Recently, Pluto TV announced itself as the new streaming home of The X-Files. Not long after that, like Mulder’s dogged search for the truth, the free-with-ads streamer began its search for the biggest X-Files fan in existence. Once identified, the streaming service would subject that person to a test — not unlike the ones aliens performed on Agent Scully in Season 2 — by whisking the fan away to a bunker in the desert of Joshua Tree, California, where they (and a friend) would watch nine straight days of The X-Files running 24/7. While they’re allowed to sleep and take occasional breaks, the entire run of the series (complete with all the abductions, all the conspiracies and all the clones of Mulder’s sister) played nonstop in their desert bunker, the same time it’s playing on Pluto TV’s X-Files channel.
I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go out. I don’t want to take breaks. I am like, No, we’ve got to watch the next one.
Pluto TV found its test subject in Molly Hottle of Seattle, Washington and little more than a week ago, Hottle entered the bunker and began the marathon. Late yesterday, Polygon checked in with Molly via Zoom from her airplane hanger-like desert bunker to see how she’s holding up. To our surprise, eight days into her “The Fan is Out There” experience, Hottle seemed energetic and excited to see more X-Files, (even as she was entering the generally-disliked 8th and 9th seasons of the show). She was also happy to share what new revelations have come to light by watching her favorite show in this very unique way.
Polygon: Tell me how you came to prove yourself as the biggest X-Files fan for this experience.
Molly Hottle: When the contest launched, I had no less than 20 friends and family send me a link to it and say, “You have to do this!” So I started thinking about what I could do that would stand out.
When I was about 12, I decided I was going to memorize one of Scully’s monologues. It’s the one that she opens “Memento Mori” with, about her cancer. I was sure that if I met Gillian Anderson and recited it back to her, she would just immediately be enamored with me — which is an insane idea
I still remember the monologue, so I was like, “What if I did my monologue?” And I was thinking about it and I was like, “Molly, yet again, this is not impressive.”
I had just watched a mockumentary, Best in Show and I was like, “What if I did it dead serious? What if I did it like, this is my life and this is all I have to think about and talk about?” Which is true. So I went all-in on it and had my friends help me film it and I submitted it. Then they called and I was just floored.
What’s the experience been like?
The experience has been incredible. I thought it would be a really hard endurance test, but I have been locked in. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go out. I don’t want to take breaks. I am like, “No, we’ve got to watch the next one.” Even when I try to sleep, I leave it on and I don’t sleep as well because I’m constantly lifting up my eye mask. I’ve seen this 10 times already, if not more, and it still just sucks you in.
We just started season 8 this morning, which is a very heavy, emotional season for me. The way we do it is, Nicole, my friend who’s in the bunker with me, we tag team some episodes where it’s like, “Okay, you watch these two, I’ll watch these two.” So we do get to sleep a little bit, but I would say the sleep is pretty minimal.
Is there any point during this marathon where it started to hurt?
There are very few episodes that I don’t like, but when the show was on initially, you would watch an episode and if it was specifically a mythology episode or one that really focused on Mulder and Scully’s relationship, for me, I just remember being just so emotionally devastated for like the week between episodes and it just took such a toll on me. I have already warned my therapist that I was doing this. I was like, “Just so you know, I’m coming back and I’m going to need you to untie my brain from its pretzel state because I’m just going to be so emotionally affected by this.
Everyone loves the kiss. It’s the kiss that didn’t count, but I loved it.
What’s your favorite episode? And is there a way you prepared for it in this marathon?I did a whole video on it. My favorite episode is “Triangle,” the one where Mulder gets stuck in the Bermuda triangle, when he’s in 1939 while Scully and the Lone Gunmen are in the present day. I just love it because, of course, there’s the kiss [between Mulder and Scully]. Everyone loves the kiss. It’s the kiss that didn’t count, but I loved it.
When True Detective season 1 came out, everyone was talking about that long tracking shot in that one episode and they’re like, “This is so groundbreaking.” I just lost my mind and was like, “Everyone needs to go watch ‘Triangle!’ They did like, four tracking shots for the whole thing!”
For my friend Nicole, I got my little pointing stick out and just stood next to the TV for the whole thing. I was like, “Then this happened” and “This is how they did this.” I broke down every single second of it.
I hope she’s seen the episode before.
She had, many times. She’s so patient.
Even the little details like the canon of Scully being immortal.
Having watched them all so close together like this, did you get any new revelations?
When we had those long periods of time between episodes or even summers off, everything felt kind of disjointed sometimes with the mythology arcs. But watching it so condensed, I’m like, “Oh, that makes way more sense.” I actually recommend rewatching the myth arc episodes all in a row, especially if you’ve watched the whole show before, because it actually does start to make a little bit more sense. I remember feeling like that was a weak part of the show, but I don’t feel like that anymore.
Specifically, when the syndicate was eradicated by the rebel aliens, I was like “Oh yeah, they’re gone now.” And even the little details like the canon of Scully being immortal.
I’m sorry, I’m a pretty big X-Files fan, but I don’t know what you’re referring to. Scully is immortal?
No, it’s ok. It starts in the episode “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” he’s the one who says she doesn’t die. Then there’s one called “Tithonis,” in which a photographer who is immortal basically passes immortality onto her. Then in season 10, when the revival hit, she references it when she’s talking to Mulder. She’s like, “Remember, I’m immortal.”
Give me your most controversial X-Files opinion.
Well, okay. I don’t think it’s controversial, but Mulder is the father of Scully’s Baby, full stop. The other thing is that my favorite side character is Krycek. I’m sorry, he’s got, what do the kids say? He’s got the rizz.
Anything else you’d like to share before I let you get back to more X-Files?
Just that it’s been great. Pluto TV has been incredible. This has been exactly what my heart and my brain and my body needed.
Also, Gillian Anderson is my white whale. I’ve never met her and I’m just putting out in the universe that someday I’ll be able to recite that monologue to Gillian Anderson and she’ll just pretend like it’s not annoying at all.
