FAQ for
"The X-Files" (1993) More at IMDbPro »"The X Files" (original title)

The first movie Fight the Future takes place between The X Files: The End (#5.20) and The X Files: The Beginning (#6.1), i.e. between seasons 5 and 6. It is especially closely linked with the latter episode. The second movie, The X Files: I Want to Believe, takes place between seasons 9 and 10.

While it's not absolutely necessary to watch all nine original seasons to follow Season 10 -- the new episodes include a fair amount of explanation -- most fans (or X-Philes) agree that watching the original is necessary to full appreciate and enjoy the revival, as well as to understand a lot of what's happening. This articles gives more reasons to watch the original first.

In "My Struggle II" (S10:E6) Monica Reyes identifies herself as "Someone who was there for you....When you also needed help." Reyes is referring to "Existence" (8:21) when she helped protect Scully during the birth of her son, William.

Despite having been killed in "Jump the Shark" (S9:E15), the fan-favorite recurring characters known as the Lone Gunmen Byers, Frohike, and Langly (played by Bruce Harwood, Dean Haglund, and Tom Braidwood respectively) make a brief appearance in "Babylon" (S10:E5) thanks to Mulder's mushroom-induced hallucination.

In "Mulder and Scully meet the Were-Monster" (S10:E3), Mulder has difficulty with his new camera app and ends up taking selfies and blurry images while trying to photograph the were-monster. Likewise, a photographer is killed while trying to take pictures of the monster Big Blue in "Quagmire" (S3:E22), and when Mulder develops the film and shows them to Scully they find the pictures are all selfies and blurry close ups of the supposed monster. The result in both episodes is that Mulder tries to guess which of the monsters body parts are in the pictures.

Read a full list of references here.

While the original show tended to throw viewers into the action and make them catch up, Season 10 features more explanation, voiceover and exposition to make things more easily understandable to the viewer. There are also some subtle differences in the characters of Mulder and Scully. Read more on the differences between the two here.

The X Files: Triangle (#6.3)

The X Files: Chinga (#5.10)

The X Files: Chinga (#5.10)

The X Files: Humbug (#2.20)

The X Files: The Post-Modern Prometheus (#5.5)

The X Files: Closure (#7.11)

Season 10 has been well-received by fans, who feel that overall the revival has recaptured the old magic. At the same time, not all episodes are equally adored. The three episodes that are not written by Chris Carter have been more acclaimed than the three that came from the original creator. Regardless of divisions over which episodes were the fast, the revival was greatly enjoyed and watched, suggesting that a Season 11 is likely.

"Wonderful, Wonderful" by Johnny Mathis, though the song played is sung by a different singer.

"My Weakness" by Moby

"The Sky is Broken" by Moby

"Scully's Theme" by Mark Snow

To contact Mr. X, his informant (the character was introduced in Season 2).

The Cigarette Smoking Man.

In Season 9 episode The X Files: William (#9.16) it would appear Jeffrey Spender's DNA is so similar to Mulder's that he was nearly mistaken for Mulder - Scully readily accepts this and postulates that Spender knew their DNA would be similar at first glance. This implies they are siblings. Jeffrey's mother, Cassandra, states that Cigarette Smoking Man is Jeffrey's father. Jeffrey Spender later testifies at Mulder's trial in "The X Files: The Truth: Parts 1 & 2 (#9.19) that they are half-brothers as a result of an affair between Jeffrey's father (Cigarette Smoking Man) and Mulder's mom (Mrs. Mulder).

Also in The X Files: The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati (#7.2) both CSM and Diana Fowley refer to Mulder as CSM's son.

It certainly appears so, though there still exists some doubt.

In the episode #9.19, The Truth, Scully confesses to Mulder that she "gave up our son" referring to hers and Mulder's.

On the X-Files page of the Sci-Fi website, there are Syndicate reports on Mulder and Scully that describe how William was conceived and who his father is. The reports say that William was created from genetic material harvested from Mulder and Scully.

The answer is in The X-Files I Want to Believe movie, and it's positive. Mulder is William's father.

Yes, according to the rumor mill, David Duchovny wore his real-life wedding band (Téa Leoni) in those episodes just for fun or for a possible upcoming plot point that never materialized.

He wanted to devote more time to movies and other projects.

December 22, 2012, the first day of the new piktun of the Mayan Calendar. The Mayan Long-Count Calendar ended for the first time on December 21, 2012. Many fans view this as an error and think the date should have been December 21, 2012 which was thought by some to predict the end of the world .

The X Files: Detour (#5.4)

The black oil is a mode of transportation for an alien virus and, as revealed by Cassandra Spender in the sixth season episode "Two Fathers" it is the life essence of the alien. When black oil enters a body (through some orifice, such as nasal passages or tear ducts), it separates into worm-like bodies and goes to the brain, where it is able to control the host. Most people under control of the black oil do not talk or talk minimally.

David Duchovny wanted to be closer to his wife, actress Teá Leoni, as well as the opportunity to star in feature films.

The X Files: Home (#4.2)

We know one of his aliases to be CGB Spender, and according to the episode The X Files: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man (#4.7) (which is thought to perhaps be a complete fabrication and is likely incorrect), his pen name is Raul Bloodworth.

Better known as 'The Syndicate,' it is a shadow-government group that consists of individuals such as 'The Cigarette Smoking Man,' 'The Well-Manicured Man,' 'The First Elder,' and Alex Krycek (although he is also seen as an opponent of The Syndicate at times). They conspire with the alien colonists and appear to have a significant amount of control over the U.S. Congress, FBI, and military.

Trust No One: The X Files: The Erlenmeyer Flask (#1.24)

Deny Everything: The X Files: Ascension (#2.6)

'éí 'aaníígÓÓ 'áhoot'é': The X Files: Anasazi (#2.25) The truth is far from here in Navajo

Apology is Policy: The X Files: 731 (#3.10)

Everything Dies: The X Files: Herrenvolk (#4.1)

Deceive Inveigle Obfuscate: The X Files: Teliko (#4.3)

E pur si muove: The X Files: Terma (#4.9) And still it moves Allegedly the dying words of Galileo in Italian

Believe the Lie: The X Files: Gethsemane (#4.24)

All Lies Lead to the Truth: The X Files: Redux (#5.1)

Resist or Serve: The X Files: The Red and the Black (#5.14)

Die Wahrheit ist irgendwo da draußen: The X Files: Triangle (#6.3) The truth is out there somewhere in German

In the Big Inning: The X Files: The Unnatural (#6.19)

Amor Fati: The X Files: The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati (#7.2)Love of fate in Latin

Believe to Understand: The X Files: Closure (#7.11)

Nothing Important Happened Today: The X Files: Nothing Important Happened Today II (#9.2)

erehT tuO si hturT ehT: The X Files: 4-D (#9.4) (read backwards)

They're Watching: The X Files: Trust No 1 (#9.6)

Dio ti ama: The X Files: Improbable (#9.13) God loves you in Italian

Nicholas Regali

It seemed like they skipped over it

In season 10, The Cigarette Smoking Man tells Mulder that it had already begun. This might mean that the invasion wouldn't happen in one day, but perhaps over time.