From Florida Sun Sentinel, July 27, 1999

Ex-Files? Maybe
by Tom Jicha

PASADENA -- The upcoming season is absolutely, positively the final one for The X-Files. Maybe.

This is the mixed message delivered to TV writers on the fall preview press tour by executive producer Chris Carter and David Duchovny, the star of the hit Fox sci-fi drama.

The contracts of both expire at the end of the 1999-2000 season. However, co-star Gillian Anderson is signed for a year beyond that, encouraging speculation that the show might go on.

Duchovny all but squelched this notion, as far as he is concerned. "I wouldn't say 'never' about anything but, as of right now, I'm living my life as if this will be the last year. I'd be fine if it is. Seven years is a long time to be doing one show, and I have other things to do."

Carter was almost as definitive. "Right now, I'm preparing in every way for this to be the final season. As I'm plotting the series, I'm looking at these next 22 episodes as a wrap-up."

Carter left the door open a crack, however. "I've heard second- and third-hand that Fox might approach us about taking the show past the seventh season, so I don't know. I'm staying tuned. You should never take for granted a show with the storytelling opportunities we have. That's why it could do go on."

Fox entertainment president Doug Herzog was surprisingly nonchalant about the situation, given the importance of The X-Files, Fox's second most popular series (behind only Ally McBeal). "I think it's premature to be talking about this."

When will the time be right? "Maybe around the middle of the season," Herzog said. The seeming indifference could be a negotiating ploy. An additional commitment from Carter and Duchovny will cost Rupert Murdoch almost as much as his divorce.

Duchovny doesn't rule out the possibility of an X-Files without him. "Nobody is indispensable. (The X-Files) is a brand name. It's Crest. It's Menudo. Look at NYPD Blue (which has twice replaced a co-star). I'd be an idiot to sit here and say, 'Oh my God, you know it's not going to go on without me.'" At the same time, he admitted he would hate to see this happen. "I feel really proprietary of the character and the show. There would be a part of me that would be sitting at home wishing fervently that it would fail." One way or the other, The X-Files will not be going away entirely. A second big-screen feature is definite, according to Carter, who feels the concept is ripe for a series of films. "It's just a matter of when." Ideally, the movie would be shot after the TV series wraps next spring. This is not doable, Carter said, because he will be busy for the next year writing and producing not only The X-Files, but another Fox series, Harsh Realm, which premieres in the fall.

Carter is disappointed, but not surprised, that The X-Files missed the Emmy cut for best drama. "I said this was the year for us to get knocked off. I always felt we were sort of the novelty choice four years running for nominations. I thought this would be the year where there wasn't room for us (because of the emergence of The Sopranos) and I was right." The snub is no big deal to Duchovny. "I don't live or die with the Emmys. I don't see how you can. I vote for them, so I know how the voting's done. It's an imperfect thing. It's great to be nominated for those things because at least somebody is saying you're doing a good job. But what we're doing on The X-Files is not everybody's cup of tea. I'm proud of what we do and I'm proud of what I do. It's not really that important."

Jicha, Tom. July 27, 1999. "Ex-Files? Maybe." Florida Sun Sentinel.