That Supposedly “Great” TV Reboot? Keep It.
The X-Files is a perfect example of why reboots crash and burn.
I want to believe that good ideas for new, exciting TV shows exist out there and that some shows are so wonderful that they become instant classics you can watch over and over again.
But I do not believe in reboots.
The X-Files became one of my favorite and most-watched TV shows a few years ago. I’d heard a reboot was in the works, and it reminded me that The X-Files was a show I’d always been curious about. It had been sitting there on my Netflix list for months, and finally, I hit play.
I was hooked from the first few episodes. It automatically felt comforting, and I spent hours in the late fall cuddled up in a blanket, binging my night away. Many of my favorite duos in shows from years prior were inspired by Mulder and Scully (Bones’s Booth and Brennan, Castle’s Beckett and Castle), so it felt familiar and new at the same time.
The X-Files reboot started when I was only two or three seasons into the original run, so I avoided spoilers as best I could and kept watching. Almost every episode of the original series run is flawless, in my humble opinion. There are a few alien mythology episodes that fall flat, and I could probably do without season nine and most of season eight, but I still loved it. I’ve rewatched all the original episodes countless times and I still laugh my head off during “Bad Blood.”
And then came the reboot. It picks up seven years after the second X-Files film, I Want To Believe. There were always rumors that a third movie would be made to wrap up some storylines (mainly that of Mulder and Scully’s long-lost son, William), but my guess is that as reboots started to trend, creators of the show gravitated towards a limited series with a bit more time to tell stories.
In seven years, Scully has gone back to being a doctor at a hospital (but not gone back to Mulder) and Mulder is still alone in the little house Scully left him in. Their former FBI boss, Walter Skinner, calls Scully and asks her to contact Mulder and work with him to reach out to a conspiracy theorist with a web show who might not be as crazy as everyone thinks he is. From there, a web of secrets and peculiar behavior unravels that calls for a reopening of the X-Files unit.
The reboot left a lot to be desired, to say the least. Aside from a few good episodes and emotional moments (I will never forgive Chris Carter for breaking up Mulder and Scully with such a weak excuse, even if he brings them back together), it was underwhelming and sloppy. Maybe I hadn’t been an OG “X-Phile” since the ’90s, but I still felt betrayed by the continuity issues, Gillian Anderson’s awful wig, and many out-of-character scenes (Et tu, Monica Reyes?!).
Before I watched the revival, I saw on the internet that a lot of people thought the ending was awful but that it clearly showed they were positioning the show to come back for more. Watching the ending of season 10, I understood exactly what people were saying. It was a hasty cop-out, messily tied up with an uneven bow. It was a disappointment, one that made me wish I hadn’t bothered to watch the new season (I also wish I hadn’t watched the second movie I Want To Believe, but unfortunately we make mistakes for the sake of fandom).
Unlike all other seasons of The X-Files, I’ve yet to rewatch season 10. In my mind, Mulder and Scully are still curled up on that motel room bed, trying to figure out if they still have hope left. So when season 11 was announced, I was hesitant. On one hand, maybe some of the mistakes from season 10 would be fixed (including Scully’s hair) and everything could be wrapped up neatly in a satisfying way. Then again, Chris Carter is not known for making fans happy lately, so I won’t be holding my breath.
But still, I was annoyed. I could have done without this new season, but the ending to season 10 was the worst possible way to leave a show for good. I knew I’d watch these new episodes even if they were the worst television ever created (#loyalfan), but I didn’t want to get dragged along. The last thing I want is for this to open up another round of revival seasons because honestly, season 10 felt half-assed. It lacked the magic of seasons one through nine. There were also rumors that Gillian Anderson wasn’t stoked about the reboot and definitely wouldn’t continue after season 11. I don’t want to watch a show that the lead actress is begrudgingly going along with. And I certainly don’t want to live in a world where, for whatever reason, they kill off Scully so they can do a season 12 with just David Duchovny for the sake of people making money and being out of other ideas.
Season 10 of The X-Files got mixed reception from fans. The Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus stated, “Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny’s chemistry remains intact, but overall, The X-Files revival lacks the creative spark necessary to sustain the initial rush of nostalgia,” which I completely agree with. This genius Vox article points out that series creator Chris Carter is part of what made the reboot a disaster and even gives some good ideas for how to make any future seasons more like the good ‘ol days. But no matter what, I think it’s time for Mulder and Scully to retire after season 11. Just let them grow old together in that tiny house in the middle of nowhere.
The reboot trend didn’t just go poorly for The X-Files. Many dedicated TV viewers like myself have been wondering why people keep rebooting shows and movies when they rarely succeed the second time around. A writer at The Daily Beast called reboots “the enemy of surprise, the adversary of originality, the poison in the well of true inspiration,” and he’s not wrong.
Look at Arrested Development. Personally, I couldn’t even finish the season created for Netflix. It was underwhelming and not very funny. Apparently they’re making more episodes, which I won’t even bother watching. It’s hard to feel invested in a show that doesn’t feel like the original or even an upgraded version.
And then there’s Twin Peaks, which got a pretty long season as a comeback. I got into Twin Peaks after the reboot had already started airing, but since there weren’t many episodes in the original run, I caught up quickly. For me, the reboot wasn’t satisfying (barely any scenes with Shelly and Bobby?! My heart still hurts) and had too many new characters to follow. It was still interesting to watch, but it didn’t feel the same. Also, I think David Lynch purposefully engineered it to be a clusterfuck. Congrats, sir, you have achieved your goal.
Some shows, like The X-Files, I can watch over and over. I’ve seen every episode of Friends at least 20 times. However, I really don’t want to see a reboot of Friends. I want to leave the gang going down to Central Perk with their babies, reminiscing about all the good times had in Monica’s stunning rent-controlled apartment.
On January 3rd, I’ll tune in to see the new season of The X-Files. I hope it’s good and gives the fans what they want. But the truth is out there, and this is it: Most of the time, reboots shouldn’t happen. Leave the past in the past.
