X-Files
Australian Information Kiosk
May 2000

The other night Martin James of Castlecrag, was watching a creepy X Files about sect members who proved their faith by waving snakes around. During a break, Martin went into a darkened room to find something and trod on - aaagh, a snake! Once his heartbeat settled down, he investigated. It was a red-bellied black snake (very poisonous) - minus its head. The cat dragged it in.

If Letterman can't draw a smile, even a chuckle, from Gillian Anderson, who can? But these little sessions usually conceal purpose, so there'll be signals flying in this chat with a Dave fave. An eighth, possibly curtailed, season of The X Files? She's booked, but will it be with a new leading man for half the time? It's on the cards.

Fox Wants More X-Files

Sandy Grushow, chairman of the 20th Century Fox television studio, told the Chicago Tribune newspaper that the Fox network is committed to bringing The X-Files back for an eighth season, with or without star David Duchovny.

"We would like for not just the show to come back, but for David Duchovny to come back in the show," Grushow said.

But, Grushow added, "Bottom line is, we're prepared to make the show with or without David." Duchovny, who plays Agent Fox Mulder, has said he's made clear to the network what his terms are to come back. Duchovny, whose contract expires at the end of this season, has also sued Fox for royalties he argues are due him from the sale of X-Files reruns to Fox's sister cable network FX.

X-Files creator Chris Carter, whose contract also expires this season, has previously said he's not interested in doing the show without Duchovny. Gillian Anderson, who plays Agent Dana Scully, is contracted for one more season, but has said she wants to leave, the Tribune reported.

But Grushow seemed determined to carry on in any case. "We're not there yet on either count, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Chris Carter will make the show with or without David, or whether or not David will be a part of it," Grushow said.

Anderson: How do you perceive our relationship?
Duchovny: It's like the roots of a tree. It's very twisted but it's growing. You know the tree is alive, and it works in its own treelike ways, yet you can't untangle it. You could, but you'd need the help of a gifted professional.

Anderson: Like a therapist?
Duchovny: Yeah. I always think back to the third or fourth episode and I was sitting in the office with Chris Carter and he actually wanted us to get help. He was concerned with how we were relating onscreen. He said "You seem bored or angry with each other. Mayne you should go see somebody" I thought, "What? We'll go as our characters? Hi my name is Fox Mulder. This is my parter, Scully. We're here for couples therapy."

Anderson: I have no memory of that.
Duchovny: You might not have been in the room. But maybe we should have therapy for long running series actors. It'd be good for the cast of Friends to have group therapy. Actually when Chris said that, I thought he was insane. But we do spend so much time together and it's a hard relationship to navigate.