"But Paul Rabwin remembers that things began to change as Season 7 got under way. 'As the season progressed, we found ourselves starting to get energized again. Word started getting around that maybe this would not be the end. The network certainly wanted us back and Gillian was still under contract for another year. As we got toward the end of the season, everyone was kind of hopeful.'
But hope did not translate into a final decision as the days counted down to the point where the final script of the season had to be written. There were several options. The episode could end the series, it could be a cliffhanger for an eighth season, or it could be the cliffhanger for the long-talked-about series of X-Files feature films. Early on there was talk about the season finale being a two-hour or ninety-minute show, but those ideas were quickly discarded. Staff meetings between producers and writers took on an extra sense of urgency.
John Shiban recalls what was going through everybody's mind during those meetings. 'If this were the end, what would we want the end to be? Where should Mulder and Scully end up emotionally? Where should the conspiracy and the aliens end up? We didn't know what the status of the show was and so we decided that whatever we did would have to apply as either a conclusion of the series or a cliffhanger.'
'The first thought we had was, what the hell are we going to do?' recalls Spotnitz, reflecting on the frustration of that time. 'We were tossing all kinds of ideas back and forth and finally the suggestion was made to go back to the pilot. Our idea was that if this was going to be the end, let's go back to the beginning. At that point, we only had one idea that was definite. Since the beginning of the season, we had known that Scully's pregnancy would be a grand idea as a whole, a wonderful way to end things if this was going to be the end. So we had to devise a story that would allow for all possibilities.'
It went without question that Chris Carter would write the script. And, in an attempt to keep the element of surprise, the particulars of that episode were made known to only a select few. Consequently the rumours began to fly thick and fast, along the Internet superhighway as well as around the FOX Studios lot. There were hints that since Duchovny would, most likely, not return to the show, a recurring cast member would step into the Mulder role. Mentioned quite often as a possible replacement was A.D. Skinner.
'Me?' Mitch Pileggi laughed during a break from filming 'Requiem.' 'That's probably the most ridiculous rumour I've heard so far. I've heard millions of them and that's all they are.'
Now, an X-Files script being completed at the last possible moment was not uncommon. But as the days wound down and the time when the production company would have to begin prepping the episode drew closer, everybody connected to the show mentally geared up for yet another wild ride.
Paul Rabwin remembers the day the first draft of the script came out. 'The first clue as to the kind of script it might be was its title, 'Requiem.' It was a significant title: a Mass said for the dead. The first thing I read on the script was Bellefleur, Oregon. I immediately recognized the site of the pilot episode. It sounded like a full circle situation. I didn't know what to make of it.'
Slowly by surely, literally one act at a time, the script came out. Cast and crew were finally getting an idea of that 'Requiem' would be. Rabwin relates, 'By the time we started shooting, we knew Mulder was in the woods, there was a spaceship that took off, and Mulder was nowhere to be found. But, like anything else in The X-Files, that really didn't answer any questions.'"
"But Paul Rabwin remembers that things began to change as Season 7 got under way. 'As the season progressed, we found ourselves starting to get energized again. Word started getting around that maybe this would not be the end. The network certainly wanted us back and Gillian was still under contract for another year. As we got toward the end of the season, everyone was kind of hopeful.'
But hope did not translate into a final decision as the days counted down to the point where the final script of the season had to be written. There were several options. The episode could end the series, it could be a cliffhanger for an eighth season, or it could be the cliffhanger for the long-talked-about series of X-Files feature films. Early on there was talk about the season finale being a two-hour or ninety-minute show, but those ideas were quickly discarded. Staff meetings between producers and writers took on an extra sense of urgency.
John Shiban recalls what was going through everybody's mind during those meetings. 'If this were the end, what would we want the end to be? Where should Mulder and Scully end up emotionally? Where should the conspiracy and the aliens end up? We didn't know what the status of the show was and so we decided that whatever we did would have to apply as either a conclusion of the series or a cliffhanger.'
'The first thought we had was, what the hell are we going to do?' recalls Spotnitz, reflecting on the frustration of that time. 'We were tossing all kinds of ideas back and forth and finally the suggestion was made to go back to the pilot. Our idea was that if this was going to be the end, let's go back to the beginning. At that point, we only had one idea that was definite. Since the beginning of the season, we had known that Scully's pregnancy would be a grand idea as a whole, a wonderful way to end things if this was going to be the end. So we had to devise a story that would allow for all possibilities.'
It went without question that Chris Carter would write the script. And, in an attempt to keep the element of surprise, the particulars of that episode were made known to only a select few. Consequently the rumours began to fly thick and fast, along the Internet superhighway as well as around the FOX Studios lot. There were hints that since Duchovny would, most likely, not return to the show, a recurring cast member would step into the Mulder role. Mentioned quite often as a possible replacement was A.D. Skinner.
'Me?' Mitch Pileggi laughed during a break from filming 'Requiem.' 'That's probably the most ridiculous rumour I've heard so far. I've heard millions of them and that's all they are.'
Now, an X-Files script being completed at the last possible moment was not uncommon. But as the days wound down and the time when the production company would have to begin prepping the episode drew closer, everybody connected to the show mentally geared up for yet another wild ride.
Paul Rabwin remembers the day the first draft of the script came out. 'The first clue as to the kind of script it might be was its title, 'Requiem.' It was a significant title: a Mass said for the dead. The first thing I read on the script was Bellefleur, Oregon. I immediately recognized the site of the pilot episode. It sounded like a full circle situation. I didn't know what to make of it.'
Slowly by surely, literally one act at a time, the script came out. Cast and crew were finally getting an idea of that 'Requiem' would be. Rabwin relates, 'By the time we started shooting, we knew Mulder was in the woods, there was a spaceship that took off, and Mulder was nowhere to be found. But, like anything else in The X-Files, that really didn't answer any questions.'"
[Continued...]
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