Entertainment
Forgotten X-Files Episode Reveals Exactly Where The Show Went Wrong
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
The X-Files is one of the most fascinating shows in genre history for the worst possible reason. The show dominated much of the ‘90s because it capitalized on the advent of the World Wide Web and America’s growing fascination with conspiracy theories. The fan-favorite monster of the week episodes could make even the most mundane things (including air-conditioning vents and flukeworms) into the scariest things imaginable. Beyond that, the show teased audiences with a growing mythology that involved government collaboration with nefarious aliens who wanted to dominate the world. Unfortunately, The X-Files dropped the ball when the show had to stop teasing and actually provide answers to its many mysteries.
The longer you watch the series, the clearer it becomes that showrunner Chris Carter was making most of this stuff up as he went along. He didn’t have much of a plan, really, beyond getting fans to tune back in each week. Arguably, though, he was always doomed to failure, as getting answers to huge mysteries is never as exciting as just speculating (just ask Lost fans). While Carter couldn’t see that, one of his best writers could. When writing the largely forgotten episode “Blood,” Glen Morgan deliberately never revealed who or what was sending out subliminal messages, reasoning that audiences would be much happier coming to their own conclusions.
The Power Of Subliminal Messages
“Blood” was a Season 2 X-Files episode that dealt with one of the hottest topics of the ‘90s: crazy postal workers! The plot involves a postman who, right before he gets laid off, starts seeing subliminal messages like “Kill’em All” pop up on various electronics readouts. This happens to other people in the town, too, who try to kill people (including Mulder and Scully) after receiving similar instructions. Eventually, Mulder realizes that people are being sprayed with pesticides by a crop duster that makes them susceptible to these subliminal messages. Fortunately, he and Scully are ultimately able to stop the postal worker from committing a mass shooting from the top of a clock tower.
When you watch the episode, the first question you’re likely to ask is who is sending these subliminal messages and why. Mulder speculates that the government is deliberately doing this, much like they previously did with “D.D.T. in the 50’s, Agent Orange,” and “germ warfare on unsuspecting neighborhoods.” After Scully asks why the government would intentionally create a self-destructive population, Mulder replies, “Fear. It’s the oldest tool of power. If you’re distracted by fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above.” Notably, his theory is never proven, and a creepy message sent to his phone (“ALL DONE. BYE-BYE”) implies the experiment is over.
Not Sweating The Small Stuff
So, who actually sent the subliminal messages? Nobody knows, and that’s the point! As published in The Truth Is Out There: The Official Guide to The X-Files, “Blood” writer Glen Morgan had absolutely no idea when writing this episode who or what was sending these subliminal messages. He also didn’t care, believing it would be better for the audience to try to figure everything out on their own. In this way, everyone watching the episode is a bit like Mulder: we can speculate as to the evil forces behind this widespread human experimentation, but we’ll never know for sure.
In retrospect, this is the approach Chris Carter should have taken with the mythology of The X-Files. Because the show’s slogan was “The Truth Is Out There” and Mulder was a crusader for revealing government secrets, Carter felt compelled to eventually give us very granular information about the aliens and their planned invasion of Earth. But everything got confusing as we got info about creepy black oil, infected bees, alien bounty hunters, mysterious vaccines, and government super-soldiers. Later, the awful X-Files revival retconned almost everything, revealing that aliens were actually peaceful, and evil government forces were staging fake abductions while trying to exploit advanced technology.
That final revelation effectively ruined the entire series for fans who had been enjoying The X-Files for decades. Looking back, it’s clear that Carter should never have revealed anything and left these mysteries for fans to argue about. Would audiences have been pissed about being led on and never getting a real payoff? Probably. But at the end of the day, those angry fans would have come up with a headcanon that was infinitely better than the answers we got and eventually gotten over their annoyance. Now, though, the fandom will never get over how badly the coolest mythology in television history was ultimately handled.
Entertainment
The big question LGBTQ daters are asking, according to Hinge
It’s Pride Month, and although LGBTQ daters are queer all year, the spotlight is on them this June. As such, Hinge just published its annual D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report to lay out what dating is currently like for today’s queer singles.
The title of this year’s report is “Clarity Builds Chemistry,” and it discusses the uncertainty young LGBTQ daters feel. (Not surprising, considering the amount of uncertainty in the world at large right now, that it’d distill into individuals’ personal lives.)
In its Jan. 2026 survey of over 31,000 global respondents, Hinge found that more LGBTQ daters feel a lot or great uncertainty about the world than heterosexual daters (76 to 52 percent, respectively), but they can also find uncertainty helpful. Seventy-four percent of LGBTQ daters say uncertainty helps them understand what they’re looking for in relationships. Uncertainty contributes to these daters identifying dealbreakers, clarifying their preferences, and identifying what feels right vs. wrong.
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Community also helps LGBTQ daters. Hinge found that queer daters are asking, “Would I bring this persona around my friends?” rather than, “What are we?” This might be because of the importance of chosen family for young LGBTQ people.
As such, queer daters are 33 percent more likely than straight daters to say it matters that their friends like the person they’re dating (this rises to 37 percent for trans daters). They’re also 20 percent more likely to want to check whether a potential partner fits with their friend circle. In a world of uncertainty, having a solid support system is crucial.
Mashable Trend Report
Hinge found that consistency also puts LGBTQ daters at ease in their uncertain world: 86 percent said consistent communication from someone they’re starting to date makes them feel less anxious. Seventy-eight percent said making clear plans also makes them feel less anxious (compared to 56 percent of heterosexual daters).
PDA in an early relationship helps over half (65 percent) of LGBTQ daters feel more secure, but they’re 50 percent more likely than straight daters to hesitate to show affection on the first date because they feel unsafe in their surroundings. Hinge’s love and connection expert, Moe Ari Brown, wrote that, “You don’t have to share the same comfort level to have a great date: staying present and responsive turns a potential point of tension into a moment of real connection.”
“Asking one another what kinds of affection feel good in public — and which feel better in private — keeps PDA grounded in reassurance,” Brown continued.
And forget the timelines. More LGBTQ daters, especially bisexual daters (76 percent and 83 percent), focus on slowly building a connection with someone rather than moving on a certain timeline than straight daters (64 percent). Overall, LGBTQ daters are also more likely to say that settling down isn’t a step, but a mindset.
The findings are in contrast to Hinge’s Nov. 2025 D.A.T.E. report, which was all about communication and AI. Less than a year later, daters — especially LGBTQ ones — are more focused on clarity, whether that’s in public displays of affection, or private affirmations.
Entertainment
Netflix Just Added The Extremely R-Rated Crime Thriller Secretly Made By Film's Greatest Director
By TeeJay Small
| Published
If you’re a sucker for a good crime thriller, you’re probably already aware of the hit 1993 movie True Romance. This genre-defining film is packed to the gills with foul language, graphic violence, and some supernatural themes that make the whole thing feel like a fever dream lost in time.
Though it was considered a box office failure in its day, True Romance has since garnered a massive cult following. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, or you’ve streamed it, now is the right time. Netflix just added True Romance.
Long before True Romance was dancing across the silver screen and upsetting the prudes at the MPAA, the film was being penned by a young, up-and-coming Quentin Tarantino. This is the very first feature-length screenplay the Pulp Fiction filmmaker ever wrote. Portions of the first act and some of the pop culture-focused dialogue were lifted right out of Tarantino’s own unreleased short film, My Best Friend’s Birthday, which he made while working at a video rental store in Los Angeles.
Tarantino originally intended to direct True Romance himself, but by the time the script was gaining traction with producers, he had already moved on to a new project that would ultimately become Reservoir Dogs. So he sold the screenplay, used the money to finance his own debut, and let Top Gun director Tony Scott take the wheel.
This has become the subject of tons of debate among film nerds, as some fans believe True Romance is a shadow of what it could have been with Tarantino behind the wheel. Others, including Tarantino himself, have lauded Tony Scott for bringing the intense screenplay to life and offering a more saccharine ending than what was originally on the page.
The plot of True Romance centers on a young couple named Clarence and Alabama. They meet at a movie theater, quickly fall in love, and decide to skip town together after a whirlwind date. The only problem is, Alabama is a woman of the night, and her pimp Drexl Spivey doesn’t take kindly to the loss of revenue.
Prompted by the ghost of Elvis Presley, Clarence murders Spivey and snags a duffle bag of blow from his workplace, hoping he can sell it off to finance his new life. Predictably, the young couple’s troubles don’t end there, as they contend with gang members, police, and a world that seems to want to keep them apart.
The whole adventure feels like a very 90s take on the classic tale of Bonnie and Clyde, complete with some added racy elements. For many fans, True Romance represents the gold standard of crime thrillers.
Christian Slater gives a career-defining performance here, alongside top-tier showings from Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, and Christopher Walken. Several big-name actors appear in minor bit parts as well, including Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson, and the late James Gandolfini, of The Sopranos fame.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or you’re looking to catch it for the very first time, you can watch True Romance on Netflix today. Just prepare to hear some really outlandish stuff, especially if you’ve got any Sicilian ancestry.
TRUE ROMANCE REVIEW SCORE
Entertainment
Why wait for Prime Day? The Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are $30 off right now at Amazon.
SAVE $30: As of June 3, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are back to their lowest price yet at Amazon for $149.99. This is $30 off their full price of $179.99.
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The Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro is a pretty special pair of earbuds. Not only are they open earbuds, allowing for more awareness of your surroundings while listening, but they also have noise-canceling features. Mashable’s Bethany Allard said they’re “the answer for people who can’t decide between open and noise-canceling earbuds” in her review. If they’ve been on your radar, they’re actually on sale right now at Amazon.
As of June 3, every color of the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds are discounted to $149.99 at Amazon. This saves you $30 off their full price of $179.99 and marks a return to their lowest price at the retailer so far. Ahead of Prime Day, this is a great deal to take advantage of.
Mashable Deals
Allard highlights in her review of the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro that if you’re someone who’s “interested in open earbuds, not quite ready to give up ANC buds altogether, and can’t reasonably see themselves carrying around two pairs of earbuds, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pros are the best option available.” However, she does mention that “you make some concessions: the ANC won’t be the best, and you’re locked into an ear hook design.”
Alongside its dual listening modes, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pros offer a battery life that lasts up to seven hours on a charge in Open-Ear mode or five hours in ANC mode. That’s a good amount of time to work with, and it’ll last you through a workout or a commute for the day. Of course, those times can be pushed up further with the charging case as well (up to 34 hours in Open-Ear mode or 24 hours in ANC).
Mashable Deals
On top of all that, the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro by Anker earbuds have even landed on our list of the best open earbuds. So, why not scoop them up while they’re still on sale at Amazon?
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