On May 16 after a frenzy of speculation , Fox announced it would bring back the spooky seven-year-old drama for another season with or without holdout DAVID DUCHOVNY. Less than two days later, on the eve of the network's fall-schedule announcement, Duchovny agreed to return for 11 episodes --about half of a full season --for a reported $20 million.
HOW WILL THE X-FILES DEAL WITH DUCHOVNY'S PART-TIME SCHEDULE?
Duchovny will be in episodes sprinkled throughout the season, though it's still being decided. To fill the Mulder void, they're looking to cast a new buddy for Scully, a character that definitely won't be in the mold of the conspiracy-obsessed Mulder.
IS THE NEXT SEASON THE FINAL ONE?
Don't bet the crop-circled farm on it. Carter hints the franchise could continue ---even if both Duchovny and Anderson call it quits. "If we plan it carefully, there could be [more seasons], but I'm not telling you that there will be," states Carter.
IF SCULLY IS REALLY WITH CHILD, WHO'S THE FATHER?
This being the X-Files, don't rule out aliens --or the possibility of papa Mulder. "There was an episode written and directed by Gillian that began and ended in Mulder's bedroom," Carter teases.
WHAT THE HECK WAS KRYCEK DOING IN AN AFRICAN JAIL?
As usual, all roads lead to you-know-who. "Cigarette Smoking Man put him in that prison as a result of Krycek's stealing information from him", says Carter. That explanation never made it into the final cut, he adds. And what5 are we to make of the return of U.N. Marita Covarrubias, miraculously cured of the alien cancer? "She actually got it from a test," explains Carter. "But she was not dying. She was just weakened from the tests."
DIDN'T THE ALIENS CURE CGB SPENDER (CSM) OF LUNG CANCER A COUPLE OF SEASONS AGO? WHY WAS HE DYING OF IT AGAIN?
Says Carter: "Remember that he had an operation, which was the same operation that Mulder had where there was a transfer of genetic material. The operation didn't work. This is a result of that". Did Krycek's pushing CSM down the stairs finally kill that black-lunged bastard? "Wait 'til next season," Carter says.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: #543, June 2, 2000.
