Welcome to the another installment of Interview With An X-Phile, a segment of sculder and mully where I share a snippet of an X-Files fan’s story. Today, notoriousLSP discusses parenthood, watching the show with her father, and how Scully has inspired her.
Name
notoriousLSP
Pronouns
She/her
Age
35
How do you identify or self-describe?
White, cis, (mostly) straight feminist
When did you start watching The X-Files?
When I was a kid! My dad has always been big into Sci Fi. I was born in the very early 90’s and remember seeing bits of the show during its original run. The parts I do remember were my dad explaining the special effects and make up. It made me curious about the show rather than afraid. When I finally went off to college in the late 00’s, I had a friend who torrented the series — that was how I was able to watch the show all the way through for the first time (not just random episodes here and there with my dad when I couldn’t sleep).
What were your first impressions of the show?
I loved the creatures! Because my dad always talked me through anything Sci Fi that would potentially be scary, after my initial shock, I was always amazed what special effects artists could do with hair and makeup.
Do you have a favorite character?
Scully. As a young girl, seeing a woman constantly get knocked down and still kick ass was empowering. I find her stubbornness endearing — she doesn’t give up on something or someone because it/they are difficult. She’s loyal (almost to her detriment).
Do you have a favorite episode or season?
Season 3 Episode 20: Jose Chung’s ‘From Outer Space’
Do you rewatch the show?
Whenever I’m going through something difficult, The X-Files is my comfort show. During those times, I’ll go back and watch whatever episode fits the vibe I’m going for. On the rare occasion I’ll have time for a full rewatch (maybe once every 3-5 years if I’m lucky), I try to take my time and enjoy it over several months — watching when I can and not keeping myself to a specific schedule.
“While my daughter is only an infant now, one of the things I’m looking forward to doing in the future is introducing her to this show.”
Do you think your identity has impacted why and/or how you watch The X-Files?
It absolutely has. The Scully Effect made me choose a sciences major in undergrad. While I didn’t ultimately go into a science field for my carrier (I’m more of a Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec career wise), that training in the sciences shapes how I think and approach problems in both my personal and professional life.
Scully’s character resonates with me because her character is so well written. While I was finally able to have a baby without the intervention of a creepy old white man, I did struggle with infertility for many years. The writers and Gillian Anderson’s acting really captured that serious experience. And the fact that Scully felt all of that and still kept going served as a great reminder during my pregnancy journey (it was helpful to draw upon that example of strength during my daughter’s long-term NICU stay as well).
TL;DR Scully’s strength is what I want to emulate in my personal life.
Has The X-Files helped you find community?
In a way. I’m not extremely active in the community but it’s a comfort when I’ve felt alone. Being able to gush about my favorite show with kind strangers makes me feel like my love for The X-Files isn’t weird.
Does technology play a role in your engagement with the show? Do you consider yourself a part of the fandom?
When I do engage with the fandom, it’s over on the subreddit. I did try writing a bit of Fan Fiction (notoriousDKS on AO3) while in graduate school to help me keep my sanity. I can write technical papers and professional emails all day but creative writing was clearly not my strong suit. I ended up not having as much time to devote to improving as I wanted. I’ve debated starting back up but I’m still in early parenthood, so my time is still rather limited.
Do you have any favorite memes, images, fanart, etc. related to the show?
Not going to lie, I think one of the memes that lives rent free in my head is actually made by sculder.and.mully. It’s a picture of Mulder in his office. The caption is on the left (Tumblr comment format): “I’ve been having a rough day for the past 5 years now”. I work for the government (state level) and this really encapsulates what it’s like being a public sector employee.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
While my daughter is only an infant now, one of the things I’m looking forward to doing in the future is introducing her to this show. I want her to have strong, women characters (like Scully) to help shape her and give her confidence like they gave me.
anything you’d like to plug while we’re here?
Shoutout to Assistant Director Walter “Skinman” Skinner. I swear, dude’s the only adult in the whole series.
I hope you enjoyed this installment of Interview With An X-Phile! Thank you to notoriousLSP for sharing her story.
If you’d like to share your own X-Files story, you can submit here. If you enjoyed, relate to, or have any thoughts on what you read, feel free to like, share this post, and/or leave a comment.