The rearview mirror: Saying goodbye to Ash vs Evil Dead and The X-Files

The X-Files

The X-Files – Season 1 – Scully and Mulder – Courtesy of Fox

The truth was out there. I started watching this particular series way back in 1993. Buzz was strong and I was anticipating its debut for months.

Honestly, it was sort of like a match made in heaven. UFO’s, paranormal stories, what is not to love about it? David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson became the “it” couple. Every guy wanted a Dana Scully and every girl wanted a Fox Mulder.

For 9 seasons we had this glorious show. There were so many classic episodes from Little Green Men to The Host to Home and Anasazi, the list goes on and on. Most viewers enjoyed the Monster of the Week shows. I preferred the mythology arcs.

In May of 2002, The X-Files were shut down. Ratings had been lagging ever since David Duchovny left the show despite Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish and Gillian Anderson’s stellar efforts.

Then something wonderful happened. In 2016, after being off the air for 14 years, Chris Carter and company revived the show. It received a 6-episode order from Fox. While I was ecstatic, some fans were not. They didn’t like the caliber of story-telling.

I relished seeing the band back together again. The chemistry was still there but it was different. Mulder and Scully had a relationship. They were struggling with the loss of William. Of course, everything evolved. It wouldn’t be exactly like 1993. Plus, Duchovny and Anderson were older.

I happened to like the fact that Carter let the characters age. There was no strategic lighting or haze filters. Mulder and Scully looked like a middle-aged couple.