Entertainment
The X-Files Episode Nearly Destroyed By Nature
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
The X-Files is a show that gave us some of the most chilling visions in television history. For example, anyone who grew up watching Eugene Tooms using his Mr. Fantastic powers for evil is probably still scared of escalators thanks to the episode “Tooms.” However, bringing such monsters to life was just another day at the office for the production team, and their nightmares usually hit much closer to home. For example, the Season 1 episode “Darkness Falls” was reviled by almost everyone behind the camera because this X-Files episode’s outdoor locations and terrible weather often made filming nearly impossible.
Darkness Falls Is An X-Files Nightmare
For reference, “Darkness Falls” is an X-Files episode where Mulder and Scully must contend with cranky loggers, deadly insects, and new life forms, all of which are running around the Olympic National Forest in Washington State. Two different Vancouver forests were used to bring the famous American forest to life, and the episode looks so good that you’d never know it was haunted by production difficulties. However, the outdoor shoots caused no end of headaches, starting with the fact that all of the extra travel time for scenes meant the crew could only shoot six pages of script a day rather than their intended eight.
It wasn’t just the exterior locations of “Darkness Falls” that slowed down the X-Files production crew. There was also a very specific road access problem. The crew had a work camp that could only be accessed by a dead-end road that only allowed for single-lane traffic and essential vehicles. Therefore, they had to spend obscene amounts of time transporting actors and crew from a public parking lot that was a whopping 200 yards away.
Now, that would have made “Darkness Falls” difficult enough to film, but the X-Files crew also had to fight the elements. Heavy rain kept causing delays, a problem compounded by just how much of the episode was shot outside. Executive producer R.W. Goodwin later estimated that “Out of eight days of shooting, six of them were in the forest,” making for seriously soggy days and nights of laborious work.
The weather was so bad during the filming of “Darkness Falls,” and rain was only one obstacle faced by the X-Files crew. Director Joe Napolitano complained that it rained every day and that the crew was worried that a nearby dam would break due to the weather; furthermore, guest star (and David Duchovny’s childhood friend) Jason Beghe said that “the conditions for filming couldn’t have been worse,” saying “it was raining, snowing and freezing up there.” In Goodwin’s words, all of this added up to “a logistical nightmare” in which simply seeing what was in front of them “was like trying to see through a waterfall.”
While “Darkness Falls” was completed and aired, the version we saw on TV was very different from the one the X-Files crew originally envisioned. Intended shots had to be scrapped because rain made certain camera shots and placements impossible, and production stalled out because the weather made tasks like recording clean audio almost impossible. The weather even made filming daytime scenes impossible at times because, as befitting such the episode title, the clouds surrounded everyone in darkness.
Credit where credit is due, though: “Darkness Falls” is a very solid early X-Files episode, and none of these production difficulties are visible onscreen. Now that we know how hard it was to film, though, we’ll never look at this classic episode the same way again. Mulder tried to tell us that “the truth is out there,” but it turns out that what we really needed to look out for was the rain.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
