The X-Files influenced future projects such as Signs and Supernatural by changing audiences' views on sci-fi in pop culture.
The X-Files is a TV series that originally aired from 1993 to 2002. The 1990s pop culture at the time of release was completely opposite of the 'cult' tagged show, favoring sitcoms like Walker, Texas Ranger and SeaQuest DSV. In a time period when women were expected not to have larger roles in filmmaking and other industry jobs, the active role of Scully actor, Gillian Anderson, changed this view. As the show's popularity grew both on screen and off, the impact of her character extended into other series and movies that also starred more dominant women characters.
The mythology, known as the mytharc, is the story developed through Mulder and Scully's investigations to expose a worldwide conspiracy that the shadow government group, the Syndicate, is trying to suppress knowledge of the existence of extraterrestrials who have plans to colonize Earth. The X-Files' mytharc set a precedent for episodic enigmas that were created and premiered later on while popularizing the overarching standalone episodes theme. That influence appears in shows like Fringe and Supernatural. It also set the stage for feature films in the sci-fi genre, such as Signs, Arrival, Nope, and countless more.
While not the first, the contrasting dynamic between Scully and Mulder's skeptic and believer combo is perhaps the most popular and is still used years later due to its effectiveness in capturing the audience's attention and its straight comparison of representing a question that has floated around the world for eons: to believe or not to believe? This combo has been reused in several films and TV series, such as Signs, Warehouse 13, Supernatural, Castle, Breaking Bad, and Lost. There are many examples of how the duo sparked inspiration for years to come, and it wasn't just due to their dynamic but also their 'ship.'
0 Comments