The X-Files

Did You Know?

• The Lone Gunmen spin-off series aired on Fox in 2001 and was cancelled after thirteen episodes.
• The first five seasons were filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, before production moved to Los Angeles.

Premise

The X-Files follows FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Mulder is a talented profiler and conspiracy theorist who believes in extraterrestrial life and the paranormal, earning him the nickname "Spooky Mulder" and an assignment to the X-Files division. His belief stems from the claimed alien abduction of his sister Samantha when he was 12, which drives him throughout the series. Scully, a medical doctor and skeptic, is partnered with Mulder to debunk his theories, often supplying scientific explanations for seemingly unexplainable phenomena. Over time, she becomes dissatisfied with her ability to approach cases scientifically and, after Mulder's abduction in the seventh season finale, becomes a "reluctant believer" who explains the paranormal with science. The series also explores the relationship between Mulder and Scully, initially platonic but later romantic. After Mulder's abduction, John Doggett and Monica Reyes join the cast. The original run ends with Mulder subjected to a military tribunal for breaking into Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center; he is found guilty and sentenced to death but escapes with help, becoming a fugitive with Scully.

Cast and characters

Fox Mulder, portrayed by David Duchovny, is an Oxford-educated FBI Special Agent, conspiracy theorist, and criminal profiler who believes in extraterrestrials and a government conspiracy. He works in the X-Files division and makes its study his life's main purpose. After his abduction at the end of season seven, his role diminishes and John Doggett takes on much of his work. Dana Scully, portrayed by Gillian Anderson, is an FBI Special Agent, medical doctor, and scientist who is Mulder's partner. A skeptic who bases her beliefs on scientific explanations, she is also a Catholic. As the series progresses, she becomes more open to the paranormal. In the latter part of season eight, her position is taken by Monica Reyes, and Scully moves to Quantico to teach. John Doggett, portrayed by Robert Patrick in seasons eight and nine, is an FBI Special Agent who first appears in the episode "Within". He served in the Marine Corps and later worked for the NYPD before joining the FBI. After his son's death, he is assigned to the X-Files unit as Scully's partner. Monica Reyes, portrayed by Annabeth Gish, is an FBI Special Agent born and raised in Mexico City. She majored in folklore and mythology at Brown University and earned a master's degree in religious studies. She becomes Doggett's partner after Scully's departure.

Production

Chris Carter, a California native, was given the opportunity to produce new shows for Fox in the early 1990s. Tired of comedies he had worked on for Walt Disney Pictures, he was inspired by a report that 3.7 million Americans believed they may have been abducted by aliens, the Watergate scandal, and the 1970s horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. He wrote the pilot in 1992. Fox executives initially rejected his pitch, but after he fleshed out the concept, they commissioned the pilot. Carter worked with NYPD Blue producer Daniel Sackheim to develop the pilot, drawing stylistic inspiration from the 1988 documentary The Thin Blue Line and the British series Prime Suspect. Other influences included The Twilight Zone, The Silence of the Lambs, and Twin Peaks, which influenced the show's dark atmosphere. Carter kept the relationship between the two leads strictly platonic, basing it on Emma Peel and John Steed from The Avengers. David Duchovny auditioned for the lead after his manager gave him the pilot script; his audition was "terrific" but slow, and Carter initially thought he was not particularly intelligent, though Duchovny later proved to be one of the best-read people Carter knew.

Broadcast and release

The pilot premiered on September 10, 1993, reaching 12 million viewers. Ratings increased through the first season, with the finale garnering 14 million viewers. The first season ranked 105th out of 128 shows. The second season finished 63rd out of 141 shows, and the series became a "cult hit" by Fox standards, making gains among the 18-to-49 demographic. During its third year, the series ranked 55th with an average of 15.40 million viewers, becoming Fox's top-rated program in that demographic. The fourth season episode "Leonard Betts" aired after Super Bowl XXXI and was viewed by 29.1 million viewers, the series' highest-rated episode. The sixth season premiered with "The Beginning", watched by 20.24 million viewers, but ended with lower numbers. The seventh season ranked 29th with 14.20 million viewers. The eighth season opener "Within" was viewed by 15.87 million viewers, an 11% decrease from the seventh season opener. The ninth season premiere "Nothing Important Happened Today" attracted 10.6 million viewers, the series' lowest-rated season premiere.