Three of the most popular and best-loved supporting characters from
The X-Files have finally been given their opportunity to shine in their own show,
Fox's The Lone Gunmen. These characters first appeared in an episode titled
"EBE" during The X-Files' first season. Though only conceived to be temporary
characters, fan response was so great that they appeared in four more episodes during the
first two seasons, acting as informants to aid in Mulder's search to uncover the truth
about government conspiracies. As their popularity grew, and in the fifth season they
were rewarded with their own standalone episode, one that went back to the past to show
the first meeting of this illustrious trio.
The popularity of these characters is somewhat surprising. They are unusually
paranoid and quirky social rejects that seem to have gotten stuck somewhere in the
sixties. Yet each character contains properties that we can relate to. For Langly, it is often
his crass sense of humor, the instances where he says what the rest of us are thinking but
afraid to say. It is Frohike's indomitable ability to be humiliated, and Byers'
overwhelming politeness and passive nature. Even their paranoia rings true to us all at
least to some extent, appealing to our own everyday fears and worries.
Despite its dramatic roots, Gunmen follows a path not taken by any other
Chris Carter series. With three of the comedic minds of The X-Files, Frank
Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan, and John Shiban, as writers, the show offers a new and
delightfully entertaining form of comedy. With plots revolving around situations such as
a blind football team and the interactions between characters that are refreshingly
different from those found elsewhere on television, it sets its own mark on the comedic
world. This spark of humor has the potential to be one of the best comedies on television,
but its fate will inevitably depend upon the ratings. Though ratings for the premiere were
promising, it must have the ability to maintain ratings in its regular Friday time slot to
survive. With The X-Files possibly nearing its series end, The Lone
Gunmen could prove to be the winner that Fox needs.
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