Brooke Bunny
Never, in my… 8 hours at Comic-Con… have I seen a more packed-panel.
The cast and crew of ’90s TV sensation “The X-Files” came together to celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary, and work some rather frenzied fans into frighteningly excited states, in a panel in Ballroom 20.
Proceedings kicked off with introductions of the behind-the-scenes crew, namely creator Chris Carter, before the screens opened and we saw a glimpse of the show’s opener.
Then, out of the black, came David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, waving their torches about – just like in that opener of the show – to a very excited audience.
Firstly, no, they didn’t announce a new “X-Files” series or movie, as most were hoping they would. No fault of the cast or crew, they’re all very keen to get the franchise back up-and-running (Anderson saying she wouldn’t do a TV series, but would do a film), but obviously Fox still isn’t convinced. But hopefully they’ll change their minds are seeing how many attended the panel today, and just what kind of reception the cast and crew got – The Beatles? Ain’t got nuthin’ on Mulder, Scully or the people that helped give birth to them.
It was a mostly jovial, and amusing, panel overall. There were jokes about Mulder and Scully’s relationship (“Something happened,” Anderson said, “because we have a child”), some talk on how influential these characters were- particularly Dana Scully (“Scully had quite a huge impact on people, aspects of her personality and her personal strength, things she stood up for. She also was a decent human being”, Anderson said), and questions on a possible Anderson/Duchovny reunion, in some other non-“X-Files” capacity, down the line (which, it seems, is probably off the cards. Duchovny said, ”I’ve always felt like there was something so special about Mulder and Scully. I love Gillian.. It would have to be something I can’t think of to cross that line.”)
A surprise was producer John Shiban’s grown-up son walking on stage, introduced as ‘the kid that played Dana Scully’s baby on Season 8’.
“He looks like me”, Anderson joked.
Duchovny’s favourite moment in the series was when Mulder and Scully danced in “Postmodern Prometheus”. “That just had a great feeling to it,” he says.
Anderson didn’t seem to remember her “X-Files” moments as well as her co-star.
While Carter was unable to offer any update on a possible third “X-Files” movie, he did say the concept would work just as well today, if not more so, than it did back when it started. “The suspicions and conspiracy theories are rampant today…If ‘The X-Files were to come back today, you could do the show,” Carter said.
Duchovny ended the panel by saying he’d auction off the standee of Mulder and Scully that they had on stage. The bids automatically started rolling in.
“This is how we’re going to get the movie made” Duchovny says. “This is our Kickstarter”.
Don’t be surprised if Fox announces something “X-Files”-related soon, because if today was any indication, there’s just as big, if not a bigger audience out there now for this show.
