The Lone Gunmen

Amusing, enjoyable, interesting and doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewer? That makes it basically deadmeat as far as US TV executives are concerned. It's really depressing sometimes. We've finally got this ace show in the UK, and I come to IMDB to find out that it's been cancelled.

The Lone Gunmen is a spin-off from the X-Files - but don't let that put you off. This isn't the same kind of po-faced, labyrinthine nonsense that plagues the later years of the parent show. It's fun... and it's about a bunch of people who are individually very good at one thing, suck at everything else. Put them together as a group, and they somehow bungle their way through with amusing results.

It's class, and it's got characters you can identify with and like despite their flaws.

The Lone Gunmen were such minor characters in the X-Files I wasn't sure if they'd make for good subjects of a TV show. I was wrong (sort of). The show turned out to be much better than could have been expected.

The producers did have the savvy to add a couple of additional characters which strengthened the basic structure of the show. Without Jimmy Bond and Yves Adele Harlow, I think the show would have gotten bogged down with the quirkiness of the trio. In addition, the new characters brought in some fresh blood, which pumped some life into the premise.

Jimmy Bond was a cartoonish, Dudley-Do-Rightish character, but somehow the actor managed to pull it off so that Jimmy was increasingly interesting, and started to have some depth to him.

Harlow, played by Zuleikha Robinson, gave the show some needed class and mystery. She also happens to have been one of the most stunningly beautiful women I've ever seen on TV, and one of the most exotic. Robinson gave Harlow a dry wit and subtle mannerisms that both contrasted with and played off the almost clownish humor of the other characters. Robinson needs more work in film or TV.

The main trio are solid actors, and their characters were interesting. The plots were odd, often humorous, and generally very interesting. The soundtrack to the show was very distinct; I liked the theme, and the way the theme worked its way into the incidental music of the show. Plus, there was some great use of current music, like that of Fatboy Slim.

Overall, this show had a lot of potential, but probably failed to attract viewers due to its offbeat characters. I felt this was a strength of the show, and provided some much-needed variety to network TV. I wish it had lasted at least a full season; the handful of episodes that were made will hopefully crop up somewhere - the Sci-Fi Channel, perhaps? - so that they can be taped.

This series is everything that the X-Files used to to be: fast, clever, brash and intelligent, but now they've added one more: funny! I love this show with its eccentric characters, intelligent stories and far-out adventures as it takes us into and tries to prove conspiracies and shadow governments. Almost believable in it's execution, the show deserves to be call a "break-out hit," and a worthy occupant in the vacuum left on Friday in the absence of "Freaky Links" and the new "Dark Shadows." If only "Scariest Places On Earth" ran one hour later, then I wouldn't have to tape and watch one or the other.

Why was this show canceled? WHY????????

The core of the show was a few blokes, and a woman bodge their way through a different story every week, and despite themselves solve the story.

Nothing to mentally strenuous, but still entertaining. Its hard to combine action, comedy and a plot, but the creators of TLG have managed it. And even better than that not gone the teen/buffy route either.

But I go back to my first line... Why was it canceled? Its wasnt low quality, it was well written, shot, etc, etc, just like its stable mate The X-Files.

Please someone pick the franchise up!!!!!!

The Lone Gunmen were basically comic relief on "The X-Files". This show is proof that a little is usually just enough. This show doesn't know if it wants to be goofy or serious, and doesn't do well enough at either. Maybe Mr. Carter would have been better off turning the three conspiracy experts' exploits into a graphic novel, than into a weekly TV series.