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Some of this may seem tame now, but The X-Files was known for pushing the envelope back in the 1990s, like when they made “Home” so awful that the Fox network refused to air it in reruns outside of a Halloween event in 1999. Still, the network clearly had a lot of faith in the show and rarely stood up against the writers because Mulder and Scully’s misfortune fit right in with the network’s gritty programming. But Fox was worried The X-Files plot would spoil the show and force the writers of “Lazarus” to change the plot in which Mulder’s body would be inhabited by another man.
The X-Files Lazarus Plot
Even by the standards, that might sound like a pretty crazy plot The X-Filesbut “Lazarus” is the story of a bank robber with the ability to put his mind into the bodies of others. Generally speaking, the story plays out like one of the show’s signature storylines, with Mulder fervently believing that body hopping is real and Scully expressing a clinically polite skepticism. Originally, though, the writers of this episode didn’t want Mulder to just theorize about body hopping. Instead, they wanted him to experience it for himself.
Mulder’s original idea
According to The X-Files writer and producer Howard Gordon, the Fox network wanted to change the plot of “Lazarus”, which involved the burglar inserting his consciousness directly into Mulder’s body. In his words, “the network (…) balked at the idea of Mulder directly, first-hand, experiencing such a supernatural event. In addition to specifically objecting to the notion of a “soul switch,” Gordon said that Fox generally objected to their main character being used in such a way.
As we mentioned, Fox normally didn’t object The X-Files the writers wanted to do, and that made their pushback against the pivotal “Lazarus” plot very notable. According to Gordon, things turned ugly: “We were angry and up in arms. In the end, it is almost impossible to win the fight with the network, and the writers and producers were forced to make very reluctant changes to their episode.
Ultimately, though, Gordon looked at Fox’s decision on the matter The X-Files story as a “wise decision” that ultimately made “Lazarus” a stronger episode. Honestly, as longtime fans of the show, we have to agree…it’s very rewarding to witness the tension between Mulder’s convictions and Scully’s skepticism every episode, and it’s equally rewarding to decide for yourself what’s “really” going on with these seemingly supernatural plots. Honestly, if the show had so shamelessly confirmed the supernatural shenanigans in Season 1, it probably would have lessened the impact of the later seasons.
The tension between Mulder’s and Scully’s beliefs was effectively reflected in the tension between them The X-Files writers and network on “Lazarus.” But it’s hard to deny that the network made the right call here, preserving the mystery of the narrative while ensuring future episodes walk the line between revelation and skepticism. This episode ended up removing the soul swap the writers originally planned, but that might be for the best… like, you can imagine how weird would the fanfiction for this show be if season 1 canonically featured another man inside Fox Mulder?
