Production The X-Files (season 1)

1 production

1.1 development
1.2 casting
1.3 writing

production
development

california native chris carter given opportunity produce new shows fox network in 1990s. tired of comedies had been working on walt disney pictures, inspired report 3.7 million americans may have been abducted aliens, , recalling memories of watergate , 1970s horror series kolchak: night stalker, carter came idea x-files , wrote pilot episode himself in 1992. struggled on untested concept—executives wanted love interest scully—and casting. network wanted either more established or taller, leggier, blonder , breastier actress scully 24-year-old gillian anderson, theater veteran minor film experience, carter felt choice after auditions.

carter s initial pitch x-files rejected fox executives. fleshed out concept , returned few weeks later, leading commission of pilot. carter worked nypd blue producer daniel sackheim in further developing pilot, drawing stylistic inspiration 1988 documentary thin blue line, , english television series prime suspect. inspiration taken carter s memories of watching kolchak: night stalker , twilight zone in youth; then-recently released film silence of lambs, impetus framing series around agents fbi, in order provide characters more plausible reason being involved in each case carter believed present in kolchak. carter keen on keeping relationship between 2 lead roles strictly platonic, basing interactions on characters of emma peel (diana rigg) , john steed (patrick macnee) in series avengers.

during stages of production series, carter founded ten thirteen productions, , began plan filming pilot in los angeles. however, unable find suitable locations many of scenes, ten thirteen productions made decision go forests , , moved production vancouver, series remain next 5 seasons; production shift los angeles beginning sixth season. realized production crew since of first season require filming on location, rather on sound stages, 2 location managers needed, rather usual one.

casting

david duchovny had worked in los angeles 3 years prior x-files, , @ first had wanted base acting career around films. in 1993 manager, melanie green, gave him script pilot episode of series. green , duchovny both convinced script, duchovny auditioned lead. when duchovny auditioning part of fox mulder, made terrific audition, spoke rather slowly. chris carter thought @ beginning of auditioning character, judge of character , , thought duchovny wasn t rather bright . went , talked duchovny , asked him if please imagine himself fbi agent future week. casting director of show positive towards him. according carter, duchovny turned out 1 of best-read people knew. carter recalls being contractually obliged provide fox choice of 2 actors role; however, confident duchovny right choice outset. after getting role, duchovny thought show wouldn t last long or wouldn t make impact.

gillian anderson cast due insistence carter fit role perfectly; however, fox executives had wanted more glamorous bombshell part, hoping lead series involving romantic element. led carter insist did not want roles of mulder , scully become romantically involved, citing relationship between lead roles in moonlighting example avoid. anderson called work on show complete learning experience me – pilot second time d been in front of camera .

the series introduced character of walter skinner, played mitch pileggi, go on become recurring, , later, main character in show. character had been conceived playing against stereotypical bureaucratic paper-pusher , being instead more quietly dynamic . pileggi had auditioned unsuccessfully several other parts on series before being cast skinner. @ first, fact asked audition role had puzzled him, until discovered reason had not cast previous parts—chris carter had been unable imagine pileggi of characters, due fact actor had been shaving head. when pileggi attended audition walter skinner, had been in grumpy mood , had allowed small amount of hair grow back. pileggi s attitude fit character of skinner, causing carter assume actor pretending grumpy. after auditioning role, pileggi thought had been lucky had not been cast in 1 of earlier roles, believed have appeared in single episode , have missed opportunity play recurring role of walter skinner.

glen morgan , james wong s influence on x-files mythology led introduction of popular secondary characters continue years in episodes written others, such scully family—dana s father william (don s. davis), mother margaret (sheila larken) , sister melissa (melinda mcgraw)—as conspiracy-buff trio lone gunmen.

writing

initially, there no certainty how long series go on for, , result there no long-term plan in beginning guide writers. although initial impetus show based on alien abduction lore, crew believed series not able maintain momentum long if did not branch out different plot ideas. show s first season featured numerous standalone stories involving monsters, , diverse alien or governmental cover-ups, no apparent connection each other—such arctic space worms in ice , , conspiracy of genetically engineered twins in eve. carter himself wrote space , intended bottle episode manifestation of alien ghost in nasa space shuttle program, subject cost overruns , became expensive of first season.

by end of first season, carter , staff had come many of general concepts of mythology last throughout 9 seasons. first season introduced series primary antagonist, cigarette smoking man, , gave insight disappearance of mulder s sister samantha, abduction provided 1 of main plot threads of series whole. emergent mythology further solidified in carter-penned, edgar award-nominated season finale erlenmeyer flask . episode written in 1994 before known whether or not series renewed second season, , featured closure of x-files unit , reassignment of fox mulder , dana scully new jobs within fbi. finale first episode directed r. w. goodwin, had served producer series.