The X-Files: The Truth Is Still Out There

Thirty Years of the X-Files

By: Bethan Jones

Narrated by: Daniela Acitelli

In September 1993, a TV show like no other appeared on our screens, asking us to consider the essence of truth and belief, to think about the nature and roles of science and humanity, and to question what we were told by those in power. Combining horror, science fiction, drama, crime, and comedy with cinematic filmmaking, The X-Files transported the paranoia of the sixties and seventies to the technologically savvy nineties as it followed two iconic characters, FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, in their labyrinthine pursuit of truth. Further, The X-Files reversed conventional television gender roles: Mulder was our believer in the paranormal, chasing down clues in search of his abducted sister; Scully was the skeptic, a scientist preaching rationality and objective truth. Now, thirty years later, the nature of conspiracy theories may have changed, but the anxiety surrounding them has not. In an era in which Watergate has been replaced by Gamergate and conspiracy theorists blindly embrace the myth of a stolen election and maintain that an all-powerful cabal of Satanic Democrats—defeatable by only one man—is preying on children, The X-Files remains as relevant as ever.

©2023 Bethan Jones (P)2023 Tantor

Content great, narration was difficult to listen to

The narration was horrible. Bland and expressionless. Struggled to read fluently and inflection was all wrong. Mispronounced many words, including important names, throughout the book.. For example: Krycek was pronounced "cry-sick" instead of "cry-check". And Frohike is pronounced "Fro-hike". As the character says in the show "It's Fro-hickey you idiot!"

I know these all seem small, but added together they were very distracting and make the recording difficult to listen to. This was disappointing, because I feel like the author's writing and content may actually be really good! The narration butchers the writing