The X-Files - Vev

The X-Files

Un article de Vev.

Jump to: navigation, search

Modèle:Infobox Television Modèle:See also The X-Files is an American Peabody, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning science fiction television series created by Chris Carter, which first aired on September 10, 1993, and ended on May 19, 2002. The show was one of the American FOX network's first major hits, and its main characters and slogans (e.g., "The Truth Is Out There", "Trust No One", "I Want to Believe") became pop culture touchstones. The X-Files is seen as a defining series of the 1990s, coinciding with the era's widespread mistrust of governments, interest in conspiracy theories and spirituality, and the belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life.<ref name="ST JAMES"> The X-Files 

. St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture

.</ref><ref name="NYT"> Millman, Joyce 



     (05-19-2002)
   
.    The X-Files finds the truth: Its Time is Past 
. The New York Times

.</ref>

In the series, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are tasked with investigating the "X-Files": marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder plays the role of the "believer", having faith in the existence of aliens and the paranormal, while Scully is a skeptic, initially assigned by her departmental superiors to debunk Mulder's unconventional work. As the show progressed, both agents were caught up in a larger conflict, termed "the mythology" or "mytharc" by the show's creators, and developed a close and ambiguous friendship which most saw as romantic more than platonic.<ref name="study"> Scodari, Christine 


 ; Felder, Jenna L. 

       (2000)
     
   
 
.    Creating a Pocket Universe: 'Shippers', Fan Fiction, and The X-Files Online 
. Communication Studies

.</ref> The X-Files also featured stand-alone episodes ranging in tone from horror to comedy, in which Mulder and Scully investigated uniquely bizarre cases without long-term implications on the storyline. These so-called "monster of the week" episodes made up the bulk of the series.

The show's popularity peaked in the mid-to-late 1990s,<ref name="RATINGS"/> leading to a theatrical feature film in 1998. In the last two seasons, Anderson became the star as Duchovny appeared rarely, and new central characters were introduced: FBI Agents John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish). At the time of its final episode, The X-Files was the longest running sci-fi show ever on American television, a title since lost to cable's Stargate SG-1.[citation needed] The show was declared by TV Guide to be the second greatest cult television show<ref> 

  TV Guide's 25 Top Cult Shows

. Retrieved on 2006-08-29. </ref> (Star Trek being number one) and the 37th best television show of all time.<ref> TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows


. Retrieved on 2006-08-29. </ref> In 2007, TIME magazine included the show on their list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time".<ref> 

  Complete List - The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME 
. Time (magazine)

. Retrieved on 2007-10-13. </ref>

Sommaire

[modifier]

Cast of characters

Name Character Years
David Duchovny Special Agent Fox William Mulder 1993 – 2002
Season 8: 12 episodes
Season 9: 1 episode (finale)
Gillian Anderson Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. 1993 – 2002
Mitch Pileggi Assistant Director Walter S. Skinner 1994 – 2001 (guest star)
2001 – 2002 (star)
Robert Patrick Special Agent John Doggett 2000 – 2002
Annabeth Gish Special Agent Monica Reyes 2001 – 2002
[modifier]

Recurring guest characters

Main article: List of recurring characters from The X-Files
Name Character Seasons
William B. Davis C.G.B. Spender, aka Cigarette Smoking Man 1–5, film, 6–7, 9
Jerry Hardin Deep Throat 1, 3–4, 7
Steven Williams X 2–5, 9
Nicholas Lea Alex Krycek 2–9
Brian Thompson Alien Bounty Hunter 2–8
John Neville Well-Manicured Man 3–5, film
Don S. Williams First Elder 3–5, film, 6
Laurie Holden Marita Covarrubias 4–7, 9
Veronica Cartwright Cassandra Spender 5–6
Chris Owens Agent Jeffrey Spender 5–6, 9
Mimi Rogers Agent Diana Fowley 5–7
James Pickens, Jr. Assistant/Deputy Director Alvin Kersh 6, 8–9
Tom Braidwood Melvin Frohike 1–5, film, 6–9
Bruce Harwood John Fitzgerald Byers 1–5, film, 6–9
Dean Haglund Richard Langly 1–5, film, 6–9
Rebecca Toolan Teena Mulder 2–4, 7
Sheila Larken Margaret Scully 1–5, 8–9
[modifier]

Episode types

The X-Files is considered unique in that it combined continuing serial drama elements, such as those often found in miniseries and soap operas, with individual standalone episodes that did not require a viewer to understand the show's history prior to watching.<ref name="study"/> Due to these differing episode types, fans as well as the show's producers commonly divide X-Files episodes into two categories:

  • "Mythology" or "Mytharc" episodes told the tale of a governmental conspiracy revolving around extraterrestrials.
  • Standalone or "Monster-of-the-Week" episodes dealt with paranormal creatures and situations, while generally being unrelated to the series mythology.
[modifier]

Anatomy of an episode

An episode begins with a "teaser", which typically presents some mysterious event that sparks the plot and tells the audience what Mulder and Scully will be investigating during the remainder of the episode. Mulder and Scully themselves appear only rarely in the opening teaser. Exceptions include some mythology episodes as well as personal episodes, where they often appear or provide voiceovers. Teasers vary in length — most are several minutes long, but some are under one minute. Still others are well over five minutes and contain multiple scenes.

The teaser is followed by the opening theme sequence, which was written by Mark Snow, and title sequence (the only exception being the pilot episode). The theme sequence ends with a tagline, usually "The Truth Is Out There", but other phrases have also appeared (see below).

In original airing, a break for commercials appeared after the teaser and theme sequence. The X-Files follows the U.S. network television format, with commercial breaks dividing each episode into four "acts" following the teaser. Each act is approximately 10 minutes in length.

In German television, each episode started with the opening theme sequence and credits (with the tagline replaced by the episode's name) followed by the teaser and the episode.

[modifier]

Mytharc episodes

Major mythology episodes were typically presented as season premieres and finales each year, as well as several times throughout most seasons. They made up about one third of the total episodes, and often occurred as two-parters.

Below is a list of episodes that tell the mythology story, according to The X-Files Mythology DVD series released in 2005. They are listed in original broadcast order, the same order in which they appear on DVD.

[modifier]

Other episodes

Episodes not part of the mythology were usually considered standalone "Monster-of-the-Week" episodes, dealing with paranormal beings or situations apart from the mythology storyline. Several installments also explored the relationship between Mulder and Scully, while others focused on supporting characters such as Walter Skinner or The Lone Gunmen. Chris Carter said he, "wanted to avoid the 'monster of the week' syndrome"<ref name="INT CARTER"/>, so even standalone episodes sometimes involved aliens and government conspiracies, to afford a sense of continuity even during breaks from the main mythology.

[modifier]

Non-paranormal episodes

Nearly every episode of The X-Files involved supernatural or science fiction themes in some way, even if the paranormal plot elements themselves were at times only backdrops for character-driven stories. Nevertheless, there were a small number of episodes that could be viewed as a break from the show's central theme, involving the bizarre or horrific, without being "paranormal" per se. "Irresistible", for example, follows the exploits of a necrophile serial killer.<ref> Tysko, Autumn 




.    Review of "Irresistible"

.</ref> Other examples could be "Home", "The Pine Bluff Variant", and "Hell Money".

[modifier]

Idea and pilot

California native Chris Carter, who had previously met with limited success writing for television, was given the opportunity to produce new shows for the struggling FOX network in the early 1990s. Tired of the comedies he had been working on,<ref name="details">Edwards, Gavin. "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid." Interview with Carter. Details, November 1996. [1]</ref> inspired by a report that 3.7 million Americans may have been abducted by aliens,<ref name="ew"> X Appeal: 'The X-Files' Builds a Cult Following by Following the Occult 

. Entertainment Weekly
 (1994-03-18)

.</ref> and recalling memories of Watergate and 1970s horror show Kolchak: The Night Stalker,<ref name="FAQ2"> Inspirations for The X-Files 

. Chris Carter FAQ

.</ref> Carter came up with the idea for The X-Files and wrote the pilot episode himself in 1992. He initially struggled over the untested concept — executives wanted a love interest for Scully — and casting. The network wanted either a more established or a "taller, leggier, blonder and breastier"<ref> Interview with Gillian Anderson 

. Times Online
 (2007-03-01)

.</ref> actress for Scully than the 24-year-old Gillian Anderson, a theater veteran with minor film experience, whom Carter felt was the only choice after auditions.<ref name="USA AND"> Mansfield, Stephanie 



     (1998=02-01)
   
.    Gillian Anderson: Not What You'd Expect 
. USA Weekend

.</ref><ref name="twentyohsix"> Ryan, Maureen 



     (2006-01-19)
   
.    Interview with Gillian Anderson 
. Chicago Tribune

.</ref> Nevertheless, the pilot with both Anderson and David Duchovny was successfully shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in early 1993, and the show was picked up for the Friday night 9:00PM slot on the American fall TV schedule. Carter started a new company called Ten Thirteen Productions, named after his October 13th birthday, to oversee The X-Files.

Image:Msf74.jpg
Mulder in his basement office, now on display at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum.

Carter's idea was to present FBI agents investigating extraterrestrials and paranormal events, but Carter also wanted to deal directly with the characters' beliefs. Carter said, "I think of myself as a non-religious person looking for religious experience, so I think that's what the characters are sort of doing too."<ref name="CBC"> Interview with Chris Carter 

 (1995-05-1995)

.</ref> Dana Scully, in addition to being the scientific "skeptic" and a trained medical doctor, was open to the Catholic faith in which she was raised; while Fox Mulder, in addition to being an Oxford-educated psychologist and renowned criminal profiler, was the "believer" in space aliens, derisively nicknamed "Spooky Mulder" by his colleagues. Carter said, "Scully's point of view is the point of view of the show. And so the show has to be built on a solid foundation of science, in order to have Mulder take a flight from it... If the science is really good, Scully's got a valid point of view... And Mulder has to then convince her that she's got to throw her arguments out, she's got to accept the unacceptable. And there is the conflict."<ref name="FAQC"> Carter, Chris 




.    Chris Carter FAQ

.</ref> Carter also felt Scully's role as the more rational partner and Mulder's reliance on guesses and intuition subverted the gender roles usually seen on television.<ref name="INT CARTER"> Interview with Chris Carter


.</ref>

In the pilot episode, Scully is assigned to the X-Files as Mulder's partner, in order to serve as a scientific check on Mulder's belief in the paranormal. In later episodes, it becomes apparent that she was actually set up in that role so that the government conspirators could contain the implications of Mulder's work, which they viewed as a danger to their devious plans. Notably, the powerful shadow government official known only as the Cigarette Smoking Man, or "Cancer Man", appears without any spoken lines in the first and last scenes of the pilot episode — although at that point his ongoing importance to the series had not yet been established.<ref name="Vanc1"> Vancouver Province interview with Carter 

 (1998-02-08)

.</ref> The "unresolved sexual tension" between Mulder and Scully was also a central underlying theme from the beginning, although they were each given other brief romantic interests in future episodes. Carter thought the show should be "plot-driven", and was quoted as saying, "I didn't want the relationship to come before the cases."<ref name="Anderson"> Interview with Gillian Anderson 

. Wrapped in Plastic
   (August 1994)

.</ref> For example, throughout the series, Mulder and Scully, with rare exception, refer to each other in a professional manner by using each others' last names, rather than calling each other by their first names, which might seem more personal.

Image:The X-Files season 1 episode 0.jpg
Scene from the "Pilot," written by show creator Chris Carter. Initial episodes for The X-Files dealt with alien abduction.

Carter's superior at FOX, Peter Roth, brought on more experienced staff members from the start, many of whom had previously worked with him at Stephen J. Cannell's production company.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Two of the most highly-regarded writers were Glen Morgan and James Wong. Their contributions to the first two seasons, such as the episode "Beyond the Sea", were particularly popular among fans,<ref name="xwr"> X-Writers


.</ref> television critics,<ref>Modèle:Cite journal</ref> the show's actors, and even Carter himself.<ref name="FAQ"> Carter, Chris 




.    Chris Carter FAQ

.</ref> Morgan and Wong also returned for the first half of the fourth season. Prior to their work on The X-Files, Wong and Morgan had worked extensively with David Nutter, Rob Bowman, and Kim Manners on cop dramas such as The Commish and 21 Jump Street. Nutter, Bowman and Manners all became frequent X-Files directors, with Nutter working on many of the darker episodes in the first three seasons. The duo of Wong and Morgan also had an important role in hiring several supporting actors on the show, as well as John Bartley, the cinematographer who gave The X-Files its early dark atmospheric look, for which he won an Emmy Award in 1996.<ref name="bartley"> 

  The X-Files Undercover: Special Effects & Sound 
 (English)

. Retrieved on 2006-06-10. </ref> Bartley left after the third season and was replaced by directors of photography Ron Stannett, Jon Joffin, and ultimately Joel Ransom until the end of the fifth season.

The show, which made a big move to Los Angeles in its sixth season, was originally going to be filmed in California in the first place. Carter said, "we originally intended to film the pilot in Los Angeles. When we couldn't find a good forest, we made a quick decision to come to Vancouver. As it turned out, it was three weeks that turned into five years. The benefits of being in Vancouver were tremendous."<ref name="Vanc">Strachan, Alex. "X-Files creator bids B.C. sad adieu." Vancouver Sun, March 30, 1998. [2]</ref> The temperate rainforest climate of Vancouver itself was also seen as crucial to The X-Files, allowing directors to create a mysterious, foggy aura,<ref name="transcr"> Transcripts of 'People Online' Chats with Chris Carter 

   (1995)

.</ref> seen as somewhat similar to that of then-recent TV hit Twin Peaks. Responsibility for casting the show fell to Randy Stone,<ref> Randy Stone Obituary


.</ref> who had first recommended both leads to Carter, and to Rick Millikan, who predominately used local Canadian actors.<ref name="deep"> Transcription of Chris Carter Audio Commentary from episode "Deep Throat"


.</ref>

[modifier]

Future of The X-Files

Main article: Untitled X-Files Sequel

The Untitled X-Files Sequel is the second movie based on the series, after the original 1998 film adaptation, The X-Files: Fight the Future. It is currently being filmed in Vancouver, Canada. <ref>http://www.flynetonline.com/2007/12/the-truth-is-in-vancouver/</ref><ref>http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/236266/why_is_xfiles_2_taking_so_long_to_make.html?page=2</ref>

[modifier]

Legacy

[modifier]

Television

The X-Files directly inspired numerous other TV series, including Strange World,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref><ref name = "Xerox Files">Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Burning Zone,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Special Unit 2, Mysterious Ways,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Lost, Carnivàle, Dark Skies,<ref name = "Xerox Files" /> The Visitor,<ref name = "Xerox Files" /> Freaky Links, Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, and Supernatural. A few of these shows actually involved former staff of The X-Files behind the scenes — such as Lost, whose current cinematographer is John Bartley; the mytharc-dominated 24, executive produced by X-Files writer Howard Gordon; Six Feet Under, coproduced by X-Files alum Lori Jo Nemhauser; and Supernatural, involving directors David Nutter and Kim Manners, and writer/producer John Shiban.

The influence can be seen on other levels: television series such as Alias have developed a complex mythology that may bring to mind the "mytharc" of The X-Files. In terms of characterization, the role of Dana Scully was seen as somewhat original, causing a change in "how women [on television] were not just perceived but behaved", and perhaps influencing the portrayal of "strong women" investigators.<ref name="twentyohsix"/> Many procedural dramas also feature a Mulder-esque lead with a supervisor similar to Skinner or Kersh. Some of these procedurals, such as NCIS, feature a quirky technogeek similar to The Lone Gunmen characters.

Musical influence can also be heard in what is now the CW show "Smallville". Mark Snow created many themes for The X-Files, most notably those used in "Fight the Future" and later seasons. Mark Snow has worked on the score for "Smallville" since the show's first episode, but it wasn't until the fourth season that the X-files themes could be easily recognized.

Russell T. Davies said The X-Files had been an inspiration on his current British series Torchwood,<ref>Chris Howell. Sci-Fi Wire. "Russell T. Davies on Torchwood." [

[modifier]

Legacy

[modifier]

Television

The X-Files directly inspired numerous other TV series, including Strange World,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref><ref name = "Xerox Files">Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Burning Zone,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Special Unit 2, Mysterious Ways,<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref> Lost, Carnivàle, Dark Skies,<ref name = "Xerox Files" /> The Visitor,<ref name = "Xerox Files" /> Freaky Links, Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, and Supernatural. A few of these shows actually involved former staff of The X-Files behind the scenes — such as Lost, whose current cinematographer is John Bartley; the mytharc-dominated 24, executive produced by X-Files writer Howard Gordon; Six Feet Under, coproduced by X-Files alum Lori Jo Nemhauser; and Supernatural, involving directors David Nutter and Kim Manners, and writer/producer John Shiban.

The influence can be seen on other levels: television series such as Alias have developed a complex mythology that may bring to mind the "mytharc" of The X-Files. In terms of characterization, the role of Dana Scully was seen as somewhat original, causing a change in "how women [on television] were not just perceived but behaved", and perhaps influencing the portrayal of "strong women" investigators.<ref name="twentyohsix"/> Many procedural dramas also feature a Mulder-esque lead with a supervisor similar to Skinner or Kersh. Some of these procedurals, such as NCIS, feature a quirky technogeek similar to The Lone Gunmen characters.

Musical influence can also be heard in what is now the CW show "Smallville". Mark Snow created many themes for The X-Files, most notably those used in "Fight the Future" and later seasons. Mark Snow has worked on the score for "Smallville" since the show's first episode, but it wasn't until the fourth season that the X-files themes could be easily recognized.

Russell T. Davies said The X-Files had been an inspiration on his current British series Torchwood,<ref>Chris Howell. Sci-Fi Wire. "Russell T. Davies on Torchwood." [ http://www.greatlink.org/shownewsitem.asp?item=5444]</ref> describing it as "dark, wild and sexy... The X Files meets This Life."<ref>Press Release: BBC Three, 17 October 2005</ref> Other shows have been influenced by the tone and mood of The X-Files, e.g., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which drew from the mood and coloring of The X-Files, as well as from its occasional blend of horror and humor. Joss Whedon described his show as a cross between The X-Files and My So-Called Life.<ref>Modèle:Citeweb</ref>

[modifier]

"X-Philes"

As The X-Files saw its viewership expand from a "small, but devoted" group of fans<ref name="cult"> Bonko, Larry 



     (10-15-1994)
   
.    X-FILES: FOX'S SPOOKY SERIES GAINS A FOLLOWING FOX'S SPOOKY SERIES IS GAINING A LOYAL FOLLOWING THAT'S MAKING IT A CULT FAVORITE 
. The Virginian-Pilot

.</ref> to a worldwide mass audience,<ref name="Xerox Files"/> digital telecommunications were also becoming mainstream. According to The New York Times, "this may have been the first show to find its audience growth tied to the growth of the Internet."<ref name="NYT"/> The X-Files was seen to incorporate new technologies into storylines beginning in the early seasons:<ref name="whitehead">Whitehead, Jayson. "Anybody Can Rule", Gadfly, May 6, 2002. [3]</ref> Mulder and Scully communicated on cellular phones, e-mail contact with secret informants provided plot points in episodes such as "Colony" and "Anasazi", while The Lone Gunmen were portrayed as Internet aficionados as early as 1994. Many X-Files fans also had online access. Fans of the show became commonly known as "X-Philes,"<ref name="metroactive">Davis, Rachel Leibrock. "The X-Phile Facts," Metroactive, July 25–31, 1996.</ref> a term coined (from the Greek root "-phil-" meaning love or obsession) on an early Fidonet X-Files message board. In addition to watching the show, X-Philes reviewed episodes themselves on unofficial websites, formed communities with other fans through Usenet newsgroups and listservs,<ref name="metroactive"/> and wrote their own fan fiction.<ref name="study"/> As has also become commonplace in television today, episodes never displayed their titles on screen or in TV Guide; the producers disseminated the information via the Internet.<ref name="xffaq"> The X-Files FAQ


.</ref>

Unusually for the time, review sites and fan groups were also influential on the producers. Chris Carter claimed to read them: "The show originally [from 1993 to 1996] aired at 9 o'clock on Friday night and at 10 o'clock, I could get on the Internet and see what people thought of it."<ref name="ucsb">Spencer, Russ. "A close encounter with Chris Carter." Salon, April 28, 2000. [4]</ref> Writer-producer Glen Morgan also described how he "would come in on Monday and find all these comments from the Internet that you could directly apply to the next episode... When I started out in television, your only input was if your family called you afterwards, they liked the show... What we found out on The X-Files is that there is an intelligent audience that’s out there who doesn’t want TV to just wash over them. They want to talk about things."<ref name="MWNG"> Space Cadets Glen Morgan and James Wong reflect on their X tenure 

. Sci-Fi Universe Magazine
 (1995-10-01)

.</ref>

The writing staff were prohibited from reading unsolicited scripts or fan fiction for legal reasons, but an online fan base and their critiques of the show became crucial to its early survival.<ref name="whitehead"/> "Beyond the Sea", a 1994 episode which received acclaim, was made (over the objections of FOX executives) partly because "several fans had written messages criticizing Scully's character... they decided the fans had a point" in asking for more depth.<ref name="xwr"/> In the episode "E.B.E." from the same period, Deep Throat is "shown to be an unreliable character with questionable motives." According to Morgan, "[the network] thought he was just a guy who should feed Mulder information. We went in with the online comments, which, at the time, were presenting some very challenging, articulate notions about who Deep Throat was and his impact on the show." As a result, FOX aired the episode without forcing any changes.<ref name="MWNG"/> Fans also paid close attention to continuity: "Early on, people were really talking about themes and character, and then they became overwhelmed by people who were totally focused on plot points," according to Morgan. The writers received instant criticism from Internet fans when 1994's "Little Green Men" gave an account of Mulder's sister's abduction that contradicted an earlier episode.<ref name="MWNG"/> Writer Frank Spotnitz came up with the idea for the 1996 mythology episode "Apocrypha" when X-Philes at an X-Files convention reminded him of an unresolved plot thread about Scully's sister.<ref>The X-Files, The Complete Third Season DVD. "The Truth About Season 3" documentary. statement by Frank Spotnitz</ref>

Image:Pusher2.jpg
Scene from "Pusher," an episode from 1996 in which a violent standoff draws Mulder and Scully closer together. Fans discussing it on the Internet may have popularized the term "shipper."<ref name="push"/>

The X-Files also "caught on with viewers who wouldn't ordinarily consider themselves sci-fi fans."<ref name="Xerox Files"/> Chris Carter said the show was plot-driven, while many fans saw it as character-driven.<ref name="study"/> David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were characterized as being "Internet sex symbols."<ref name="NYT"/> As the show grew in popularity, subgroups of fans developed, such as "relationshippers" hoping for a romantic or sexual partnership between Mulder and Scully, or those who already saw one between the lines.<ref name="study"/> The word "shipper" was first used in this context by online X-Files fans on the popular newsgroup alt.tv.x-files as early as mid-1996, responding to an episode in which Mulder and Scully held hands.<ref name="push">[5] (Discussion on "Pusher" from alt.tv.x-files, beginning May 28, 1996, used to reference claim about online discussions)</ref> Other groups arose to pay tribute to the stars,<ref name="metroactive"/> their characters,<ref name="st">Sarah R. Wakefield. "'Your Sister in St. Scully': An Electronic Community of Female Fans of The X-Files — Critical Essay." Journal of Popular Film and Television, Fall 2001. [6]</ref> and even to a small supporting role, Agent Pendrell,<ref>http://pendrell.tripod.com/</ref> while others formed a subculture of erotic "slash" fiction.<ref name="study"/> As of summer 1996, a journalist wrote, "there are entire forums online devoted to the 'M/S' relationship."<ref name="metroactive"/> In addition to "MOTW" (monster of the week), Internet fans invented acronymns such as "UST" (unresolved sexual tension) and "COTR" (conversation on the rock) to aid in their discussions of the agents' relationship, which was itself identified as the "MSR."<ref>Clerc, Susan J. "DDEB, GATB, MPPB, and Ratboy: The X-Files' Media Fandom, Online and Off" in Deny All Knowledge: Reading The X-Files, 1996. ed. David Lavery.</ref>

The producers did not endorse some fans' readings, according to a study on the subject: "Not content to allow Shippers to perceive what they wish, Carter has consistently reassured NoRomos [those against the idea of a Mulder/Scully romance] that theirs is the preferred reading. This allows him the plausible deniability to credit the show's success to his original plan even though many watched in anticipation of a romance, thanks, in part, to his strategic polysemy. He can deny that these fans had reason to do so, however, since he has repeatedly stated that a romance was not and would never be."<ref name="study"/> The Scully-obsessed writer in Carter's 1999 episode "Milagro" was read by some as his alter ego, realizing that by this point "she has fallen for Mulder despite his authorial intent."<ref name="study"/> One 1995 episode, "2Shy", about a mutant who lured insecure women with poetry in chat rooms and then killed them by sucking the fat from their bodies, was seen as a possible dig at online fans. However, writers sometimes paid tribute to the more visible fans by naming minor characters after them.<ref name="metroactive"/><ref name="whitehead"/>

[modifier]

Influences on the show

[modifier]

Television

Chris Carter listed television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Tales from the Darkside and especially Kolchak: The Night Stalker as his major influences for the show. Carter said, "Remembering that show, which I loved, I said to the FOX executives, 'There's nothing scary on network television anymore. Let's do a scary show.'"<ref name="cult"/> Actor Darren McGavin, who played Carl Kolchak in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, appeared in two episodes of The X-Files as Agent Arthur Dales, a character described as the "father of The X-Files."

Carter has mentioned that the relationship between Mulder and Scully (platonic but with sexual tension) was influenced by the chemistry between John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) in the 1960s British spy TV program The Avengers.<ref name="cyber"> Winston,John 



       (1993)
     
   
 
.    Interview with Chris Carter 
. Cyberspace Vanguard Magazine

.</ref> One journalist documented possible influence from Nigel Kneale's Quatermass series and its various television and film iterations.<ref>"Muldermass and the Pit", The 11th Hour Web Magazine, September 1999. [7]</ref> Kneale was invited to write for The X-Files, but declined the offer.<ref name="kneale">" 

   Nigel Kneale 
     
 " , The Times
  , 2006-11-02
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-02-13
 . </ref>

The early 1990s cult hit Twin Peaks is seen as a major influence on the show's dark atmosphere and its often surreal blend of drama and irony. David Duchovny had appeared as a cross-dressing DEA agent in Twin Peaks, and the character of Mulder was seen as a parallel to the show's FBI Agent Dale Cooper.<ref name="NYT"/> Both shows were filmed in the Pacific Northwest.

[modifier]

Film

The producers and writers have cited All the President's Men, Three Days of the Condor, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rashomon, The Thing, The Boys from Brazil, The Silence of the Lambs,<ref name="FAQ2"/> and JFK as influences on the series. Gangster films such as the Godfather trilogy are also frequently referenced in the show's conspiracy plotlines, particularly concerning the Syndicate. A scene at the end of the episode "Redux II" (5X03), for instance, directly mirrors the famous baptism montage at the end of The Godfather. Chris Carter's use of continuous takes in "Triangle" (6X03) was modeled on Hitchcock's Rope. Other episodes written by Carter made numerous references to other films, as did those by Darin Morgan.

[modifier]

Awards

Over the course of its nine seasons, the show was nominated for 141 awards, winning a total of 61 individual awards from 24 different agencies, including the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Environmental Media Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.<ref name="awards"> 

  IMDb Award Page for The X-Files

. Retrieved on 2006-06-10. </ref> The X-Files also won a Peabody Award in 1996, during its third season.

The show earned a total of 16 Emmys; two for acting, one for writing, and 13 for various technical categories. In September 1994, The X-Files won its first award, the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Graphic Design and Title Sequences.

Peter Boyle later won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of the title character in the third-season episode "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose". In the same year, Darin Morgan won the Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Drama Series for the same episode. "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" was one of four highly-acclaimed episodes Morgan wrote during his short time on the show's writing staff. In 1997, both Duchovny and Anderson won Golden Globe awards for the best male and female actors in a drama series. Later that year, Anderson won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Throughout its run, The X-Files also won Emmy awards in seven technical categories: Graphic Design and Title Sequences, Cinematography, Sound Editing and Mixing, Art Direction, Single Camera Picture Editing, Makeup, and Special Visual Effects. It was additionally nominated for 15 Saturn Awards, and its wins include 3 for Best Network Television Series, 1 for Best Actress on Television (Gillian Anderson), and 1 for Best Actor on Television (Robert Patrick).

[modifier]

Broadcast history

The first season of The X-Files premiered on September 10, 1993 on FOX. In the United Kingdom it first aired on satellite television channel Sky One January 19, 1994 before being shown to a wider audience on the terrestrial channel BBC2 from September 19, airing at 21:00. Since then, it has expanded into other countries across the world (including Canada, Mexico and throughout Latin America, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Germany, Poland, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, South Africa, France, Malaysia, Italy, China, Taiwan, Brazil, Thailand,Turkey, Switzerland, Serbia, Bulgaria and Japan), either being dubbed or subtitled to accommodate for foreign language viewers.<ref name="xffaq"/>

For the first few years of its run, its ratings steadily increased, reaching its zenith in terms of ratings by its fifth season.<ref name="RATINGS"/> Season 4's "Leonard Betts" which aired on FOX after the Super Bowl in 1997, holds the record for the highest rated episode in the United States. The next 15 highest Nielsen ratings were for "Redux" (5X02), "Redux II" (5X03), "El Mundo Gira" (4X11), "Herrenvolk" (4X01), "Detour" (5X04), "Small Potatoes" (4X20), "Never Again" (4X13), "Unusual Suspects" (5X01), "Schizogeny" (5X09), "Christmas Carol" (5x05), "Gethsemane" (4X24), "Chinga" (5x10), "Patient X" (5X13), "The Rain King" (6ABX07) and "Emily" (5X07).<ref name="RATINGS"> X-Files Nielsen ratings 1993–2002


.</ref>

The show was first syndicated in the U.S. on a Fox-owned cable channel, FX. This arrangement resulted in a 1999 lawsuit from David Duchovny, claiming the contract had not been open to fair bidding. The suit was settled out of court.<ref name="LAWSUIT">Aspan, Maria. "'X-Files' Are Closed; a Lawsuit Opens." The New York Times, January 30, 2006. [8]</ref> The X-Files reruns are currently being shown on TNT and the Sci-Fi Channel, among others. Chris Carter filed his own lawsuit over syndication issues against 20th Century Fox Television on December 30, 2005; this was seen as the main impediment to plans for a second X-Files film. The lawsuit has been recently settled. The second film is scheduled to start filming on December 10, 2007.

[modifier]

Taglines

Modèle:Wikiquote

The phrase "The Truth is Out There" is usually shown on screen at the end of the opening credits sequence. However, over the course of the series, this phrase would occasionally be replaced with a different phrase, especially for "mytharc" episodes.

  • Trust No One — "The Erlenmeyer Flask"
  • Deny Everything — "Ascension"
  • éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é — "Anasazi" (Navajo: The truth is out there)
  • Apology is Policy — "731"
  • Everything Dies — "Herrenvolk" (German: Master race)
  • Deceive Inveigle Obfuscate — "Teliko"
  • E pur si muove — "Terma" (Italian: And still it moves — attributed to Galileo)
  • Believe the Lie — "Gethsemane"
  • All Lies Lead to the Truth — "Redux"
  • Resist or Serve — "The Red and the Black"
  • The End — "The End"
  • Die Wahrheit ist irgendwo da draußen — "Triangle" (German: The truth is out there.. somewhere)
  • In the Big Inning — "The Unnatural" (a baseball-themed episode)
  • Amor Fati — "Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati" (Latin: Love of fate)
  • Believe to Understand — "Closure"
  • Nothing Important Happened Today — "Nothing Important Happened Today II"
  • erehT tuO si hturT ehT — "4D" (The Truth is Out There backwards)
  • They're Watching — "Trust No 1"
  • Dio ti ama — "Improbable" (Italian: God loves you)
[modifier]

Merchandise

Main article: The X-Files merchandise

The X-Files-related merchandise includes:

  • VHS and DVD episode sets
  • CDs
  • video games
  • T-shirts
  • collector's edition Barbie and Ken dolls as Scully and Mulder
  • action figures based on the film
  • a magazine devoted to the show

The entire series is currently available on DVD by season. Also available are "mythology" sets which were compilations of episodes that related to its "mytharc" storyline. Forty-eight episodes, selected to represent the best of the show's first four seasons, were also made available on VHS. Video game titles include The X-Files: The Game, The X-Files: Unrestricted Access and The X-Files: Resist or Serve, which expand on the show's storyline.

[modifier]

Ten Thirteen Productions

Chris Carter founded Ten Thirteen Productions to produce The X-Files, and later produced other shows under that company name. The shows were often shown to be related to one another, and references from one show to the next were often made:

[modifier]

Millennium

  • The X-Files fourth season episode "Never Again": Agent Dana Scully goes to a tattoo parlor at the behest of her new acquaintance Ed Jerse. While there she selects a tattoo called an Ouroboros, a depiction of a serpent, coiled into a circle, eating its own tail. This emblem was the logo for the television series Millennium and the fictional group after which the program is named. The episode was written by Glen Morgan & James Wong, who were frequent contributors to Millennium.
  • The X-Files seventh season episode "Millennium": Lance Henriksen and Brittany Tiplady make their final appearances as Millennium characters Frank and Jordan Black. Millennium had been canceled earlier that year, after its third season.
  • Millennium first season episode "Lamentation" (written by Chris Carter): The main character, Frank Black, visits the FBI building and Mulder and Scully are briefly seen descending a stairway. In fact, they are Duchovny and Andersons' stand-ins.<ref> Millennium Episode 117


.</ref>

  • Millennium second season episode "Jose Chung's Doomsday Defense": The writer Jose Chung appears, who was first seen in the The X-Files episode, "Jose Chung's From Outer Space". Both episodes were written by Darin Morgan.
  • Millennium third season episode "The Time Is Now": Character Peter Watts (Terry O'Quinn) picks up a "Morley" cigarette butt, indicating that the nefarious X-Files character, Cigarette Smoking Man, has been lurking in the vicinity recently.
[modifier]

Harsh Realm

This brief 1999 series was based on a graphic novel. Gillian Anderson provided voiceovers in the pilot episode, and Terry O'Quinn, who costarred in Millennium and guest starred in several X-Files episodes and the feature film, had a large role. Scott Bairstow, who starred in The X-Files episode "Miracle Man," also had a lead role.

[modifier]

The Lone Gunmen

This show was a short-lived spinoff that revolved around The X-Files' "The Lone Gunmen" characters: John Fitzgerald Byers, Richard Langly (aka "Ringo") and Melvin Frohike. The show occasionally featured guest appearances by The X-Files characters, such as Walter Skinner in the episode "The Lying Game"; and Fox Mulder and Morris Fletcher in the finale episode, "All About Yves". With the cancellation of The Lone Gunmen series coming after a cliffhanger finale, The X-Files episode "Jump the Shark" served as its resolution, showing the trio getting killed while attempting to stop the release of a contagion. It also featured other characters from The Lone Gunmen show.

[modifier]

See also

[modifier]

References

<references />
[modifier]

Further reading

[modifier]

Books

  • Jeanne Cavelos, The Science of the X-Files (New York : Berkley Boulevard Books, 199Image:Cool.gif, 288 pp.
  • N.E. Genge, The Unofficial X-Files (New York: Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1995), 228 pp.
  • James Hatfield and George "Doc" Burt, The Unauthorized X-Files (New York: MJF Books, 1996), 309 pp.
  • Dean A. Kowalski (ed.), The Philosophy of The X-Files (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2007), 275 pp.
  • David Lavery (ed.), Deny All Knowledge: Reading The X-Files (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1996), 280 pp.
  • Brian Lowry, Trust No One: The Official Third Season Guide to The X Files (New York: Harper Prism, 1996), 266 pp.
[modifier]

Essays

[modifier]

External links

Modèle:Start box Modèle:Succession box Modèle:Succession box Modèle:End box


Preceded by
Friends
1996 		Super Bowl
lead-out program
1997 		Succeeded by
3rd Rock from the Sun
1998

Modèle:Xfiles

Modèle:Footer TV and Films James Wong and Glen Morgan

Modèle:DEFAULTSORT:X-Files, Thear:الملفات الغامضة bn:দি এক্স ফাইল্‌স zh-min-nan:X Tóng-àn bg:Досиетата Х cs:Akta X da:Strengt fortroligt de:Akte X et:Salatoimikud el:The X-Files es:The X-Files fr:X-Files, aux frontières du réel gl:The X-Files ko:엑스파일 id:The X-Files it:X-Files he:תיקים באפלה hu:X-akták nl:The X-Files ja:Xファイル no:X-Files pl:Z Archiwum X pt:The X-Files ro:Dosarele X ru:Секретные материалы (телесериал) simple:The X-Files sk:Akty X sl:Dosjeji X sr:Досије икс fi:Salaiset kansiot sv:Arkiv X vi:The X-Files tr:Gizli Dosyalar uk:Секретні матеріали (телесеріал) zh:X档案

Récupérée de « http://herveleblouch.free.fr/vev/index.php/The_X-Files »