A lot of pilot episodes for TV in general are overrated (as much as I dislike that word, I think it fits here). There are exceptions of course, the Twin Peaks pilot perhaps the most obvious and best example, but I think they tend to be shaky affairs in general.
"The X-Files" pilot isn't bad by any stretch, and few fans would consider it one of the best episodes, so it isn't particularly overrated either. It is, however, a solid, involving 46 minutes. Flawed, but still quite good.
I don't think Duchovny and Anderson are quite as good here as they would later be, and I found some of the writing cringe-worthy, in addition the production and cinematography don't seem up to the standard of much of the series (granted the first season generally looks quite cheap, but John Bartley still used some inventive methods with his cinematography that Thomas Del Ruth would never bother with), and the music is often corny and very late 80's/early 90's. That said, this is still a good, solid start to the series, and a good story let down by an uneven script and some other issues.
It's quite remarkable, however, how well-developed the characters already feel after just one episode.
A couple of extra notes:
Gillian Anderson looks particularly scrumptious here, and even has a very rare gratuitous underwear scene for the guys and lesbians to enjoy. The first issue of the X-Files comics series by Topps comics was an adaptation of this episode written by Roy Thomas and featuring art by John Van Fleet, and actually sorts out a lot of the issues with the quality of the production, acting, and script in the televised version. It's worth seeking out.
7/10
"The X-Files" pilot isn't bad by any stretch, and few fans would consider it one of the best episodes, so it isn't particularly overrated either. It is, however, a solid, involving 46 minutes. Flawed, but still quite good.
I don't think Duchovny and Anderson are quite as good here as they would later be, and I found some of the writing cringe-worthy, in addition the production and cinematography don't seem up to the standard of much of the series (granted the first season generally looks quite cheap, but John Bartley still used some inventive methods with his cinematography that Thomas Del Ruth would never bother with), and the music is often corny and very late 80's/early 90's. That said, this is still a good, solid start to the series, and a good story let down by an uneven script and some other issues.
It's quite remarkable, however, how well-developed the characters already feel after just one episode.
A couple of extra notes:
Gillian Anderson looks particularly scrumptious here, and even has a very rare gratuitous underwear scene for the guys and lesbians to enjoy. The first issue of the X-Files comics series by Topps comics was an adaptation of this episode written by Roy Thomas and featuring art by John Van Fleet, and actually sorts out a lot of the issues with the quality of the production, acting, and script in the televised version. It's worth seeking out.
7/10