x-files season eighth season american science fiction television series files commenced airing united_states november concluded consisted episodes season takes place fox_mulder david_duchovny alien abduction seventh season story arc search mulder continues second half season new arc dana_scully gillian_anderson pregnancy formed arc continue end season season explores themes life death belief season duchovny elected return intermittent main character appearing half episodes actor hired replacement mulder playing season marked appearance main character ninth season addition cast change series creator chris_carter updated opening credits remained unchanged season season received critics warmly received fans unhappy duchovny reduced role patrick took lead alongside anderson ratings season initially strong eventually averaged total million viewers seventh season million concurrent airing season carter files production team created aired short lived titled plot overview end seventh season finale requiem fox_mulder david_duchovny abducted aliens dana_scully gillian_anderson meets special agent leader fbi organized conduct search mulder search ultimately proves unsuccessful assigned x-files works scully look explanations cases scully learns women reportedly abducted alien babies begins question pregnancy fears child introduces fbi specialist crime shortly mulder deceased body suddenly appears forest night following mulder funeral assistant director walter_skinner mitch_pileggi threatened kill scully baby born multiple disappeared night mulder returned deceased dead body resurrected restored health mulder returns death scully supervising recovery fully mulder investigates files orders soon gets fired leaving charge cases mulder continues provide input unofficial capacity reluctantly accepting assistance mulder skinner learn alien virus recently created secret members united_states government replaced humans including miles high ranking fbi personnel called alien super soldiers claims soldiers virtually aliens want sure humans survive earth learned scully baby special child afraid greater recently learned baby importance told skinner kill child earlier miles arrives fbi headquarters mulder skinner help scully escape reyes drives remote farm shortly skinner kills scully delivers apparently normal baby alien super soldiers surround explanation aliens leave area mulder arrives reyes report fbi headquarters mulder takes scully newborn son william apartment themes eighth season x-files takes place science fiction environment employs common science fiction concepts strongly differentiated characters fighting evil enemy case alien colonists episode season explores loss loneliness pain disappearance mulder included basic themes common series dark terror sense paranoia fear unknown later death resurrection emerged major sub theme season starting gift killed resurrected later mulder brought life apparently dead months sub theme continue ninth season main story arc season dealt idea times humanity greater danger theme manifest syndicate human conspiracy aliens production development series original title sequence crafted season remained unchanged seven seasons partial loss duchovny seventh season finale decision update credits featured premiere episode season opening sequence included new images updated fbi badge photos duchovny anderson addition patrick main cast duchovny badge features opening credits appears episode opening contains images scully pregnancy according frank_spotnitz shows abstract explanation mulder absence season falling eye partial departure duchovny carter decided focus solely character half season led cast critics notably duchovny anderson according book examinations anderson reportedly wasn thrilled lack attention character getting instead writers crafting episodes solely new voice duchovny hand unhappy mulder abduction properly examined reportedly duchovny offered write direct episode based mulder trapped alien spaceship seen season opener carter idea casting seventh season time closure x-files characters written including mulder mother plot threads resolved including fate fox_mulder sister samantha furthermore settling contract dispute duchovny quit contributed likelihood eighth season carter fans felt natural duchovny departure carter penned requiem finale episode seventh season possible series finale minute new season ordered duchovny agreed star time returning episodes instead change producers found difficult write duchovny character script eventually explain mulder absence upcoming season eventually decided character abducted aliens hoping continue series carter introduced new central character replace mulder actors auditioned role considered producers phillips played previous episode x-files considered role producers eventually choose season introduced portrayed main character following season crew chris_carter served executive producer showrunner season wrote wrote bulk episodes season episodes written executive producer frank_spotnitz carter wrote episodes solo wrote episodes solo rest writing staff contributed episodes promoted executive producer wrote episode promoted executive producer wrote episode promoted producer wrote episode promoted executive story editor wrote episode promoted executive story editor wrote episodes promoted story editor wrote episodes wrote freelance episode series previously returned contribute story episode kim_manners promoted executive producer directed episodes season seven directors directed multiple episodes season included directed directed directed directed episode carter directed single episode writer directorial debut cast main cast david_duchovny special agent fox_mulder episodes gillian_anderson special agent dana_scully episodes special agent episodes appearing episodes duchovny listed credited starring opening credits episodes appeared appear gift archived footage recurring cast starring mitch_pileggi walter_skinner episodes episodes episodes guest starring episodes episodes marked double dagger episodes series alien mythology arc reception ratings reportedly patrick cast hopes featured role judgment day attract great year old male demographic early fox executives reported percent overall increase demographic solely patrick casting season episode earned nielsen household rating meaning seen nation estimated households episode viewed million viewers marked decrease seventh season opener sixth extinction highest rated episode season happening viewed million viewers making watched episode series terms viewers sixth extinction season finale existence earned nielsen household rating meaning seen nation estimated households episode watched million viewers overall episodes season feature mulder averaged million viewers episodes feature mulder averaged million viewers difference million season averaged total million viewers seventh season million companies paying fox second spot air acts x-files information technology companies buying commercials largely fact weekly fix science fiction prime time reviews eighth season received mixed positive reviews critics noted seasons x-files good great eighth season new search mulder story arc gave season favorable review calling great describing episodes pretty strong dvd times said season included hits misses overall negative mythology episodes claiming weakest episodes season critics eventually accepted character new_york_times said fans accepted introduction character stated actually looked like secret service agent carter commented character saying everybody likes character stating fans miss duchovny character mulder sfx called patrick superb noted entrance series sense good old fashioned plain speaking didn realise missing got entertainment_weekly reviewer ken_tucker said patrick portrayal giving positive reviews inclusion hollywood reporter described season swan song reviews positive popmatters gave negative review season claiming patrick cast calling david_duchovny appearances fox_mulder shallow criticized season recycling plots featuring mulder falling scully eye opening credits noting gives duchovny lingering presence reinforcing patrick kind accolades happening nominated award cinematography won saturn award category best television actor role year gillian_anderson nominated category best actress television series nominated category television series saturn awards failed win anderson nominated screen actors guild award year category outstanding performance female actor drama series x-files won emmy award received nomination outstanding cinematography single camera series dvd release
The X-Files (season 8)