Spoilers

“My Struggle”

Debuting on January 24, 2016, a whole fourteen years after the end of season nine, The X-Files returned to FOX for a condensed six episode event season. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reunited as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully for the series that kicked off with yet another massive government alien conspiracy.

As I stated last time, that blasted Cigarette Smoking Man is alive and showed up at the end of this episode, receiving news that the X-Files have been reopened.

Joel McHale appeared on the new show as Tad O’Malley, a right-wing conspiracy online host who pulled in Mulder and Scully to share with them the conspiracy that he believed he had uncovered.

There were hints dropped through the episode that gave us background behind the current state or lack thereof for the relationship between Mulder and Scully.

The biggest issue I had with the episode was the amount of monologues detailing information that the episode had. It was a gigantic exposition dump, which was meant to not only review much of what the show had already investigated, but also setting up the ideas for moving forward. Honestly, much of the episode felt similar to a path that the show had taken in a previous season.

Still, it is great to have Mulder and Scully back together. I still would like CSM to be dead, and stay dead, but what can I do. He does make a really compelling antagonist.