[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]FOX announced that 90’s cult-favorite TV-series The X-Files will return once again for a 10 episode run in late 2017 or early 2018. The announcement comes roughly three years after FOX announced the show’s return for a 6 episode run that was highly anticipated by fans but was ultimately received with mixed reviews.
Series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson return as FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Even with the mixed response to the previous event season these two actors were able to tap into the energy and spark that made these characters so magnetic to audiences worldwide to begin with. Seeing them return once again to these roles is exciting, especially after the huge cliff hanger that ended the 6 episode run.
“Iconic characters, rich storytelling, bold creators – these are the hallmarks of great TV shows. And they are some of the reasons why The X-Files has had such a profound impact on millions of fans worldwide,” said Fox Broadcasting Company Prez David Madden. “Chris’ creativity, along with the brilliant work of David and Gillian, continue to propel this pop culture phenomenon, and we can’t wait to see what fresh mysteries Mulder and Scully uncover in this next chapter of The X-Files.”
This new season, technically the series’ 11th, is sure to bring more to the show’s catalogue of episodes silly, weird and unique “monster of the week” stories. In my opinion these were the best of the return episodes and will likely be the same in this new season. The darker, mythology, episodes were the least enjoyable of the return with series creator Chris Carter trying to spin some degree of course correction to the heavy handed Alien Conspiracy story lines of the show’s original run. The problem for me is that the mythology stories have become, even in the new series, focused too heavily on the plot device of the conspiracy to the detriment of actual character development in the show’s leads. They become cogs in the machine during these episodes, there to move the plot strictly from A to B to C. The “monster of the week” episodes free the actors and the writers from the burden of the mythology and thus allow the characters the opportunity to grow and interact with one another in far more nuanced and interesting ways.
The original return of The X-Files satisfied a drought of X-Files material and made fans very happy to see Mulder and Scully return to TV. It will be interesting to see how this new run will be received by fandom. Share your thoughts in the comments below. Are you excited to see Mulder and Scully investigating the paranormal again?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
