World Famous Comics: Lone Gunman The Lone Gunmen - The Complete Series
Lone Gunman The Lone Gunmen - The Complete Series
Starring: Lone Gunman Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: 20th Century Fox Number of Items: 3 Region Code: 1 Release Date: March 29, 2005 Running Time: 559 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 04, 2001
Amazon.com: The Lone Gunmen was the short-lived spin-off series starring those scene-stealing conspiracy theorists from The X-Files. To recap, there is buttoned-down Byers (the bearded, relatively normal-looking one, played by Bruce Harwood), the "man of action" Frohike (the short one who had the hots for Scully, played by Tom Braidwood), and master hacker Langly (the one with the long blond hair, played by Dean Haglund). They also meet some new characters who both help and hinder: a female agent calling herself Yves Adele Harlow (and other anagrams for Lee Harvey Oswald, played by Zuleikha Robinson), who always seems a step ahead of them, and James "Jimmy" Bond (Stephen Snedden), the dimwitted benefactor who thinks that the Gunmen give him a purpose in life.
The series lasted a mere 13 episodes, and in retrospect probably plays better now than it did in the spring of 2001 when the peak years of The X-Files were still fresh in the memory. Thanks to direction and writing by the same creative talent and music by Mark Snow, The Lone Gunmen has the feel of Chris Carter's signature series, though without the impenetrable mythology and the sexual tension (Robinson is beautiful, but let's be serious). The episodes are generally stand-alone affairs reflecting the goofy humor that made the trio part of the comic relief in The X-Files. Light-hearted topics include a blind football team and a super-intelligent chimpanzee, but the closing episode dealt with the familiar themes of alien abduction and government cover-ups (a thread that after the series' cancellation had to be concluded in an episode of The X-Files, which is also included in this set). And particularly chilling is the pilot: aired six months before 9/11, it deals with an attempt to fly an airplane into the World Trade Center. The Lone Gunmen couldn't match the brilliant inspiration of The X-Files (few shows could), but for fans it might just be the next best thing. --David Horiuchi
Description: From X-Files creator Chris Carter, The Lone Gunmen Complete Series - get inside the trio of X-Files computer-hacking geeks popularly known as The Lone gunmen in the perfect DVD for all X-Files fans. Experience the altered world and suspenseful action that will keep you watching!
Lone Gunmen Series Content great, production poor. Production poor. The Second DVD had same data on both sides therefore missing three episodes. Amazon replaced with remarkable speed and ease. Replacement had second disc with all data although it was on reversed sides. Content excellent especially Planet of the FroHikes(spelling?). Amazon did its usual outstanding job on something that was not their fault.
Signs of Greatness The Lone Gunmen had quite a lot going for it when it was pitched by Chris Carter at Fox. It was a spin off of the hugely popular X-Files; it had a built in fan base; and it had instantly recognizable characters. The problem was, at least in its early episodes ,it didn't know if it wanted to be broad comedy or tap into the drama that defined the X-Files universe. Unfortunately it tried to do both and did neither as well as it should.
The Lone Gunmen were a trio of newspaper journalists who wanted to expose all manner of conspiracies within the government and corporate America. They did not fight the paranormal as did the agents on the X-Files. The characters: Frohike (Tom Braidwood), Byers (Bruce Harwood) and Langly (Dean Haglund) were regular guys. They were not James Bond super spies. Into the mix were added a goofy benefactor Jimmy (Stephen Snedden) and a beautiful woman of questionable intentions Yves (Zuleikha Robinson). The personalities worked well together but there was no real character arc present. The veiwer knew no more about the backstories of the principals then they did with the pilot. This was the tragic flaw of the series. There was no need to follow the series week by week. A casual viewer could watch from time to time and never miss anything.
The Complete Series is presented on three flipper discs from Fox. There are thirteen series episodes and one final episode from the X-Files that ties up loose ends with the plot. The color and sound are routinely excellent. The presented extras include five commentaries (three by the creative team and two by the principal cast). There is an exceptional featurette called the Defenders of Justice which looks at the series in retrospect and four TV spots.
This is well worth seeing if you get a chance. It belongs in the collection of any X-Files fan. Just wish that Fox would do away with the flipper discs once and for all.
The Surprising Series, "Lone Gunmen" I didn't have high expectations from this series, though I enjoyed the Lone Gunmen within the X-files context. The first episode set a tone, less than serious, but with serious undertones, which carried through the series. Still, what sticks with me most is the element of surprise. Each episode contained scenes that provoked outright laughter, sometimes because they were set up well and culminated in a great gag, other times because the gag burst, like a bolt out of the blue, onto the unsuspecting audience. There were revelations of a more serious nature as well. Sadly, the series was cancelled just as the writers, cast, and crew started to really bring everything together. The series wrap played out as an episode of X-files and is included with the DVD series. While the last season of X-files was but a pale shadow of its former self, when the "Jump the Shark" episode is viewed as the series finale for "Lone Gunmen", it worked very well and provided a surprising, yet fitting end to the tale of the misfit trio.
16 Minutes of unskippable ads and warnings! Great show! Too bad there's only 13 episodes.
You do have to sit through 16 minutes of unskippable warnings and ads if you watch one episode at a time. 1:14 minutes of warnings and ads per side.
I rated the DVD 1 star because of the unskippable ads, would be 5 stars if user experience wasn't wrecked by the ads.
Good Entertainment These are good shows and are good entertainment. Some of the stuff is a little corny; but, that is in Lone Gunmen fashion. It's definitely good entertainment.
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