In March 2015, it was announced that the much-loved television show, The X-Files, would be retuning for a miniseries in early 2016, and fans were absolutely ecstatic. The original series, running from 1993-2002, spanning nine seasons, and two hundred and two episodes, quickly developed a cult following, due to the growth of communication technology (the internet). Following the characters of Agents Mulder and Scully, members of the FBI who investigate the unexplained, which almost always turns out to be supernatural, or science-fiction (namely, Aliens), the television was ultimately a defining step forward in the development of popular science-fiction or fantasy based series. Disregarding the typical genius and sidekick partnership akin to the Sherlock Holmes series, the partnership between Mulder and Scully is a more equal one, perhaps providing a better relationship between the pair, one of the explanations for the show’s popularity. Whatever the reason, The X-Files is certainly an iconic show, and hopefully the miniseries reboot will continue its legacy.
The X-Files begins with Agent Fox Mulder of the FBI, a dedicated and talented profiler. Unfortunately, many of his co-workers refuse to take him seriously, due to his dogmatic belief in the Supernatural (which, by the way, earned him the nickname ‘Spooky”). The story starts when Agent Mulder is assigned to a little-known department that deals with the unexplainable (A.K.A Supernatural) cases, named, unsurprisingly, ‘The X-Files’. Mulder’s belief in the supernatural stems from the claimed abduction of his sister Samantha, when he was 12 years old, something that drives Mulder through the rest of the series. Of course, this thirst for revenge, and desperation to find evidence of the Supernatural makes Mulder less than objective in regards to his cases, which is why he is assigned his partner, Scully. Agent Dana Scully is certainly more sceptical than her counter-part, balancing out each paranormal case with a scientific explanation, until the truth is discovered. The partnership of the sceptic and the believer certainly balances out more than the genius and the sidekick, providing a more equal relationship between the characters.
The show not only inspired a generation of sci-fi lovers, but several science-fiction television shows; namely “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and “Torchwood” both Russell T. Davis and Joss Whedon cite the show as being their inspiration, as well as having launched the careers of Bryan Cranston (Walter White from Breaking Bad), and the use of mythology as a story arch (which both “Supernatural” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”). These are a few of the many contributions that the show has given to the world of science fiction; this, combined with the influence it has had on its many fans, will hopefully be visible in the new series, as it carries on Mulder and Scully’s legacy.
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