A Shout-Out and A MSR Shipper’s Apology

Hello All!

Before I begin, allow me this small indulgence: My blog is more than a little inspired by the gem that is TVMouse. If you haven’t read her “Times Mulder and Scully Should have Made Out This Week”, you haven’t lived yet. I’ll warn you: Don’t start reading it if you plan on doing anything else with your day. Her blog consumed me entirely for about 36 hours. I laughed out loud — literally LOLed — more times than I can count. Prepare to giggle and smile uncontrollably! Also, prepare yourself for some profound and insightful revelations from an X-Files Newbie. She gets it, y’all! Check it out here: Times Mulder and Scully Should Have Made Out

I don’t intend to copy her totally, but I like the way she formats her blogs, and I needed a place to start. I’m sure I’ll find my own path soon, but until then I adhere to the notion that imitation is the highest form of flattery, and I am a MAJOR fan of hers. You can follow her on Twitter at @theTVMouse. Did I mention she’s amazing?  Kelly, if you ever read this, know that your posts make me smile and laugh every day! Thank you for being such a gift to the X-Files community.

Here we go…

I must begin with an apology. I’m only going to say this once, so refer back to this if you start to get annoyed later. I was a HUGE MSR shipper back when I was watching the X-Files on Sunday nights during my teenage years. I was on the floor on several different occasions because of what these two did to me — I’m looking at you, seasons 4-7. I nearly broke my VCR’s rewind capabilities at the end of “The Post Modern Prometheus.”

**On the floor.**

Oh, and don’t even get me started on  “Triangle.”

**Two feet from the TV screen, trying to remember how to breathe**

Yes, VCR. Shut up or nod your head with me because you were doing the same thing back then.

I was acutely aware of every single exchange between these two — especially the physical touching and the GAZING. For those of you who have trouble understanding this, when you wait 7 seasons for any kind of momentum toward a romance, you catch EVERYTHING because it’s the only way you can go on living until the next episode. 7 days later. Then you get on AOL forums and talk about it with the other shippers. Keep nodding your head, those of you 25 years and older.

Netflix is a damn gift, ladies and gentlemen.

All of this to say, I still catch everything between the two of them because it’s part of my X-Files viewing DNA. I can’t help myself. I know Chris Carter fought it for as long as he could, (though I still believe him to have been a closet shipper all this time) but the chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson was not of this earth FROM THE BEGINNING — quite literally, the pilot episode. The incredible writing helped too, but let’s face it, these two are cosmically-linked. Accept it, sit back, and enjoy the ride. I am going to try and be mature about this, but if I sound like a 14 year old girl throughout many of these recaps, it’s because I never really put her to rest. She resurfaces whenever Mulder and Scully are on the screen (or in print) together. I’m sorry. I was, and am, a shipper.

**funny note: I mentioned to some of my students a while ago that I “shipped” something. They immediately responded with the equivalent of “OMG. You know what shipping is?” Apparently, they ship some YouTube people. Whatever that means.  I promptly replied, “Kids, Please. I was one of the original shippers of a TV show. We coined that phrase for you. You’re welcome.”   I was gifted with looks of utter confusion when I left them without further explanation,  but they’re not ready for Mulder and Scully. Kids today just aren’t ready.

I digress. If you’re still with me, or shaking your head at the state of education today, we can be friends. Join me in my madness, and let’s watch the X-Files together!

Mulder and Scully are the Truth.

-River T. Leaman