Pop-Culture Throw Down: X-Files vs. Lost

mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

In the spirit of EW's Pop-Culture Throw Down (Read this article on ew.com), I have decided to have our little Lost vs. X-Files argument.

I will guess that not enough members on this board are old enough to remember the brilliance of The X-Files for 7 seasons. Each week felt like a self-contained movie and the mythology made shows like Alias and Lost possible.

However, I have to say that I think Lost is the superior show. This coming from a guy who cried when David Duchovny decided not to come back to the show except for a few cameos. Lost has superior acting - Matthew Fox and Michael Emerson are superb in my opinion - and the mythology of the show seems much more detailed than that of X-Files. Could Lost do stand-alone episodes? Hell yeah! The VW van episode stood on its own. Too bad people hated it because it didn't move along the story.

X-Files never had the problem of an impatient audience. Although most of its episodes were superb, some didn't work so well. However, Chris Carter didn't have to deal with "X-Files has jumped the shark" accusations during the show's run.

As for Lost, the creators need to deal and please fans by becoming more creative and pushing the boundaries of science fiction further than they have been pushed since The Twilight Zone. As much as I loved the X-Files, it never attempted and probably couldn't have pulled off "The Constant."

Both shows are great, but I think when Lost is over, it'll be a long, long time before anything as great as it is is on television again.
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C M B · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject:

Lost doesn't come close.
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eureca · Franchise Player Joined: 18 Jan 2004 Posts: 15846

Well X-files is finished more or so great finish or not. Lost hasn't given us all it has. However X-files is ahead for me and I don't expect Lost surpassing it. so many great times. The great theme. Im probably not as big into Lost as some of the more diehards but im loving it right now. Season 2 eh I didn't like it to much I expected more I guess it grew on me more, but I have really liked season 3. X-files is up there though.

kevin · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:03 am Post subject:

X-Files was good up to about season 3 or so. Episodes like The Chinese Lottery and the Civil War Family were great stand alone and very creepy.

But then X-Files suffered the Twin Peaks flaw where a lot of viewers asked, "Where is this going?". Lost got out of that pretty quickly, especially with the current season.

Each series will have 7 seasons total and so we'll know in a few years as to which one is a better series. But Lost tells a story in a different manner so I don't think it will be fair to compare the two and now that we have the luxury of DVD sets, it make it that much more convenient to really "get" Lost.

So, if all things are equal, Lost has much hotter women and wins.

Also, Matthew Fox is not the acting anchor on the show. Ben of course, is. But I would also say Locke, Sayid, Jin and Hurley are done much better by the actors who portray them.

TACH · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:34 am Post subject:

X-Files for the simple fact that if I miss an episode, I was completely lost (no pun intended)....

20,000 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:52 am Post subject:

I didn't watch X-Files unless my ex-gf was watching it (she did show me the episode with the Peacock family, the ones who kept inbreeding over many many generations with Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney in the same town).

And I haven't seen any episodes of Lost.

Am I banned from LG or from society now?

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Billy_Blanko · Starting Rotation Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 474

I was never an avid X-Files watcher, but I watched enough to know that by the end it kind of lost its way. This being said I think it craps all over Lost, which I watch every week. I seriously find it to be one of the least well-planned/thought out shows made. It reminds me of the Matrix where it started out with an idea that had a lot of promise and then got totally undermined by rubbish writing and a lack of good ideas. Lost should have been over as a series at least a season ago.

Michlake · Star Player Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 3696

I loved them both, but X-Files was terrble after Duchovny left.

Lost has an end date and seems to be getting better each season IMO. I see Lost as the better complete package in the end.

Big Game James · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:53 am Post subject:

Season 1 for Lost was simply brilliant. But I must agree with Billy_Blanko and his comparison to The Matrix. I can't say that Lost will end up like the Matrix Revolutions but it is starting to feel more and more diluted.

X-Files was the same when it came to finding out about Samantha (Mulder's sister). The intrigue was there but after numerous seasons, you just kinda wanted that to end. The real reason why X-Files is superior to Lost (albeit unfairly) is that X-Files could easily transition to independent episodes. Who could forget "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" when Alex Tribec & Jesse the body Ventura co-starred? How can anyone not squirm in the final scene of the inbred family "Home" (as a previous poster alluded to). And let's not forget the episode that gave us all nightmares, "Tooms". Lost on the other hand needs to progress a single storyline along. This difference allowed X-Files to roam freely and delve into so many fascinating phenomena. In order for Lost to do the same, they would have to take an episode apply it to the story line and explain why they're introducing such a strange phenomena.

Bottom line: Lost has the superior long term storyline, but X-Files was independently brilliant!
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LAkers 4 Life · Franchise Player Joined: 12 Apr 2001 Posts: 14629

One of the biggest problems I had with X-files is a lot of times they build up the suspense for the first 58 minutes of the show and everything gets resolved in the last 2. A real letdown on those stand alone episodes. Pretty much after the Alien conspiracy was revealed it went downhill because there really weren't any interesting mysteries.

The_Lakers_Show · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:26 pm Post subject:

You know my answer. And I love X-Files, I watched it every week. But as long as Lost doesnt F up the last couple seasons like X-Files did then they should come up on top.
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kevin · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:10 am Post subject:

I went to the X-Files Paleyfest panel discussion last night. While most of the talk harkened back to how great it was to work on the show, there was a nice showing of the trailer.

Looks like X-Files 2, the movie, is going to be a great summer flick.

20,000 · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:17 am Post subject:

Yahoo!

TooCool · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:24 am Post subject:

I never got into X-Files but I'm totally into Lost. Then again, I was young when X-Filse was around...
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kevin · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:26 am Post subject:

Greg-Dawg® · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:27 am Post subject:

Lost is great, but it goes on and on and on and on and on and on...

X-Files is classic.

I did vote for Lost because it's newer. Now if we're talking about Jericho, then THAT's the show to watch!
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kevin · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:44 am Post subject:

postandpivot · Retired Number Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 36822

ah haaaa, i just broke the tie

. thats right baby. X-files got me thru a many of boring friday night back in the days, when the funds were low or when i was realy young and nothing was going on for the evening. i would turn that puppy on, turn off the lights. and watch scully and moulder. the names says it all. I still have yet to watch an entire episode of LOSt. i'm sorry i can't get into it. its a like an evil giligan's island. i dont get it.