The Ever Important Reason for Tension

This would be another case of what not to do, and a clear example showing how a story can fall stale. In the past couple months I have been revisiting The X-Files in order that they were aired, something I have never had the liberty of doing. I ran across one episode that truly stood out as lacking, and I watched it yet again to see if I missed something or if the story was truly missing something.

In season 3 episode 3, D.P.O., the first time I watched it I felt like there was something missing. I watched it a second time and determined this to be true and not my oversight. There is no tension in the writing. There is no pressure from the powers that be from the government side of the story, there is no doubt to who is causing the deaths, and most of all-there is no ticking time bomb. If the Teacher was robbing the cradle and that made up the kids in the area that were dying then you would have a reason for the other deaths, and a time line to save the other students, but there is none of that, more tension would be contributed if D.P.O. was not part of that attention still. In most of the X-Files the viewer watches as the fifth death in forty years is about to happen, and if Mulder and Scully don’t get the killer by the time the fifth person dies they won’t be able to find him in another forty years. There is no mention of having to get to him before time runs out. There is little to no threat to Mulder and Scully. There is a local Sheriff that is skeptical and throws a wrench in the machine from time to time, but even then you don’t get the feeling that he is going to stop the case from being solved. It’s a murder mystery where you know who the killer is in the opening scene with no plot twists, no pressure, no problem. You simply watch as the “Predestined,” events unfold. To me this is a prime example in what not to do, and how important it is in writing to create tension.

Toklotox Forluna Tansikna Wun Yoleeblah Morlee & Morlee Itox Ithno Yoleeblah Inx Youloth Crunum Wonnay. With that said, "Sleep with one eye open and have a 'Horrific' day." B)