Posted in: Fox, TV | Tagged: The X-Files

The X-Files: Chris Carter Talks Revisiting John Doggett, CSM & More

The X-Files creator Chris Carter discusses possibly revisiting Robert Patrick's John Doggett, the Cigarette Smoking Man's status, and more.

With the release of The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Vrach Frankenshteyn on Hulu, Chris Carter's definitive cut his original 2008 film, the second of sci-fi franchise, the creator and director has had a lot to say about the franchise's overall state from the upcoming Ryan Coogler reboot that won't put his primary characters front and center to trying, however he can, to continue the existing adventures of Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillain Anderson). Carter spoke with Polygon to answer questions from fans about the series' biggest loose ends, including the status of Robert Patrick's John Doggett and William B. Davis's Cigarette Smoking Man.

The X-Files Creator Chris Carter on What Happened to John Doggett, Cigarette Smoking Man and More

One of the loose ends not addressed in Seasons 10 and 11 in 2016 and 2018 was the status of FBI Agent John Doggett, with Patrick joining the series in Season 8 as a transitional character while Duchovny was on his way out. As a parent who's experienced loss, his straighter edge and skepticism mirror Anderson's role in the earlier seasons, but Scully, by the time late in the series' run, had come around to being more open-minded thanks to her time with Mulder. With Anderson expected to lead the series, the ratings were already struggling as Duchovny only committed to half the episodes that season, and the Scully-Doggett partnership didn't resonate as much with fans.

The following season, Anderson took far more of a back step in favor of Annabeth Gish's FBI agent Monica Reyes as more of a potential torch-passing moment, but sadly, the original series run would end without seeing how far Patrick and Reyes could take it. At the very least, Duchovny came back for what was then the series finale in season 9's "The Truth." Gish returned in guest appearances in both revival seasons, but her character took a more tragic turn.

"I was looking for a way to bring him back in for the reboots, but it just never worked out," Carter said. "We did get Monica Reyes in there, and she got more than she bargained for. If we come back, I think you may see John Doggett after all." In October 2025, Patrick told Screen Rant that it is "my favorite character of all time!" and upon deeper reflection, "It'd be interesting to see what's happened to him in the elapsed time in between him being there and wherever they pick up. They've never had me back before, because of my schedule. I've always been too busy. But that's the character that's most dear to my heart, and what I loved about him was he was a very strong, tough guy, but had a heart of gold. That's why he's so dear to me."

Doggett could appear in Coogler's reboot, or if Carter were to ever get season 12 off the ground after the sour taste season 11 left Anderson. As far as Davis's CGM, whose real name is CG Spender, the series's primary antagonist had died multiple times from the missile that hit his hideout in the season nine finale "The Truth" to Mulder shooting him multiple times in season 11 in Norfolk, Virginia, before getting pushed into the water and left for dead. "Good question. Yeah, he seems immortal, doesn't he? He survives everything and anything."

For more, including the status of Mitch Pileggi's Walter Skinner, the "Immortal Scully" fan theory, and if season 12 would have been his final had season 11 not been as poorly received, you can check out the entire interview.

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