ELASTICITY
One thing I love about “The X-Files” is the elasticity (as Chris Carter calls it) of the show – how it can do any sort of show, mythology, horror or comedy, and it all works. My question is, do you find it more difficult to write mythology episodes, comedy episodes or horror episodes?
Philip
Dublin, Ireland
For me, comedy is by far the hardest thing to write. That’s probably why – aside from some “Lone Gunmen” episodes I co-wrote – I never tried to write a comedy episode by myself. Far too scary. But you’re right – one of the pleasures of “The X-Files” was that it encompassed so many genres I love, including horror, suspense, thriller, murder mystery and paranoid conspiracy. If you check out the “Links” page on this website, you’ll see a lot of the movies I count as big influences on my work. Not surprisingly, nearly all of them fall into one of these categories. Even the “mythology” episodes were, for me at least, inspired in part by British television series like “I, Claudius” and the “House of Cards” trilogy. In truth, I find all writing to be difficult. It’s kind of like exercising at the gym – I rarely enjoy it while I’m doing it, but I’m always glad to have done it afterward.
Philip
Dublin, Ireland
For me, comedy is by far the hardest thing to write. That’s probably why – aside from some “Lone Gunmen” episodes I co-wrote – I never tried to write a comedy episode by myself. Far too scary. But you’re right – one of the pleasures of “The X-Files” was that it encompassed so many genres I love, including horror, suspense, thriller, murder mystery and paranoid conspiracy. If you check out the “Links” page on this website, you’ll see a lot of the movies I count as big influences on my work. Not surprisingly, nearly all of them fall into one of these categories. Even the “mythology” episodes were, for me at least, inspired in part by British television series like “I, Claudius” and the “House of Cards” trilogy. In truth, I find all writing to be difficult. It’s kind of like exercising at the gym – I rarely enjoy it while I’m doing it, but I’m always glad to have done it afterward.
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