ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #8 - How heavily should Chris Carter be involved in S11 and beyond?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

How heavily should Chris Carter be involved in S11 and beyond?

TONY: "This one is simple for me: completely. I've compared Chris Carter before to Gene Roddenberry, the only difference being Carter can actually on his day tell compelling stories with real dramatic stakes, which Roddenberry struggled with. Both however understood the zeitgeist, the current, and Carter in particular has a learned concept of myth in terms of character and narrative. Much as I think he's best served with strong creative forces around him, I can't conscience an X-Files without him at the helm. It simply wouldn't be the show we grew to love. If we do get a Season 11 (still hopeful!), I hope he's once again the main driving force, because people underestimate his skill as a storyteller."

CHARNETTE: "I would love to see him involved but not as heavily as he had been in season 10. I like his ideas but sometimes, he really has no idea about the characters he's created... like breaking up Mulder and Scully in season 10 because Scully diagnosed him as depressed? the fact that after so long, they're not even married... well that's actually a matter of opinion but I honestly feel the depression thing was badly done."

SAM: "I think Chris Carter should be involved but not at the expense of the show- it's his baby but he's written some stinkers in the past! I think getting some current writers on board would be ace- like when Stephen King was involved in 'Chinga'."

CHARNETTE: "Scully is a forensic pathologist. She isn't qualified to make that sort of diagnosis. I also feel like it was a terrible reason for them to break up and I hate even more it was never discussed in the show and they kept acting like they were sort of together."

SAM: "I don't know about Stephen King; he really has a problem writing women, and Scully is a character I feel that needs consistent writing, unlike what's she's had past season 5. That's just how I feel though; I am not a fan of the later seasons. As someone who enjoys the work, I love it, but as a writer, I cannot excuse the writing that took place after a while because it was incredibly inconsistent and for a show that started off so strong, it was a shame to watch the characters become a former shadow of themselves at times. I don't think they were ever married, were they? Don't think Mulder would be into marriage."

CHARNETTE: "Although they could have been common law spouses. Which is fine, but then it's like okay so they're together for more than a decade now and Scully leaves because Mulder is depressed? I personally was very bothered by that because I suffer from depression and one of the things that people that have it worry about is that people will get tired and leave them. And I felt that was so out of character for Scully."

SAM: "Hmmm... I think it would be aScullyy thing to do. She's done it because she knows that sticking together is probably not the best for either of them."

ALLY: "I am torn because I don't feel Chris Carter really understands that a huge part of the success of the show is down to the Mulder/Scully dynamic but at the same time, without him the show would never have come to be. Would the show be better without him? Maybe. But to not have him at the helm would make it feel like a huge betrayal and as a fan, that would hit me pretty hard. To go out on a limb, if season 11 were to happen with the original cast then CC should be there with them but if a 'franchise' were to happen with a new cast he should surrender the reins to someone else."

SAM: "Mulder would stick with her forever, Scully has to be the adult. A friend of mine had recently got divorced from her husband for the same reasons- he needs his own space and needs to think about himself. But also, it was affecting her life in many negative ways. Sometimes the kindest thing to do is to be apart."

CHARNETTE: "I agree with you 100% and in the end, I reconciled that in my head canon as what happened to cause them to part, however my point is that nothing was touched or elaborated on. I really feel it should have been discussed. It was a really important part of the show, regardless of how much he thought it mattered or not, the fact of the matter is a lot of people care about it, so I feel not addressing it was a faux pas."

SARAH: "I'd like to absolutely see CC in a producer/director role again. I think that's where his talents are strongest. I love his writing, and think he definitely has great ideas, but also needs someone to rein him in and keep him focused. When dealing with such a short season, I'd love to see something that pulls everything together. Season 10 was enjoyable, but felt very random and unplanned overall."

ALLY: "You guys bring up really good points and I definitely agree, someone should rein him in. I don't think they really knew which direction to take things in Sarah and certainly had no concept that feelings still ran so strong within the fandom. I think though, that the approach to season 11 would be very much more measured."

SARAH: "I'd love to be a fly on the wall of a writer's room with Chris Carter, Vince Gilligan, David Duchovny, and Darin Morgan. Just writing that scenario down gave me happy heart palpitations."

SAM: "Yes, I think everything was too rushed in S11 and that's why it was all kind of ropey. Part of me wishes that they'd left the mythology alone because they didn't do it justice; but at the same time, it wouldn't have been The X-Files without it."

MICHAEL: "Personally I think Carter has to be involved in the series going forward to the degree of overseeing the mythology. The X-Files is his story, he started all of it and him not being around to finish it would be a real shame. As for the monster-of-the-week episodes, I don't think he needs to be involved there unless there's a specific story that he wants to tell. Keep Carter involved in the mythology and with Mulder and Scully as characters, they're his and he should still have say in what they do and who they become."

CHARNETTE: "He needs a designated driver in terms of writing, I feel. I mean, is this not the same person who has variously said, "Mulder and Scully are platonic friends," "They are not in love", "they are each other's human credential", made a claim that they were married, and then said they weren't, and on top of all that, gave them a baby?? I know a lot of fans joke about it but that really doesn't sound platonic to me."

BAZ: "I think CC never wanted them together but given how long the show went on and in bowing to peer pressure, he finally committed to it. After all, the chemistry between these two characters (and Duchovny / Anderson) is amazing. But when we finally saw them as a couple in the second movie, it was all a little dull. Same thing with William - I don't think he ever got as far as thinking what to do with Scully's child after he was born, hence abandoning him later in season nine. As for Chris Carter's involvement? He should be involved. It is his baby. But his three episodes were definitely the weakest of s10 and that needs to be addressed as s11 goes into development. I think he should be showrunner but needs someone like Vince Gilligan or Frank Spotniz to temper him. He has great ideas, but doesn't always win on the execution. Also, he needs to treat s11 like the end, even if it isn't. And that might help him work towards a conclusion rather than loosely making it up (which is what s10 felt like)."

CARL: "I’m more pro-Carter than most here, it seems. He’s an excellent showrunner and I want him at the helm of any follow-up to the revival. He lets terrific writers do what they want within very reasonable parameters, which plays a large part in making The X-Files what it is. He has a tendency to take on a lot of work – I think a reasonable balance would see him writing about a third of any new episodes (which is about in line with what used to be happen during the original series). On the issue of Mulder & Scully’s pre-revival breakup, it always struck me as very plausible that their relationship would have suffered in the intervening years."

TONY: "Yeah I really can't imagine they would ever have gotten married. Much as Carter plays with it in I Want to Believe, Mulder & Scully just do not fit the 2.4 children traditional paradigm. Their relationship is too complex and mythic almost. It's about a lot more than sex or companionship. Mulder is also way way too self-obsessed to be a decent husband to anyone!"

PAIGE: "I believe Chris Carter should be involved, yeah, he can play a little fast and loose with the show -- but it's his show. As long as DD and GA are around, CC should be around. It might not be perfect, but it'll be his show. And occasionally he gets inspired to great heights."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #5 - Which supporting X-Files character was most underused in the show?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question...

Which supporting X-Files character was most underused in the show?

TONY: "I'm gonna say Marita Covarrubias. I know she wasn't much liked by the fandom but apart from the lovely Laurie Holden being on screen, I really think Marita deserved more exploration as the realisation of Chris Carter's concept for a female deep throat insider. She ended up just becoming Mrs Krycek very rapidly & then popped up far too randomly for my liking. There was a much more interesting character under the surface there, I'm convinced."

CARL: "Marita was my first thought too. Otherwise, I'd say Senator Matheson. The notion of Mulder having connections in Congress was a promising thread running through the early years of the series, that I don't think the writers developed enough. Raymond J. Barry did enough in his few appearances to justify a larger role."

SARAH: "Definitely agree with Marita! I think she could have been pretty badass, given the opportunity to shine. I also would have liked to see more Agent Pendrell. His star was extinguished much too soon. RIP, good buddy. You all know I'm thoroughly biased, but I think Skinner could have been used even more. There's a whole ocean of untapped potential there. Every time I watch 'Triangle', (and let's face it, EVERY EPISODE) I ache to have his point of view thrown in, too."

CARL: "A comedy episode from Skinner's POV could have been phenomenal."

SARAH: "Hollywood AD should have been his."

SAM: "Seconded Tony. I was also annoyed how she became just another damsel in distress, really. Would have liked her to have been more like Mr. X. He's not really a supporting character, but I would like to see Charlie Scully- see what he's all about."

ANDREW: "Definitely agree about Marita. I think she had a great role in those episodes, especially when she's seen as an envoy in Russia after the rebels land. I would love to see her return in Season 11! My vote is for Toothpick Man (Alan Dale). I'm disappointed he wasn't brought back for Season 10. He should have been used more, and IMHO we could have used a new antagonist rather than resurrecting CSM."

MICHAEL: "I agree with Tony, Martia Covarrubias was an excellent character that worked well, but I never felt like we got to know her or really her motivations like we did with X. Outside of her, can I say Deep Throat? I mean he dies in Season 1 and while I love how the series used him then and later on, I almost wish we had gotten two seasons out of him as opposed to just one, just so the impact was a little larger. There's also an argument to be made for the Lone Gunmen at times, but I guess they got their own show too..."

PAIGE: "This is a real toughie. I would have liked to have seen more of Marita and Matheson, because I thought both of them came off very two-dimensional. I didn't want to see more of Diana and Spender, because they were very one-dimensional, but we didn't get a lot on them. I always want to see more of Alex Krycek, because he always could slot into more episodes than they used him in. Maybe less punching bag and more insight into the guy and his ever-changing allegiances? I'm gonna go sooooo anti-fan base and pick Melissa Scully. During my current rewatch, I have a lot more respect for her and her opinion than I ever did in first run and on video and on DVD and on Netflix. DWhat do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!efinitely softening on the Melissa front. But Glenne Headey in the movie was really the most underused. What a thankless role."

BAZ: "I'm currently working my way through season 9 and I'm going to go out on a limb and say Monica Reyes (I think Doggett is generally recognised as being awesome). She doesn't measure up to the other leads but she is not the bland character she's made out to be. She proves she can take the lead, has attitude and a great ability to play the Mulder role after he left the show. I love her relationship with Doggett and there is a great friend / mentoree relationship with Scully. She even gets a few good episodes too and Annabeth Gish delivers a fine performance. It's just a shame her character was utterly ruined in the revival because she really was one of the heroes in the later years..."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #4 - Which X-Files character would you most like to go for a drink with, and why?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question... Which X-Files character would you most like to go for a drink with, and why?

TONY: "I think I'd like to go out raving with Jose Chung. Can you imagine how mad a night would be on the town with that guy? He'd have an entire bar at his mercy as he held court telling stories that got more & more paranoid & outlandish the more drinks he had!"

CARL: "Well, while you're raving with Jose Chung I'll be sharing a pitcher of beer with John Doggett. I think he'd be great company in a social situation, and I'm sure he has some fantastic stories to share from his time in the Marines. Runner-up: First Elder. I've always thought he sounded like a gangster, so I'd like to get him drunk and find out what his background really is."

TONY: "I still reckon the First Elder is actually a Marlon Brando impersonator who wandered on set and they went "let's give him a part!""

CARL: "Haha. If I had to go for a non-alcoholic drink, I think I'd have liked the opportunity to go to the Well-Manicured Man's country estate, as seen in Fight the Future, for a cup of tea. As a working-class lad from the north of England, I'd find it interesting to rub shoulders with the upper-classes."

BAZ: "Agree that Doggett would be great to have a beer with. I imagine the Lone Gunmen would be a lot of fun though. Full of wild stories and conspiracy theories, probably in disguise as they try and infiltrate a shadowy government organization while being sociable and bickering among themselves."

MICHAEL: "I mean technically Frank Black was in The X-Files for an episode, so I would say him. I feel like it wouldn't take long for him to open up about the things he's seen and the things he's had to do, which would be really interesting at first and then kind of depressing. CSM would be my runner up because I'd love to hear him muse on about his past.

TONY: "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man... in a pub!"

MICHAEL: "Exactly!"

SARAH: "I think The Lone Gunmen would be a lot of fun. Also, I'd love to chat with Josh Exley from 'The Unnatural'. He'd probably have some interesting stories."

SAM: "Can I say Stella Gibson? Ha! Otherwise (I want to say Scully but I don't want to be predictable) I would have to say Doggett too. I think me and him would have blast in Sheffield on a Saturday night: pizza and cheesy chips after. Plus, he's a badass so I'd feel totally safe!"

PAIGE: "So many candidates -- and Jose Chung would certainly be a fun one -- but I'm going for my drink with Reyes. She's misunderstood by so many -- particularly now since Season 10 muddied her waters. But she's a straight shooter who thinks outside the lines. And whale sounds aside, she seems like a quality individual to know. S10 sure messed with that, but as her drinking buddy, I'm holding out hope that she was doing that because of Doggett."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION #3: Could The X-Files survive without Mulder & Scully?

For our next roundtable chat based on a key X-Files question... Could The X-Files survive without Mulder & Scully?

TONY: "Yes... and no. I think the premise absolutely can go beyond these two characters, no question. But the moment Chris Carter made us care about Mulder & Scully, the moment DD & GA made them iconic 90's symbols of pop culture, they became The X-Files as much as the aliens or monsters. The premise could stand but the show wouldn't last long without them. If they reboot it and start again one day with new characters... maybe. Not as the show is right now."

SAM: "I am biased because I bloody love Gillian Anderson, but I think it could survive without Mulder, but not Scully. For me, she's the better character and I always enjoyed the Scully heavy episodes the most. I think she's the most identifiable character and the most enjoyable to watch on screen."

SARAH: "I think FOX and Chris Carter stumbled on the magic formula with DD and GA. I don't know that Mulder and Scully would have even been Mulder and Scully without them. In that sense, I think no, TXF wouldn't be TXF without Mulder and Scully. Any two other actors on the planet might have informed it differently, and it could have been like Tony said; we would have had a great premise. Maybe it would have been more like a paranormal Law & Order with characters possibly fading in and out over the years. For me, personally, when DD left the show it stopped being The X-Files. I can't even stand to watch those episodes. It feels like some other show that was on for awhile. So, yeah, The X-Files needs Mulder and Scully, but only because David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson made them indispensable."

CARL: "I think The X-Files could survive without them, and that's what I would like to see eventually. Don't get me wrong - Duchovny & Anderson as Mulder & Scully are lightning in a bottle, and almost impossible to beat as a pairing. The central premise of a division of the FBI devoted to paranormal cases that reflect anxieties in the USA is incredibly strong, though. For a next-generation X-Files show to work there would have to be quite a clean break from the original series. Doggett & Reyes never really had a chance, due in no small part to the show's reluctance to leave Mulder & Scully in the past. I do think, though, that an X-Files series with a new cast would have to come out of the blocks strongly. I don't think TV shows now are given the same time to find their feet, and if a next-gen X-Files didn't work straight away, it may be short-lived."

SAM: "I agree, in part. I think if they rebooted it with a new cast, they would find it very hard to get the old fans on board. But, it would also be great to see a modern show for the current generation to latch on to."

SARAH: "I think the Lore podcast that Amazon picked up to produce as a series is going to fit into that niche nicely. It won't have the FBI connection, but it will have the paranormal angle that makes the X-Files creepy and fun. Would a clean break from the original show still really be The X-Files? I'm just not sure. I think a paranormal procedural show featuring the FBI would be fantastic. I'd totally watch it. But I don't know if it would/should still be The X-Files."

SAM: "I suppose if they're going to have a totally clean break, then it should be called something else. Otherwise, it's like they're just hanging on the coat tails."

TONY: "Spot on by Carl there IMO, I agree entirely. Let's face it, we've had a modern X-Files show. It was called Fringe. Now I really liked Fringe, but it only hit its stride when it stopped trying to just be TXF & embraced all the parallel universe stuff, became a lot more serialized. That, too, became more about Olivia, Peter & Walter than the premise. For the TXF 'premise' to hold, and that's what we're talking about here, the show would need to reboot without Mulder & Scully as characters. And that's a bit like rebooting Star Trek the original series and not having Kirk & Spock. It would be a hard sell."

CARL: "Star Trek is an interesting comparison. If Star Trek can spin-off into various other shows, some of which I understand are very good, is there any reason The X-Files can't?"

SAM: "I disagree. I think with Star Trek, so many characters were 'main' characters that spin offs and reboots were fine. But TXF IS Mulder & Scully."

SARAH: "And I think there's a difference between a spinoff and reboot."

CARL: "A reboot would be much harder to do effectively, I think."

SAM: "Also true. I don't think the x files could stand either, to be honest, if it was sans M&S."

SARAH: "I think a spinoff could work. I'd love for Skinner to have his own show. Even if he reopened TXF with newer agents. And technically there was that Lone Gunmen spinoff, but.... well..."

SAM: "I just can't think of any existing x files characters that I would like to see in a spin off..."

SARAH: "Haha, I'll always vote for seeing more of Skinner."

CARL: "If 24: Legacy is a big success next year, it's possible Fox might go for a Next-Generation X-Files at some point. Get ready for the Miller & Einstein show everyone!"

SAM: "Ugh."

SARAH: "I think I'd rather be abducted by aliens."

BAZ: "Definitely not Miller & Einstein! As to the question, I'm not sure it can. It almost got there with season nine. Doggett was a great character, given room to develop alongside Scully and then Mulder. He could have carried the show on and Reyes had potential. Mulder and Scully could have been let go at the end of season eight and The X Files could have continued without them, but the show held on to them and made it about Mulder's absence and Scully and William rather than The X Files: The Next Generation, which it could have been.

I don't think it can be done again though - the sheer chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in the revival proved that. That is what fans wanted to see more than anything. Unless they can develop another character like Doggett (I don't think Robert Patrick would come back full time and Annabeth Gish's Reyes was ruined by that last episode), bringing them into the show effectivelly alongside Mulder and Scully, I don't believe a show without them would ever work."

MICHAEL: "I think the "X-Files" will always be at the FBI & there will always be an agent or two interested in them, but as for the television series The X-Files, no. There's a reason the series was cancelled after Season 9, and I believe that's because Mulder was out and Scully was on her way after him. Watching "The Truth" feels like the show got back to its roots and felt so removed from Season 9 as a whole that it proved the need for Duchovny and Anderson. Mulder is the one who really began the X-Files, from episode 1, and without Scully to guide him, support him, and challenge him, his work would never really matter. It's the same way with the TV series.

Without Mulder and Scully working together to solve the paranormal and the unexplained, The X-Files has no life. Sure, Miller and Einstein are essentially younger copies of Mulder and Scully, but they don't share the same history as the characters nor chemistry as the actors who portray them. The X-Files is Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Even hardcore fans, and even those who just casually watch, who enjoy Doggett & Reyes/Miller & Einstein (and I'm one of them) will always see The X-Files as Mulder & Scully, and it'll never change. Could FOX continue the series without DD & GA? Yeah, sure they could, but should they? No. I want to believe, but when it comes to this I can no longer be the believer, only the skeptic."

PAIGE: "I think The X-Files could go on without Mulder and Scully, if it was done right. Bringing in young carbon copies Miller and Einstein does not get the job done and only alienates the existing base. I'm a big supporter of Doggett and Reyes, two very different drawn-out characters. But let's face it, I don't really want to go on without Mulder and Scully."

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know your choices in the comments below or on social media!