The X-Files season 10 may have been a bit polarizing, but it was such a success overall that Fox decided early on to continue the series with a season 11. And now, we’ve got our first peek at what that new season is going to look like — and it looks awesome.
The season, which is currently filming in Vancouver, will consist of ten episodes, a nearly 50 percent increase over season 10’s six. And as if that wasn’t good enough news, a whopping eight of the ten will be “Monster of the Week” episodes, according to EW. These are the episodes that showcase Mulder and Scully investigating a single, standalone case, and for the majority of X-Files fans, these entries are considered superior to the mythology-heavy episodes, so kudos to series creator Chris Carter for recognizing what fans want and giving it to them.
That’s not to say there won’t be some of the series’ long-running mythology dealt with, too. Season 10 ended on a cliffhanger, with an alien virus affecting large swaths of the population — including Mulder. That will be dealt with in the second episode of the season, which features a time jump that may or may not include Scully being infected with the virus rather than Mulder. “Obviously something unexpected has happened,” Carter told EW. “Everything is by design.” You can see a photo, presumably from this episode, below.
Image credit: Fox via EW
The showrunner also revealed that the season’s first episode will be all about the backstory of the Cigarette Smoking Man and his apparent ties to Mulder’s family, while the third episode will be a comedic standalone focused on doppelgängers. And he hinted that the season could reunite Mulder and Scully romantically, another fan service, while also revealing far more about the fate of their son, William, who was mentioned a lot in season 10 but had no resolution. “William has been an absent center,” Carter revealed. “He will come to the fore.”
Image credit: Fox via EW
There will also be some new characters who turn out to be important players, including one played by Barbara Hershey and another named Mr. Y; more information on Agent Reyes’ involvement with the CSM; and a new look at fan-favorite character A.D. Skinner. “Familiar alliances are rattled,” Carter said.
Overall, it sounds like the next season of The X-Files is going to be pretty great, and if it continues to score big ratings for Fox, then it may not be the last we see of the series either.
The X-Files season 11 premieres on Fox in early 2018.
