Nov-06-2000
The X-Files Official Site
Chris Carter International Chat

FOX HOST says:
Chris, welcome! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with “The X-Files” fans around the world.

Chris Carter:
Thanks, it’s nice to be doing this on the day after the Season Premiere in the U.S. And I’m anxious to hear what the fans who saw it thought of the episode and of Robert Patrick.

Joe Horton, USA
There has been much speculation online about the new season. Were you more excited or apprehensive about how this season would be received?

Chris Carter:
I was both excited and apprehensive. I was excited because I thought it would be a challenge to partially reinvent the show. But, just as with “The X-Files” originally, you never know if the chemistry that you’ve imagined will actually work on screen.

Ana Pinto, Lisboa, Portugal
After all these years, HOW do you expect us to believe that Mulder has been lying to Scully about a possible brain illness?

Chris Carter:
He hadn’t lied to her. The only thing that he did was withhold information last year…that he had been undergoing treatment. But it was the same illness that we saw him suffer from at the end of Season 6 and the beginning of Season 7.

Christina, Boston, USA
With Mulder absent for much of the season, will Scully finally get her own desk or appropriate Mulder’s?

Chris Carter:
That’s a very good question. And I will leave Episode 3 to answer it!

Adam Roberts, Memphis TN, USA
Ever since Krycek had utilized nanotechnology to control the health of Skinner, I thought that nanotechnology would resurface as a possible weapon against the aliens – do you plan to revisit this powerful technology during this next season?

Chris Carter:
Yes! And it still is not clear for the audience, I think, whether or not the nanotechnology is still inside Skinner and if Krycek still has control over him due to this. This will be explored this season.

DB, São Paulo, Brasil
Chris, in the first season episode “Shapes” (#1X18), the chief of the tribe says to Mulder: -“FBI” -“I’ll see you in the in about… 8 years. When will this encounter take place?

Chris Carter:
LOL. I guess it would be this year, wouldn’t it? Unless the Indian is wrong. That’s a very good question, and I hope no one else makes me think back to Season 1!

Danielly, Fortaleza, Brasil
How will the humor dose be administered in the new season? I think that little by little The X-Files started losing its true essence, which was to frighten and make people go beyond the plausible reality, right?!

Chris Carter:
Right. The humor has always been a part of “The X-Files,” but as the show matured it became a bigger and bigger part…where entire episodes would be based on a comedic premise. This year, we’re gonna go back to what we did so well in Seasons 1 and 2, and just tell good, scary stories. But the trademark humor between Mulder and Scully will now, at least for the beginning of the season, be left to Scully and Doggett.

Juanjo, Archena (Murcia), Spain
If Duchovny indeed leaves the series, will we see the death of Mulder?

Chris Carter:
No. Not if I have anything to do with it! My contract runs out this year…and I have big plans for more “X-Files” movies, and David Duchovny and Mulder are a part of those plans.

Claire, Dallas, USA
OK, will Mulder be phased out and replaced by Doggett?

Chris Carter:
I read recently that David Duchovny is not ruling out a ninth season of the show. Robert Patrick has a multi-season contract, as does Gillian Anderson. Next year could be very interesting.

Bridget, Mackay, Australia
Was Scully’s pregnancy something that you envisioned from the very beginning of the series?

Chris Carter:
Not really. Most things I had an idea how I was going to move the series toward in the end. But I never imagined Scully’s pregnancy; although, I didn’t imagine Gillian’s pregnancy during Seasons 1 and 2. That real pregnancy created an interesting fictional problem and this fictional pregnancy helps solve a real problem…which is, how to keep the show interesting between two characters who are romantically involved but have never had any physical contact. It’s sex, the “X-Files” way!

Marta_r, Sao Paulo, Brasil
What does the future of Scully’s baby hold? Could you share any type of information at this point?

Chris Carter:
Scully will become Murphy Brown! And she’ll do a spinoff series where she’s a single mother by night…FBI agent by day. I’m predicting a hit.

Amber, Toronto, Canada
Is it Mulder’s baby??? Please oh please oh please let it be his!!! **fingers crossed** 😉

Chris Carter:
The person asking that question has a great year in store.

Leonardo da Fonseca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Will Scully’s pregnancy interfere with her investigative capabilities? At the end of the season, is there a chance that Mulder and Doggett will work together?

Chris Carter:
I think the answer to both questions is yes. But we’ll try to make a virtue of the problems that arise from Scully’s pregnancy. And Doggett and Mulder will undoubtedly have to work together sometime in the last half of the season.

Calli Webs, Bello Horizonte, Costa Rica
What is your rationale for sending a pregnant Scully out chasing monsters when she still hasn’t found Mulder. The myth seems so much meatier now, still so much unexplained, aliens planning an invasion…why not pursue that more?

Chris Carter:
We try to tell many different stories, and not lean too heavily on the alien mythology. It’s been a winning approach and we’ll probably stick to it.

Zotzirene, Chicago, USA
Do you foresee “The X-Files” becoming similar to a show like “Law & Order” in its ability to move stars in and out over time, like a repertory company of sorts? Or is this show always going to be about Mulder and Scully?

Chris Carter:
I don’t foresee it being like “Law & Order.” It could possibly go on without Mulder and Scully. But I’m not exactly sure how. It might have to be a “next generation” show.

Michael Doyle, Dublin, Ireland
It’s evident from X-Philes on Message Boards, the official FOX Forum and others, and on web-sites and news groups, that over 3/4’s of fans do not want the X Files to continue without Mulder, regardless of how much they like Agent Doggett. Will this affect your decision to make a 9th season?

Chris Carter:
Yes. I’m finding the fan feedback important and I wouldn’t want to continue trying to produce a popular show with an unpopular approach.

Lilith, New York City, USA
If there is a ninth season with Gillian Anderson and not David Duchovny, will you spilt up our favorite duo or end the show? Do you think Scully could get along without Mulder?

Chris Carter:
I only did the show this year if David Duchovny would come back. So…I’m reluctant to ever split Mulder and Scully up. But the actors’ contracts and Twentieth Century FOX’s ultimate control over the show’s destiny prevent me from being the only person with a vote.

Pat, Vancouver, USA
Last season, you said you have always known how you would like to end the series. Has David’s departure and Robert Patrick’s introduction this season changed your vision at all?

Chris Carter:
Yes, because I never imagined the addition of Agent Doggett originally. But it doesn’t change the bigger ideas that I have.

Sandy, Greenville, SC, United States
Is it possible for “The X-Files” to return for season 9 without you in control? Could Fox take the show from Ten Thirteen if you don’t sign?

Chris Carter:
I presume they could. They are legally the owners of the show. But I don’t believe they would force the show on an audience who wasn’t receptive.

Jennifer, Seminole, USA
“The X-Files” ratings have declined in the last two seasons. Why do you think that is and what are you doing to gain back the viewers you lost?

Chris Carter:
We were very excited to see the ratings for last night. I believe the reduced number of viewers is due to several things: very good counter-programming on cable and on the other networks, natural attrition for a show in its later years, and general consumer appetites which are always looking for something new.

Paul Munnings, Manawaka, USA
Does any potential feature film rest on the success on this season, or is another movie a foregone conclusion in your mind? And what are your thoughts of David’s statement in a recent online chat that he wouldn’t want to return to the role of Fox Mulder in another movie?

Chris Carter says:
David has always said to me, and I’ve never read anywhere otherwise, that he was interested in doing another movie. The success of the show this year is very important to the future of “The X-Files,” but I don’t believe we could fail so miserably as to sabotage chances for another movie.

Tom, Boston, USA
If there is another “X-Files” movie, would you expect it to pick up where the series leaves off, or would it be more stand-alone?

Chris Carter:
It would definitely be more of a stand-alone. And I don’t look forward…or I wouldn’t look forward to trying to do another movie in the middle of the series. I still can’t believe we pulled that one off!

alex winck, criciuma, Brazil
You’ve said that your father was a union man, and John Doggett has a blue-collar sensibility. Did your father inspire you to create him?

Chris Carter:
I’m sure that somewhere all of my male characters have elements of important male role models in my life. I never thought about Doggett being inspired at all by my father. But now that I do think about it, there are very interesting similarities to my father as a young man.

Heidi, Charlestown, USA
It’s going to be difficult for some fans to like the Doggett character since he will be partnered with Scully while Mulder is gone. Even though the change is necessary, it’s still pretty risky, so what about Doggett is going to appeal to us?

Chris Carter:
He’s a very determined, capable, intelligent man and a person who is respectful of Scully and will ultimately be very protective of her during her pregnancy. He has a tough role of trying to be the man in the life of a woman who has another man constantly on her mind. I think all of us can relate to that in some way or another.

Sue Ellen, Sylva, USA
Hi Chris. I was wondering, what are some parallels between the Mulder and Doggett characters?

Chris Carter:
I believe the most obvious parallel is in their relentlessness, but also in their uncompromising quality, their protective natures and in their integrity…and that’s pretty much it.

elly r, eugene, usa
A question on many people’s minds: will Scully and Doggett have any romantic interest in each other, or will this simply be a working relationship?

Chris Carter:
It would be a very strange year if Scully, being pregnant and longing for Mulder, became romantically involved with Doggett…with everyone knowing that Mulder is ultimately going to return! But that sounds exactly like something I would do! (laugh)

Cynthia Delmar, Los Angeles, USA
Chris, when XF began you often mentioned how the characters of Mulder and Scully were like two sides of your own personality. Eight hard-working years later, how does John Doggett mirror you, other than his, uh, dogged work ethic?

Chris Carter:
He is the kind of extreme version of Scully’s skeptical nature and of mine. In 8 years, I still have had no good, satisfying paranormal experience. So maybe he represents my growing impatience for that experience to happen.

Marta Pujol Monterde, Barcelona, Spain
Why did you pick Robert Patrick as the replacement for Mulder?

Chris Carter:
He is not Mulder’s replacement. Robert Patrick is an addition to the show. He, along with Mitch Pileggi and his expanded role, was necessary to tell good “X-Files” stories in the absence of Mulder.

Allison, New York, USA
In the episode, The Sixth Extinction II: Amor Fati, there is much debate as to the meaning of the little boy on the beach. Many fans believe that he is a premonition, a glance at what is to come…Mulder’s future son. I am of the opinion that he represented Mulder’s inner child, or being. Since this episode is key to Mulder’s abduction and the mythology, is there any validity to the idea that this boy is representative of Mulder’s future child?

Chris Carter:
I believe that David Duchovny, who co-wrote the episode with me, wanted the image of the child to be open to interpretation. But I think that both of those interpretations are valid and interesting.

Nicole Czerwinski, Fürstenwalde, Germany
Why you decide for the “Millennium”-kiss?

Chris Carter:
We thought after 7 years that they deserved that kiss that never happened in the movie. And that the most natural time in the world to do it would be on New Year’s and on New Year’s of the millennium for that matter. I was very happy with the way it came out. But it’s still amazing to me that so much importance and anticipation could be locked up in an innocent smooch…when what we see or almost see is pretty racy sex on almost every other TV show.

merlinsky, Winston-Salem, USA
We heard there were 2 possible endings for “Requiem”…can you tell us what the other ending we didn’t see was and how long before you filmed the episode did you decide to make Scully’s pregnancy an option?

Chris Carter:
It was never an option, it was always the ending. I just did not inform the actors or the crew that Scully’s pregnancy was going to be in the script. I had planned this for months with Frank Spotnitz and only delivered the script pages to Kim Manners — the director — and to Gillian and Mitch Pileggi minutes before they performed the scene. I’m just paranoid!

Elizabeth Grieve, Alamogordo, USA
Chris, what prompted you to finish the last season with Mulder’s abduction? Was this based on David Duchovny’s schedule?

Chris Carter:
We didn’t know if David Duchovny would come back for Season 8 or would be leaving the show. We didn’t know if “The X-Files” would come back, for that matter. The episode needed to be satisfying in any event and also set up a movie. I believe that it worked in almost every way and for any eventuality, but here we are!

Valerie Ouaknine, Helen, USA
Do you try to stay pretty detached from what your fans want as opposed to what you’ve been planning for the show?? And if so, is it hard??

Chris Carter:
We’ve always listened to the fans and paid careful attention to what they were saying. Mulder and Scully’s relationship, and what happened in Season 7, I’d say were greatly affected by some of the things that we read. But we’ve never done anything that we didn’t feel was right for the characters…and we continue to trust our instincts.

Annelies van der Veen, Dieren, The Netherlands
From a neutral point of view you can see that a lot of fans are worried about the future for the Mulder and Scully relationship. They all want a happy ending for them. How much does that influence or affect you or your writing? Or do you feel that those fans have a lack of trust in your writing capabilities / qualities?

Chris Carter:
I understand their need and I also understand about satisfying audience expectation, but I also know that people are prone to want things that aren’t necessarily good for them. Or the characters. Or “The X-Files,” for that matter.

JenS610, Pleasanton, CA, USA
There is one aspect of the show that’s always bothered me. Why is Mulder such a New York sports fan when he grew up in Massachusetts?

Chris Carter:
That’s really due to David Duchovny’s being a fan of the Knicks. I think his New York fandom ends there, though. Tell me if I’m wrong….

Thomas, Copenhagen, Dennmark
Are you planning to use Krycek more this season? I heard there was supposed to be an all Krycek episode last season but Nicholas Lea wasn’t available for it. Will there be an episode explaining Krycek and Skinners relationship this season?

Chris Carter:
Yes. Krycek and Skinner will kiss! On New Year’s Eve. Blame it on the nanotechnology!

Andrea Kino, Yokkaichi, Japan
In both the x-files and millennium, the characters (Mulder, Frank, and his wife) utilize psychology as the basis of the investigations. This is not just a mere coincidence, right? What is Chris? personal interest in psychology?

Chris Carter:
On “The X-Files,” Mulder is trained in psychology and the character of Frank Black used psychology to get into the minds of criminals. This is one of the most interesting aspects of storytelling for me. But psychology only goes so far on both shows. And actually presents the leaping off point for the paranormal on “The X-Files” and for good and evil on “Millennium.” Both shows are actually about the limits of psychology.

Mercedes Quintieri, Buenos Aires, Argentina
If you could go back, would you do anything different with the storyline that you weren’t able to do at the time?

Chris Carter:
I can’t say that I would, and I believe that we have made some very good and lucky choices. This occurred to me during the episodes Redux and Redux II, when the mythology story lines almost created themselves. But I’d have to think about this question…get back to me later!

Marlui Vega, veracruz, mexico
Has the responsibilty of creating one of the most successful television series affected your personal life?

Chris Carter:
I have no personal life! So, the answer is yes. Actually, it’s been a very consuming experience that has been full of sacrifice and I’m sure I’ll only make sense of it all once it’s over.

Eduardo Romero, mar del plata, argentina
What is your favorite series, apart from your own?

Chris Carter:
I loved “The Larry Sanders Show.” But beyond that, there’s very little now that I feel compelled to watch regularly. That has more to do with time than preference.

Mulder_1013, USA
Hey, Chris, I was wondering what do you think people will think of this season? Just to let you know, that was the greatest episode in all 7 seasons.

Chris Carter:
Wow. That’s very unexpected! I hope that other people liked it as much. I hope that this season continues to satisfy in the same way.

George, UK
Are we ever going to see Skinner’s wife again?

Chris Carter says:
Only when she renegotiates her alimony payments. No plans on the books.

Laura Cap, US
The alt.tv.xfiles news group had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the season opener. Were you expecting that kind of reaction? And what do you think appealed to people most about it?

Chris Carter:
I think what appealed to people most is that the same elements that have made the show a success are still intact. There are just additions and new loyalties, but I’d say in this case it’s just about good storytelling…and an interesting approach from the actors and the director.

FOX HOST says:
Chris, you’ve been a fantastic guest. Thank you, again, for being part of this unprecedented event!

Chris Carter says:
Goodbye, chatters! Thanks!

FOX HOST says:
Don’t forget to check back at thexfiles.com for the transcript of this International event tomorrow! Good night!

Tags: chris carter, x-files, xf2

This entry was posted on Monday, November 6th, 2000 at 12:00 am and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.