We're on a train! We're on a train! Take a good long look at the mothefuckin train!

Produced and psuedo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed.

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Music by Hal Six 

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Production Notes:

Look, if you saw Pontypool, you know. If you didn't, you should! We should do a live Twitter or Instagram or whatever watch, wouldn't that be insane???

This episode has it all! Trains! Aliens! Being released two days after my birthday! Something for everyone really.

Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed.

Follow on Twitter @CastFiles

Email us at [email protected]

https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-cast-files

Music by Hal Six 

Logo by @OokaArt

 

SHOW NOTES:

Starting today with a word and a definition, since we and the majority of our listeners are located in the US.

Nisei ("second generation") is a Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the children born to Japanese immigrants (who are called Issei) in their new country.

Now we all know a little bit more. Yay!

We also dive into Unit 731 in another attempt by The X-Files to discuss World War 2. This time, they focus on Unit 731 which was a covert bio and chemical warfare R&D branch of the Imperial Japanese Army. Unsurprisingly, that branch tested on human subjects, dehumanizing them in order to ... experiement? I'm not sure, once you get to a certain level of "science" it doesn't feel scientific any longer. Somewhere before you begin referring to your living subjects as "logs" is where stopping would be preferable. 

BUT, also unsurprisingly, the United States gave clemency to some war criminals in order to gain access to their research. In fact, the Unit 731 "researchers" who were arrested by the United States were secretly given immunity in exchange for the data gathered during their human experiments.

I wish US public schools taught this stuff. 

Anyway, on a more fun note. After referencing that Robert Ito was in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension David decided we should watch it. It was...an early 80s sci-fi joint, that's for sure! Very strange. 

Oh, and sorry for referencing Pontypool forever. 

Xx

 

Kristen

Well this episode bummed us out.

Produced and pseudo-researched by Kristen Riley. Produced and edited by Daive Reed.

 

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Music by Hal Six 

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SHOW NOTES:

Since this one was a bummer I wanted to reiterate my favorite anecdote, told by Jewel Staite about her co-star Michael Chieffo, who played her kidnapper and torturer in the episode.:

"I do remember the man, Michael [Chieffo], who played my kidnapper was so lovely and so concerned that I would feel scared of him, I guess, or uncomfortable around him that he made an effort to be very sweet and warm with me, which my mom appreciated. I think my mom thought [it] was really classy of him."

That was really nice, because this episode heavily played on an actual crime in which the girl did not survive. Polly Klaas was 12 when she was abducted and killed, her killer remains on death row today. Because of the similarities Fox's standards and practices was "uncomfortable" with the original screenplay because Amy Jacobs (Jewel Staite) was supposed to be 12 years old. The network decided it would be better if Amy was in her midteens so the production aged up her character to be 15. The actor, Staite, was 13 when she played the part. 

Oh! And on the Spotify playlist this week, the one Daive is always adding to, I made a suggestion. Since this episode everyone is searching for Amy, I went with If U Seek Amy by Britney Spears. All my peers, you're welcome. 

 

Xx

Kristen

This week we learn about Astral Projection+ and.... war bad?

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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SHOW NOTES!!!

Trigger Warning: Suicide and self-harm. This episode is rough, and weird, and will make you want to avoid all hot tubs for a while.

There's a great cinematic scene - obviously death related since it's TXF -with shadow play in a pool. Very cool, highly recommend. 

OMG, I forgot to mention, I couldn't bring myself to half research astral projection after stumbling into a Reddit thread re: Chernobyl and radiation. It was grand. I am also prone to distraction and tangents, but if this isn't your first episode, you already know that. 

Finally, I do a short segment on Backmasking, which foreshadows more Satanic Panic in the TXF universe. Though it did give me background on where that rumor about Paul from The Beatles being dead and replaced or whatever. People really like dead but not dead rockstars. 

 

Later!

Kristen

This is the internet that our parents warned us about in the 90's.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed.

DAIVE RAPS IN THIS ONE!

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Music by Hal Six 

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SHOW NOTES:

This is the one where we discover all the body issues of the 90s are alive and well, although the average size of people IRL is so much different than Hollywood standards. I mean, we all know Hollywood standards aren't real world, except maybe Hollywood. Do they not get memos? I feel like there are tons of memos in Hollywood. 

Anyway, we also get connections to Die Hard (whoo!) and mid-90s online dating. 

I don't remember exactly when we got internet at home, I know junior high some time was American Online CD-Roms and not being able to talk on the phone while the dial-up was connected, but that was back when it was still thrilling to get an email.  I cannot imagine online dating at dial-up speed. But maybe we're all too fast-paced these days.

It's all good though because here are my ship and survive for this week:

Shipping: Ellen and her true self, one that’s not bogged down by the bullshit of society. She’s a baddass and I hope she realizes it. 

Survival: Don’t date. 

Xx

Kristen

We have a very tasteful discussion about the death penalty that isn't insensitive at all.

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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Music by Hal Six 

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Show Notes

I'm trying a thing, y'all. I have so many notes per episode in my Google Drive that I'm going to share a bit here. 

HULU says: The agents investigate when a young boy’s family is plagued by several tragic accidents. 

Kristen says: David hasn't laughed so hard before or since the devastating cold open of this episode. 

The Calusari is the episode that made the producers "agonize" over both the teaser AND the episode's overall bleakness. 

Reminder: "The Calusari" is the only episode of the series to have received an explicit rating of "18" in the United Kingdom by the BBFC for "occasional strong horror" and themes involving "demonic possession"

We love some religious tones! 

References:

Epidemiology of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation. R J McClure, P M Davis, S R Meadow, and J R Sibert

Wikipedia: Calusari

Peter Boyle guest stars in probably the best episode yet!

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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Music by Hal Six 

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SHOW NOTES:

As of 2022, this is the highest-rated episode of the series! Unfortunately, I forgot to write down where I referenced that! It doesn't matter though, because I agree so let's just say I rated it. 

Peter Boyle is rad. The humor in this episode is everything. 

I don't have much extra here. A bit on Chantilly lace and some trivia notes, but mostly it was just a fun episode all 'round. 

Xx

Kristen

He did not mean to blow Daive's mind but that shit happen to Jack Black all the time.

 

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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Music by Hal Six 

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----

Nobody cooks like Aunt B.

At a video arcade in Connerville, Oklahoma, two young men, Jack Hammond and Darin Peter Oswald, argue over a game of Virtua Fighter 2. Oswald is sweaty. I have a new way to survive, don’t argue with sweaty people. 

Production Note: Darin Oswald was named after X-Files writer Darin Morgan.

Hammond pushes Oswald to the ground, after which the power in the arcade mysteriously shuts down—except for the jukebox, which plays "Ring the Bells" by James. When Jake Black tells Hammond he “shouldn’t have done that,” Hammond says, “why not? What’s he going to do?” Then Jake Black explains how toxic masculinity hurts us all. Just kidding. 

This causes Hammond to leave, but when he goes outside to start his car, he finds the same song playing on the radio. He is then fatally electrocuted through the ignition. Oswald, who witnesses Hammond's death, returns to the game. Zero is unbothered by it all.

Remember way back in season one when Mulder almost made a friend? Well we made this episode to go along with that!

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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Music by Hal Six 

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Hello again everybody! We're going to be on our unexpected hiatus for two more weeks but we have some old bonus content for you. We originally recorded this to go with Season 1 Episode 8 Ice. We hope you enjoy it.

 

Produced by Kristen Riley and Daive Reed

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Email us at [email protected]

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Music by Hal Six 

Logo by @OokaArt