X-Files Reboot May Not Be So Hopeless, Here's a Show That Proves It
Sometimes a copy can find its own way and grow into something great.
With the recent bombshell news from The X-Files creator Chris Carter that a legendary sci-fi drama TV series is apparently getting a reboot under the direction of Ryan Coogler, best known for his work on Creed (2015) as well as Black Panther (2018) and its sequel Wakanda Forever ( 2022), fans of the original were left with mixed feelings.
The iconic series about two FBI agents: Fox Mulder, portrayed by David Duchovny, and Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, who try to solve the titular "X-Files," unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena, is known by almost everyone.
The series began to decline after its sixth season, was canceled after the ninth, and was revived in 2016 after a 14-year hiatus for two more seasons, only to finally die peacefully due to underwhelming reception. Or so it seemed.
While most fans wonder if this reboot is even necessary and wouldn't it be better to create something new, others consider giving the show a chance under certain conditions.
Of course, some things would be irreplaceable, like the iconic duo of Mulder and Scully, and the reboot would have to go an extra mile to even come close.
Still, there are other options, as suggested by Reddit user TomBirkenstock:
"I love Coogler as a director, but I think it has been well established that without Duchovny and Anderson, it's just not the same. I would prefer to see a show that starts by ripping off the X Files before it develops its own voice, like Fringe. Just make something new that's based on what came before. Hell, that's what the X Files did."
Fringe is an amazing example of how a carbon copy of another show can eventually grow into something beautiful.
The show lasted for five seasons, and while the first one was extremely similar to X-Files, it managed to diverge from its spiritual predecessor over time.
The character dynamics are completely different, and according to some fans, Fringe even surpasses The X-Files in terms of the main characters and the show's mythology.
So maybe Ryan Coogler should consider going down a similar path and not make the mistake of taking the easy way out by just milking the nostalgia of the fans.
However, it is a double-edged sword, because if the reboot manages to be radically different from the original, the fans will most likely not be happy either.