sci-fi and fantasy shows filled prime-time viewing slots with The X-Files (1993) taking prime position and re-invigorating a genre that would spawn a slew of shows that took us into space, fighting vampires and into other worlds.

Cast of Angel
Cast of Angel

According to imdb.com, the top show in the genre during the 90’s is Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  The show about a teenage girl who finds herself betrothed as ‘the slayer’ was based off the movie with the same title (starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry began in 1997 on the WB network (Now CW network) and became an instant cult hit.  The series lasted 7 seasons, made a star out of it’s lead Sarah Michelle Gellar and created the popular spin-off Angel starring David Boreanaz. (Angel lasted 5 seasons).

Following close behind in popularity, is the fantasy themed Charmed.  Created by Aaron Spelling, the show about three sisters, each with their own unique power is still to this day, remembered favorably by many.  In true Spelling style, the show, along with it’s supernatural elements (a first for an Aaron Spelling production), also heavily relied on its drama and relationship story-lines and brought back three familiar faces to our tv screens in the form of Shannon Doherty (Beverly Hills 90210), Holly Marie-Combs (Picket Fences) and Alyssa Milano (Who’s The Boss).

The X-Files' David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson
The X-Files’ David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson

While on shows with a supernatural element, the alien themed teen drama Roswell also found itself with a cult status following.  While never really finding a high viewership, the show struggled to find an even balance between the drama and supernatural elements and alienated it’s audience (pun intended).  Roswell lasted 3 seasons.

When speaking of fantasy themed shows of the 90’s, you can’t forget about Hercules:The Legendary Journeys (starring well built Kevin Sorbo) and it’s equally popular spin-off Xena Warrior Princess (starring equally well built Lucy Lawless)  Both shows managed an impressive 6 seasons each with Xena garnering a more stronger following (perhaps due to the faux lesbian elements the show toyed with)

Intergalactic shows about space, time travel and other worlds were not only popular with viewers, but were also in abundance with variety.  Star Trek: The Next Generation (although premiered in 1987) ran for 8 seasons before it’s cancellation in 1994 and spawned two spin-offs, Star Trek Voyager (1995 running 7 seasons) and Star Trek Deep Space Nine (1993 running 7 seasons)  and in 1995, Sliders introduced us to Jerry O’Connell and his friends using a wormhole to ‘slide’ his way through to and explore parallel universes.

Probably the most well known show from this era and genre’ was the alien themed X-Files starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as a pair of FBI agents set out to investigate cases of the paranormal. Cases of little green men, sewer monsters and inbred hillbillies made for must-see TV and would often bring in 13-15 million viewers weekly in the US.  The show made way for a spin-off titled The Lone Gunmen and similar show Millennium starring Lance Henriksen and created by Chris Carter (Which also saw a cross-over with The X-Files).  Other shows such as Dark Skies and American Gothic came and left within the space of a season.

Check out the gallery of well-known 90’s shows all featuring that sci-fi/fantasy genre.

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Keep an eye out for the next part in this series: Best of the 90s – Comedy