The X-Files

TV Milestones

by Theresa L. Geller

Premiering in 1993 on FOX Network, The X-Files followed the investigations of two FBI special agents, Fox Mulder and Dr. Dana Scully as they pursued the supernatural, the bizarre, and the alien, as well as the government conspiracies at work to conceal the truth of their existence. For nine seasons, Chris Carter’s series broke new ground in complex narrative television by integrating science fiction and horror with the forensic investigation of the detective genre. Shaped by the conspiracy films of the 1970s, the series had the ability to comment on the contemporary political climate one week and poke fun at its own self-seriousness the next. Responding to its cinematic visual style, haunting score, complex and nuanced writing, witty dialog, and the exceptional acting of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, who elevated the show with their chemistry, fans embraced The X-Files, making it one of the most beloved cult television series to this day. The aim of this book is to provide the reader with several points of entry into the television series, with social, cultural, and political analyses framed by the examination of the show’s many overlapping genres. Divided into chapters highlighting the episodic standalones known as the “monster-of-the-week” (MOTW) and the serial mythology or “mytharc,” the first section of the book explores the ways the MOTWs represented social differences in stories of fantastic, supernatural beings both strange and estranged. Through comparative analyses and detailed discussions of individual episodes, it becomes clear that the MOTWs were less concerned with the alien than with alienation, using the figure of the “monster” to focus on a range of ethnic, racial, and social outsiders. The latter half of the book turns to the serialized mythology, examining both the arc of the alien conspiracy as well as the fan-driven relationship between Mulder and Scully. While the romance subplot was powered in part by the show’s fans, the alien-government conspiracy mythology was Carter’s unique vision. This volume argues that The X-Files was a milestone because it employed the generic tropes of science fiction to call our attention to contemporary global politics and the history behind them. Specifically, Theresa Geller maps the ways the series used the mytharc not to predict the future, but to unbury the violence and injustice of our own past. With its return to television as an “event series” in 2016, this volume offers a timely assessment of the show’s cultural relevance and social significance. Fans of the show, as well as readers interested in cultural studies, genre criticism, race and ethnicity, fan studies, social commentary, and gender studies will appreciate this insightful examination of the series.

Genres: Nonfiction

167 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2016

Reviews

[Hope Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid perspective on what makes the X Files click, and what makes it stick with the discerning viewer. This was an enjoyable read

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provided interesting political and cultural context to a few episodes that I'd originally written off as perpetrating stereotypes. I appreciated the academic insight into one of my favorite TV shows, but would have liked to also see a bit more opposing ideas as well. Especially loved the last chapter on the gender politics of the characters.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geller's volume in the TV Milestones series is a fantastic addition. She writes in a manner that surely should appeal to fans of the show as well as TV scholars. Geller makes a convincing case that the X-Files was revolutionary for not only re-inventing the horror TV series but also using the genre of the crime show to critique questions of normality and the idea of the cultural "Other." She also demonstrates how the episodes about aliens in fact connect with the episodes referred to as "monster of the week" to challenge societal ideas about race, class, and gender. Her work should inspire new analysis of the series and its continued importance to American television.

[Eleanore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm fairly certain no other work has ever taken some of the episodes addressed in this book ("El Mundo Gira," anyone?), but it does present some genuinely interesting concepts about the show, which I do love enough to still read shit like this after 25 years.