On September 10, 1993 - exactly 30 years ago - the 'X-Files' pilot episode 'Drawn' appeared on the U.S. Fox channel - and established a pop culture phenomenon. In 218 episodes and two rather average, even financially not particularly successful feature films, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny, 63) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson, 55) investigated somewhere in a gloomy, often rainy or foggy U.S. province riddled with paranoia and supernatural phenomena.
It was the early days of the Internet, which allowed devotees of conspiracy theories to network and share wacky ideas in ways previously unheard of. Fans of the new mystery, sci-fi and horror series also quickly organized online, while at the time new technological devices and inventions such as cell phones and e-mail became central to some 'X-Files' episodes.
Viewers' imaginations were particularly fired by an overarching storyline that was spread across individual episodes in a season over the entire run of 'The X-Files'. But this alien conspiracy storyline actually came about more by chance: Actress Anderson became pregnant before the production of season two, which is why a recasting of the character Scully was briefly considered.
But then the creators decided to abduct Scully within the world of the series. Thus, her actress could temporarily sit out - and the story about aliens, who ultimately strive for the colonization of Earth, was born.
Mulder and Scully: A perfect team
Of course, 'The X-Files' did not come close to the production standards of modern prestige series like 'Breaking Bad' (2008-2013) or 'Game of Thrones' (2011-2019) in the mid- and late 1990s. For example, the aliens often appeared in the form of bright, glaring light, or resembled - when their bodies could be seen - stereotypical little green men, as they already trashy sci-fi B-movies of the 1950s or 1960s or the film parody 'Mars Attacks!' (1996) had to offer.
However,'The X-Files' was largely carried by the two formidable lead actors Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Their characters were basically extremely woodcut-like opposites. He the FBI agent who has the famous alien poster "I Want to Believe" hanging in his office, and assumes the existence of supernatural phenomena. She the studied doctor and natural scientist, looking for tangible evidence and rational explanations in an extremely commendable way for female law enforcement officers.
Something elusive about Duchovny and Anderson's portrayal of these two characters captured the imagination of millions of TV viewers. Given the undeniable chemistry between the two leads, TV audiences quickly wished for a romantic relationship between the protagonists as well. Series creator Chris Carter (66), however, denied the fans and viewers of the series this wish for a long time, before Mulder and Scully were finally allowed to cautiously come together.
Paranoia and conspiracies of dark forces
"I remember asking myself, 'Do viewers really want to see a series about aliens?", Mulder actor Duchovny once revealed his thoughts from the time of the production's launch. The fear of the later 'Californication' star, however, was to prove completely unfounded.
In the early 1990s, shortly after the end of the Cold War, U.S. television audiences were ripe for a mainstream show that dealt with American monsters - not the least of which was the U.S. government.
At times, 'The X-Files' dealt with Cold War-era crimes, such as the assassinations of John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) or Martin Luther King (1929-1968), or experiments on soldiers. Then again, Mulder and Scully were horrified to discover that, in truth, a group of powerful men within the U.S. government and society, acting in secret, were pulling the strings.
However, showrunner Carter - a master of innuendo and ambiguity - never really resolved his alien storyline, which had begun so brilliantly, satisfactorily, which caused considerable frustration among viewers as the series progressed.
When lead actor Duchovny demanded a change of location, clashed with the Fox channel over financial issues, and subsequently appeared only sparingly in the series, the creeping end of 'The X-Files' was sealed.
The end of the 'X-Files' franchise
In 2002, the last episode for the time being flickered across Fox's screens. The finale of season nine was followed six years later by the second feature film 'The X-Files - Beyond the Truth' (2008), before two more revival seasons appeared in 2016 and 2018.
Then in January 2018, Scully actress Gillian Anderson declared, "It's time for me to hang up Scully's hat. That's just the way it is." Reportedly, 'Black Panther 1 and 2' director Ryan Coogler (37) is working on a revival of the series with a diverse cast for the future.
An animated series titled 'The X-Files: Albuquerque' was also in development in the interim, but nothing has been heard of this project for several years. So whether the truth is still out there, the coming years will show. The time of Scully and Mulder - that much seems certain - is probably over for good.
