'The X-Files' fails to alienate TV audiences in return to RI

The X-Files SCTV, Wednesday, 10:30 p.m.

JAKARTA (JP): After suspended for few months, The X-Files, returns to meet it fans in Indonesia. Since May 2, the private TV station Surya Citra Televisi (SCTV) has scheduled to air the eighth seasons of the popular sci-fi tv-series every Wednesday night (10:30 p.m.).

The X-Files' eighth seasons started it's first (screened on May 2) and second episode (screened on May 9) with a two-part story of investigating Agent Fox Mulder who is mysteriously abducted by aliens.

In this session, the prime two agents of America's Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI), Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are no longer a solid partner anymore as Mulder is missing and the FBI orders The X-Files' new member John Doggett (Robert Patrick) to accompany Agent Scully finding out his whereabouts.

The X-Files is about Agent Dana Scully's pregnancy (her baby's father is unknown). Scully and FBI assistant director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) try to get Mulder back by a help of "the Lone Gunmen".

Meanwhile Agent Doggett is more skeptical with Scully's theory. He even believe that Mulder has stolen the FBI missing files and he is not abducted by aliens but he pretends to be abducted to meet aliens.

For Atlanta-born actor Robert Patrick who appeared in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and played as a terrorist in Die Hard 2 opposite actor Bruce Willis, his cast here is not the first as he has ever appeared in the previous session in 1993.

Each episode is always started with a mysterious serial murder and the victims' body is usually bitten, scratched or even mutilated by scary creatures.

The last half-part of each episode is about an investigation into the murder started from an unbelievable discovery about alien's footprints, enzymes or other strange evidences on the accident place or the victims' body that can lead them into a speculation about aliens' existence, and paranormal activities.

Genetics substance such as alien fetuses appearance, results of human and animal cloning, can be found in several episodes. Science is still inserted and combined with supernatural power, voodoo, evil spirits, and extra-terrestrial creatures.

As the previous sessions, government conspiracy is added in one or two episodes. Sometimes, Scully and Doggett are trapped in the conspiracy while trying to find the truth.

The X-Files' executive producer and creator Chris Carter brings up again such stories and he keeps the old character of Scully.

Carter describes that Scully has a high self-confidence and she is a doctor turned an FBI agent who always think a recent accident rationally and never give up until the case can be solved.

A new character on X-Files created by Carter, is John Doggett, a cop who believes that everything can be solved with a good police technique.

Mulder will only appear on several episodes. According to the www.canoe.ca/TelevisionXFiles/home.html, David 'Mulder' Duchovny signed his contract for only 11 episodes of the Fox Film Corp's 20 episodes.

The X-Files' fans will probably be disappointed with Mulder's disappearance and will consider it to be a pity. Furthermore, Mulder have became Scully's partner for more than six years in the 7 sessions before, so the couple's name as well as The X- Files has been being familiar in the ears of its viewers.

Chris Carter also deeply regretted about that. "I saw them as worthy adversaries and worthy partners. He is not going to shrink from her, he will be able to stand up to her both as an actor and a character," Carter said to the website.

Carter created a romantic situation and a secret heart feeling of both Scully and Mulder in the previous session. Carter also let X-Files' viewers to guess whether Mulder would kiss Scully or not. Will Carter do the same with recent couple Scully-Doggett? It probably can be a question in its viewers' mind.

Another question is Will Scully see Mulder and be a partner again? Just wait and see the upcoming episodes: Roadrunners, Invocation, Via Negativa, Per Manum, Surekil, Salvage, The Gift, Badlaa, Medusa, This is not Happening, Dead Alive, Vienen, Empedocles, Three Words, Alone and Essence. (Sri Ramadani)