Previously I compared The X-Files (1993 - 2002) to an old Australian television show, Delta (1969-1970).
In the Ekcolir Reality, The Δ-Files was a popular investigative science fiction television series, running for years in the United States.
Here, in this blog post, I refer to my imagined future X-Files reboot as The Y-Files.
Think Small, Very Small
Time Travel Television |
I'm comfortable thinking of viruses as a kind of nanotechnology, but the "black oil" from The X-Files would need an upgrade for The Y-Files. Advanced alien nanotechnology gives the aliens seemingly god-like powers compared to we humans. In general, these technologically-advanced aliens care as little about primates on Earth (including humans) as we do about the ants living in some random rotten tree trunk.
"...the black oil.....the substance in which the alien life force was held.....the very medium of the life force itself....."
Technologically-advanced aliens.
mmmm...chocolate |
No FTL Travel
by Dave Granlund (source) |
"the interplanetary explorers of alien civilizations will likely be mechanical in nature"
For The Y-Files, it should be made clear that there is no quick and easy way to travel between the stars. Long ago, a nanite-based artificial lifeform arrived on Earth after a long slow journey from a distant star. For the most part, those "alien invaders" ignored the biological scum of planet Earth, but then one day a misguided alien started tinkering with primate evolution and the result was the human species. The Dave Granlund cartoon shown here depicts the fundamental paranoia of The Y-Files: are "we" in control of our destiny? And just who are "we" anyhow?
No FBI, Yes ISIO
Biogenesis (source) Alien "message in a bottle"; Ivory Coast |
Jack Vance invented the Interworld Police Coordinating Company (IPCC). The Y-Files follows the activities of a team of investigators from an international organization called the International Scientific Investigation Organization (ISIO). ISIO can be in a constant state of doubt about alien visitors to Earth, with some members doubtful about the existence of aliens and other ISIO members devoted to the challenge of revealing "the truth" about the secret history of alien visitors on this world.
William van de Kamp and Noémi Mahrée
The Y-Files begins with the son of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully: William. William is about to graduate with a B.S. degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Wyoming. He is contacted by the mysterious Noémi, who is from the Ivory Coast.
Noémi and William are perfect hosts for alien nanites, but at the start of The Y-Files their bodies are devoid of nanites. Together, they must discover their hidden past and make contact with the aliens who have long been visiting Earth.
Transition: from X-Files to Y-Files |
BackstorY
in the Epsilon Eridani star system |
Terms of a truce were declared among the competing alien factions and Earth was ruled off-limits for the aliens until Earthlings could decide their own fate. Although some alien nanites were left on Earth, their only function was to observe and monitor the planet. Some of the aliens withdrew to Epsilon Eridani while other continued their travels through the galaxy. On one planet in the Epsilon Eridani system, an alien faction (later to be known as the Colonists) began experimenting with the methods needed to return to existing as a biological lifeform.
Alien Investor and Colonist factions experiment with various humanoid forms |
In 1945, another alien faction (Colonists) interpreted the development of atomic weapons on Earth as marking the end of the truce. Their advance party (a small group of nanorobotic symbionts encased in manufactured biological shells) quietly contacted select groups of humans inside the government of Earth's nuclear powers (leading, in the West, to the Syndicate) and these aliens informed the Earthlings that they would not allow Earth to be destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. The Colonists began development of a type of modified human that would be a better match to the original biological form of the aliens. The ethical precepts of the aliens prevented the Colonists from directly taking control of humans, so the Colonists (as the investors had also done) worked indirectly through humans. The main Colonist starship was scheduled to arrive from Epsilon Eridani and reach Earth in 2012. Occasionally the aliens would take on human form and live among the humans of Earth, although this was a serious violation of the ethical rules of the aliens.
Noémi Mahrée |
The X-Files gave us insight into how elements of the United States government interacted with the aliens during the 20th century. There is a similar story behind Noémi and the government of France. ISIO grew out of a joint effort by the British and the French to study "alien artifacts" and technology (The Y-Files can explore the backstory of a European equivalent to the "shadowy" mysteries of government operations such as Area 51 that were featured in The X-Files). Noémi studied comparative religion at the University of Helsinki. The Y-Files can explore the impact of aliens on various religious belief systems around the world.
Science Fiction on Television
Darin Morgan |
Ya. One of the worst things about science fiction series on television is that there are "writers" who get paid to create science fiction stories, but they have no real interest in science fiction. Then they get on a treadmill and they have to keep producing new stories....even when they run out of ideas. The X-Files was never more than about 20% concerned with science fiction. As a science fiction fan, I'd like to see The Y-Files be a true science fiction television series. In particular, I'd prefer Sci Fi in a dominant position over the horror elements that, unfortunately, seem mandatory in Hollywood. The producers of the show should hire a science fiction author to define the back-story and characters then spend a year soliciting scripts from large group of established science fiction authors and wannabe Sci Fi writers.
Fun with Sci Fi |
"By the time there's another invasion of artificially-intelligent, dung-eating robotic probes from outer space, maybe their uber-children will have devised a way to save our planet."
More book and magazine covers |
Next: a new kind of alien invasion
Update: March 24th, 2015 Fox to make 6 new X-Files episodes starting Summer of 2015.
Related Reading: a look back at The X-Files: I Want To Believe
UPDATE DECEMBER 29th 2015: X-Files 2016 miniseries
2018 update: Season 11 - William
No comments:
Post a Comment