Trust no one.
The truth is out there.
Two sayings that fans of The X-Files know well.
They are also two sayings that X-Files creator Chris Carter continues to play on as the
Fox sci-fi series enters its ninth season tomorrow, 10 p.m. on Channel 7 and 22 sans FBI
agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) -- his alien-believing hero of whom, in the two-part
opener viewers find out that serious threats on his life have forced him to leave fellow
agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and FBI friends behind with no forwarding address.
And that's the underlying theme of the season premiere which introduces fans to FBI
assistant director Brad Follmer (Cary Elwes, Princess Bride), who seems bent on
suppressing agent John Doggett (Robert Patrick) and the X-Files and has a "past"
relationship with agent Monica Reyers (Annabeth Gish).
The show also features guest star Lucy Lawless (of Xena fame), as Shannon McMahon, a
figure from Doggett's military past who holds the clues to an apparent government
conspiracy with ties to Scully' s baby.
In Part 1 of the exciting two-parter, the action picks up 48 hours after last season's
finale with agent Doggett and assistant director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) nursing
their bumps and bruises after tangling with some nasty individuals who tried to snatch
Scully's newborn son.
Those bad guys and a potential alien conspiracy with ties to the FBI has spurred an
investigation by Doggett and Reyers, which can spell nothing but trouble.
And just what's up with Scully's baby? As he begins to show some signs of being
extraordinary, questions arise: Is Mulder the father, is there an alien connection, or is
there a government conspiracy at work here?
It's Lawless who makes this two-part opener interesting.
Aside from half-expecting to see the former Warrior Princess leap from the chair at any
moment with sword in hand, there's a mysterious element to her character going back to
X-Files' key elements -- truth and trust.
Let's hope this isn't the last we'll see of her.
As for Elwes' character, it's an unimpressive start -- it's not the first time we've
seen an FBI boss who has his own agenda. But there's enough plot twists, conspiracy
theories and even murder in this season-opener to keep X-Files fans tuned in.
