'The X-Files' Animated Series In The Works At Fox

The X-Files is about to get animated. The X-Files: Albuquerque will be an animated comedy series spun-off from the iconic cult series, and before you ask, no – it doesn't feature Mulder and Scully. Instead, the series is taking a Star Trek: Lower Decks approach and will be a comedy focusing on new, bumbling characters who just happen to inhabit the X-Files world. So before I go any further, I have to ask: does anyone think this is a good idea?TV Line has the scoop on the X-Files animated series The X-Files: Albuquerque, which "will center an office full of misfit agents who investigate X-Files cases too wacky, ridiculous or downright dopey for Mulder and Scully to bother with. They're essentially the X-Files' B-team." And boy oh boy, do I not like this idea! It's not that I'm against an X-Files animated comedy. The original X-Files had plenty of funny episodes. What's turning me off here is the focus on alternate characters.

This approach makes sense for something Star Trek: Lower Decks, since Star Trek has spent decades introducing new main characters, and its fictional world leaves plenty of room for background Starfleet members suddenly coming front and center. But Mulder and Scully are essential to making The X-Files work. And if you don't believe me, just take a look at the later seasons where David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson had their roles reduced. Sure, even if you liked spending time with the new agents, the cases were never as interesting without Mulder and Scully. So to suddenly create an entirely new X-Files show with new characters just feels...wrong. At least to me – you may disagree.

I'm also a big proponent of letting things end. When The X-Files revealed it was going to have a revival season, I was cautiously interested. I liked the idea of seeing Mulder and Scully again, but I also had no problem with the show coming to a close. Sure enough, the revival, which ran for two seasons, ended up being kind of terrible, save for two or three episodes. The X-Files remains a classic; iconic; one of my all-time favorite shows. But it had its run, and maybe it's time to retire the brand for good. Or maybe I'm completely wrong here. I'm sure we'll find out eventually, since the truth is out there.

Rocky Russo and Jeremy Sosenko will write the X-Files: Alberquerque pilot and serve as executive producers alongside X-Files creator Chris Carter and former X-Files writer Gabe Rotter. Bento Box (Bob's Burgers) will serve as the animation studio.