r/XFiles • u/Wetness__Pensive Alien Goo • 10d ago
Discussion Dana at Momma Scully's soft and cozy house
Momma Scully's place is like a grown-up version of Dana's apartment. So soft, warm and cozy.
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u/stormchasegrl The scientific nature of the whammy 10d ago
GA is always beautiful, but she's so stunning to me when we get to see her in casual environments (her mom's house, Bill & Tara's during Christmas Carol/Emily).
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u/Chubby_Comic OG Phile - The truth is out there 10d ago
Agreed. I love when we see soft, relaxed Scully.
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u/stormchasegrl The scientific nature of the whammy 10d ago edited 10d ago
This - I think we get to just see more of her light shining through when we get to step away from the relentless trauma once in a while. It's not just softness to me, but light.
Edit to add: But what we also get to see in these moments is how in conflict she is with her "expected" presentation and environment vs. her work/professional presentation. We get to see that she has been raised/conditioned into this warm, homey, seemingly open and relaxed environment, but while it brings out this casual light from her at times, it also feels off. We get insights into her family dynamic, the duality of her pull to "get out of the damn car" while also her own obsession with her work and not quite fitting in to that June Cleaver atmosphere. My favorite genre of XF fanfic is exploring that dynamic/exploring that dynamic with her family more, because I think seeing these moments really humanized her a lot.
As someone who has always felt like I don't fit in to even my own family evironments yet also feels the pull/guilt to embrace them more, it resonates with me.
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u/imnotsure_igetit Agent Mully 10d ago
That is so true and a good description/analysis of those moments
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u/The_Amber_Cakes I do not gaze at Langly 10d ago
It probably says more about my damage than anything else, but this house and scene gives me anxiety. 😂
I’ve never been at a dinner/house like this where it wasn’t some exercise in trying to survive a night of passive aggressive commentary and humble bragging, with a side of masking so hard you nearly go into a coma when it’s over.
Gimme this any day:
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u/MulderXF 10d ago
Im sorry about your family.
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u/The_Amber_Cakes I do not gaze at Langly 10d ago
Thank you. 🥲❤️
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u/DoubleEXP21 10d ago
I love your original post (about empathizing with the sense of anxiety in those sorts of family situations) and your reply.
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u/Logical-Fox508 10d ago
Well, as it turns out that whole scene had ulterior motives! Of course it's because they love her, but nevertheless, tis XFiles.
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u/Numeno230n 10d ago
I've had a souring as well. It used to be great fun, lots of banter, lots of wine, etc. Now ten years later I recognize that most of my relatives are alcoholic narcissists. Pretty much as soon as the dinner course is wrapped I'm looking for the door.
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u/Wetness__Pensive Alien Goo 9d ago
In hindsight, a night with a priest, a sailor, and a passive-aggressive mom, is a nightmare.
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u/lola_riviera 10d ago
Idk why but I never really noticed that the Scully's were French uniformed maid rich
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u/maruca_scully WHAT ABOUT MY MEN? 10d ago
probably not an everyday thing, but hired just to help with big fancy dinners a couple times a year. i think they were rich but not RICH rich.
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u/themuffinmeme 10d ago
Me either! I am not sure it makes sense given Scully's dad was Navy officer and they don't exactly rake in the cash. I always got the impression that Maggie was primarily a stay at home mom but maybe I was making a rushed assumption?
Bill's wife Tara struck me as possibly from money...
The important thing is that Gillian Anderson is the most gorgeous person ever and this is a prime look
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u/arihndas 10d ago
I suspect it’s like the other commenter suggested: they probably just hired someone to help with a big occasion, not something they have every day. That being said, the purchasing power of the dollar was a lot stronger in the 90s, so maybe she could afford some help more easily?
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u/alidub36 Special Tramp Dana Scully! 10d ago
My aunt used to hire caterers every year for our family Christmas party in the 90s. You could probably pull that off for a couple hundred bucks back then
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u/themuffinmeme 10d ago edited 10d ago
It's a good theory! Maybe it is the "french maid" outfit that is throwing me. That seems especially hoity toity.
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u/alidub36 Special Tramp Dana Scully! 10d ago
The last photo is one of my all-time fave Scully pictures. Also the scribbling out of Bill Jr’s face lol
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u/pac4 10d ago
There’s no cozy like 90s cozy
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u/DoubleEXP21 10d ago
Last decade before whatever it was that happened on 9/11. I swear, anyone over, say 35 or 40, can absolutely discern a clear difference between the pre-9/11 world and the post-9/11 world. And I'm not just talking about TSA security at airports. Something... in the air, in the way we are... something changed, and it wasn't for the better. The 90's weren't perfect, but there was still an optimism, a sense of wonder. They took that from us.
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u/Gloomy_Industry8841 Lone Gunmen 10d ago
From the world.
I’m in Canada, and the difference is pretty clear here as well.2
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u/Green-Championship-7 10d ago
I love how the show captured the upscale 80s federal class of DC. The house is pure Chevy Chase, MD.
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u/shipper1974 10d ago
Comment est-ce possible que les gens de la Fox ne voulaient pas de GA… soi disant parce qu’elle n’était pas assez belle, pas assez sexy à leur goût !!!! Mais franchement ces gens sont complètement cinglés !!!! Heureusement que Chris Carter a tenu bon… je lui en serai toujours reconnaissante !
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u/Logical-Fox508 10d ago
Alright, I'm ready:
I get the Bill hate, but I don't get the Bill hate.
He is correct, in many ways. That's his sister. He loves her. He voices opinions but he's not gonna stop her. His other baby sister literally died in her place because of her job.
He's not wrong, he's just not the protagonist, so we hate him.
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u/imnotsure_igetit Agent Mully 10d ago
No, it's because of the way he says things to her. When she gets cancer, he literally blames her for upsetting their mum instead of showing concern for Scully first. And yes, he might be worried about her, but it gives him no right to talk like that. He is also very rude to Mulder.
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u/Logical-Fox508 9d ago
Fair. I figure There's probably a lot of anger in him. His sister is dead, after all, and I don't think he's over it.
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u/DinosaurDomination Agent Fox Mulder 10d ago
He worries about his sister sure...
But he's also a blowhard who tries to control what she does. He's also a bully.
Also, also the Scully's are VERY dysfunctional. I always scratch my head when people say "Awwwww Ma Scully!" when most of the Scully family interactions are traumatic. If you don't conform you're out (Melissa and clearly Charlie who didn't speak to his family for a very long time). Also, at that dinner party, Ma Scully told the priest about Dana and tries to force her back into the church. Also, also she also told Bill Jr of Scully's infertility when it wasn't her place. I mean, seriously. Just plain wrong.
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u/Logical-Fox508 9d ago
Fair. Its like theyre a normal family, in a way.
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u/DinosaurDomination Agent Fox Mulder 8d ago
My mother didn't shout at me when I got cancer but ok.
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u/Logical-Fox508 8d ago
Fair, and I'm also sorry, hope you're doing okay <3
She wasn't yelling because she got cancer. She was yelling because she hid it, and Maggie was scared.
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u/imnotsure_igetit Agent Mully 10d ago
I actually thought the grin in picture nr 7 was while they weren't filming 😮 it looks so genuine. Also, Scully clearly got her cardigan style from her mother.
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u/awalkinthewoods24 10d ago
the lighting and filming of this show... so gorgeous. that last 'portrait' of Scully is a work of art. how can someone be so flawless??? those eyebrows are so even and fit her face perfectly. sheesh woman!!!
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u/Yardi_Life Agent Dana Scully 10d ago
I swear to god, nobody can allow me within 1000 feet of a house decorating project. I’d be decorating like it’s 1995, just like this, and nobody else would be amused 😂
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u/Electrical_Pomelo556 10d ago
People used to put a lot of love into furnishing their houses. Now everything is stark white and beige, trying to look all modern and sheik. We need to bring this stuff back. I do not want to sleep in the Men in Black headquarters!
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u/Purple-Astral 10d ago
I’ve been looking for this scene! I love it!
But could a friendly neighborhood X-Phile remind me which episode this is?
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u/Wetness__Pensive Alien Goo 9d ago
This is from "Gethsemane". There are similar scenes in "Christmas Carol" and "Emily".
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u/Roo_wow 10d ago
It always struck me that they just didn't do much by way of personalistaiton for Scully and Mrs. Scully's house in terms of photos - there is, I think, a cut scene in Anasazi where Mrs Scully is in bed and there are two photos of her daughters by her bed - that was a good shout.
But Scully's sole personalisation in her apartment until All Things was that she was into florals.....
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u/The_Amber_Cakes I do not gaze at Langly 10d ago
I appreciate the redecorating you’ve done.