X-Files Discussion and Appreciation Thread

[Lorne]

Thanks for posting these, Alan.

"The recent run of X-Files episodes was considered a mild success..."

With the high ratings it received in the States, I wouldn't characterize it as a "mild success" in an article posted on a site called business2communtiy.com. Quality-wise is arguable, but also subjective, and not very applicable to the business interests of Fox or its affiliates.

[losernerdfriend]

Thanks for posting these, Alan.

"The recent run of X-Files episodes was considered a mild success..."

With the high ratings it received in the States, I wouldn't characterize it as a "mild success" in an article posted on a site called business2communtiy.com.

I think it's hard to tell if it was mild or not. It did fantastic ratings-wise for the first two episodes, but I thought it plateaued by the end? Like it wasn't the top rated program every episode... The +3 and +7 ratings helped, but I think other programs still performed better... I might be remembering wrong tho. >.<

Anyways, it's a hard thing to look at because I think in terms of the reboot craze, it did fantastic. But there are new programs out that are getting better audiences then TXF received.

[Alan]

posted: 5/14/2016 7:00 AM
How technology changed 'The X-Files,' on-screen and off
By Hayley Tsukayama
Washington Post

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...ess/160519991/

Earlier this year, "The X-Files" got its chance at a reboot, with six new episodes filmed after fans campaigned to bring the show back. The new episodes were set 14 years after the series ended -- mirroring the real world since the Fox series went off the air in 2002.

But a lot has changed since then. How should Agents Mulder and Scully adjust to a brave new world of smartphones, streaming video and social media? Series creator Chris Carter, who was in Washington last month as part of the Smithsonian's "The Future is Here" festival, took some time to chat about how changing technology has affected the "X-Files" franchise -- on screen and off.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Q. "The X-Files" got a reboot, in part, because of online fan campaigns to bring the show back. Can you talk about the Internet's impact on the revival?

A. There was always a strong movement to bring the show back; that drumbeat really is the reason we were asked to come back. There's a certain cynical point of view that we're just dusting off an old intellectual property. But for 20th Century Fox, the actors, and me and other writing producers, this was a chance to tell new stories in a new context. The show as a storytelling engine is evergreen. I think there are lots and lots of "X-Files" stories to tell and to be told.

It never fails to surprise me when someone comes up to me and says "I'm a fan of the show," and I know they either weren't born yet when the show premiered -- or they were just kids. There's a whole generation of kids out there who've come to join the show. And I had to be mindful, first of all, that the show was coming back because of those hard-core fans. I didn't want to beat them over the head with things they already knew and were familiar to them, because they were the reason that we came back in the first place.

Q. Do you think the ability to stream shows has had an effect on that fan movement?

A. Without a doubt. The fact that you can stream this show -- any time of day, from any platform, on mobile devices -- broadens our audience. It's good for the viewer and for the producers. It's the future.

Q. Obviously, technology has changed quite a bit since "X-Files" was last on air. Has that had an influence on your storylines?

A. Emphatically yes. There was always emphasis on Mulder and Scully and their cellphones. Those were the lifelines between Mulder and Scully, but they were bricks in their hands. They weren't even texting when we went off the air in 2002.

One major thing is the fact that almost everything to do with Mulder's pursuit and his quest of government conspiracy -- that all the attendant material is available with a keystroke -- means that Mulder can sit at home in his underwear continuing his work. And we're more cognizant of hacking. There's a scene where Mulder is speaking to Scully, for example, and we see him re-affix a little piece of tape over the camera on his laptop.

Q. Nice touch -- did you want to heavily address the current conversations about government surveillance in the show?

A. Yes. When we went off the air in 2002, it was in a political environment where we had basically placed all our faith in the government. We weren't interested in government conspiracies. Working 15 years later, that trend has reversed itself. It was ripe for telling these stories that were indicative of a whole new climate. We live in a "Citizenfour" world now. And the government has admitted spying on us. Really, the amazing thing to me is no one seems to put up much protest about that.

Q. How have technological changes affected "The X-Files" in the real world? Promotion, for example.

A. I was invited before we started making the show to a marketing meeting. I walked into a room, and there were about 50 people in the room. I joked that it takes fewer people on set to shoot a scene of a television show than were in that marketing meeting. A lot has to do with the fact that there are so many Internet mouths to feed. There's even a wing of the marketing team called "special ops" -- and I'm not sure what they do. There's an approach to marketing now that is absolutely directed at modern, mobile and social media audiences.

Q. How about your relationship to the fans?

A. I feel closer to the fans even though I'm not a social media user, really. It's a new medium. We grew up with the Internet, and ["X-Files" was] really one of the first to have a presence online -- in chat rooms, originally. This is new.

There's also something going on; I'll call it a metabolism effect. Things are consumed, digested and disposed of in quick fashion because there's so much media. It's more direct and immediate; it comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

Q. We often hear people who make shows or other media say that social media can be empowering for them. Do you agree with that?

A. It does empower, but it only empowers us to make a more direct and two-way connection. You do have to start thinking about how everything you say and do -- and record -- is possibly going to find its way into this other reality, which is the Internet reality. Knowing there's this new phenomenon of live-streaming video via Periscope, for example, puts what I do in a new light. You don't know if what you're doing is in a very public amphitheater.

It can feel like you're constantly watching your back instead of focusing on the work. We went to film a scene on the street in Vancouver, and Gillian Anderson [Agent Scully] looked at me and said, "Did you have to choose this location?" It was so public. There were so many paparazzi there. We had to digitally edit them out of the frame.

And there's a worry that whatever you do will show up immediately on the Internet. One of the big cards I hold is the element of mystery and surprise. I have the opportunity to lose that now. I risk not doing my job as well.

Q. Did you have problems while filming with things like drones overhead, trying to get spoilers?

A. We were operating a drone on our own, with a permit, and there was another drone that parked near it illegally. That is something that we had to contend with. And we had a day where we were filming green screen shots in a limousine, and there was an aircraft loudly circling us and disrupting our shoot, disrupting our ability to do our work. You know, we have to deal with all kinds of unexpected phenomena.

[Alan]

X-Files won't return next season, but might for 2017-18
by James Hibberd • @JamesHibberd

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/16...return-2017-18

Enlarge Photo
(Ed Araquel/Fox)

Posted May 16 2016 — 9:34 AM EDT

It’s official: The X-Files won’t return for another installment next season.

But Fox is hoping to wrangle another edition for the season after that – fall 2017 or spring 2018.

On a conference call with reporters, Fox chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman said that all parties involved want to do another installment of the show.

The trick is figuring out the schedules of stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. So Fox hopes to announce another installment of the series at their upfront presentation next year.

“It was suggested that there’s an appetite for more,” series creator Chris Carter told EW in February about the possibility of another season after the return engagement’s finale. “When that will be, I have no idea. I wasn’t trying to set up a movie [with this finale], just an ongoing story.”

While X-Files was not on its schedule for fall, Fox announced its full slate for 2016-17 on Monday, and you can find that here.

[Lorne]

I'm disappointed that we have to wait so long, but I'm glad that more episodes are coming. . . eventually.

[Alan]

I'm disappointed that we have to wait so long, but I'm glad that more episodes are coming. . . eventually.

But at least we'll only be having to wait a year or two for new episodes instead of the 14-years we had to endure between 2002 and 2016.

[Lorne]

But at least we'll only be having to wait a year or two for new episodes instead of the 14-years we had to endure between 2002 and 2016.

Good point, Alan.

I just hope they dole out details on the new season over the course of the hiatus period and we don't have to wait for any shreds of information to be released until NEXT year at Upfronts. A year-long term of silence on the matter would just be cruel.

[losernerdfriend]

But at least we'll only be having to wait a year or two for new episodes instead of the 14-years we had to endure between 2002 and 2016.

I'm fine with only having to wait a year or two. I'm just excited they were happy enough to want more.

Good point, Alan.

I just hope they dole out details on the new season over the course of the hiatus period and we don't have to wait for any shreds of information to be released until NEXT year at Upfronts. A year-long term of silence on the matter would just be cruel.

I'm sure they'll let us know as soon as they have everyone signed up. But I'm really hoping they announce the writers for the new episodes early. My dream list of writers for the new episodes would be:

1. Darin Morgen
2. Vince Gilligan
3. James Wong/Glen Morgen (collaborating like they used to)
4. David Duchovny
5. Howard Gordon
6. Frank Spotnitz

[Lorne]

I'm fine with only having to wait a year or two. I'm just excited they were happy enough to want more.



I'm sure they'll let us know as soon as they have everyone signed up. But I'm really hoping they announce the writers for the new episodes early. My dream list of writers for the new episodes would be:

1. Darin Morgen
2. Vince Gilligan
3. James Wong/Glen Morgen (collaborating like they used to)
4. David Duchovny
5. Howard Gordon
6. Frank Spotnitz

That's a solid list, losernerdfriend.

Re: 1)More Darin Morgan is always a good thing.

Re: 2)I'd kill for Gilligan to pen a new XF story.

Re: 3)Totally with you on renewing the Morgan/Wong partnership.

Re: 4)It hadn't occurred to me about Duchovny -- but I'd be very interested to see an episode written by him (especially now that he's an established novelist).

Re: 5)Gordon's XF scripts have always left me a little cold, but I've enjoyed his work on other projects. He probably has one more good XF story left to tell.

Re: 6)Spotnitz is the often unsung hero of the X-Files crew. Hell, yeah, let him write a new episode.

Also, regarding the wait for a formal announcement, I bet you're right. We will probably hear news as soon as contracts become formalized. I can't imagine Fox could expect Duchovny or Anderson to remain tight-lipped for nearly a year, especially with reporters and fans asking about Season 11 at every available opportunity. The hounding for information would be relentless.

[losernerdfriend]

Re: 4)It hadn't occurred to me about Duchovny -- but I'd be very interested to see an episode written by him (especially now that he's an established novelist).

Re: 5)Gordon's XF scripts have always left me a little cold, but I've enjoyed his work on other projects. He probably has one more good XF story left to tell.

Re: 6)Spotnitz is the often unsung hero of the X-Files crew. Hell, yeah, let him write a new episode.

I would love for Duchovny to write an episode because he wrote/directed "The Unnatural" and "Hollywood A.D." from the original run, and I love both those episodes so much. They're both extremely solid efforts. And I agree that now that he's an established author he has a little more experience.

I couldn't remember any Howard Gordon ep's off the top of my head, but he went on to do 24 and Homeland, which makes his record pretty solid. So I wanted him back for that reason alone. Haha.

And yeah I'm a Spotnitz fan. I'm loving Man in the High Castle so far. I can't wait for season two.

[Lorne]

From Joe Harris, writer of the X-Files comic series, on his Facebook page today:

I so, so wish I could share this X-Files news with you. When it's all announced and ready, I suspect you'll be as floored as I was when I was first told about it (and remain with every reminder that I heard it correctly).

Unsure if his news relates to the TV or comic book series, but it sounds like good news on the X-Files front is heading our way.

[Alan]

The X-Files Update: 'Significant Talks' Underway With David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson for Season 11
http://tvline.com/2016/08/08/the-x-f...er-scully-fox/

The X-Files Season 11: Fox Eyeing Longer Run of '8 to 10 New Episodes
http://tvline.com/2016/08/08/x-files...date-2018-fox/

[Lorne]

Thanks, Alan. I was just popping by here to post this very news.

I'm glad to see they're actively pushing for more episodes this time around. I'd prefer 13 but 10 would still be a step in the right direction.

[Alan]

X-Files creator Chris Carter expects series to return to Vancouver
Ian Bailey
VANCOUVER — The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, Oct. 05, 2016 2:18PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, Oct. 05, 2016 2:22PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/...ticle32262661/

Production of The X-Files, one of the most notable TV series ever shot in British Columbia, will resume in Vancouver next spring, according to series creator Chris Carter.

The series’ return comes after a revival run of six new episodes produced in B.C. last year, which aired in early 2016.

While there has been speculation that The X-Files would continue following its recent rebirth, Carter offered a timetable in an interview with The Globe and Mail this week.

“I imagine we would be up there shooting in the spring of 2017,” said Carter, who will, this week, be in Vancouver to receive an Industry Builder Award from the Vancouver International Film Festival for his efforts to ensure that production on the recent round of episodes was environmentally sustainable.
He said he expects to do “a small expansion” on the number of episodes in this latest continuation of the milestone show.

His comments came after he confirmed that talks are well-advanced with key players in the series, which pitted FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) against paranormal creatures and conspiracies.

“They are constructive negotiations so I can’t imagine [The X-Files] wouldn’t come back,” Carter said.
A spokesperson for Carter later noted that talks are under way with Duchovny and Anderson to reprise their roles in the new episodes.

Carter said that continuing the series presents some creative challenges.

“Coming back last year was a trick and coming back again will be another trick,” he said.
“How many years of life are there left in the show? Do you play this as the end? Do you play this as a continuation? There are lots of creative challenges to tackle.”

But Carter said Vancouver will be central to resolving those challenges, as it has been for the life of the series, which originally aired from September, 1993, to May, 2002.

Carter said he began shooting the series in Los Angeles, but was not satisfied with the forests available there. He thought of Vancouver, a city he had visited in 1986 while his wife was producing a Disney movie in B.C.

“I remembered the amazing forests,” he said. So he brought the production north. While the forests helped, Carter says the Vancouver region had more to offer and has been central to the success of the series.

The city, he said, could double as almost anywhere in North America, which was helpful for a series whose FBI characters could find themselves in any U.S. state.

“I even turned a rock quarry in Vancouver into the southwestern U.S. by painting it with so many gallons of red paint you can’t imagine,” he said.

Carter said he has a lot of affection for Vancouver, noting he owned a loft in Gastown for many years and loves to visit. The California native joked about seeking dual citizenship.

Eventually, after five seasons in B.C., production of the show was shifted to Los Angeles. The two leads wanted to go home to the United States after their years in Canada. Not Carter. “I didn’t want to go,” he said, adding he worried about breaking up the “all-star team” of crew that worked on the series.
However, he said Los Angeles allowed access to new locations that would not have been available in B.C., citing, for example, the use of the Queen Mary, the retired British ocean liner that now serves as a tourist attraction in Long Beach, Calif.

“It benefited the storytelling because it forced us to think on our feet and try to reimagine the show,” he said.

Carter said Vancouver, circa 2016, has become one of the world’s leading production centres, with deep technical expertise and actors.

The Vancouver region is central to an ongoing production boom in B.C. that has seen such high-profile films shot in the province as Deadpool and Fifty Shades of Grey, as well as TV series such as The Flash, Arrow and, of course, The X-Files.

“I always tell actors in Canada that if you think you’ve got to be in L.A., don’t kid yourselves: You have so much opportunity to shine and do good work by just sticking around.”

And he said Vancouver is also good for producers. “You can come and just plug right into a serious, capable working environment that has everything you need to make whatever you’re doing, a television show or a movie.”

He said he thinks B.C. has reached a point where it can flourish as a production centre regardless of changes in the Canadian dollar and the provincial tax breaks that many say have made B.C. appealing to producers.

“Those things help, but, as I always tell people, ‘Don’t just go because there’s a savings. Go for the Canadians.’ The work ethic is extremely high and the level of expertise is high as well. It’s a great place to make entertainment. You sacrifice nothing.”

Still, Carter conceded it was never a given that he would get to come back to Vancouver to shoot the last round of episodes. “There was some talk about not coming back, but when all things were considered, everyone agreed that it was the best place to be.”

Asked if he had any advice for policy makers on sustaining Vancouver’s allure to the largely U.S. production sector, he recalled how the series, in 2015, had to go to the Kamloops area to find a desert-like landscape needed for a sequence depicting a UFO crash.

“If you could plant a desert there, within the zone there, in Vancouver, that’s the one thing that Vancouver lacks,” he quipped.

[Lorne]

Thanks for posting this, Alan.

Actual news on Season 11 has been so few and far between that any update is welcome. Carter doesn't sound too definitive about a spring 2017 start date for filming but I still hope that shooting begins then rather than in the summer months. I'm beyond ready for some official announcements to be released -- like that negotiations are wrapped up and here's when the new episodes will air.