112 - Not Making it Palatable ("Christmas Carol")

We Want To Believe is an X-Files podcast where hosts Helen and Liz dive deep into individual episodes of the classic series. In this episode, they discuss "Christmas Carol," which they describe as a serious, high-quality installment. The hosts maintain relatively tight focus on the episode itself, though they do venture into a couple of tangents—notably about a green glass chicken and Liz's expressed dislike of dream sequences. Helen apparently performs multiple character voices during the discussion, adding an entertainment layer to the analysis. The episode runs just over an hour, suggesting a thorough but not exhaustive treatment of the material. Based on the framing, the discussion likely covers the episode's themes, plot elements, character work, and production quality, with the hosts offering critical perspective rather than simple recap. The show notes emphasize that despite some minor digressions, the hosts "keep it pretty focused," suggesting they maintain discipline around their core subject matter while still allowing for personality and humor to emerge.

Verdict: A competent, personality-driven episode discussion that stays on topic and entertains, but lacks evidence of deep critical insight or insider knowledge to distinguish it from standard fan podcast fare.

TV & Film rubric

• Critical insight 3/5 25%

  Described as discussing a 'serious, high-quality episode' with focus maintained, suggesting analytical engagement, but show notes don't detail specific critical arguments or interpretations offered.

• Behind-the-scenes knowledge n/a

  No information provided about craft discussion, production details, or insider access to X-Files creators or cast.

• Entertainment 3/5 19%

  Helen's multiple voices and tangential asides (green glass chicken) suggest personality and humor, but limited detail on how engaging or lively the overall discussion is.

• Substance 3/5 19%

  Show notes indicate focused discussion of the episode with some tangents acknowledged; 63 minutes suggests reasonable depth, but no detail on density of ideas or information provided.

• Delivers on its title 4/5 19%

  Title promises discussion of 'Christmas Carol' episode and hosts explicitly cover that episode with maintained focus, though the phrase 'Not Making it Palatable' in the title isn't explained in show notes.

• Value for time 3/5 19%

  Just over an hour with acknowledged tangents suggests reasonable pacing, but show notes don't clarify whether the length is earned or if there's padding.

How we score TV & Film

Worth it if you're an X-Files fan who enjoys casual, character-driven episode analysis with hosts who bring humor and personality to the conversation.

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.