On September 10, 1993, the TV show “The X-Files” made its debut in the USA. A celebration of the 20th anniversary already happened at the Comic-Con in San Diego with the show’s protagonists but surely today many fans will celebrate with meetings, parties, and rewatching the pilot episode and possibly other ones.

In the early ’90s, the creator of “The X-Files’ Chris Carter wanted to produce a TV show that would give the viewer the feeling he was given when he was a kid watching shows such as” The Twilight Zone”. Carter didn’t intend to make an anthology series so his main inspiration was “The Night Stalker”, a TV movie that was followed by another and then by the TV show “Kolchack: The Night Stalker” in which a reporter ran into strange crimes with paranormal or science fiction causes.

The great success of the movie “The Silence of the Lambs” gave Chris Carter the idea of ​​having two FBI agents as protagonists of his show. The journalist Kolchack randomly came across strange cases, in “The X-Files” it was personal because Special Agent Fox Mulder had witnessed the abduction of his sister in circumstances out of the ordinary when he was 12 years old. Marked by that experience, he started investigating alien abduction and strange cases in general and requested to be assigned to the FBI X-Files section, which handles those cases, without worrying about the fact that he was throwing away his career.

Special Agent Dana Scully is assigned to the X-Files basically to spy on Mulder and prevent him from violating regulations in his investigations but she soon finds herself caught up in strange events. She has a degree in medicine and applies her skepticism to the cases they investigate but learns to respect her colleague.

The cast of “X-Files” consists of:

• David Duchovny as Fox Mulder (seasons 1-7, recurring in the others)
• Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully
• Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner (recurring in seasons 1-8, season 9)
• Robert Patrick as John Doggett (seasons 8-9)
• Annabeth Gish as Monica Reyes (recurring in season 8, season 9)
• William B. Davis as the Smoking Man (recurring)

The first season of “The X-Files” had an audience good and growing in its last episodes but not extraordinary. It soon became a cult show among fans who appreciated the cases of various types which usually ended up leaving some open mystery and the characters. Between the two protagonists there was at least initially only a professional relationship, an element wanted by Chris Carter.

During the first season the first recurring characters appeared: the Smoking Man, Assistant Director Skinner, the Lone Gunmen Byers, Frohike and Langly and Mulder’s first informant, known as “Deep Throat”. It’s also thanks to them that the development of the show’s “mythology” started, based on conspiracies and relationships with aliens.

In the second season the audience greatly increased in the USA and several episodes were used to develop “The X-Files” mythology. This choice was also forced by Gillian Anderson’s pregnancy, who led the writers to create a story arc to justify her absence or at least a very reduced role so that she could avoid any efforts in some episodes.

The second season marked the debut of some other more or less important recurring characters: Senator Richard Matheson, a tribute to the great writer who passed away some time ago, a new informant for Mulder simply known as X, the hated Alex Krycek, the alien hunter and some accomplices of the Smoking Man in the conspiracy.

“The X-Files” became a television phenomenon far beyond any niche and went on having successful seasons in which there were still episodes with autonomous stories but also others that developed the show’s mythology. Mulder and Scully’s were also involved, sometimes paying a heavy price for the investigation of their relatives .

During these seasons other recurring characters were introduced such as Marita Covarrubias, Special Agent Jeffrey Spender, his mother Cassandra Spender, the Assistant Director / Deputy Director Kersh, and Special Agent Diana Fowley.

Chris Carter wanted to explore “The X-Files” mythology in a broader way and managed to produce a movie, known only as “The X-Files” or as “The X-Files: Fight the Future”. Its story takes place between the fifth and the sixth season of the TV show. Despite the success of the movie, the ratings of the show started a decline that continued until the end.

Perhaps the series had offered its best in its early seasons and the mythology was now beginning to fold on itself so much as to make less and less sense. The seventh season also included the episode “Millennium”, a sort of end to the TV show of the same name, which had lasted three seasons.

A dispute between David Duchovny and the production led to an interruption in the Mulder’s presence in the show. This character was the story’s main drive so his absence contributed to the decline of the ratings. His place as the protagonist was taken from the eighth season by Special Agent John Doggett. In the same season there was also the debut of Special Agent Monica Reyes, who became a star of the ninth season.

During the eighth season, there was also the beginning of the spin-off “The Lone Gunmen”, starring the three Mulder’s friends. This show wasn’t very successful and was canceled after one season of 13 episodes. In the ninth season of “The X-Files”, the episode “Jump the Shark” closed the story of the Lone Gunmen.

The new protagonists of the last two seasons of “The X-Files” brought a breath of fresh air in the show but the ninth season’s ratings were disappointing, leading to the end of the show. Chris Carter wanted to produce a second movie but a number of problems caused such delays that “The X-Files – I Want to Believe” was released only in 2008. The story is independent from the mythology but isn’t strong enough to satisfy the audience so the movie had limited success and rather negative criticism.

Despite everything, a few years ago Chris Carter already stated stating that he wanted to produce a third movie based on “The X-Files”, this time linked to the show’s mythology. If it gets really produced, let’s hope that the quality is good and not just a way to milk the fans. Obviously, I want to believe. 😉

“The X-Files” was a very long long, perhaps too long, but overall its quality was high. The stories were often very exciting, well created to maintain the tension, but a certain amount of humor has also helped to make us like the protagonists. The authors have done well to rework themes not exactly original, accompanied by the terrific music by Mark Snow, creating a show that’s already rightly considered a classic of television.

Let’s celebrate “The X-Files” while waiting for new revelations about the alien colonization plans. The truth is out there. 🙂