XFC: X-Cops

Written By: Vince Gilligan
Directed By: Michael Watkins

From a Micheal Watkins interview.
TVIndustry How did the "X-Cops" episode come about?
Michael Watkins In talks of "X-Files," all the little idiosyncrasies of lenses
and everything we do. But we shot the whole "X-Cops" episode on video.
"Cops" is a real-life television show and it has a huge following and the
banner song, "Bad Boys." They drive around with officers all over the
country. What we did is -- I think it's the 150th episode -- we started off riding
around with sheriff's deputies and then lo and behold, we come across
Mulder and Scully investigating a case. And they get involved in the
television show "Cops." I watched many episodes and met with the creators.
I think it's a delightful episode. It's a huge change from our look -- all those
close-ups and everything. We do one-timers and turn it into that sort of TV
show. I think the fans will like it. It's a lot of fun and it took a lot of courage.
Everyone had to go the other direction to do it.

Is this a one-time occurrence, or do you expect to do more of these
shows?
No. I think it's one special one, right out of the chute. A lot of times we do
fun ones. Chris did one a couple of years ago in black and white. We did one
as a sort of homage to Hitchcock's "Rope," trying not to have edits. Every
now and then, one of these pops out. But this is all by itself. It's a lot of fun.

From Kim on AOL passed on by Numue.
Marking the series' milestone 150th episode on Feb. 20, "X-Cops" was shot
on video entirely in the hand-held, "gun-and-run" style of the FOX series
COPS, and employs many of the trademark COPS devices. In the story,
agents Mulder and Scully are followed documentary-style by a COPS
camera crew throughout the course of their investigation.

From alfornos@aol.com and the new and improved EW with a sense
of humor.
Hey, X Files fans, break out the brewskies and polish up the Pinto, Chris
Carter & Co. are working on a special episode that mimics the style of Fox’s
shaky-cam reality show, COPS. The brainchild of X-Files coexec producer
Vince Gilligan, the episode will follow a rookie cop on the streets of Los
Angeles, where he bumps into Mulder and Scully. “X-Files, in my mind, is
sort of a cool and different COPS,” says Gilligan. Still under consideration is
whether the Feb. 20 show will open with the familiar COPS logo. “We don’t
want people tuning in, seeing COPS, and saying, ‘What the heck? Our show
was preempted this week.’ We need to try to make clear that it’s indeed an
episode of The X-Files.” Okay, but can we at least get to see Mulder in a
grimy tank top.

From the fantabulous Autumn T on AOL.
So here's some info on episode 12 the "Bad Boys" episode. The plan is to
shoot this thing on video "gun and run" style, and even try to copy the COPS
music, legends, and title sequence. They'll curse a lot and bleep out what
won't pass the censors. The COPS in this episode are the Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Department. There is a full moon and a report comes in of a
claw monster lurking about. Oh, and Scully? She *hates* the camera.M+S
happen to be looking for the "claw monster" too when the cops being filmed
run into them and they join forces.

A recap of a few various spoilers already posted to date as
summarized by Paula on AOL--thanks for keeping us all on track :)
7 x 12 is "teased" on the official site this way: Mulder and Scully
accidentally get mixed up with Bad Boys in the Vince Gilligan-scripted
episode #12. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you? Someone else
pointed out that at the LA Expo, Vince mentioned pitching an idea like this
to CC, who apparently shot him down quickly. I guess he's been honing his
powers of persuasion.