The X-Files season 9

Last updated

The X-Files
Season 9
Xfilesseason9.jpg
DVD cover
Starring
No. of episodes20
Release
Original network Fox
Original releaseNovember 11, 2001 (2001-11-11) –
May 19, 2002 (2002-05-19)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 8
Next →
Season 10
List of episodes

The ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 11, 2001, concluded on May 19, 2002, and consists of twenty episodes. The season takes place after Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) goes into hiding, following the events of the eighth season finale, "Existence". As such, the main story arc for the season follows Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), John Doggett (Robert Patrick), and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) on their hunt to reveal a government conspiracy involving the elaborate and malevolent creation of "Super Soldiers".

Contents

For this season, former series' leads Duchovny and Anderson scaled back their involvement with the show, with Duchovny only starring in the two episodes that formed the season finale, "The Truth". Doggett and Reyes became the show's central characters, and former recurring character Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) became a main character. Series creator Chris Carter had hopes that the show could continue on with new leads, and the opening credits were accordingly redesigned again.

Season nine received mixed reviews from critics and garnered a negative reaction from many long-time fans and viewers, partially because Duchovny did not make regular appearances on the show, after fulfilling his contract in the previous season. During this year, ratings for the season fell dramatically. Critics blamed it on what they considered an increasingly incoherent story arc, while the cast and crew ascribed the drop in viewership to the September 11 attacks. Regardless, Fox eventually decided to cancel the series.

During the airing of season eight, Carter and The X-Files production team created and aired a spinoff titled The Lone Gunmen . The show was unsuccessful and was canceled before any story arcs were resolved, but The X-Files episode "Jump the Shark" was written to give closure to the series. The X-Files storyline was continued with the 2008 theatrical film The X Files: I Want to Believe and later with a tenth season in 2016 and an eleventh season in 2018.

Plot overview

After the eighth season finale "Existence", Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) goes into hiding. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is again reassigned to the FBI Academy, and Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish) becomes John Doggett's (Robert Patrick) new FBI partner in the X-Files office. Doggett asks Scully for help on a case involving an EPA official, Carl Wormus (Nicholas Walker), who died after his car was forced off a bridge by a woman he picked up. Doggett and Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) travel to a reclamation plant, looking for links between Wormus' work and death. After doing an illegal autopsy on Wormus, Alvin Kersh (James Pickens, Jr.) sends Brad Follmer (Cary Elwes) to locate Doggett. The investigation at the reclamation plant leads to an unknown woman, whose identity is later revealed to be Shannon McMahon (Lucy Lawless), one of Doggett's former Marine associates. She reveals to Doggett that she is a "Super Soldier". This leads them to a clandestine laboratory where a secret experiment is taking place on board a naval ship. They later find connections between the experiments on the ship and Scully's child, William. [1]

"The show has been Mulder's quest for the truth. It was that for seven years and for part of the eighth year. But I really think that with the introduction of John Doggett last year, [...] a baton was passed [...] literally he [Mulder] handed over the X-Files office to Doggett."
— Frank Spotnitz talking about the possibility of a "Mulder-less" season. [2]

After Scully begins to miss Mulder, a complete stranger—the "Shadow Man" (Terry O'Quinn)—offers his service to drive Mulder out of hiding. Scully takes the offer, but unknowingly gets herself and Mulder in even more danger. The "Shadow Man", is revealed to be a "Super Soldier" bent on killing Scully and Mulder. After a chase through a quarry, the "Shadow Man" is destroyed after being exposed to magnetite. [3] Later, Scully, Doggett, and Reyes find evidence of a dangerous UFO cult which has uncovered a second spacecraft similar to one Scully studied in Africa three years ago. Misled by the FBI, the agents enlist the help of The Lone Gunmen to protect Scully's son after they learn that the cult intends to kill the child. The cult, however, is successful in kidnapping the child. [4] Concurrent with these events, Doggett is run over by a car, which sends him to the hospital. As Follmer and the "Toothpick Man" (Alan Dale) try to uncover the plans of the three agents, Scully and Reyes leave Washington, D.C. to find Scully's son. [5]

Doggett finds a strange disfigured man in the X-Files office; believing he is Mulder, Scully has his DNA tested, and the results reveal him to have the same pattern as Mulder. The disfigured man sticks a needle into William, which the other agents believe to be a virus of some kind, but it is later revealed to be a cure for William's powers. The unnamed man is later revealed to be Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens), Mulder's half-brother. [6] In the season finale, Mulder returns from hiding in the attempts of finding classified information at an army base. He is caught, however, after allegedly killing an apparently indestructible "Super Soldier", which causes him to be tried before a military tribunal. With the help of Kersh, Scully, Reyes, Doggett, Spender, Marita Covarrubias (Laurie Holden) and Gibson Praise (Jeff Gulka), Mulder breaks out, and Mulder and Scully travel to New Mexico to find an old "wise man", later revealed to be the "Cigarette Smoking Man" (William B. Davis). He tells the two that aliens will begin colonizing the planet on December 22, 2012. Cigarette Smoking Man appears to be killed by a missile, launched under the command of Knowle Rohrer (Adam Baldwin), who is revealed to be alive and well. Mulder and Scully escape, but become fugitives on the run from the FBI. The final scene of the season features the two in a motel room facing an uncertain—but possibly hopeful—future. [7]

Production

Development

Following the eighth season of The X-Files, David Duchovny announced that he would be completely leaving the show. [8] As such, the future of the show was up in the air. Before greenlighting a ninth season, neither the Fox Network nor any of the Ten Thirteen Productions members knew if creator Chris Carter would return for another season. With this being said, he encouraged the other members of the crew to continue the series without him. Eventually, however, several crew members began to develop new script ideas for the ninth season, many of which excited Carter. [2] This new-found enthusiasm eventually caused Carter to sign a contract with Fox for another year. [2] [9] Likewise, Anderson signed on at the last minute, with her contract extension only lasting until the end of 2002; she specifically stated that she would leave the show following the conclusion of the season. [9] [10] [11] Due to the changes in the cast, during the ninth season Doggett and Reyes became the series' new leads. [12] [13] Executive producer Frank Spotnitz speculated that the show could extend into a tenth and possibly eleventh season, if the show was able to attract an audience. [10] However, the show lost viewers and was eventually cancelled by Fox. [14]

With the news of the impending end of the series, the crew members decided to wrap up long-running plots. "Jump the Shark", the final episode to feature the Lone Gunmen, served as a de facto series finale for the cancelled X-Files spin-off series The Lone Gunmen . [15] Executive producer and co-writer Frank Spotnitz had to fight to get the episode made; the studio informed Spotnitz that they did not want to bring the characters back in any capacity, as Fox reportedly "hated [the] characters". [16] Similarly, "Release" was written to create closure to the story of the murder of Doggett's son. [16] [17]

The show's crew and actors had a range of opinions about the show's finale, "The Truth". Carter said of the finale, "It's the end—you don't get another chance. So you'd better put everything you've ever wanted to put into the episode. There were things to distract from what was going on. The band was breaking up." Gish said, "It did feel like a big movie set. We were on location, there was an enormous budget, and everyone came back." Davis said, "It was great that they brought us all back in the finale, that they found a way to get us all in again." Pileggi said, "I can remember the last day on the set. We shot a scene with Gillian and myself, and that was it. And then I had to say goodbye to another family, another crew. I almost teared up, and Gillian was standing there looking at me saying 'Okay, go ahead, big guy; get through this.' It was tough." Patrick said, "It was pretty euphoric, and sad, and all those emotions you can imagine. A chapter's closing, and we're all moving on to something new and exciting. And yet we were all going to miss each other." Kim Manners called the final scene "truly one of the most emotional experiences I've ever witnessed in my life." [18] Former lead actor Duchovny said, "In some ways, psychically I didn't really leave. It was nice to be able to – I'm just really happy that I was able to come back and finish it." [19]

Casting

With "Nothing Important Happened Today", the style of the opening credits was changed from the original credits, which, more or less, had been the same for the previous eight seasons. The credits included new graphics as well as new cards for Gish and Pileggi. [14] In addition, Elwes was cast to portray the new recurring character, Brad Follmer, an Assistant Director at the FBI, and Alan Dale was also written into the show as a new "villain", the "Toothpick Man". Lucy Lawless was cast as the intended-recurring character Shannon McMahon, but she became pregnant after filming the season premiere, and—due to her high-risk pregnancy—had to leave the series. [14]

After the departure of Duchovny, the show garnered much criticism by fans and critics alike, with many saying that the bond between Mulder and Scully was what actually kept the show together for the first seven seasons of the show. [20] Realizing his importance in the series, Chris Carter and his crew opened negotiations with Duchovny in the hopes that he would reprise his character for the finale. Initially, they were unsure if he would appear, but he eventually elected to return. Spotnitz said, "My impression from talking to him was that he still cares about the show. He's still invested in it and certainly cares about [Mulder]. And I think he recognized that it was the best thing for the show and the audience [for him] to come back and give closure to nine years of the series." [20] Not only did Duchovny return for the finale, he also returned to write and direct the episode "William"; he even had a small cameo in the episode, appearing as a reflection in Scully's eye. [21] Three episodes later, Duchovny returned as an actor for the season finale, "The Truth". [20]

Crew

Chris Carter served as executive producer and showrunner for the season and wrote nine episodes, including the two-part season premiere and season finale, as well as important mytharc episodes. Spotnitz continued as executive producer and wrote seven episodes, plus receiving story credit for an additional episode. Vince Gilligan continued as executive producer and wrote three episodes. John Shiban was promoted to executive producer and wrote two episodes, plus receiving story credit for an additional episode. David Amann was promoted to supervising producer and wrote two episodes. Steven Maeda was promoted to executive story editor and wrote two episodes. A former writer for The Lone Gunmen Thomas Schnauz joined the writing staff as a story editor and wrote two episodes. Duchovny received story credit for a single episode. [22]

Manners continued as co-executive producer and directed the most of episodes of the season with eight, including the two-part season finale. Tony Wharmby directed three episodes. Series creator Chris Carter directed two episodes. Co-executive producer Michelle MacLaren and series writer John Shiban each made their directorial debuts, directing one episode. Series writers Frank Spotnitz and Vince Gilligan each directed an episode, after previously directing their first episodes in the previous season. The remaining episodes were directed by Dwight Little, Cliff Bole, and cast member David Duchovny. [22]

Cast

Main cast

Starring

  1. ↑ Pileggi is only credited for the episodes he appears in.
  2. ↑ Duchovny is featured in the opening credits for the two-part season finale only. He also has a small uncredited cameo in "William", and appears in archive footage in "Trust No 1" and "Jump the Shark". [21]

Also starring

Recurring cast

Guest starring

Episodes

Episodes marked with a double dagger (‡) are episodes in the series' Alien Mythology arc. [nb 1]

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code  [22] 		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1831"Nothing Important Happened Today"‡ Kim Manners Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz November 11, 2001 (2001-11-11)9ABX0110.60 [23]
John Doggett begins his investigation of Deputy Director Alvin Kersh and search for Fox Mulder.
1842"Nothing Important Happened Today II"‡Tony WharmbyChris Carter & Frank SpotnitzNovember 18, 2001 (2001-11-18)9ABX029.41 [24]
Shannon McMahon, a former Marine associate of Doggett's, reveals to Doggett that she is a "Super Soldier." This leads them to a clandestine laboratory where secret experiments are taking place aboard a naval ship.
1853"Dæmonicus"Frank SpotnitzFrank SpotnitzDecember 2, 2001 (2001-12-02)9ABX038.67 [25]
With Dana Scully reassigned to the Quantico Training Academy, Doggett and Monica Reyes investigate their first X-File together—a series of satanic ritual killings.
1864"4-D"Tony Wharmby Steven Maeda December 9, 2001 (2001-12-09)9ABX058.74 [26]
A vicious murderer threatens Doggett and Reyes and then vanishes. Doggett is shot and Brad Follmer discovers that Reyes' gun was used.
1875"Lord of the Flies"Kim Manners Thomas Schnauz December 16, 2001 (2001-12-16)9ABX069.94 [27]
Scully, Doggett and Reyes investigate when a teenager dies while performing a daredevil feat for a television show, but his death is soon revealed to be caused by a disturbing family secret.
1886"Trust No 1"‡Tony WharmbyChris Carter & Frank SpotnitzJanuary 6, 2002 (2002-01-06)9ABX088.35 [28]
Scully is hopeful about reuniting with Mulder when a complete stranger offers new information about what drove him into hiding. Yet her trust in the stranger may place Mulder in even more danger. The tagline of this episode is "They're Watching."
1897"John Doe" Michelle MacLaren Vince Gilligan January 13, 2002 (2002-01-13)9ABX078.67 [29]
With no knowledge of his identity or his past, Doggett is found wandering a dusty Mexican town. While he struggles to piece together his memory, he finds himself embroiled in a smuggling plot. Across the border Scully and Reyes attempt to find him.
1908"Hellbound"Kim MannersDavid AmannJanuary 27, 2002 (2002-01-27)9ABX047.78 [30]
Reyes takes the lead while investigating an X-File case surrounding a man found skinned alive. When she discovers that he had visions of a similar thing, she calls on Scully's expertise to help with the investigation.
1919"Provenance"‡Kim MannersChris Carter & Frank SpotnitzMarch 3, 2002 (2002-03-03)9ABX109.72 [31]
When rubbings from the spaceship resurface, the FBI hides its investigation from the X-Files. Meanwhile, Scully is forced to take drastic measures when she discovers a threat to William.
19210"Providence"‡Chris CarterChris Carter & Frank SpotnitzMarch 10, 2002 (2002-03-10)9ABX118.44 [32]
Distrustful of both Skinner and Follmer, Scully circumvents the FBI's investigation into William's kidnapping and performs her own, assisted by Reyes and The Lone Gunmen.
19311"Audrey Pauley"Kim MannersSteven MaedaMarch 17, 2002 (2002-03-17)9ABX137.99 [33]
Awakening in a surreal hospital—which a companion believes to be Death's Waiting Room—after being hit by a car, a comatose Reyes struggles to wake herself up before her organ donor card is acted upon.
19412"Underneath" John Shiban John ShibanMarch 31, 2002 (2002-03-31)9ABX097.29 [34]
Doggett is determined to find an error in the DNA evidence that freed the convicted "Screwdriver Killer", whom he nearly caught in the act 13 years earlier.
19513"Improbable"Chris CarterChris CarterApril 7, 2002 (2002-04-07)9ABX148.62 [35]
In the race to catch a serial killer, Scully and Reyes find themselves relying on numerology, their powers of deduction, and a mysterious, card-playing stranger.
19614"Scary Monsters" Dwight Little Thomas SchnauzApril 14, 2002 (2002-04-14)9ABX128.24 [36]
Special agent Leyla Harrison takes Reyes and Doggett on a drive into the mountains after a woman stabs herself repeatedly and her widowed husband refuses to let anyone see their son.
19715"Jump the Shark" Cliff Bole Vince Gilligan & John Shiban & Frank SpotnitzApril 21, 2002 (2002-04-21)9ABX158.59 [37]
When Morris Fletcher approaches the agents with information related to the "Super Soldiers", they turn to The Lone Gunmen. But the Gunmen are already knee-deep in a bio-terrorist's plot which has links to the mysterious Yves Adele Harlow.
19816"William"‡ David Duchovny Story by : David Duchovny & Frank Spotnitz & Chris Carter
Teleplay by : Chris Carter		April 28, 2002 (2002-04-28)9ABX179.68 [38]
Doggett finds a strange, disfigured man in the X-Files office and, on a whim of Scully's, they test his DNA. The surprising answers they find become even more surprising when William's life is put on the line.
19917"Release"Kim MannersStory by : John Shiban & David Amann
Teleplay by : David Amann		May 5, 2002 (2002-05-05)9ABX167.78 [39]
When one of Scully's students displays an inordinate ability to profile serial killers, his insights reopen the homicide case of Doggett's son, Luke.
20018"Sunshine Days"Vince GilliganVince GilliganMay 12, 2002 (2002-05-12)9ABX1810.33 [40]
Doggett, Reyes, Scully and Skinner stumble on to a bizarre homicide case where the main suspect is Oliver Martin, a man with an unusual obsession with The Brady Bunch .
201
202		19
20		"The Truth"‡Kim MannersChris CarterMay 19, 2002 (2002-05-19)9ABX19
9ABX20		13.25 [41]
After not knowing Mulder's whereabouts for the last year, Skinner and Scully learn he's being held for the homicide of a military man he couldn't possibly have killed: Knowle Rohrer, one of the government's secret "Super Soldiers." Mulder breaks out of prison with the help of Skinner, Reyes, Doggett, Scully and Alvin Kersh. Mulder and Scully travel to New Mexico where Black helicopters destroy an Anasazi cliff dwelling ruin along with the Cigarette Smoking Man.

Reception

Ratings

The first episode of the season, "Nothing Important Happened Today", gathered 10.6 million viewers, whereas the second part gathered 9.4 million viewers. [42] On May 19, 2002, the series finale, "The Truth", aired, and the Fox Broadcasting Company confirmed that The X-Files was not being renewed for a tenth season. [14] When talking about the beginning of the ninth season, Chris Carter said, "We lost our audience on the first episode. It's like the audience had gone away, and I didn't know how to find them. I didn't want to work to get them back because I believed what we are doing deserved to have them back." [43] "The Truth" received the highest Nielsen household rating and viewership numbers of the season. It earned a 7.5 rating [44] and gathered 13.25 million viewers in the United States. [45] The loss of viewers resulted in this season seeing a 30 percent ratings drop when compared to the eighth season. [42]

Reviews

Sabadino Parker from PopMatters , when commenting on the series finale, said, "It's also for the good, because The X-Files has long been but a pale reflection of the show it once was." [46] Brian Linder from IGN was more positive to the ninth season, saying that the series could still have aired if the writers created a new storyline for Robert Patrick and Annabeth Gish's character, which The X-Files crew did not do and continued what was seen by many critics as tiresome. [47] Aaron Kinney from Salon magazine was more negative to the new season, even joking about the new female lead, calling her a "peppy new female presence." [48] Entertainment Weekly reviewer Ken Tucker said the show operated in what he called "quaint territory", speculating that Chris Carter was the only one who seemed to understand the complex mytharc. [49] Elizabeth Weinbloom from The New York Times concluded with, "shoddy writing notwithstanding, it was this halfhearted culmination of what was once a beautifully complicated friendship", between Mulder and Scully, ended remaining interest in what was a "waning phenomenon". [50] Another review from The New York Times said of the show, "The most imaginative show on television has finally reached the limits of its imagination." [51] The A.V. Club listed the ninth season and the 2008 film The X-Files: I Want to Believe as the "bad apple" of The X-Files, describing the ninth season as "clumsy mish-mash of stuff that had once worked and new serialized storylines about so-called 'super soldiers'". [52] M.A. Crang, in his book Denying the Truth: Revisiting The X-Files after 9/11, noted that season nine "does not have a great reputation among viewers". However he argued that the season contains a few "hidden gems" and praised those episodes which dealt with new material, while criticising other entries for focusing too heavily on "plotlines and characters from years gone by". [53]

DVD release

The X-Files – The Complete Ninth Season
Set details [22] Special features [22]
  • 20 episodes
  • 7-disc set
  • 1.78:1 aspect ratio
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish
  • English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
Release dates
Region 1 Region 2Region 4
May 11, 2004June 7, 2004July 27, 2004

Notes

  1. ↑ The episodes were included in the DVD collection The X-Files Mythology, Volume 4 – Super Soldiers , released by Fox.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Skinner</span> X-Files character

FBI Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner is a fictional character portrayed by American actor Mitch Pileggi on The X-Files and its short-lived spin-off The Lone Gunmen, both broadcast on Fox.

<i>The X-Files</i> season 6 Season of television series The X-Files

The sixth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1998, concluding on the same channel on May 16, 1999, and consisted of twenty-two episodes. The season continued from the 1998 feature film and focused heavily on FBI federal agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully's separation from the X-Files Division and the demise of the Syndicate—a "shadow government" group attempting to cover up the existence of extraterrestrials—in the two-part episode "Two Fathers" and "One Son".

<i>The X-Files</i> season 7 Season of television series The X-Files

The seventh season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on November 7, 1999, concluded on May 21, 2000, and consists of twenty-two episodes. Taking place after the destruction of the Syndicate, this season marks the end of various other story lines; during this season, Fox Mulder learned the true fate of his sister, Samantha.

<i>The X-Files</i> season 8 Season of television series The X-Files

The eighth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing in the United States on November 5, 2000, concluded on May 20, 2001, and consisted of twenty-one episodes. Season eight takes place after Fox Mulder's alien abduction in the seventh season. The story arc for the search of Mulder continues until the second half of the season, while a new arc about Dana Scully's pregnancy is formed. This arc would continue, and end, with the next season. The season explores various themes such as life, death, and belief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Kersh</span> Fictional character in The X-Files

Alvin D. Kersh is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction television series The X-Files, played by James Pickens Jr. He serves as a figure of authority within the series, first introduced as an Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is later promoted to the post of Deputy Director. Kersh acts as an antagonist who bureaucratically prevents Special Agents Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, John Doggett and Monica Reyes from investigating cases dealing with the paranormal, dubbed X-Files.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Spender</span> Fictional character in The X-Files

FBI Special agent Jeffrey Frank Spender is a fictional character in the American Fox television series The X-Files, a science fiction show about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of alien existence. Spender was in control of the X-Files office after Fox Mulder's and Dana Scully's forced leaves in "The Beginning". The X-Files office is concerned with cases with particularly mysterious or possibly supernatural circumstances that were left unsolved and shelved by the FBI. Portrayed by Canadian actor Chris Owens, Spender was a recurring character during the fifth and sixth seasons, before returning for the ninth season of The X-Files in a guest role. He returned for the eleventh season of the show.

"The Truth" is the finale of the ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. "The Truth", the 19th and 20th episodes of the season and the 201st and 202nd episodes overall, originally served as the finale for the entire series, until the return of the series in January 2016. First aired together on the Fox network on May 19, 2002, the episodes were written by series creator Chris Carter and directed by Kim Manners. "The Truth" was the most-watched episode of the ninth season and was seen by 13.25 million viewers upon its initial broadcast. The finale received mixed reviews, with many commentators criticizing the episode's lack of closure. Others were pleased with the full return of actor David Duchovny to the series, as well as the episode's conclusion.

<i>The X-Files Mythology, Volume 4 – Super Soldiers</i> Season of television series

The X-Files Mythology – Volume 4 collection is the fourth DVD release containing selected episodes from the eighth to the ninth seasons of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. The episodes collected in the release form the end of the series' mythology, and are centered on those that involve the alien "Super Soldiers" and Dana Scully's son, William.

"Within" is the eighth season premiere of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States on November 5, 2000, on the Fox Network. It was written by executive producer and series creator Chris Carter, and directed by Kim Manners. The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.5 and was watched by 15.87 million viewers, marking a slight increase from the previous season's finale "Requiem". "Within" was largely well-received by critics, although some fans felt alienated by the addition of Robert Patrick to the cast.

Without (<i>The X-Files</i>) 2nd episode of the 8th season of The X-Files

"Without" is the second episode of the eighth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on November 12, 2000, on Fox and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2001. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter and directed by Kim Manners. The episode helps to explore the series' overarching mythology and continues from the seventh season finale, "Requiem", and season eight premiere, "Within", in which Fox Mulder was abducted by aliens who are planning to colonize Earth. The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 9.0 in the United States and was seen by 15.1 million viewers. As with the previous episode, "Within," it was generally well-received by critics, although some detractors criticized various plot points.

"Trust No 1" is the sixth episode of the ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on January 6, 2002. The episode was written by series creator Chris Carter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Tony Wharmby. "Trust No 1" helps to explore the series' overarching mythology. The episode received a Nielsen household rating of 5.1 and was viewed by 8.4 million viewers; it garnered mixed to negative reviews from television critics, with many feeling that it portrayed the series' characters in a way that was unfaithful to the show's history.

"Provenance" is the ninth episode of the ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on March 3, 2002. The episode was written by series creator Chris Carter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Kim Manners. "Provenance" helps to explore the series' overarching mythology. The episode received a Nielsen household rating of 5.5 and was watched by 5.8 million households and 9.7 million viewers. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

William (<i>The X-Files</i>) 16th episode of the 9th season of The X-Files

"William" is the sixteenth episode of the ninth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files, which originally aired on the Fox network on April 28, 2002. The teleplay of the episode was written by series creator Chris Carter, from a story by former series star David Duchovny, Carter, and executive producer Frank Spotnitz; the entry was directed by Duchovny. "William" helps to explore the series' overarching mythology. The episode received a Nielsen household rating of 5.8, being watched by 6.1 million households and 9.3 million viewers upon its initial broadcast. It received mixed reviews from television critics, many of whom were unhappy with the episode's conclusion.

"Essence" is the twentieth and penultimate episode of the eighth season and the 181st episode overall of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States on May 13, 2001, on Fox, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter and directed by Kim Manners. "Essence" earned Nielsen rating of 7.7 and was viewed by 12.8 million viewers. The episode received largely positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deadalive</span> 15th episode of the 8th season of The X-Files

"Deadalive" is the fifteenth episode of the eighth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and was directed by Tony Wharmby. It explores the series' alien mythology story arc. Following its North American premiere on April 1, 2001, it received a Nielsen household rating of 7.3 and was watched by 12.4 million viewers. It garnered mixed reviews; while most critics were happy with the return of actor David Duchovny, some criticized the episode's plot holes. It later won the show's last Emmy Award, for Outstanding Makeup.

"Per Manum" is the thirteenth episode of the eighth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on February 18, 2001. Written by Frank Spotnitz and series creator Chris Carter, and directed by Kim Manners, the episode helps to explore the series' overarching mythology. "Per Manum" received a Nielsen rating of 9.4 and was watched by 9.61 million households. Overall, the episode received mostly positive reviews from critics.

Existence (<i>The X-Files</i>) 21st episode of the 8th season of The X-Files

"Existence" is the twenty-first episode and final episode of the eighth-season of the science fiction television series The X-Files and 182nd episode overall. The episode first premiered on Fox in the United States on May 20, 2001, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2001, on Sky1. It was written by executive producer Chris Carter and directed by Kim Manners. "Existence" earned a Nielsen household rating of 8.4 and was watched by 8.58 million households and 14 million viewers, overall. The episode received largely positive reviews from television critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is Not Happening</span> 14th episode of the 8th season of The X-Files

"This Is Not Happening" is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season and the 175th episode overall of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States on February 25, 2001, on the Fox Network, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Kim Manners, and forms part of the series' overarching mythology. The episode received a Nielsen household rating of 9.7 and was watched by 16.9 million viewers, making it the highest-rated episode of the season. "This Is Not Happening" was received positively by television critics.

The mythology of The X-Files, sometimes referred to as its "mytharc" by the show's staff and fans, follows the quest of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder, a believer in supernatural phenomena, and Dana Scully, his skeptical partner. Their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner, was also often involved. Beginning with season 8, another skeptic named John Doggett, and Monica Reyes, a believer like Mulder, were also introduced. The overarching story, which spans events as early as the 1940s, is built around a government conspiracy to hide the truth about alien existence and their doomsday plan. Not all episodes advanced the mythology plot, but those that did were often set up by Mulder or Scully via an opening monologue.

Three Words (<i>The X-Files</i>) 16th episode of the 8th season of The X-Files

"Three Words" is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. It first aired in the United States and Canada on April 8, 2001, on Fox. Written by executive producers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Tony Wharmby, it explores the series' overarching mythology. It earned a Nielsen rating of 7.6, viewed by 7.77 million households, and received mixed to positive reviews from television critics.

References

  1. ↑ Kim Manners & Tony Wharmby (directors); Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz (writers). "Nothing Important Happened Today". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 19 & 20. Fox.
  2. 1 2 3 "Frank Discussion". The X-Files Magazine . February 2002. Retrieved on October 1, 2009.
  3. ↑ Tony Wharmby (director); Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz (writers). "Trust No 1". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 6. Fox.
  4. ↑ Kim Manners (director); Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz (writers). "Provenance". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 9. Fox.
  5. ↑ Chris Carter (director); Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz (writers). "Providence". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 10. Fox.
  6. ↑ David Duchovny (director); Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz & Duchovny (writers). "William". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 16. Fox.
  7. ↑ Kim Manners (director); Chris Carter (writer). "The Truth". The X-Files. Season 9. Episode 19 & 20. Fox.
  8. ↑ "Duchovny Quits X-Files". BBC News. May 18, 2001. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  9. 1 2 Spelling, Ian. (February 2002) "Doggett's Pursuit". The X-Files Magazine . Retrieved on October 1, 2009.
  10. 1 2 ScFiWire staff (November 21, 2001). "The X-Files". ScFiWire.
  11. ↑ The Hollywood Reporter staff (October 15, 2001). "TV Talk". The Hollywood Reporter .
  12. ↑ Fleming, Michael; Adalian, Josef (July 20, 2000). "Patrick Marks 'X-Files' Spot". Variety. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
  13. ↑ Frank Spotnitz, Robert Patrick (2002). Profiles: Monica Reyes (DVD). The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season: Fox Home Entertainment.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Spotnitz, Frank et al. (2002). The Truth Behind Season 9 (DVD). Fox Home Entertainment.
  15. ↑ Spotnitz, Frank, Gilligan, Vince & Shiban, John (2002). Audio Commentary for "Jump the Shark" (DVD). Fox Home Entertainment.
  16. 1 2 Fraga, pp. 218–219.
  17. ↑ Hurwitz and Knowles, p. 208
  18. ↑ Hurwitz and Knowles, pp. 208–209
  19. ↑ "'X-Files' Season Finale Airs Tonight". CNN. May 19, 2002. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  20. 1 2 3 KJN (March 5, 2002). "X-Files Gets Set to Jump the Shark". IGN . Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  21. 1 2 Kessenich, p. 204
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 The X-Files: The Complete Ninth Season (booklet). Kim Manners, et al. Fox.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times . November 14, 2001. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  24. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times . November 21, 2001. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  25. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 26–Dec. 2)". The Los Angeles Times . December 5, 2001. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  26. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times . December 12, 2001. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  27. ↑ "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending December 16, 2001". Ratings Ryan. February 25, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  28. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 30–Jan. 6)". The Los Angeles Times . January 9, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  29. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 7-13)". The Los Angeles Times . January 16, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  30. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 21-27)". The Los Angeles Times . January 30, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  31. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 25-March 3)". The Los Angeles Times . March 6, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  32. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 4–10)". The Los Angeles Times . March 13, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  33. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times . March 20, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  34. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 25–31)". The Los Angeles Times . April 3, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  35. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 1–7)". The Los Angeles Times . April 10, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  36. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 8–14)". The Los Angeles Times . April 17, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  37. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times . April 24, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  38. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times . May 1, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  39. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 29-May 5)". The Los Angeles Times . May 8, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  40. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 6–12)". The Los Angeles Times . May 15, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  41. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times . May 22, 2002. Retrieved May 5, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  42. 1 2 Kessenich, p. 193
  43. ↑ Goodman, Tim (January 18, 2002). "'X-Files' creator ends Fox series". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  44. ↑ Associated Press (May 2002). "Prime-Time Nielsen ratings". Associated Press Archive.
  45. ↑ Kissell, Rick (May 21, 2002). "Peacock struts its stuff". Variety . Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  46. ↑ Parker, Sabadino (May 15, 2002). "I Don't Believe It". PopMatters . Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  47. ↑ Linder, Brian (January 18, 2001). "X-Files Exits After 9 Seasons". IGN . Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  48. ↑ Kinney, Aaron (May 17, 2002). "The truth is, um, where, exactly?". Salon . Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  49. ↑ Tucker, Ken (November 16, 2001). "The X-Files (1993–2002)". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  50. ↑ Weinbloom, Elizabeth (June 2, 2002). "'THE X-FILES'; A Botched Romance". The New York Times . Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  51. ↑ "The Nearly Ex Files". The New York Times . October 10, 2002. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  52. ↑ Adams, Sam; et al. (May 7, 2012). "One bad apple...we can live with that: 31 rotten parts of otherwise fantastic wholes". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  53. ↑ Crang, M.A. (2015). Denying the Truth: Revisiting The X-Files after 9/11. Createspace. p. 153. ISBN   978-1-5170-0903-8.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.