Sci-fi spin-offs could be a combined bag. “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology” and “Stargate SG-1” had been so profitable that they spawned quite a few follow-ups of their very own, however efforts to develop the respective universes of “Babylon 5” (“Campaign”) and “Battlestar Galactica” (“Caprica”) proved reasonably much less profitable. Each had been cancelled after a single run of episodes.
“The X-Recordsdata” spin-off “The Lone Gunmen” — whose remaining instalment debuted 25 years in the past — belongs in that very same one-season surprise class, however was reasonably higher than its untimely axing would possibly recommend…
Like “Cheers”‘ spawn “Frasier”, “The Lone Gunmen” shifted the tone of the supply materials; it was lighter and extra overtly performed for laughs than “The X-Recordsdata”, and it targeted on characters who’d began out as supporting gamers.
Conspiracy theorists/investigators John Fitzgerald Byers (Bruce Harwood), Melvin Frohike (Tom Braidwood, who additionally labored as an assistant director on the sci-fi smash’s early seasons), and Richard “Ringo” Langly billed themselves, oxymoronically, because the Lone Gunmen.
The brainchildren of X-Recordsdata legends Glen Morgan and James Wong (who’d later go on to make “House: Above and Past“), the fan-favorite trio had been serving to out Fox Mulder’s investigations into the unexplained since season 1 episode “E.B.E.”. Their presence had subsequently grown all through the unique present’s run, and so they’d even been granted an origin story in season 5 episode “Uncommon Suspects”.
However this spin-off was by no means designed to be an informal, extra off-the-books model of “The X Recordsdata”. As an alternative, it was a comedic spy thriller fronted by three guys who’d by no means normally get near the espionage entrance traces. Co-creator Frank Spotnitz has stated that “the entire sequence was designed to be type of a ‘Mission: Unattainable’ with geeks,” and the opening of the pilot episode proves the purpose by dangling Frohike from a ceiling like he is (virtually) Tom Cruise. To intensify these spy-fi credentials, the present even featured — in a lawsuit ready to occur — a personality known as James (okay, Jimmy) Bond.
Byers was a former authorities worker whose cynicism concerning the official rationalization for President Kennedy’s assassination led him to go freelance; Frohike was a former tango dancer with a serious crush on Dana Scully, and a lesser curiosity in electronics; and Langly was a computer-hacking tech genius in an period when most individuals had been nonetheless utilizing dial-up web. They had been united by paranoia, and their quest to guard the American dream by exposing conspiracies and secrets and techniques that the powers-that-be would reasonably stayed hidden.
Watching the present again now, it’s extremely a lot a product of the early ’00s. This was story-of-the-week community tv, with minimal serialization, that unmistakable “Vancouver masquerading for [insert name of US city]” vibe, and MASSIVE pc displays. It additionally featured a visitor star position from former “Neighbours” common Alan Dale, who additionally popped up in “The West Wing”, “ER”, “NCIS”, “Misplaced” and seemingly each different main TV franchise of the period. (He would go on to look in “The X-Recordsdata” itself a yr later, enjoying a completely totally different position.)
Maybe most retro of all, the Gunmen’s day job is working a periodical journal, printed on precise paper. Regardless of seemingly disastrous gross sales, the trio endured with publishing “The Lone Gunman” to show wrongdoing and cover-ups in any respect ranges of the US authorities. Just some years later, they’d certainly have discovered a extra pure — and doubtlessly extra profitable — residence for his or her musings on-line.
Certainly, this was a extra harmless time when conspiracy theories may nonetheless be enjoyable and eccentric, and had been much less more likely to be exploited by extremist actors. Weirdly, nevertheless, the present is now most remembered for a narrative level within the pilot episode. Aired six months earlier than the tragic occasions of 9/11 unfolded in New York, it featured a plot to fly a passenger jet into the World Commerce Heart.
“My very first thought [on seeing the news of 9/11] was ‘The Lone Gunmen’,” Spotniz recalled in a 2025 interview with the US Television Academy. “I believed, ‘Oh, my God, did they watch our present? Did they get this concept from us?’ A yr or so after, I learn one thing that relieved me of that concern — however, wow.”
The present’s forged of regulars was rounded out by the aforementioned Jimmy Bond (Stephen Snedden enjoying an optimistic, naïve wealthy child who stepped in to bankroll the journal), and the enigmatic Yves Adele Harlow (Zuleikha Robinson), a femme fatale who drove a distinct sports activities automotive each week, and was each pal and foe to the Gunmen. Her identify (a pseudonym) was an anagram of Lee Harvey Oswald (JFK’s murderer), which was indicative of the present’s penchant for gags, silliness, and in-jokery. “The X-Recordsdata” had its fair proportion of comedy episodes, however by no means fairly like “The Lone Gunmen”.
Characters wore masks/voice changers as in the event that they had been Ethan Hunt on an unattainable mission, Frohike bought his very personal “Matrix”-style bullet-time second, and Bond (not that one) bought to stay his finest Tom Cruise life working round in shirt, underwear and socks à la “Dangerous Enterprise”.
Space 51 anti-PR man Morris Fletcher (Spinal Faucet’s Michael McKean, reprising his position from “The X-Recordsdata”) claimed to be the inspiration for Tommy Lee Jones’ character in “Males in Black”, earlier than getting interrogated by a really fake-looking recreation of popular culture’s ubiquitous grey aliens. FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) additionally confirmed up for crossover cameos.
The sequence debuted to a powerful 13 million viewers on Sunday, March 4, 2001, however issues began to go unsuitable when it moved to Friday nights a couple of weeks later. The rankings dropped off, by no means recovered and the FOX community declined to select up “The Lone Gunmen” for a second season.
“I believe wanting again on it, [‘The Lone Gunmen’ coincided with] season 8 of ‘The X-Recordsdata,'” Spotnitz instructed the Tv Academy. “We had already hit our peak, and we had been already on the best way down by way of the mania for ‘The X-Recordsdata’. It was most likely two or three seasons too late to do this spin-off. If we had completed it in season 4 or 5 [during ‘The X-Files” run], we’d have had a distinct reception.”
However the Gunmen did stay (briefly) to combat one other day. Though FOX was sceptical about bringing the characters again, “The X-Recordsdata” writers’ room gave them a heroic send-off in “Leap the Shark”, an episode within the present’s ninth and (then-) remaining season. Byers, Frohike, and Langly saved the world by locking themselves in a room with a deadly virus. They had been buried with honors at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery, with Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), Skinner, Bond, and Harlow among the many mourners. They later made posthumous appearances in each of “The X-Recordsdata”‘s comeback seasons.
Today, you will not discover the Gunmen’s solo exploits on any streaming providers*, as — away from Mulder and Scully — their existence seems to have been conveniently redacted. Possibly that is how these anti-establishment investigators would have most popular it, although they need to be greater than a footnote in that record of one-season sci-fi wonders.
*It’s, in reality, so forgotten by the networks that you’ll find the present in its entirety at no cost on YouTube. The reality is at all times on the market, if you recognize the place to look. You may also attempt to discover one of many more and more uncommon DVD copies nonetheless available on the market through third-party resellers.
