This morning, TV Line reports that, during a conference call with reporters, Fox CEO and chairman Dana Walden said that she believes that Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, and creator Chris Carter are "on board" for The X-Files Season 11. She made it clear that there have been conversations with all three of them and the tone was seemingly positive, if far from conclusive.
This is one of those good news-bad news situations. Since the shoe premiered in the 1990s, I've been a die-hard fan of The X-Files, the type who will put on any episode of the series' first five seasons at any given moment, even if its just background noise. I'm not enthralled by seasons six through nine but there's enough gems hidden throughout the detritus for me to give them a pass on the whole. I cannot, however, forgive the tenth season of the show. It's just not in me, folks, and though there are some moments, even full episodes, that I didn't hate, the overall feeling was that of one of those bad remakes that tries to be hip and modern while attempting to recapture the essential charms of the original.
In other words, it was like watching the Rollerball remake, except somehow even more disappointing because of my history with the series. That being said, I can't help but be excited for another season. I'm hoping that Carter will stop writing and directing episodes and continue on strictly as a producer with this next batch, as his involvement felt like the most toxic element of the noxious 10th season. The episode where Mulder takes psychotropic mushrooms and talks about "mother love" alone made me want to burn my "I Want to Believe" poster, which, yes, I still have. If the next season can once again find the mystery, strangeness, and essential wonder of the show, I'm all in, but if they're going to be hunting terrorists and working with Alex Jones level conspiracy nuts, count me out.
