8 Things That Need To Happen To Make Disney's The X-Files Reboot Work

The New X-Files Reboot Can’t Star Mulder And Scully Again

The fact that the second season of The X-Files revival performed so poorly with critics and viewers makes it unlikely that the show’s original stars Duchovny and Anderson would return for another reboot so soon. However, Disney’s X-Files reboot shouldn’t star Mulder and Scully even if their actors could be convinced to come back again. Mulder and Scully’s story ended with a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t one that viewers were eager to see resolved, since the unpopular story of Scully’s son William dragged down seasons 10 and 11. This pointless plot shouldn’t be revisited, but it couldn’t be ignored if the duo were to return as main characters.

David Duchovny's Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Scully in the X-Files revival sat in a white room looking bemused

David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson Must Still Appear In The Reboot

A lot of TV shows have reworked the formula of The X-Files in the years since the series ended, with everything from Fringe to Supernatural to Gravity Falls owing at least some of their inspiration to the ‘90s hit. As such, it would be easy for an X-Files reboot without Mulder and Scully to feel like nothing more than a knock-off. Duchovny and Anderson must at least appear in the spinoff so Mulder and Scully can give the new series their blessing, since anything short of this would mean Disney’s reboot didn’t feel like a legitimate addition to the franchise. Even a brief cameo would be sufficient to end their story and set up the reboot's new heroes.

Gillain Anderson's Scully sitting down in the original X-Files

Disney’s Reboot Can’t Soften The X-Files

The fact that The X-Files had a Simpsons crossover and was endlessly parodied at the height of its popularity led some viewers to nostalgically remember the series as a relatively light watch. However, the nastiest episodes of The X-Files were seriously scary and bleak, as evidenced by season 4, episode 2, “Home,” and season 1, episode 3, “Squeeze.” The reboot needs to remember this, particularly when Disney has a reputation for family-friendly content. Coogler has worked on plenty of mature projects over the years, but little of his recent work has the outright disturbing atmosphere of classic X-Files outings.

Gillian Anderson's Scully and David Duchovny's Mulder looking shocked in the X-Files pilot

The X-Files Needs More Monster Of The Week Stories

The series should prioritize fun standalone mysteries. While the series did have a complex conspiracy at the core of the show’s overarching story, The X-Files still excelled at pulling off standalone episodes. Some of these were terrifying while others were pure silly fun, but all of them functioned as mini-movies starring Mulder, Scully, and a unique weekly villain. Disney’s reboot must take inspiration from some of the original X-Files' best monster-of-the-week episodes, as it was in these unassuming outings that Mulder and Scully fine-tuned the chemistry that drove the series. This interplay elevated the show, and the formula allows the duo to develop this dynamic via comparatively low-stakes stories.

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson on The X-Files looking at a book with intrigue