Latest news with #VinceGilligan
Gizmodo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
This X-Files Episode Is Still One of the Scariest Office Horror Stories
Late in The X-Files' fifth season—just a few weeks before the first X-Files feature film hit theaters—viewers were plunged into the terrifying madness of 'Folie à Deux.' A weary Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) trudges to Chicago to check out the latest 'monster of the week,' but his head snaps back into the game when he realizes the monster in question just might be targeting him next. Before it flips its approach to put Mulder in its crosshairs, 'Folie à Deux'—directed by X-Files regular Kim Manners, and written by future Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan—introduces us to Gary Lambert (Caprica's Brian Markinson), a rather ordinary guy working a soul-sucking telemarking job for a vinyl siding company. The calls cycle constantly as Gary reads from a precise script and endures nagging instructions to 'dial and smile,' all the better to hook new customers. It's dull and stressful but not exactly toxic—until Gary senses an alarming presence lurking in the office: a giant insect-like creature, masquerading as his boss and turning his co-workers into remote-controlled zombies. It scares him enough to audio-tape a warning about a monster stalking VinylRight employees, which is why the FBI's resident spooky kids Mulder and Scully (Gillian Anderson) get handed the case. But there's tension in the FBI office too. Mulder and his own boss, FBI Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), are enduring a surly patch in their relationship—not for the first or last time. Mulder's annoyed the Bureau sees him as 'monster boy' (to be fair, there's a solid reason for that), and tells Scully he can handle this 'jerk-off assignment' by himself. But once he flounces off to Chicago, he realizes there's more to this case than he realized, and he does actually need her help. Meanwhile, Gary's reaching his breaking point as he observes his co-workers systematically transforming into dead-eyed automatons. It's all the paranoia of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, down to Gary being the only person who realizes what's going on. Even the audience can't tell if what Gary sees is real or the result of a very troubled mind… until Gary takes the entire office hostage, including a visiting Mulder. In the chaos Mulder realizes he can also see that Gary's boss is, in fact, actually a giant insect hellbent on assembling an army of human drones. There's a certain amount of metaphor at play here, as Gary—who ends up being shot to death in the standoff after killing an 'infected' co-worker—rails against a creature who 'wants to take away who we are and control us.' It could be a supernatural menace; it could be capitalism. Actual human telemarketers have been largely replaced by robo-calls these days, but in 1998 when the episode aired, everyone still had a land line and generally picked up when the phone rang. In a room crammed with cubicles full of people all reading the same pitch over and over, you can see how 'dead-eyed automatons' isn't too far of a leap. But this is The X-Files, so something eerie always has to creep in. Even Mulder is skeptical about Gary's claims at first, but any doubts evaporate once he catches a glimpse of the monster himself. 'I saw it too,' he confesses to Scully. She wonders if it's perhaps a folie à deux, meaning that Mulder was so affected by the experience of being held hostage that he's now sharing Gary's delusions. But Mulder's inclined to point to a larger conspiracy. Maybe Gary's boss, the otherwise unmemorable Greg Pincus (John Apicella), is actually a manifestation of evil capable of using camouflaging mind tricks to conceal its presence? Turns out there's some history to back up this admittedly wild-sounding notion. Gary's audio warning to VinylRight evoked the phrase 'hiding in the light,' something that's popped up in similar X-Files from the past. With some digging, Mulder realizes Pincus has a geographical connection to many of the past incidents. True to form, Scully doesn't immediately agree with Mulder; what's more, she's not keen on the idea of legitimizing Gary's crazy-guy talk, especially since he murdered a guy on the way out. But Mulder is unusually sincere here. He even begs Scully to believe him, since she's his 'one in five billion'—the rare person who actually understands where he's coming from. But it takes an irregular autopsy for Scully to realize that Mulder is right, and something extremely weird is indeed happening. Along with this, an increasingly furious Skinner wonders if this will be the case that finally sees Mulder booted from the FBI into a padded room—and Mulder does end up strapped down to a hospital bed at one point, frantically shrieking at the nurse to set him free so he can protect himself from the zombie-creating critter. By season five, X-Files fans had come to appreciate Mulder's extremely open-minded way of looking at the unexplained. But it's not that far-fetched to imagine that after years of not being believed, and years of witnessing some of the most bizarre discoveries in the history of the FBI, his own mental health would suffer. Maybe even start to crack? It takes Scully's intervention to admit that while she can't explain exactly what happened, there's enough concrete evidence surrounding the case to confirm that Mulder hasn't gone full cuckoo. Skinner admits 'I'm at a bit of a loss here,' but despite his frustration with Mulder—which spirals into a physical fight at one point in the episode—he's fair enough to accept Scully's judgment as rational and reasonable. At the end of the story, with a still-perplexed Scully suggesting maybe she and Mulder are the ones experiencing the folie à deux, we see a new call center, packed with anxious employees trying to 'dial and smile' without losing their minds. Except, of course, there's a classic X-Files button to push, as one very unlucky man suddenly catches sight of what looks like a giant, freaky insect scuttling around the office. The X-Files is streaming on Hulu.
Chicago Tribune
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Column: In 1939, ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' took on a corrupt federal government. It wouldn't have a chance today.
'We are living in an era where bad guys, the real-life kind, are running amuck.' That observation comes courtesy of 'Breaking Bad' creator Vince Gilligan, who, at a recent industry event, urged his fellow screenwriters to reconsider valorizing 'bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves.' His proposal: 'I say we write more good guys.' Fictional villains may be more 'fun and they're easier to write well, but maybe we could use a few more George Baileys.' Instead of 'It's a Wonderful Life,' Gilligan's words made me think of a different, earlier collaboration between director Frank Capra and star James Stewart: 1939's 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.' With a screenplay from Sidney Buchman, it's a political drama grappling with serious themes. It also makes room for comedy. That was always Capra's way. But more to the point, it's a film about an underdog facing down a corrupt federal government hijacked by an unelected but extraordinarily rich man. Talk about timely. When a U.S. senator dies, the governor of his state must name a replacement. The task is complicated by unscrupulous factors. The governor, and just about every other elected official, is beholden to a powerful tycoon who has a profitable (but phony!) scheme that needs federal approval, otherwise his backroom duplicity will be exposed. So the new senator needs to be a stooge who ensures the deal sails through. But we can't be too obvious about it, the governor says, otherwise this kind of thing could wreck my political future. To which the mogul offers back this blunt assessment: 'Your political future? Why, I bought it for you and gave it to you as a present, and I can grab it back so fast it'll make your head swim.' Then an unlikely figure emerges. Instead of picking someone politically savvy, the governor appoints a scout leader named Jeff Smith (Stewart), whose job qualifications are his naïveté and inexperience. Both qualities suggest he'll be easily manipulated by the senior senator from his home state, who ultimately becomes Smith's saboteur and nemesis when the scales fall from the younger man's eyes. Smith intends to go public about the graft he's uncovered and, in response, he's met with a full-blown publicity campaign of lies cooked up about him. His only recourse is an extended 25-hour filibuster in a desperate attempt to defend his integrity. The stakes are high. Everyone in the media, the Senate, even his constituents back home (supposedly) are against him. He talks himself hoarse during that filibuster, willing to push himself to extremes because the whole point is that corruption is a scam and it hurts people in very real, very concrete ways. Smith is a nobody. He has so much to lose. And yet he puts everything on the line because what are we even doing here if he doesn't? This feels like the kind of storytelling we (and especially our elected officials) need right now. There's value in seeing what it looks like when people speak truth to power and fight for what's right, even when the odds are against them. Even in a fictional context. There's value in putting these characters at the forefront. The movie is called 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' because it's about him, not the all-powerful captain of industry who is ruining his life. Smith's courage but also his sacrifices are given primary consideration. The movie's climax is perhaps its most dated aspect, hinging on the quaint idea that a feckless and bought-off politician can be effectively shamed. If only. When the script was first submitted for approval under the guidelines known as the Hays Code, which studios followed censoring anything too risqué, the judgement was that the movie 'might well be loaded with dynamite, both for the motion picture industry, and for the country at large.' The filmmakers were warned to make it clear that the 'Senate is made up of a group of fine, upstanding citizens, who labor long and tirelessly for the best interests of the nation.' I paused for a long moment after reading that. Plenty of elected officials were unhappy with the movie when it came out, going so far as to call it anti-American. Audiences felt otherwise. Not only was it the second highest-grossing film of 1939, it was the third highest-grossing film of the decade. The term 'Capra-esque' is sometimes used derisively. That should raise healthy suspicions. More than ever, we need studios to back filmmakers who believe that regular people, and their willingness to stand up for one another, isn't just a corny narrative nuisance, but the key to the story itself. Meanwhile, Hollywood has other things in mind. Netflix's toothless, intellectually bankrupt 'Zero Day' is what you get when screenwriters — and the executives to whom they answer — delude themselves into thinking empty platitudes will get the job done. HBO just announced that 'Succession' creator Jesse Armstrong is putting the ultra-rich at the center of yet another story. The unnamed movie, of which he is both writer and director, films this spring. The logline: 'A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.' Hollywood has always been interested in stories about the wealthy and powerful. That's fine. But there are other stories — about people trying to rebalance the scales — that are worth telling, as well. And they don't have to be boring. Let's go back to Gilligan's points. Gennifer Hutchison was a writer on 'Breaking Bad' and she posted some thoughts that drill down even further: 'Being good/a hero — and by that I mean, making the best choices one can to help others, do no harm and make things better — is hard as hell in a world that is often cruel and rewards selfish behavior.' I think that's right. A 'move fast and break things' philosophy has led us here because destruction is always easier. But the swagger associated with it is false. 'I see folks dismissing 'heroes' as boot-licking, prissy rule-followers, while characterizing 'villains' as the marginalized fighting oppressive systems,' Hutchins continued, 'and it makes me so frustrated because flip that. It's not simple. It shouldn't be. When I say I love writing heroes, it's because of all the complexity that springs from the simple, central idea that being a hero means helping make things better despite personal danger and loss, and being a villain is making things worse for selfish personal gains. 'If we're talking about the societal influence of art, show the messiness of what it takes to make (things) better. What you have to break in order to do so and why that is just. Show the sacrifices.' Capra wasn't above skewering the rich for laughs, by the way. But that wasn't his primary interest. His movies were popular, I'd wager, because they do exactly what Hutchison describes, challenging audiences to consider the blowback that comes with having a moral compass. And sticking to it anyway.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vince Gilligan Advises Amplifying 'Good Guys' And Warns Against Making Villains 'Too Sexy' During WGA Honorary Award Speech
For Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, the WGA honorary Paddy Chayefsky Laurel For Television Writing Achievement served as an opportunity to call for action as a 'profoundly divided country.' On Saturday during the 77th annual WGA Awards, the multi-hyphenate hit-making TV juggernaut reflected on the divisive state of the nation and how the current media landscape go hand in hand. In his speech, Gilligan pointed out the irony of making one of the 'all time great bad guys,' out of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) while also urging the room of writers that it would be better to be celebrated for 'creating someone a bit more inspiring in 2025.' More from Deadline WGA Awards: 'Anora' & 'Nickel Boys' Take Top Screenplay Prizes; 'Hacks', 'Shōgun', 'The Penguin' Among TV Winners — Full List Bill Lawrence On The Importance Of Mentoring Young Writers, Or 'People Who Will Give Me My Last Job When I Am Un-Hirable,' As He Accepts WGA East Award Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards - Updating Live 'We are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running the market. Bad guys who make their own rules. Bad guys who, no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves. Who am I talking about? Well, this is Hollywood, so guess,' He said. 'But here's the weird irony in our profoundly divided country, everybody seems to agree on one thing; there are too many real life bad guys. It's just we're living in different realities, so we've all got different lists.' The Paddy Chayefsky Laurel For Television Writing Achievement, the WGAW's highest honor for writing in TV, is given to a member that has advanced the literature of TV through the years, and who has made outstanding contributions to the profession. Gilligan's early career started with The X-Files and The Night Stalker, and throughout his three decade career he's snagged four Emmys, two PGA and DGA Awards for his work on Breaking Bad, and six WGA Awards between Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Gilligan went on to say, 'As a writer speaking to a room full of writers, I have a proposal. It certainly won't fix everything, but maybe it's a start. I say we write more good guys. For decades, we've made the villains too sexy. I really think that when we create characters as indelible as Michael Corleone, Hannibal Lecter, Darth Vader or Tony Soprano, viewers everywhere, all over the world, they pay attention and say, 'Those dudes are bad ass, I want to be that cool'. When that happens, that's when bad guys stop being the cautionary tales that they were intended to be. They [instead] become aspirational. So maybe what the world needs now are some good old fashioned, greatest generation types who give more than they take.' Upon receiving the award from Better Call Saul star Rhea Seehorn, Gilligan also briefly referenced how his upcoming untitled Apple TV+ series, helmed by Seehorn in her first leading role, reflects heroic ideations. 'Rhea, I think you hung the moon. I'm so lucky that we're working together on this new show, where you play a good guy.' Earlier on the WGA red carpet, Gilligan and Seehorn teased a bit more about the secret genre-bending sci-fi series. 'I'm excited for audiences to see Rhea play a very different character than the character she played on Better Call Saul,' said Gilligan, adding: 'She plays someone who's trying very hard to be good. She's a bit of a damaged hero, but she's a hero nonetheless. And it's just a pleasure to work with her because she's just the best, and she is so sweet and kind and talented. I can't say enough good about her.' Although Seehorn noted she still 'can't even tell you the title,' she explained the series is 'sci-fi but in a more psychological kind of sci-fi way.' 'I can't wait for it to come out though,' added Seehorn. 'Some of the stuff that audiences have loved about his writing where it's really rich characters but also him playing with the idea of tropes and genres and tone, and switching, like injected humor in a very dark moment — in this new show, he pushes that to a limit that was both very thought-provoking and upsetting sometimes, and other times, so, so funny. It really swings for the fences. I had so much fun.' Best of Deadline How To Watch The 'SNL50' Anniversary Concert And Three-Hour Special This Weekend Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan's Next Film – 'The Odyssey': Release Date, Cast And More 'Bridgerton' Season 4: Everything We Know So Far
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vince Gilligan Calls for Writers to Cut Back on Villain Stories Amid Current Political Climate: 'They've Become Aspirational'
While accepting a special honor at the Writers Guild Awards on Saturday night, Vince Gilligan warned the crowd that he was going to 'go political' before calling on Hollywood to give more attention to good guys than the villains. Presented with the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement at the Los Angeles ceremony, Gilligan acknowledged he was being honored because of Breaking Bad and writing 'one of the all-time great bad guys' in Walter White. More from The Hollywood Reporter 2025 Writers Guild Awards: Winners List Hollywood Flashback: When a Spanish-Language Song First Won at the Academy Awards What Were Bob Dylan and Joan Baez Like in Bed? Ask James Mangold 'But all things being equal, I think I'd rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring. In 2025, it's time to say that out loud, because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real-life kind, are running amuck,' he said from the stage at the Beverly Hilton. 'Bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who no matter what they tell you, are only out for themselves. Who am I talking about? Well this is Hollywood, so guess. But here's the weird irony, in our profoundly divided country, everybody seems to agree on one thing: there are too many real-life bad guys, it's just we're living in different realities so we've all got different lists.' Gilligan added that while he didn't know the solution to that, 'As a writer, speaking to a room full of writers, I have a proposal; it certainly won't fix everything but I think it's a start. I say we write more good guys,' to big applause from the crowd. 'For decades we made the villains too sexy,' with Darth Vader and Hannibal Lecter as examples, and 'viewers everywhere, all around the world, pay attention. They say here's this badass, I want to be that cool. When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the precautionary tales they were intended to be. God help us, they've become aspirational.' 'Maybe what the world needs now are some good, old-fashioned, greatest generation types who give more than they take,' Gilligan continued, musing how nice it was to hear about heroes and acts of kindness during the recent L.A. wildfires. Though he advised writers to keep focusing on what they believe in and what excites them, he asked scribes to 'give this some thought. Made-up bad guys are fun and they're easier to write well, but maybe we could use a few more George Baileys and Andy Taylors. I think characters like that make our country a little bit better during some other tough times in our history; if I created them, I'd be proud, indeed.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'Yellowstone' and the Sprawling Dutton Family Tree, Explained A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise What the 'House of the Dragon' Cast Starred in Before the 'Game of Thrones' Spinoff
