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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fine Early X-Files Episodes, October 11, 2005
This review is from: The X-Files: Conduit/Ice [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This X-Files VHS contains two episodes, both with original airdates in 1993. I like the VHS because it contains commentary by X-Files creator Chris Carter. The commentary airs before the show, and does contain a bit of spoiler, but if you have already seen these episodes years ago on TV, watching the commentary enhances the viewing experience. "Conduit" - A teenage girl with a reputation for running away has disappeared from her trailer home. Her mother has a reputation as a crackpot who believes in UFO's, so the police are not taking her story that her daughter was taken by aliens seriously. The mother's only ally is Mulder, who is instantly reminded of his sister's disappearance twenty-one years ago. The girl's little brother is receiving strange transmissions from the TV that might hold clues to his sister's disappearance. This episode gives us a look into what drives Mulder to believe, even as he is haunted by his missing sister. "Ice" - The scarier of the two episodes. In a nail-biter inspired by "The Thing," Mulder and Scully are sent to an Arctic research station to investigate what happened when a group of geophysicists mysteriously spiraled out of control psychologically. Three scientists accompany the agents. Excellent acting in this episode especially. Both episodes have sweet beginnings of Mulder and Scully romance, as well as tight, superbly executed scripts that are what made the early X-Files such an amazing and standout show.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good near-intro to the show, April 24, 2004
This review is from: The X-Files: Conduit/Ice [VHS] (VHS Tape)
As a die-hard fan of "X-Files", I have always had a fondness for "Conduit", one of the very earliest episodes. This is a thoughtful and somewhat melancholy story which gives some of the first background about the disappearance of Mulder's sister when they were kids, and how that event continues to play into Mulder's adult life. This ep has some lovely "X-Filey" images: bikers riding in the woods at night; Kevin Morris' haunting drawing of the missing Ruby; the white wolves at the lake campsite; Mulder contemplating a snapshot of Samantha at the end. It's also nice to see Carrie Snodgress (who, sadly, just passed away) in the lead guest role. "Conduit" is a more emotional and introspective story, while "Ice" is more of an action/thriller. "Ice" is also a good ep, but I've always thought it to be overrated in the series. It IS derivative of "The Thing" - not that that's so awful (after all, "Conduit" samples "Poltergeist"). But the "science" of the writers' premise keeps falling into rather large plot holes, the guest characters are somewhat paint-by-numbers, the CGI effects leave something to be desired, and the identity of the "villain" is really not set up effectively, so to me it's just not as good an ep as it's often made out to be. The increasing paranoia of the characters is done well though (which helps to disguise the weaknesses in the story), and director David Nutter does a terrific job with the claustrophobic location - the ep looks just great. I would recommend this tape to someone who's unfamiliar with the show and wants to start at or near the beginning, but I think the other two tapes in Wave 1 ("Pilot"/"Deep Throat" and "Fallen Angel"/"Eve") are stronger.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
ICE IS THE BEST EPISODE EVER MADE!, May 18, 2001
This review is from: The X-Files: Conduit/Ice [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I am going to give a summary of Ice because frankly, I don't care about Conduit. Mulder, Scully, Two Doctors and a Geologist fly up to an Arctic outpost to investigate several girsly deaths. Almost immidietly, the pilot is killed by a worm like parasite that controlls it's host's mind. A storm suddenly hits the post and the rest are stranded with the worms. I won't say anything else because I would ruin the episode. I will say buy this tape over every other one.
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