Talk:Gender Bender (The X-Files)

Music used in the dance club scenes
Can anyone identify the music used in the three or four dance club scenes that appeared in this episode? Was it original music produced by Mark Snow just for those scenes? 121.44.228.35 02:17, 15 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Added to the article now, it's from a previous film Mark Snow had worked on. GRAPPLE   X  15:03, 27 July 2011 (UTC)

Comments for A-Class assessment
Will add comments later today. Cheers, TBrandley 14:05, 18 September 2012 (UTC)


 * Where is the production code referenced?
 * Nixed. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Where is the running time referenced?
 * To the episode, really; same as things like plot summaries etc. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * # should be No., per WP:POUND
 * Got it. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Where are guest stars referenced?
 * Episode again, could probably add a book source though. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Instead of a note, perhaps say "also known as "Genderbender", that is what I did for Awake article "Game Day", which is in one of my sandboxes
 * I don't know; with the likes of the Twin Peaks episodes the alternate titles are markedly different so I put them up front; this and "Game Day"/"Gameday" are just parsing variations so I'm not sure it's important enough to include in the lead, which is why it's shuffled off to a minor aside. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Only link Fox, without network linked in both lede and reception
 * Got it. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Some sentences in lede are short, like premiere date note, is merging possible?
 * Merged a little. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * "unconnected to the series' wider mythology" perhaps say "a stand-alone plot which is unconnected to the overarching mythology of The X-Files"
 * Link the producers' name, first in lede, second in production
 * "was written due to" that full sentences makes me think that they wrote the episode because of him, perhaps the writing of the episode was inspired by ...
 * "an episode with more of a sexy edge" I don't think quotes fit in the lede, perhaps paraphrase maybe
 * "Langley, British Columbia" should be two separate links
 * "dance-club" hyphen not needed
 * "shy" violates WP:NPOV and WP:OR
 * "The agents return to the village which is now deserted. The underground tunnels are blocked entirely with the white clay. Mulder and Scully walk into the nearby field where they find a large crop circle, suggesting that the Kindred are aliens" very short paragraph please merge
 * wanted an episode with more of a sexy edge is missing ending quotation mark in production section
 * Unlink United Kingdom per WP:OVERLINK
 * "with a 12 share" add comma after
 * Is there any opening for critics and their general stuff, like "This episode received generally ..."
 * "The episode faced criticism over its ending using a deus ex machina to indicate that the Kindred may have been aliens." there seems to be "criticism" from the show's people, not actual critics
 * Link James Wong in first mention
 * "Glen Morgan said that the episode" refer Glen Morgan as Morgan after first mention per WP:MOS
 * "B-" add actual quotes around it in article
 * "was rated a B-" how about "was given a "B-""
 * Add quotes around A in reception
 * Ref. 2: WP:DASH problems
 * Ref. 2: Allrovi → AllRovi
 * Ref. 12: Shouldn't use cite episode; it is a movie, not episode
 * Ref. 23: Remove "EW.com" part from title, not needed as publisher is right by it
 * Ref. 24: Use single quotes (') rather than double quotes ("), per WP:MOS
 * Ref. 25: WP:DASH problems
 * Remove Wikia external link per WP:ELNO
 * Categories should be sorted in alphabetical order

TBrandley 01:56, 19 September 2012 (UTC)
 * I've made a start on these but it's pretty late and I've an early morning; I'll be back Friday to continue with them. Thanks very much for taking the time to review it though. GRAPPLE   X  04:34, 20 September 2012 (UTC)
 * Welcome, please reply or leave your upcoming comments at WikiProject The X-Files A-Class review/Gender Bender (The X-Files)/archive1 now. Thank you. TBrandley 03:28, 24 September 2012 (UTC)

Extra, probably pointless stuff for the FAC
This goes into rather intricate detail about some of the episode's themes and includes some random tidbits of information here and there.
 * Unable to access that. Is there much content? If so I could order it up. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

This literally describes the episode's antagonists as "gender-shifting mutants or aliens who mate with humans lethally." That's gotta be useful somehow.
 * I had reviewed that one; the cut and thrust of the source is about Scully but it does drop mention of this episode when mentioning the series exploring sexual themes. I wasn't convinced it was worth taking the tangent just to add an extra footnote for not much content. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

This is a brief commentary on Bowman's direction style by Cinefantastique. Could flesh out the filming section a bit more.
 * Unable to access that; could be regional thing. If it's directly relevant (rather than just general Bowman stuff without specific mention of "Gender Bender") would you be able to add some of it? GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Here offers some brief cultural references provided by the episode.
 * Unable to access, as above. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Little bit more info about Kate Twa's later involvement in the series.
 * Beyond mentioning that she returns I'm not really sure I want to get bogged down in specifics for other episodes. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Some commentary on the episode's gender themes. Some more brief stuff here.
 * The former source discusses gender in the series but only mentions "Gender Bender" as an example of an episode "begging" to be examined (without actually examining it; way to go Paul Cantor). The second one, again, offers a brief mention (focus on Scully, but "here's this other episode where gender is a theme, but back to Scully") that's no more than a sentence. It's a little frustrating because it throws up a lot of false positives when these mentions don't actually go into any depth. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

TV Guide promotional tagline thingy here. Bruce Campbell (talk) 01:25, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * All I can see is a listing saying "Drama, 1:00. A person who can switch genders at will is committing murders. Kate Twa, Brent Hinkley". Not sure that's of any real use. :/ GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Thanks for taking the time to search this stuff. The majority of it I either can't access or have already vetted without any luck. The Nitpickers Guide would be useful but I can't see it; if it's got substantial material I'll try ordering a copy online. GRAPPLE   X  02:00, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

This is a screencap of the first source, the most intricate. The rest can be found through the first four pages on Google Book searches of "X-files Gender Bender" and "X-files GenderBender", not exactly some Sherlock-esque searching but nonththeless.

The most useful thing that could be derived from the Cinefantastique source is the line "starting from season one's "Gender Bender" " [...] "director Rob Bowman immediately put his stamp on the presentation of the show's scripts", which again, is really vague. The rest, ehh, probably aren't worth the time. Bruce Campbell (talk) 02:29, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Thanks! I should be able to work some of this in, that should help things a lot. GRAPPLE   X  02:34, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Actually, you wouldn't happen to know the page range for that? If you know the first page number I can work from there. GRAPPLE   X  02:36, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Page range for which one in particular? The Cinefantastique discussion only lasts one page, page 83. I could provide a screencap of that too.

The Nitpicker's guide doesn't have page numbers but if you Google Book search "The Nitpicker's Guide for X-Philes", it has the entire book. From what I counted the commentary stretches from page 94-97, but you'd have to double check... ugh. Bruce Campbell (talk) 02:55, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * I tried searching the Nitpicker's Guide, but Google Books for me isn't bringing up anything but a snippet view (I'm in Ireland, I think there's regional differences in what can be seen). If you say 94 to 97 then I trust that; ready to go now. Thanks again! GRAPPLE   X  02:57, 7 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Final suggestion; I'm a simple creature. I like pretty pictures. I think this could function as a proper lead image. The rationale could be that it showcases the finales twist and reveals the nature of the episode's antagonists as aliens, and also reveals a notable geographical event discussed in the article. Etc etc Bruce Campbell (talk) 03:04, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * While it does wonderfully convey how pointless the finale was; I'm still on the fence. Suggest it at the FAC; if there's broader support for a non-free file to be added then I'll fire it up. GRAPPLE   X  03:05, 7 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Oups; recounted and had someone else double check. The Nitpicker's Guide coverage actually begins on page 90 and lasts to 93. Had to screencap every 10 pages and check thrice, but I'm sure now. Bruce Campbell (talk) 03:23, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * Amending now. Thanks for catching that. GRAPPLE   X  03:29, 7 October 2012 (UTC)


 * Also, if we really want to get prettyful in here, we now have a great reason to showcase this handsome SOB. Bruce Campbell (talk) 03:57, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Here's what a Cinefantastiue article from Season 7 has to say: "The director had to wrap up the post- production duties of the film while he was shooting "The Pine Bluff Variant" in Sea- son 5, which was the last episode he shot in Vancouver. Looking back on the Vancouver days, the first episode which Bowman di- rected on THE X-FILES was "Genderbender" in Season 1. This was probably the first episode that introduced sexual content into the show. Nicholas Lea, not as the infa- mous anti-hero Alex Krycek, played the role of a nightclub guy who'd survived an erotic experience with a sex-changing alien. "At that time I had just finished a Warner Bros job, so I was looking for another thing Nicholas Lea returned as Krycek in season-ender "Requiem." Bowman discovered Lea in first season's "Genderbender" and cast him as Krycek. to do. I wanted to make a serious movie or something involving working hard. 1 like mysterious and spookier things, I just love entertainment. When I saw the X-FILES' pilot, I thought that was exactly what I wanted to do. It's darker, intelligent, and off-beat. It has everything I like. So I told my agent that I wanted to get involved. "The script of 'Genderbender' was sin- gle-spaced description, very complicated. I asked Chris Carter how he would like me to shoot this. He said, 'Why don't you figure it out and let me know?"' Bowman giggled. "In that episode, Nick's role was just a small one. We just wanted to have a clubguy. I thought Nick had a sort of chilly quality. When the role of Krycek came up, we did a little casting in Vancouver, but I really had a strong belief thai Nick was the right choice. He seemed pure- ly intelligent, having his own agenda. He's a very strong guy, big shoul- ders, and strong face. I would have 40 to 50 choices but I thought he was the right actor. I think Nick Lea, on screen, is gold. Any time Krycek is in the episode it's better," said Bowman of his X- FILES discovery. "Since then we be- came friends. We spent a lot of time together on the set. Many great mo- ments. I'm very proud about it because he was a great local V ancouver actor who became a very big part in the show. 1 wished he was in the movie, although it was different from the storyline of his involve- ment. I think he is the kind of actor who, given the right role, could be a movie star. Hope he does." Bowman smiled." "Rob Bowman: The Files Auteur on His Major Discovery, Krycek's Nicholas Lea" by Miwa Hirai, pp. 35–6, in October 2000, Vol. 23, Issue 3 of Cinefantastique.-- Gen. Quon   (Talk)   16:59, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

Use of the English language when in private
I thought about the criticism of the aliens using "the English language when in private". It might not be incongruous, if it's interpreted not literally, but as a shorthand of accessibility for the English viewers. Since this technique (just maintaining a few fixed phrases from the original language, speaking in a heavy accent) has been so ubiquitous in mainstream Hollywood movies for decades, I'm not really bothered when it's also used for fictive alien species. A friend noted to me an interesting, fairly clever, illustration of this shorthand, in the movie The 13th Warrior, Antonio Banderas plays what's supposed to be an Arab learning Old Norse by listening to conversations with vikings. The actors playing vikings speak, afaik, in different modern Scandinavian languages (Icelandic would be closer to Old Norse, but there's a far smaller pool of actors) but after a while, randomly insert various English words and phrases in their speech, to illustrate the character's increasing familiarity with the new language. It isn't meant to be taken literally in this case, it's a shorthand, like a theater play. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 10:04, 14 May 2013 (UTC)


 * There's a reason the book is called "The Nitpicker's Guide"; some of its contents are quite pedantic but the (useful) overall impression they give is better imparted by showing the pedantry than paraphrasing it, I feel. That said, the series has never been shy when it comes to using non-English languages with subtitles when it wants to portray "otherness" literally—there's plenty of Japanese, Navajo, French and Romanian used elsewhere in the series, so it stands to reason a critic would pick up on the lack of a similar convention here. GRAPPLE   X  10:10, 14 May 2013 (UTC)
 * Valid points. 惑乱 Wakuran (talk) 13:36, 14 May 2013 (UTC)

Inspired by "Hellstrom's Hive"?
There are some similarities between this episode and the 1971 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert called Hellstrom's Hive. In Herbert's book there is a colony of humans who have tried to emulate social insects (like bees or ants, etc.), and part of what they do is send out emissaries into the normal human population to obtain genetic material to help in their genetic experiments. To do this they have specially-bred females who have naturally-enhanced pheromones that arouse the libido of their intended victims to such a great extent that they then have no control over their actions. After they obtain their victims DNA (through breeding with them), the victim succumbs to the overpowering pheromone rush and dies.

Without knowing any more about it, this seems to present a case that Herbert's book might have had some influence in the writing of this episode, at least partially. --Saukkomies talk 03:50, 7 July 2013 (UTC)