The surprising X-Files storyline Fox thought would ruin the show

The author Chris Snelgrove
| Published 23 seconds ago

Some of them may seem tame now, but X files was known for pushing the envelope in the '90s, like when they made “Home” so gruesome that the Fox network refused to air it in reruns outside of the 1999 Halloween event. Still, the network clearly had a lot of faith in the show and rarely pushed against the writers, as Mulder and Scully's failures aligned with the network's edgy programming. However, Fox was worried about it The X-Files plot would ruin the show, forcing the “Lazarus” writers to change a plot point where Mulder's body would be inhabited by another man.

The X-Files Lazarus storyline

Even by standards, this may sound like a pretty silly plot X filesbut “Lazarus” is the tale of a bank robber with the ability to put his mind into the bodies of others. Generally speaking, the story plays out like one of the show's typical stories, with Mulder fervently believing that body hopping is real and Scully expressing a clinically polite skepticism. However, the writers of this episode originally didn't want Mulder to simply theorize about body hopping. Instead, they wanted him to experience it for himself.

Mulder's original idea

According to X files writer and producer Howard Gordon, the Fox network wanted to change a “Lazarus” plot point that involved the robber inserting his consciousness directly into Mulder's body. In his words, “the network (. . .) rejected the idea of ​​Mulder directly, firsthand experiencing such a supernatural event.” In addition to Gordon specifically protesting the concept of “soul swapping”, Fox was generally opposed to using their main character in this way.

As we mentioned before, Fox usually didn't mind anything X files the writers wanted to do that, and it made their pushback against a major “Lazarus” plot point very notable. According to Gordon, things got ugly: “we were angry and we were holding hands.” After all, it's almost impossible to win a battle with a network, and the writers and producers were forced to make very reluctant changes to their episode.

Ultimately, however, Gordon saw through Fox's decision on the matter The X-Files story as a “smart decision” that ultimately made “Lazarus” a stronger episode. Honestly, as longtime fans of the show, we have to agree…it's great to witness the tension between Mulder's beliefs and Scully's skepticism in any given episode, and it's just as rewarding to decide for yourself what's “really” going on with these seemingly supernaturals. plots of land. Frankly, if the show had so blatantly endorsed supernatural shenanigans in Season 1, it likely would have diluted the impact of later seasons.

The tension between Mulder's and Scully's views was effectively reflected in the tension between X files writers and network “Lazarus”. Still, it's hard to deny that the network made the right call here, which kept the narrative secret while ensuring that future episodes walked the line between revelation and skepticism. This episode ended up canceling the soul swap the writers originally planned, but it might be for the best… can you imagine how weird would fans have become for this show if another male was canonically featured in season 1 Mulder the fox?