X Marks the Spot - Part 1

Vancouver has many claims-to-fame, but for many of us it's the home to a favorite TV show. The city's nickname of "Hollywood North" is not misplaced - if you've watched television within the last 30 years, you've undoubtedly seen the streets of Vancouver painted as 'Any City, North America.' (Doubt it? Turn on the CW and watch the credits. Nearly everything on their network is filmed here. It's a little ridiculous.) Of the many shows filmed in Vancouver, one of my favorites is the 1990's hit "The X-Files."

As I ventured north this fall, I vowed to visit some of their filming locations. This blog entry highlights my first attempt at following the footsteps of Mulder & Scully.

Never Seen the Show? No Problem. I've summed-up every episode in seven photos...

Mulder: "Scully, I've been contacted by a random person with a strange story. This story has a plausible, scientific answer, but I think we should check-it out and assume it's aliens / big foot / Mexican Goat Sucker / a random monster."

Scully: "...erm..."

Mulder: "Scully, I think you should get down here. This thing is even weirder than I originally thought!!!"

Scully: "Can you please direct me to the other FBI agent? You know the one, he believes you're being attacked by aliens / big foot / Mexican Goat Sucker / a random monster?" ...eye roll...

Mulder: "See? I told you it was weird!"

Scully: "Mulder, just because we haven't seen it before doesn't mean its explanation is beyond the realm of science.... wait, WTF?!"

Scully: "Wait, let me use my doctor skills to analyze the evidence it left behind! Science will give us the answer."

Mulder & Scully: "We don't agree on what you are but you're hurting people, so we're going to shoot you!"

Mulder: "Have you determined a scientific explanation?"

Scully: "I've sent samples for testing, but nothing yet. You still think it's something unexplanable?"

Mulder: "Of course."

Scully: "Now what?"

Mulder: "Let's gaze at each other for a few seconds... just long enough to torture fans into believing we might actually end up as a couple when this show is over."

AND, SCENE.

X Marks the Spot - Part 1

When mapping my location tour, I lumped addresses into two categories: Driving vs. Walking. These stops represent most of my 'driving' locations. I was unable to visit one location since another show was shooting there that day. (I know, right?!) I added a 'walking' location to even things out. 

The X-Files shot in Vancouver & greater British Columbia for five seasons, so they've covered nearly every inch of the place. I narrowed the stops down to locations from my favorite episodes AND places that haven't been completely changed since the 1990's.

Episode: "Pilot" Season 1 / Episode 1

Story Location: Hotel in Bellefleur, Oregon

Real Location: Hotel in White Rock, British Columbia

This show ran for 10 seasons and my favorite episode is literally the first. The pilot is creepy, atmospheric, and introduces Scully's trademark skepticism to Mulder's unending belief in the paranormal. A number of scenes from that episode were filmed at the Cedar Lane Motel in seaside White Rock, B.C. Sadly, the motel has declined in recent years and wasn't a good place for a tourist to stop and linger. Actually, I drove past twice and didn't even pull in - city-living instincts told me not to, unless I wanted to end up as an FBI case myself. The photo below was taken by a fellow fan a few years ago.

So while I didn't get to have the moment I wanted here, during my location search I did learn that some of the episode was shot in Queen Elizabeth Park, which I pass every time I go to the community fitness center (which is 3-4 times a week, thank you very much). So now whenever I sweat it out on the elliptical, I can help Mulder & Scully solve the mystery of "What WAS in Ray Soames' nose?"

Queen Elizabeth Park

Episode: "Eve" Season 1 / Episode 10

Story Location: Seacrest Motel, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California

Real Location: Seacrest Motel in White Rock, British Columbia

Eve is the story of US Government cloning go awry. Turns out the desire to build a stronger, faster, smarter human being can result in sociopaths... oops. It also taught my 13 year old self the word 'exsanguinate' and that if you mix digitalis into regular Coke, you can poison someone very easily. See? TV is educational.

Seacrest Motel in "California"

Seacrest Motel in White Rock

Frustratingly, I couldn't find the screen cap from the episode with them running into the hotel, which is what I took the photo for. Oh, well! Just trust me that it looks just like it did in the episode. 

Episode: "Home" Season 4 / Episode 3

Story Location: Peacock house, Home, Pennsylvania

Real Location: Surrey, British Columbia

The episode 'Home' was deemed so disturbing and inappropriate that it was banned from television for a number of years after its original airing. It was eventually allowed back, but only for airing after 10:00 p.m. By today's comparison, it's quite tame.

The story is set in small town Pennsylvania with a case that focuses on the Peacock family who are isolationists that practice inbreeding. See? No town is perfect. 

Peacock Home circa 1996

The real farmhouse circa 2015

To get the same angle as the TV cameras I would've had to trespass on private property. You can see that the 'left side' of the house today matches the house used in the show - specifically the left ground-floor window. It looks liked they added onto the house since the filming. Luckily I didn't run into the Peacock's 1950's Chevy as I drove away... they keep things in the trunk, ya know...

Episode: "Tooms" Season 1 / Episode 20

Story Location: 66 Exeter Street, Baltimore, Maryland

Real Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

This is episode 2 of 2 for the creepy & deadly Eugene Victor Tooms. Tooms has the ability to contort his body to fit in the tiny, innocuous openings that you think no one can fit through and therefore you never worry about. (ie, the heating vent in your bathroom or the small window in your hallway)

See? Scary.

Tooms always returns home after each kill, except during his incarceration his home was torn down and a mall was built. (What? It's an American show. We build malls everywhere.) And what mall did the show use? City Square Mall in Vancouver... which is two blocks from where I live... which is where I did most of my volunteer gift wrapping this December... which now boasts a Starbucks where I am typing this entry right now!!! I. AM. FREAKING. OUT.

The climax of the episode takes place underneath an escalator, where Mulder physically struggles with Tooms and finally kills him by flipping the 'on' switch to escalator.

Bad Guy Go Squish

I Go Grocery Shopping

The final scene takes place outside the shopping center. Naturally, the characters have moved from Maryland to D.C., but in reality they have moved forty feet.

This Dynamic Duo Ponders Their Future

I Wonder if I Can Get Home Before the Rain Starts

So far, the last location discovery was my favorite. An episode I love filmed so close to my home! I have more on the list, though, so stay tuned for more nerdy goodness.

Until then...