‘The X Files’ returns to Fox after almost 14 years

By Brian Craddock TV Media

I t’s been almost 14 years since “The X-Files” last aired a new episode. Series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have gone on to success in other shows, such as “Californication” and “The Fall,” respectively, but fans are clamoring to see the two reprise the roles that made them famous: special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

Now it’s finally happening: “The X-Files” returns to the small screen in the form of a six-part miniseries, premiering in a twonight event Sunday and Monday, Jan. 24 and 25, on its old home network, Fox. After this two-night premiere, it slips into its Monday time-slot for the remainder of the series’ run.

Considering how long it’s been since we’ve seen a new episode (not including the film “The XFiles: I Want to Believe” in 2008), it’s understandable that some changes have been made to the series, but it should still be largely the same show we saw almost a decade and a half ago. The main cast members are (mostly) returning; besides Duchovny and Anderson, viewers can expect to see Mitch Pileggi (“Dallas”) as the FBI’s Walter Skinner, as well as William B. Davis (“Continuum”) as the conspiratorial Smoking Man. Even the Lone Gunmen are back: Bruce Harwood (“MacGyver”), Tom Braidwood (“Amazon Falls,” 2010) and Dean Haglund (“Bones”) all reprise their roles as John Fitzgerald Byers, Melvin Frohike and Richard Langly (who also appeared in their own spinoff in 2001). Annabeth Gish’s (“Sons of Anarchy”) Monica Reyes also returns, but absent will be John Doggett, the character played by Robert Patrick (“Scorpion”).

There are some new faces as well: Joel McHale of “Community” appears as Tad O’Malley, anchor of an online news show in the same vein as controversial real-life radio host Alex Jones; Annet Mahendru (“The Americans”) plays Sveta, an alien abductee. Noted “X-Files” superfan Kumail Nanjiani (who in addition to his acting work in shows such as “Silicon Valley” also produces an “X-Files” fan podcast) is also slated to appear in an as-yet-unspecified role in the third episode (though in a photo posted on Twitter, Nanjiani is seen wearing an animal control officer jacket, flanked by Duchovny and Anderson).

So just how are cast members of the original series feeling about jumping back into roles they haven’t played in years? Well, when he first got the script for the opening episode, Duchovny says he cried:

“I just read it about an hour ago, and I started crying reading the first page,” Duchovny told Entertainment Weekly in May. “It was just so strange to see the names on the page. ... We’d been planning it for a long time.”

For Davis, it was an easy decision to return. “As an actor it’s good for me, it’s good for my career and it’s stimulating,” he said in an interview with Den of Geek.

“I had no hesitation. I would have been quite disappointed if the show had been done without me, and I think a lot of fans would have been disappointed as well.”

Millions of fans are wondering how this season will play out. Major details are scant, even as the show is about to air, but creator Chris Carter has managed to drop one significant bombshell, revealing to the Hollywood Reporter in September that Mulder and Scully are no longer a couple. “We put some of the tension back in that was relieved by them being together,” he said. “It added to the storytelling opportunities.”

Carter also revealed his amazement at how it felt finishing up the show for a second time. “I look [at the original series] and I see that we did 202 episodes of the show. I honestly don’t know how we did it. I was exhausted by the end of these six episodes.”

The original “X-Files” series was a show that, unlike your average police procedural or sitcom, had an overarching story that lasted over its entire run. So in addition to “monster of the week” episodes (featuring a one-off villain), there were also “mythology arc” episodes. These were the meat of the story and saw Mulder and Scully uncover a sprawling conspiracy that was far bigger than they could have imagined.

With only six episodes to work with, you’d expect them to do away with the one-off villains, but in an interview with The Canadian Press, Carter said that while the new series is a mix of standalone stories and the overarching plot, “[i]t will all be of a piece, meaning that it won’t feel disconnected. It’ll all feel as if it’s taking place in what I would call television ‘real time.’”

It’s been 13 long years, but it appears “X-Files” fans will finally get what they’re waiting for. The six-part “X-Files” revival premieres Sunday and Monday, Jan. 24 and 25, on Fox, before slipping into its Monday timeslot.

Sunday, Jan. 24

1:00 p.m. (7) KCCO The NFL Today (Live) (1:00)

ESPN2 Fantasy Football Now (Live) (1:00)

GOLF Golf Central Pre-game (Live) (1:00)

NBCSN USSA Snowboarding Slopestyle Grand Prix. Mammoth Mountain, Calif. (1:00)

2:00 p.m. (7) KCCO NFL Football AFC Championship. (Live) (3:30)

(11) KARE USSA Freestyle Skiing Grand Prix. Mammoth Lakes, CA (1:00)

ESPN PBA Bowling Challenge Final From National Bowling Stadium-Reno, Nev. (2:00)

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Women’s Ohio St. at Rutg. From Rutgers Athletic Center-- New Brunswick, N.J. (Live) (2:00)

FSN NCAA Basketball Women’s UNC vs. Duke Durham, N.C. (Live) (2:00)

GOLF PGA Golf Final Round CareerBuilder Challenge. From PGA West Stadium Course-- La Quinta, Calif. (Live) (4:00)

NBCSN NCAA Basketball Women’s Vir. C. vs. Rich. (Live) (2:00)

3:00 p.m. (11) KARE Figure Skating U.S. Championship. From Xcel Energy Center-- St. Paul, Minn. (Live) (2:00)

4:00 p.m. ESPN World of X Games (0:30)

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Women’s S.C. at MS St. From Humphrey Coliseum-- Starkville, Miss. (Live) (2:00)

FSN Xterra Adventures (0:30)

4:30 p.m. ESPN E:60 Pictures (0:30)

FSN Crashed Ice Quebec (1:30)

5:00 p.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR NFL Pre-game Show (Live) (0:30)

ESPN SportsCenter (1:30)

5:30 p.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR NFL Football NFC Championship. (Live) (3:00)

6:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Gymnastics Women’s Fla. at Aub. From Auburn Arena-- Auburn, Ala. (1:30)

FSN UFC Unleashed (1:00)

GOLF Golf Central (1:00)

6:30 p.m. ESPN Poker World Series. From Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino-Las Vegas, Nev. (1:30)

7:00 p.m. FSN UFC Main Event (1:00)

GOLF PGA Golf Final Round

CareerBuilder Challenge. From PGA West Stadium Course-- La Quinta, Calif. (4:00)

7:30 p.m. ESPN2 SEC Storied (0:30)

8:00 p.m. ESPN Poker World Series. From Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino-Las Vegas, Nev. (1:00)

ESPN2 ITF Tennis Fourth Round

Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-- Melbourne, Australia (Live) (5:00)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

8:30 p.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR NFL Post-game Show (Live) (0:30)

9:00 p.m. ESPN NFL PrimeTime (Live) (1:00)

FSN WPT Poker Alpha8. St. Kitts (1:00)

9:30 p.m. (23) WUCW The Sports Show With Mike Max (0:30)

10:00 p.m. (9) KMSP Fox 9 Sports Now (1:00)

ESPN SportsCenter (1:30)

FSN Sled Head 24/7 (0:30)

NBCSN Premier League Match of the Day (1:00)

10:30 p.m. FSN State of Hockey (0:30)

11:00 p.m. (9) KMSP Midwest Outdoors Magazine (0:30)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

GOLF CHAMPS Golf Final Round Mitsubishi Electric Championship. From Hualalai Golf Club-- Ka’upulehuKona Hawaii (3:00)

NBCSN Premier League Match of the Week (2:00)

11:30 p.m. ESPN NFL PrimeTime (1:00)

Monday, Jan. 25

Noon (9) KAWE Classical Stretch: The Esmonde Technique (0:30)

ESPN SportsCenter (0:30)

ESPN2 First Take (2:00)

NBCSN George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing (0:30)

12:30 p.m. ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)

NBCSN Bill Boyce’s Baja (0:30)

1:00 p.m. ESPN College Football Live (Live) (0:30)

FSN NBA Basketball Mem. at Min. From Target Center-- Minneapolis, Minn. (2:00)

GOLF PGA Golf Final Round CareerBuilder Challenge. From PGA West Stadium Course-- La Quinta, Calif. (4:00)

NBCSN Sweetwater (0:30)

1:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Insiders (Live) (1:00)

2:00 p.m. ESPN2 ITF Tennis Fourth Round Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-- Melbourne, Australia (3:00)

NBCSN Charlie Moore: No Offense (0:30)

2:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:00)

NBCSN My Classic Car (0:30)

3:00 p.m. FSN WPT Poker Alpha8. St. Kitts (1:00)

3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)

FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)

GOLF Golf Central (1:00)

NBCSN Pro Football Talk (Live) (0:30)

5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)

NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)

6:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Duke vs. Mia. (Live) (2:00)

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Women’s Ten. vs. Ken. From Memorial Coliseum Lexington-- Lexington, Ky. (Live) (2:00)

FSN NBA Basketball Min. at Cle. From Quicken Loans Arena-Cleveland, Ohio (Live) (2:30)

GOLF The Golf Fix (1:00)

6:30 p.m. NBCSN NHL Hockey Buf. at N.Y. R. From Madison Square Garden-New York City, N.Y. (Live) (2:30)

7:00 p.m. USA WWE Monday Night Raw (3:05)

8:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Kan. vs. Iowa (Live) (2:00)

ESPN2 ITF Tennis Men’s and Women’s Quarter-final Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-Melbourne, Australia (Live) (5:00)

8:30 p.m. FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)

9:00 p.m. FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)

FSN NBA Basketball Min. at Cle. From Quicken Loans Arena-Cleveland, Ohio (2:00)

GOLF The Golf Fix (1:00)

NBCSN The Scott Martin Challenge (0:30)

1:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Insiders (Live) (1:00)

NBCSN FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Men’s Slalom Schladming, Austria (Live) (1:30)

2:00 p.m. ESPN2 ITF Tennis Men’s and Women’s Quarter-final Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-Melbourne, Australia (3:00)

GOLF EPGA Golf Final Round Abu Dhabi Championship. From Abu Dhabi Golf Club-- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2:30)

2:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:00)

FSN Destination Polaris (0:30)

GOLF Golf Channel Academy (0:30)

6:30 p.m. FSN UFC Ultimate Insider (0:30)

GOLF PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center (0:30)

NBCSN NHL Hockey Chi. at Car. From PNC Arena-- Raleigh, N.C. (Live) (2:30)

7:00 p.m. FSN UFC 173 (3:00)

GOLF PGA Golf Classics Final Round 2015 Farmers Insurance Open. From Torrey Pines Golf Club-- San Diego, Calif. (3:00)

8:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)

ESPN2 ITF Tennis Men’s and Women’s Quarter-final Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-Melbourne, Australia (Live) (5:00)

SHOW Inside the NFL (1:00)

9:00 p.m. NBCSN NHL Hockey Col. at S.J. From SAP Center-- San Jose, Calif. (Live) (2:30)

HBO Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (1:00)

10:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

FSN UFC Ultimate Insider (0:30)

GOLF Golf Central (0:30)

SHOW Inside the NFL (1:00)

10:30 p.m. FSN UFC Ultimate Knockouts (0:30)

GOLF EPGA Golf Round 1 Qatar Masters. From Doha Golf Club-- Doha, Qatar (Live) (5:00)

11:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

11:30 p.m. NBCSN NHL Overtime (Live) (0:30)

Wednesday, Jan. 27

8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

FSN State of Hockey (0:30)

NBCSN George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing (0:30)

1:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Insiders (Live) (1:00)

NBCSN Bill Boyce’s Baja (0:30)

2:00 p.m. ESPN2 ITF Tennis Men’s and Women’s Quarter-final Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-Melbourne, Australia (3:00)

NBCSN Sweetwater (0:30)

2:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:00)

GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)

3:00 p.m. FSN The Yearbook Published by PrepSpotlight.tv 2015-16 (0:30)

GOLF PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center (0:30)

NBCSN Charlie Moore: No Offense (0:30)

3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)

FSN State of Hockey (0:30)

GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)

NBCSN My Classic Car (0:30)

4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

GOLF Golfing World (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

GOLF European Tour Weekly (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)

FSN Monster Jam (1:00)

GOLF Golf Central (1:00)

NBCSN Pro Football Talk (Live) (0:30)

5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

NBCSN NHL Overtime (Live) (1:00)

9:30 p.m. FSN Minnesota Timberwolves: Track the Pack 2015-16 (0:30)

10:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

FSN UFC’s Road to the Octagon (1:00)

NBCSN Men in Blazers (0:30)

10:30 p.m. NBCSN Premier League Download (0:30)

11:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

FSN WPT Poker Seminole Hard Rock Showdown. (1:00)

GOLF Golf Central (1:00)

NBCSN Premier League Review Show (1:00)

3:00 p.m. FSN NHL Hockey Ariz. at Min. From Xcel Energy Center-- St. Paul, Minn. (2:00)

NBCSN Babe Winkelman (0:30)

3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)

NBCSN Americana Outdoors (0:30)

4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)

NBCSN Stories of NASCAR (0:30)

5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)

FSN State of Hockey (0:30)

GOLF Golf Central (0:30)

NBCSN Pro Football Talk (Live) (0:30)

5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)

FSN Inside the Big East (0:30)

GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)

NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)

6:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Ind. at Wisc. From Kohl Center-Madison, Wis. (Live) (2:00)

ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Tex.Tech at Okl. From Lloyd Noble Center-Norman, Okla. (Live) (2:00)

NBCSN The Dan Patrick Show (Live) (3:00)

8:30 a.m. FSN The Game 365 (0:30)

9:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

ESPN2 First Take (Live) (2:00)

FSN DFL Soccer Dor. at M’Glad. From Borussia-Park-- Monchengladbach, Germany (2:00)

10:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

11:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)

ESPN2 His & Hers (Live) (1:00)

FSN NCAA Basketball Xav. vs. Prov. (2:00)

GOLF Morning Drive (3:30)

NBCSN Gillette World of Sports (0:30)

11:30 a.m. NBCSN Into the Blue (0:30)

Noon (9) KAWE Classical Stretch: The Esmonde Technique (0:30)

ESPN SportsCenter (0:30)

ESPN2 First Take (2:00)

NBCSN Saltwater Experience (0:30)

12:30 p.m. ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)

NBCSN Bass 2 Billfish (0:30)

1:00 p.m. ESPN College Football Live (Live) (0:30)

FSN NCAA Basketball Crei. at Geo. From Verizon Center-- Washington, D.C. (2:00)

NBCSN NHL Rivals (0:30)

6:00 p.m. ESPN NBA Countdown (Live) (1:00)

ESPN2 SportsCenter (0:30)

FSN The Game 365 (0:30)

GOLF School of Golf (1:00)

NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)

6:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pro Bowl Draft (Live) (2:00)

FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)

7:00 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball Hou. at S.A. From AT&T Center-- San Antonio, Texas (Live) (2:30)

FSN NBA Basketball Okl. at Min. From Target Center-- Minneapolis, Minn. (Live) (2:30)

GOLF AsianTour Golf Round 1 Singapore Open. From Sentosa Golf Club-- Sentosa, Singapore (Live) (3:00)

NBCSN NHL Hockey Pha. at Was. From Verizon Center-- Washington, D.C. (Live) (2:30)

8:30 p.m. ESPN2 ITF Tennis Women’s Semifinal Australian Open. From Melbourne Park-- Melbourne, Australia (Live) (4:30)

9:30 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball Dal. at G.S. From The Oracle-- Oakland, Calif. (Live) (2:30)

FSN Wolves Live Post-game (Live) (0:30)