The X-Files: 25 years of the X-Chromosome

One could argue that 2017 and now 2018 are the years that women were finally heard in Hollywood. As has been frequently reported, the top-three grossing movies of 2017 (Wonder Woman, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Beauty and The Beast) had female leads, some of the buzziest TV shows were helmed and focused on women (The Handmaid’s Tale, Big Little Lies and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and a number of high profile media executives, actors, and personalities finally were exposed for their abusive, misogynistic ways. Getting 2018 off to a good start is Black Panther, which is chock full of strong, brilliant, badass women and continues to break box office records. Unfortunately, before all this could happen, we had to endure years of watching women on screen that often weren’t equal to their male counterparts in their characters and definitely in their salaries and influence.

One bright light over the years when it comes to women’s roles has been The X-Files. First premiering 25 years ago, it’s one of the few shows of that era that provided a great female role model that was clearly the equal (or even superior) of her partner in education, intellect, and overall ability. Dana Scully was one of the original on-screen badass women. Originally assigned to the X-Files to debunk Mulder’s fancifulness and potential gullibility, Scully was his opposite – a doctor and a scientist, a skeptic – while still a trained FBI agent to boot. Capable of holding her own, but also willing to work with him and keep an open mind.

Over 9 regular seasons, two movies, and now 2 “special event series”, we’ve seen Scully be smart, strong, and generally awesine while also being emotional and loving – a more dimensional woman than so many others on the screen. We don’t often see women in media that are both strong AND vulnerable but The X-Files has never been shy about showing Scully shooting someone (or more likely something) in one scene, doing an autopsy in the next with the utmost scientific professionalism, and then later in the same episode getting emotional or even crying. This is what real life is like as a woman – we can be good at our careers, go to martial arts class and kick ass, and then come home to hug a sick child or even sit around and knit.

Unlike many women in the media over the years, Scully has also been allowed to age without diminishing her role or her abilities. She’s still as badass in her 40s as she was in her 20s. The recent season acknowledges that both of them are aging and Mulder assures Scully that just because she is aging doesn’t mean that she isn’t valuable to him, even when she suggests he might want a younger model.

A big part of what has been done right with Scully has to do with the relationship that Mulder and Scully have. We see them banter and argue, but we clearly see the love that they have for each other and how they treat each other as equals. In some episodes Mulder saves Scully and in others she saves him. While this season made clear what was only alluded to in past seasons – that they have been and are lovers, it’s not what defines them – it’s the love and respect that they clearly have for each other and this dynamic is a lot different from most of the relationships portrayed on TV.  They’ve been through some intense times together and experienced things that others can’t understand and it has brought them together in a way that only those shared experiences can.

The X-files hasn’t been like most modern shows where the focus seems to be on counting down until the leads hop into bed together. Mulder and Scully’s relationship was on the slow burn for years – having them as a couple was never the focus of the show. Watching them, I find myself thinking that they have the kind of relationship that we all aspire to have, although minus all the government conspiracies and life-or-death situations.

It’s been reported that Gillian Anderson (Scully) has said that she’s through with The X-Files after this season. If that’s true, I think that as much as I’d love to see more episodes, the character of Scully is in a good place, as is the show (assuming the final version of “My Struggle” doesn’t muck it all up!). An entire generation of women scientists, doctors, and likely federal agents owe Dana Scully and The X-Files a debt of gratitude for giving us such a great on-screen role model.