The X-Files is one of the brilliant examples of television series, originated as a cult show and dawned into the renowned show among a wider range of audiences, including the academia. For nine seasons, the show ran for about ten years. After becoming so popular, The X-Files developed two films for dedicated fans across the world. One may wonder what is it that makes a long running show consistently interesting to the general audience, fans, scholars, and even critics. A possibility is the usage of metaphor and genre in order to explore wider themes that are not immediately apparent to the viewer regarding subject matter. To put it simply, The X-Files goes beyond the limitations of horror and sci-fi.
The creation of The X-Files emerged when a new and upcoming company called Fox joined network competitors such as NBC, ABC, and CBS. Fox, as a forerunner in showing television where viewers could not find anywhere comparable, embraced the unusual and controversial series based on the paranormal and bizarre phenomena. The show follows two FBI agents who investigate the paranormal from two different viewpoints, a believer and the other a skeptic. The X-Files on the Fox network was beginning nightly hour-long shows directed towards the teen to middle-aged viewers. In order to become popular for such a broad range of viewers, the series needed to attract these masses using a language they understood and meeting their expectations, such as desired genres.
The mixture of the target viewer’s interests was arranged in the development of the show, The X-Files. The adolescent viewers were presented with a fictional domain of horror and sci-fi, while the adult viewers drawn in by the dramatic plot between the characters and the metaphorical themes through a multi-layered and multifaceted plot.
There are a variety of subcultures within The X-Files such as sci-fi, horror, fantasy, conspiracy, and ufology. The link between the wider subcultures primarily speaks to the greater audience. Even more important, The X-Files, expanding its genres and sub-genres, stretched the boundaries of its core subject matter. Originally, the show was produced as a sci-fi and horror series focusing on the uncertainty of the metaphorical subject and development of genres; The X-Files grew into the multifaceted quality drama.
When exercising paranormal themes, such as extra-terrestrials and other bizarre life forms, the show wouldn’t have been as fascinating if it had included all of those themes at face value. Stand-alone episodes were created on the notion concerning the investigation of abnormal cases by both Mulder and Scully and in doing so captivates the viewer with unexplained spectacles. However, when alien abductions arise, conspiracy theories transpire, and the existence of alien life infers convincing evidence. Naturally for the viewer, this method the show utilizes, makes it more enjoyable and appealing. Presented with an imaginative charm, viewers are more susceptible to be engrossed with some of the more thought provoking topics. After all, the show stimulates strong relations with such human concerns such as fear, philosophy, and the purpose of life. Furthermore, The X-Files characterizes each subject equivocally, from the contradictory observations of the skeptic Scully to the believer Mulder. Such a dual observation resonates human understanding of life through intellect and belief.
Each stand-alone episode in The X-Files conveys an FBI investigation of the paranormal, sci-fi, or horror phenomena. Alongside, the continuance of narratives reveals themes beyond the boundaries of the main genres. Characters linking plots and conspiracy narratives are two devices that continue these plots. Venturing beyond the main genres, The X-Files examines modern-day worries regarding capitalism, environmental concerns, medical functions in society, the threat of scientific research, and the dishonesty of government. Furthermore, the unanswered plots and unsolved cases not only continue an endless pursuit but also maintain the narrative. These act as a central point to the viewers, expressing it is not just a show about the FBI facing abnormal crimes and solving them. Through metaphors, the viewers are offered a variety of open-ended and rhetorical questions. For example, the famous expression of the show, “the truth is out there”, exclaims that no matter how close to the truth Mulder and Scully may come, there is always another piece to the puzzle, which will be left unknown and mysterious. If one would shift the meaning of this metaphor to the viewer’s perception, it would reflect the meaning of life. As many literature and art pieces illustrate, people try to find their predestination and the truth until the end of their lifetime. Another way of putting it, we can consider all of the indications of equivocality in The X-Files, such as open-endings, vague resolutions, unclear aesthetics, and secretive atmosphere of metaphors, which need to be scrutinized methodically in order to unravel their meaning.
Drama based on unexplained phenomena and unresolved plots are the two main structural concepts of metaphor-real world intertwining. In addition, these two characteristics give metaphors in series a beginning. The narrative, created on the paranormal phenomenon, has hardly any boundaries in producing non-existent life forms. With the freedom of imagination, producers utilize the paranormal uncertainty to a large degree. In particular, the episode “Squeeze”, with a liver-eating monster, which has the ability to squeeze itself and infiltrate homes and buildings by slender pipes. This episode plays off of the viewer’s fears and worries through the use of paranormal as metaphor. Instinctively, the viewers wouldn’t affiliate themselves directly to the victims of such monster. Yet, the emotions can run amuck with such a drama through fear and trepidation, which expresses that even living in the safe location and shelter of modern-day technologies, one is not fully secure. Anxiety envelops us living in an insecure world with environmental, governmental, and societal threats. One way of looking at it is that you never know if or when it will happen to you, but you do know that it could happen to you. This line of thinking is how The X-Files gives caution to its viewers. Other subject matter in the show such as the threat of extra-terrestrial, monsters, and governmental control are a presented.

The theme of modern anxiety in today’s society runs rampant throughout the show. The X-Files episodes can be separated into three different groupings. Episodes can be constructed from the setting of metaphoric events such as in the woods, house, or government. These groupings evoke fear of the unknown, which Mulder and Scully ultimately want to find and overcome. To make things clearer, consider the woods as a metaphor of the strength of natural forces, or the house as a mirage of the private safety, or the government as a mistrust of its controlling operations. All together they form a metaphor to the fundamental human predispositions and anxieties. Paranormal phenomena, monsters, and extra-terrestrials are key structures of the show’s mythology. Furthermore, a much larger theme is prevalent: the view of good and evil.
Observing how The X-Files use horror and sci-fi genres, it is necessary to make the comparison to traditional genre practices. The primitive paranormal style of the show and unclear narrative launched a new perception of horror. The X-Files didn’t use violence and fearfulness as a main effect. Incorporated in the series’ subject matter, the most frightening things happen when the viewers are engrossed with hidden and secretive matters. For instance, “the truth is out there”, “trust no one”, and “deny everything” are the phrases of the show that are the messages of elusive anxieties. Quite frequently in the series, the most perplexing things are not personified or very clear. Hence, the producers accomplished more profound frightful effects on the viewers in such a way that they were exposed to the anxieties they might not of completely understood.
Nonetheless, the viewers are not isolated from their fears and anxieties. Mulder and Scully signify the viewer’s method and possible ways of overcoming these fears and anxieties. For most viewers and Mulder himself, both decide not to oppose the X-files. He eagerly investigates the disappearance of his sister and eventually starts to believe in the fact that there are unexplained phenomena in the world. On the other hand, Scully’s logical and scientific methodology challenges Mulder’s belief system. Both viewpoints are set from the beginning of the series, where an exchange of reasoning and the questioning of one another through the series’ timeline. Originally, Scully is skeptical of Mulder’s bizarre beliefs, trying to assure him through scientific justification of things they face. Her standpoint is one of logic, which is contested against belief and instinct. Both Mulder and Scully act as the viewers left-sided and right-sided brain giving the viewers the choice to which character they could trust more. Obviously, Scully also comes to question her own beliefs when she cannot explain or solve the problem at hand. From the beginning, a sense of relief is felt by her when the FBI finishes up a case for some reason, even if it goes unsolved. In the first place, Scully doesn’t want to question her own views and opts to dismiss cases if she couldn’t explain them.
Another theme that is observed is conspiracy theories that progress throughout the series. Alien abductions and paranormal activity in the show are not just mysterious extra-terrestrial imaginings. To give the narrative more complexity, The X-Files convolute its paranormal subject matter by connecting it to government agencies. Mulder knows for a fact that the government is behind many of the cases and is eager to uncover it. The link between the alien abductions and the government mirrors the anxieties of the modern world. The concept of conspiracy theories plays a major role in the viewer’s distrust of government and politics, and within the show itself, the viewers are able to oppose the government. Moreover, The X-Files apply the theme outside the boundaries of reality so that it occurs in the world of paranormal and supernatural. Thus, governmental crimes are not deemed as factual, but they make a reference to reality. In cultivating a conspiracy theory, The X-Files constructs a certain mythology with government officials who assist Mulder and Scully in the connection of Mulder’s father and the potential partaking in the disappearance of Mulder’s sister. It can be said that the lines are unclear since the government is not depicted as a threatening entity and hence those who are involved could venture outside the system. As FBI agents themselves, both Mulder and Scully are a component of the government that wants to uncover the truth and expose those responsible.
In the sense of the additional examination on how the series develops its variety of themes, the focus should be more on the characters themselves. When themes in the series are exposed through Mulder and Scully, they could be considered as a metaphor themselves.
It can be said that Malach pushes the shift in characterization of typical FBI agents to Mulder and Scully as an important duo in terms of their representation of social conflicts of law and order, good and evil, and crime and punishment. Since Mulder and Scully are FBI agents who are of different genders, they provide a new outlook of agents of the law. Scully’s character brings the discussion to the table about gender, equality, and feminine part of society. Furthermore, the interwoven logic and instinct of the agents show a contemporary way of humanizing the issues they encounter. However, Malach talks about how Mulder and Scully’s appearance, clothing, and similar ethnicity compared to reality go hand in hand with the typical look of FBI agents and credible defenders of the law. In so far, there is a unique gender characteristic, their general image makes it realistic, and their career positions are deemed as good as well as reputable. They bridge the gap between the mysterious world and the reality of viewers. Hence, their believability is central to the viewers, which through Mulder and Scully understand the problems at hand.
To differentiate from other FBI TV shows, The X-Files’ employs a selection of characters of opposite genders. Twin Peaks, The X-Files’ precursor, helped viewers to reassess the behavioural etiquette of FBI agents. Fostering these alterations, The X-Files created the gender difference of its main characters. The move from the conventional same gender characters to the different gender gave an inclination to potential romantic relationship between Mulder and Scully. Even though there are many intimate times, several references, and few tendencies, they never seemed to cross that romantic line. Their friendly interaction isn’t that of a romantic relationship, but it is depicted differently like a brother-sister relationship.
Mulder and Scully’s relations are commonly examined by critics of the show in regards to gender issues and sexuality. Usually, gender topics have been side stepped or avoided in FBI stories because of the existence of strictly male characters. In addition to leading off with new FBI agents as male and female, Mulder and Scully are given some masculine and feminine qualities. From this shift, The X-Files empowered viewers to examine feminism, masculinity, and sexuality.
Mulder isn’t viewed as the typical hero. His continuing search for his missing sister is shifted throughout the series to Scully, which reveals his feminine side. Together, Scully’s intellect, scientific background, and personal upbringing forms her quality of masculinity. Mulder’s instinctive and perceptive method of paranormal phenomena is centered on his primary focus of the abduction of his sister. His resilient relationship to her is another quality, which imitates the feminine side of Mulder. Also, it seems he has very little friends or social life and the only one he can trust is Scully. Majority of the time, Mulder probes the X-files, and the only thing he cares about, as stated in the first episode, is to locate his sister and reveal the truth.

Scully’s masculinity is traced to her family origins as well. The family backgrounds of both characters, i.e. Mulder and Scully, are significant to their certain passions. Scully has a strong bond with her father, who she is fearful of disappointing. Growing up with a military parent, Scully decides to pursue a scientific profession and eventually enlists with the FBI. Her intellect and commitment are complemented by her willpower and personality. In some of the episodes, it is shown how essential it is for Scully to see what her father thinks of her performance. Even after her father past away, Scully continues to doubt herself on whether her father would be pleased with such performance.
The aforementioned gender interchange between Mulder and Scully, each character has both masculine and feminine features to an extent. This can be seen mainly in the second season of the series. Both Scully and Mulder start to reflect on their differing views and see that they impact each other significantly. Scully comes to contemplate about non-scientific aspects occasionally, whereas Mulder discovers he needs test his theories in the real world. They both have started to take up certain features of each other. Even though it affects their relationship and chemistry, their companionship continues to be equal. For some of the viewers, this is more significant than a potential romantic relationship, which could alter the equilibrium of the show. In essence, Mulder and Scully’s partnership symbolizes the male-female relationship where both people trust and revere in one another and the importance their relationship is of equality.
The X-Files was a show of long duration with stand-alone episodes and continuing narratives. In every episode, there is a new case to investigate; it was feasible for producers to vary genres such as sci-fi, horror, fantasy, conspiracy, and ufology. At the same time, the endurance of narratives constructed links between the episodes, and hence enlarged the thematic field of the show. The difference between The X-Files compared to other television series symbolically and metaphorically represents the real world happenings. Seeing the series from a metaphorical standpoint, the viewers are not restricted to the superficial subject matter. However, the viewers are given more independence to use metaphorical themes in their own lives. Within the metaphors, The X-Files educated on issues of between good and evil, gender and sexuality, human worries and anxieties. Due to the ambiguity of the paranormal, sci-fi, and mystical subject matter, the show utilized metaphors to the modern-day society and its apprehensions. Therefore, it gives the viewers a reason to examine The X-Files’ genre and metaphor usage that is key to the series, which expanded its thematic array beyond its main subject matter.