Did Mulder And Scully Change The Way We Thing Of The Paranormal?
July 30, 2011 Posted by
When The X Files debuted on Fox in 1993 amid practically no fanfare, no one had any idea that the show would go on to become a huge success and a new cultural touchstone. At that time, the Nielsen top 20 had a roster of popular sitcoms such as Roseanne and Frasier and there seemed to be no place for an hour long drama about little green men. The Fox network itself was still considered an upstart with dozens of failed shows and very few bona fide hits to brag about.You can find a quick rundown here
That all changed quickly as the show began to develop the mythology that would propel the series over nine seasons and two feature films. The series focised on two FBI partners, Fox Mulder the true believer and Dana Scully the no-nonsense skeptic, who took on investigations of crimes that were largely ignored by the bureau. Over the course of the show, virtually all forms of supernatural and extraterrestrial influences were addressed with curiousity, respect and a dose of wry humor.
The X Files brought the ideas, hopes and fears about all the things that go bump in the night from the suppressed corners of the ‘fringe elements’ into the mainstream consciousness. Lycanthropy, alien abduction, ESP and the Chupacabra all became topics of real discussion amongst scholars and the general public alike. The show provided a platform for people to tell of their supernatural encounters and theories without the social contempt that had always been the norm.
The massive popularity of The X Files spawned numerous other television shows that might not have ever seen the light of day without it. Scripted dramas like Lost and documentary shows like Finding Bigfoot can trace their roots back to that groundbreaking show. We have all been influenced, we all want to believe.