The X-Files

Fans of the The X-Files will be happy to know that the show is set to return with six new episodes. Image: via Instagram.

The X-Files was an incredibly popular show, and it still has a very strong fan base, which has long clamored for more seasons of the beloved science fiction show. The first film, The X-Files (1998), came out while the show was still on television, but the second, The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), was released six years after the show ended. The latter didn’t do all that great in theaters, and there are still some storylines that were left unresolved.

Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that Fox was trying to bring the show back, and that they would try to do so with the show’s principal figures, namely Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, and series creator Chris Carter. Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for fans, all three have been busy with other projects. Anderson and Duchovny played iconic characters Dana Scully and Fox Mulder in the series, and have gone on to find immense success after the original series wrapped.

Now, Fox has announced that they’ve green-lit a new, 6 episode season of the show, set to begin production this summer.

A short season would probably be for the best. It would allow the writers to focus on resolving plotlines and keep the writing tight, without having to develop more storylines to fill out 20-odd hour long episodes. It would also work better for everyone’s schedules. Both actors are constantly in demand, with Anderson currently working on The Fall, and Duchovny working on Aquarius, while Carter is working on Crossing Lines. With everyone so busy, it would be a lot easier to schedule and film 6 episodes without having to wait, potentially, years for everyone’s schedules to line up.

But all three have been interested in doing more X-Files episodes since the show ended, and it’s good to see Fox supporting that. It’s not like they aren’t aware of how popular the show was, and that a new season would be an instant hit.