The early seasons show how edgy in that they are very Hitchcock like. You can tell that by season 4ish the writers had to become more commercial. The show by that point was a cultural phenomenon so the changes can be enjoyed in different ways. What i admire about this show is that even though they toned it down a bit they did it so creatively initially that it is justified as good art.
I love the first season which contained Down By The Sea which had a twin peaks feel and contained a twin peaks actor.
Another example of the mcguffan effect esque style would be the Shapes episode (which contains another twin peaks actor) in that you only see glimpses of the monster and the just a transformation in detail. The first few seasons really had it right.
Also pay attention to the music. It is consistently dark and scary. It began to have fills that lightened up the music in the later seasons.

I read many of the reviews (good and bad) and considered them carefully before I finally decided to order Season 1 as an upgrade to the original DVD box set. I was particularly concerned about some of the negative reviews, which did influence some hesitation. But then, I thought, given the price, can absolute perfection be expected?

Now I'm really happy I bought the set. In fact, I was so pleased with the release that I have subsequently ordered additional seasons.

I didn't think the 16:9 reframing detracted from the presentation of each episode, in fact the opposite, in many cases the presentation looked tighter and increased the drama. Regarding an up conversion of some scenes - yes, I can notice if I'm really looking for it, but it didn't disappoint my enjoyment of the episode. They are too few of them to worry about it. I was not effected by the font change as some viewers expressed. In fact it didn't bother me at all. I really enjoyed the improvement in the sound compared to the previous DVD box set. Not much more I can say about that. For reference, my viewing environment is a dedicated room with projector and calibrated audio system.

As mentioned earlier, I wasn't expected absolute perfection for the price, however, I got more value from the release than I was expecting.

I will collect the rest of the seasons over time (and hopefully by the time I get to Season 8, the discs will be the corrected pressing!)

Amazon really should give Prime members access to the pilot episode without making them pay an additional fee. If you are going to give something -- give it. Prime should give you something. The first episode is crucial to really understanding this series fully. No matter -- I got access somewhere else so I could view the pilot and know the full premise. Viewers have enjoyed this unique and imaginative show and it's easy to see why. There is a counterbalance between the two leads -- he's a believer, she's a skeptic. They have this electricity between them and it's wonderful to watch. They play off each other to perfection. In so many of the episodes there really is something unexplainable going on. The special effects and production values are excellent. In the first season there is a focus on UFO's, conspiracies and government cover-up. There are, of course, detours to other paranormal activity that are just as thrilling to watch.

If you are choosing to watch The X-files you definitely want to start with the first season. This sets you up
for everything else that follows with regard to the re-occurring alien plot and all of its interesting characters.

The show's producer, Chris Carter, credits 'The Twilight Zone' as the reason for The X-Files even being able
to get to television. Certainly the special effects are much better but the stories echo it's predecessor and
then pushes the envelope further. There is no doubt that The X-Files stands tall upon the shoulders of 'The
Twilight Zone'.

There is the main plot thread of alien abduction and alleged government complicity but knowing this would
wear thin the writers would introduce other creepy, odd, supernatural, and sometime humorous episodes.
Occasionally those episodes have an ending...and sometimes they do not. Some of the episodes are left
open to conjecture.

One piece the producer did use with good effect, I think, was the voice over. This was pulled from 'The
Twilight Zone' and used to introduce the episode, and at the end, ask more questions or to comment on the
human condition. Or both. Sometimes it was used like Deus Ex Machina to create closure on a particular
episode.

When this series was originally aired I chanced upon it and was immediately smitten with it's dark tone and
near paranoiac approach. The Dana Scully character helps keep the plots grounded since she is a physician
and supposed to be there to balance the protagonist, Fox Mulder, in his quest for the truth. This helps with
the creative tension needed to keep propelling the alien abduction plot thread as well as the other unusual
and eerie episodes. Of course the two start out in the first episode with different views on their reason
for Scully's partnering with Mulder.

The sound track is done in Dolby Digital and the series done in Full Frame (1.33:1). The Dolby soundtrack has
5.1 channels of discrete audio and the Surround contains up to 4 channels of encoded audio. You are also
able to playback from your 2-channel DVD outputs as this season is compatible with the stereo and Dolby Pro
Logic reproduction as well. If you can envelop yourself in the soundtrack with surround things will get
spookier.

If you are interested, the Special Features have deleted scenes from "Pilot" and some special effects clips
from "Fallen Angel" episodes.

Do yourself a favor and pick this season up, or stream it using Amazon Prime. I gave it Five Stars for it's
creative writing, direction, art direction, and creepy quotient. Have fun and remember The Truth Is Out
There...somewhere...in the future.

If you like your TV shows with tightly written scripts, where everything makes sense, then you will be disappointed. Watching the X-Files is more akin to a walk through a haunted house on Halloween, where the scary effects don't have to make sense in order to give you a case of the heebie-jeebies.

In the X-Files, all paranormal phenomena are shown to be real, that abductions by space aliens are common and their spaceships often crash, that the government is conducting unconscionable experiments and other immoral deeds, and, of course, that there are those who are determined, at all costs, that none of these dirty little secrets leak out. Unfortunately for certain named and unnamed government bodies, it is impossible to keep the lid on; some incidents are bound to end up being investigated by the FBI. Fortunately, these cases end up in the Bureau's X-files to be forgotten. Unfortunately, there is a loose cannon at the FBI named Mulder.

Special agent Fox Mulder is obsessed with the bizarre cases. While there are those who want to fire Mulder, there are others who feel it best to keep Mulder on the inside to keep an eye on him; special agent Dana Scully is assigned to partner with Mulder and report back. One thing they hadn't counted on, was that Mulder had a deep source, an uncertain ally who prompts him with doubtful truths and believable lies . . . .

Extras: (1) Deleted Scenes: "Pilot." (2) Special Effects Clips: "Fallen Angel." (3) International Clips (Japanese, German, Spanish, & Italian): 9 episodes.

DVD - 2006. Picture: good. Sound: volume normal, clarity excellent.

This series is one of the best ever produced. It quickly became not only a generally popular show, but piqued the interests of many people who have become true fans of this wonderful series. Whether or not you believe in extraterrestrials is unnecessary. The stories told in each season are compelling and the myth arc of the series is a magnet to many viewers.

Each episode was produced as if it were a film. They used ideas for telling their well-written stories which lead you to believe everything is more than just a serial television program, but an expose' of factual events. In some episodes, there are a few tongue-in-cheek scenes and lines which are pulled off quite well. The acting is superb in each episode, with the main characters becoming more believable with each story.

The entire 9-year series is, without a doubt, a seminal production. Homage to the creators, writers, actors, directors, producers, and every member of the crew in Vancouver and Hollywood is seen in many newer programs such as "Fringe". While some people may feel it lasted too long, I see the last few years being very innovative and leading towards a continuation of the characters which never fully developed either on television or in the theaters.

Fox had a chance to capitalize on the following of the many millions of fans, but procrastinated so long that when the second feature film appeared, it had no real story line which could have pulled in the series' myth arc. In doing so, an opportunity was lost and one which will likely never be recaptured. The actors are now older and while they might be interested in continuing the story on film, I cannot see Fox putting the money in-place as did others with the Star Trek series of films (an overall highly successful series). [Not that I know anything from behind the scenes, as I can assure you that I am not in the industry and do not know anything or anyone connected to the show. I am just making a logical analysis of the situation as I have followed it over the years.]

Watch each episode and enjoy every aspect of this incredible series. I can assure you that while newer programs might be more of everyone's cup of tea, so to speak, anyone interested in seeing the series which was the basis for a lot of these newer programs, will not be disappointed. Look past the older cell phones, cars, etc, and dive into the stories and characters... you will have fun. I know that I have enjoyed this program and now have the DVDs and have seen the many episodes many times, enjoying each one a little bit more each time, picking out nuances.

The truth is out there...

*UPDATE* 6/23/15...I watched more X-Files the other night through my new Amazon Fire Stick, and the Audio is EXCELLENT now. I have no idea what the problem was before, but now it's a 5-star rating from me. Now...it's X-Files marathon time! The truth is out there...

20 years later and I'm still in love with the X-Files! Duchovny and Anderson are (arguably) the best duo from any TV series in history thus far. Mulder and Scully have become iconic characters that even non-fans recognize by name alone. Season One is excellent, and still a treat to watch as the show and character development begins. I have been watching it on my smart TV through Amazon's Video on Demand, and although I cannot say enough about how much I still love X-Files, the audio is really disappointing and detracts significantly from the whole experience! Even hooking up my old VCR (!) and watching recorded episodes straight from TV so long ago yields better audio quality than I'm getting from amazon's video on demand as of this date, 030313, so I know it's not just the age of the series' audio. It's got this tin-can sound about like the audio quality you'd get from trying to watch TV through Skype or something. X-Files has always been suspenseful, but the sound quality here really doesn't do the show justice. Easily a 5 (or 10) star show if the audio was better.

Since so much about The X-Files has already been written on this Web site, I won't add to the stockpile of reviews of what is arguably one of the greatest shows in television history. Instead, I will comment on the less expensive, albeit cheaply made, reissue of the show.

Although the DVD cases in this edition are slim, they are inferior in quality. Made by Scanavo, these flimsy cases have sharp-edged hubs, so you must proceed with caution when attaching a disc, since a slip will guarantee a scratch or two. Moreover, the hubs have teeth that can easily break off. Don't confuse these cases with the superior Thinpak cases, made by Nexpak. The Thinpaks are far more durable than the Scanavo cases and have smooth push buttons, allowing the discs to be attached and removed effortlessly.

The DVDs in these boxed sets also have flaws, but fortunately mostly cosmetic in nature. I have seasons one to six, and a handful of the discs have scratches or smudges. Granted, these defects are generally innocuous (so far no problems with the playback in season one), but who wants brand-new discs that look as though they've been thrown around a few times? One disc I received had a hairline crack in the center, so I returned the set (I can tolerate scratches but not cracks), which Amazon immediately replaced.

These new sets cost less than the original ones, but you'll get few extra features and you'll get shoddy quality. Those who can't afford the preposterously overpriced original sets will have to settle for the cheap stuff. (Thanks Fox, again.)

But I'll close on a good note. The most important aspect of any DVD is the playback quality, and in this respect the DVDs in season one reveal the truth: a good picture (generally), clean sound, a superlative show.