‘The X-Files’: The Smoking Man Returns In New TV Spot And Poster

Fans have been waiting many years for the revival of The X-Files, and many thought it wouldn’t happen. But with the new series coming in the New Year, Fox has released new promotional material for its return. The TV spot and poster feature one or two nostalgic touches. The most obvious? The Smoking Man that haunted our protagonists in the original series.

The traditional tag-line of “trust no one” has been reprised for the show, and a new TV spot and poster are heavily influenced by the shadowy figure of The Smoking Man, re-establishing the mystery and suspense that made the franchise so famous all those years ago. All we need now is the iconic theme music and we’re right back to the 1990s again.

First, the poster was revealed on the official X-Files Twitter account, courtesy of Yahoo TV.

The new series will comprise of six episodes and will combine an eclectic mix of standalone plots with an overarching narrative intended to further the mythos of the franchise. It has been revealed that the first episode will find our heroes, Mulder and Scully, in familiar territory — investigating a possible alien abduction.

The new TV spot, which features on Fox’s YouTube channel, can be seen here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl6TC20mrto

Fans of the original series, and even the movies, will rejoice at seeing Mulder and Scully back on the small screen. A little wiser, older, and mature, our heroes will delve back into the titular files of the show to discover the truth, or the almost truth, or the lies — such is the ambiguity of the show.

The X-Files is catering to new viewers too, with appearances from Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords), Robbie Amell (The Tomorrow People), Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), and Joel McHale (Community). Older fans need not worry, with both Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny returning as our favourite former FBI agents, not to mention an essential turn from Mitch Pileggi as Walter Skinner. William B. Davis will also return as The Smoking Man, as evident by the promotional material, and fans can also expect the revival of The Lone Gunmen — quite how they fit into proceedings is yet to be determined.

Many fans didn’t expect to see the return of The X-Files and were surprised at the announcement earlier this year. The Independent discussed this with series creator Chris Carter in July. When asked why he wanted to return to The X-Files, Carter stated the obvious.

“The central reason is the esprit de corps [the feeling of pride and mutual loyalty shared by the members of a group]. That is the reason to come back and do it again. When you have a group of people working together, who all contribute to make it better, that is something. If you have never experienced it, that is somewhat miraculous. It is stepping into new shoes. That is not to say that the new shoes fit on arrival.”

With such a devoted fanbase and a complete Blu Ray box-set of the original series on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be better for The X-Files, a franchise that has taken TV culture by storm.

The original X-Files series aired for nine seasons between 1993 and 2002, spanning 202 episodes. The series revolved around FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they investigated X-Files: unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder is a paranormal believer and is convinced that aliens exist, while Scully is a skeptic and is assigned the task of debunking his work through scientific analysis so he can return to more mainstream cases. Early in the series, it becomes clear that a bigger conspiracy is at foot, and both agents become pawns in a larger conflict. Only able to trust one another, they develop a close relationship while investigating the impossible.

At the height of its popularity, The X-Files reigned in viewing figures of nearly 20 million, which slowly decreased during the final seasons. The series also spawned two movies, which grossed a combined box-office of $257.4 million.

The X-Files will return on January 24, 2016.

[Featured image and TV Spot courtesy of Fox TV]