Thursday, February 22, 2007

The Lone Gunmen

The short-lived X-Files spin-off turned up in yesterday's post.

I'd forgotten that the early 2001 Pilot Episode features them trying to stop a hijacked plane flying into the World Trade Centre. Really.

Thirty minutes in, we go from amiable spy comedy to truly uncomfortable viewing as we get to see a plane thundering towards the World Trade Centre. And then... at the last minute... the crisis is averted, complete with a comedy twang as the plane brushes an aerial on the WTC roof.

It's uncomfortably prescient. The commentary track falls silent at this point, with only occasional murmurs from the crew of "Jeez" and "We couldn't have known". They do explain that they sent a helicopter out to film the World Trade Center specially, and were constantly being harrassed by swarms of harbour police for getting too close.

"Here we were, coming up with this incredibly improbable, convoluted, hi-tech idea. And then, in reality, it turned out to be more lo-tech than you could imagine."

The second episode, mercifully, is about a blind football coach and puking in a golf bag.

Pleasingly bonkers conspiracy theory webpage

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