Following more than a decade-long hiatus from television, the “X-Files” is back on Fox along with the core cast of Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis).
While it is a bit odd that the ominous alien colonization of Earth alluded to in the original series apparently didn’t come to pass, the show is back with a familiar mix of far-reaching government conspiracies and occasional monster of the week storylines.
The two-part season premiere picks up the basic threads of the original seasons and starts to form what may be the overarching plot of the six-episode mini season.
The illuminati-like “Syndicate” is still secretly trying to take over the world, and here the group is seen stealing babies with alien DNA, a thread that has some mysterious connection to the child Scully and Mulder had together.
The show is still as deeply involved in government conspiracy theories as it has ever been, and also responds to modern developments such as the Patriot Act and anxieties over government surveillance.
While the first episode is a bit convoluted, the season has gained momentum with each episode, especially with the third episode, a classic monster of the week episode. Guest starring comedic actors Rhys Darby and Kumail Nanjiani — from “Flight of the Conchords” and “Silicon Valley” respectively — the episode is a welcome tonal shift as Scully and Mulder embark on a familiar and self-referential monster hunt. In addition to featuring a great twist, the episode shows the writing is still just as funny and entertaining as ever.
So far, while there appears to be a developing plot arc, the season has been covering all the bases of the original series. It will also be interesting to see if Scully and Mulder pick back up the romance from earlier in the show. Despite some of the conspiratorial elements being a bit over the top, it is overall a welcome return to the popular series.
Considering the recent “24” revival, it seems like Fox is attempting to cash in on the network’s earlier success. This season consists of a short six-episode run, possibly as a way to test out the waters, but based on this revival’s success and the availability of the two stars, a renewal of “The X-Files” is well worth watching out for.
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