The X-Files

From TeeVeePedia, the Internet TV Encyclopedia.

The X-Files, created by Chris Carter, was a paranormal drama that ran for nine seasons (and roughly five or six good seasons) on Fox.

Ostensibly dealing with FBI agents who investigated paranormal phenomena, the series was more effective as a vehicle for the UST between leads Gillian Anderson (Agent Vin Scully) and David Duchovny (Agent Fox Network). For most of the show's run, producers managed to effectively play up the romantic triangle between Anderson, Duchovny, and Duchovny's image in the nearest reflective surface or magazine cover.

In the series' final seasons, the original cast's escape attempts prompted the introduction of the evil T-1000 (Agent Poochie) and Annabeth Gish (Not Scully). Alas, casual viewers were merely further confused by this late change, while dedicated fans professed betrayal (as always). Even the staff writers threw in the towel, and Carter was forced to replace them with a proprietary collection of Mad Libs and a set of Dungeons and Dragons dice.

The show limped to a close in 2002, crippled by:

• Carter's realization that at some point, he would actually have to resolve the approximately 14,274 mysteries he had raised in the course of the series to viewers' satisfaction (a dilemma now threatening the producers of Lost).
• Viewers' realization that they no longer had any freaking idea what was going on.
• Duchovny's departure from the show for most of the eighth and ninth seasons, to spend more time gazing adoringly at himself in a mirror.
• The Republican Party's rise to political power in 2000, reassuring viewers that they had plenty of entirely Earthly threats to fear.