Stephen King Wrote This Controversial ‘The X-Files’ Episode
Jeanette White
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Following the supernatural investigations of FBI Agents Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny), The X-Files fluctuates between sci-fi and full-blown horror. Its horror episodes are some of the best. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the series attracted the attention of iconic horror author Stephen King.
The X-Files mixed with a Stephen King script sounds like a match made in Heaven or, perhaps more appropriately, Hell. However, King’s contribution to the sci-fi phenomenon remains controversial among fans. “Chinga” (Season 5, Episode 10) is one of The X-Files’ goriest episodes. However, the tone and plot fell apart for many. It’s campy, clunky, and lacking that je ne sais quoi expected from King. Major script rewrites were the most likely offender. In fact, very little of King’s original draft made it into the episode. Still, his take on Scully and Mulder offered a much-needed role reversal, something worth celebrating in an otherwise average episode.
Chris Carter Rewrote the Majority of Stephen King’s Script
In “Chinga”, Scully arrives in Maine only to be preoccupied with a series of deaths at a grocery store. While assisting local law enforcement, she begins to suspect a young girl’s doll may be to blame. She reaches this conclusion, largely sans Mulder, whose input is only gathered via brief telephone exchanges. While The X-Files creator Chris Carter kept the bones of King’s story, he made some significant changes. For starters, Scully was originally a victim of the grocery store incident instead of just stumbling upon it. Later, Mulder also appeared to Scully in a psychic vision, guiding her through the case. Aside from making Scully seem incompetent by implying she couldn’t solve a case without Mulder’s intervention, it’s a strange plot beat, even for The X-Files.
According to I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to The X-Files, Carter took issue with King’s interpretation of Scully and Mulder. Carter defended his rewrites, saying, “Stephen wasn’t used to writing for Mulder and Scully… the Mulder-and-Scully story in his original draft didn’t quite work.” Reviewing the draft proves many of Carter’s concerns right. Parts of it almost read like fan fiction. Other sections of dialogue just feel off. It’s clear King didn’t just want to write a spooky little story—he also wanted to contribute to Scully and Mulder’s trademark sexual tension.
Stephen King Shipped It
Upon “Chinga”‘s release in 1998, a potential Scully and Mulder romance was still quite divisive. Taking place pre-The X-Files: Fight the Future, the almost-kiss and hallway love confessions had yet to happen. Thus, fans broke themselves into two groups: “Shippers” and “Noromos”. Shippers championed romance, while Noromos wanted the duo to remain platonic. King’s “Chinga” draft placed him firmly in shipping territory. His version of Scully told Mulder things like “I love it when you talk dirty” and “I guess I just missed the sound of your voice.” When Mulder and Scully reunited in the script’s conclusions, King even described it as “a classic lovers’ shot, profiles like you’d see on a Valentine’s heart.”
Carter famously opposed a Scully and Mulder romance until fan demand made it impossible to avoid. In that regard, it’s not surprising Carter edited out King’s flirtier moments, although he still kept it playful. Mulder’s “pencils in the ceiling bit” is a Carter special, along with Mulder’s half-serious marriage proposal earlier in the episode. Even though Carter changed most of King’s dialogue, the author’s role reversal of Scully and Mulder made it into the final script. A decision many will argue is for the better.
Scully and Mulder’s Role Reversal Is Welcomed
As episode director Kim Manners confirmed in I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to The X-Files, “The nuts and bolts were [King’s], but [“Chinga”] was really one of Chris’ scripts.” There is no denying Carter’s rewrites were needed. Scully’s competency, for one, remains intact. She calls Mulder for input but doesn’t rely on him entirely and definitely doesn’t need him to guide her via psychic vision. King stumbled in this respect, but his role reversal offered something rarely seen on The X-Files.
Mulder is notorious for ditching Scully in pursuit of the greater truth. “War of the Coprophages” (Season 3, Episode 12) pokes fun at this tendency, while episodes like “Never Again” (Season 4, Episode 13) take a serious approach to the dynamic, in this case spotlighting how damaging Mulder’s dismissal of Scully’s emotions can be. How many times does Mulder slam down the phone, only to leave Scully anxiously wondering what’s going on? It basically became a meme, but not one that all fans appreciated.
King delivered the opposite in “Chinga”, and Carter kept it with some tweaks. This time, Scully is the one preoccupied with a case while Mulder stays behind, ansty, bored, and desperate for any communication from his partner. Seeing Scully hanging up on Mulder is gratifying. After all, it’s one of the few times he gets a taste of his own medicine. King’s original script took it even further, having Mulder leave an important lecture to check on Scully toward the episode’s end.
Stephen King’s X-Files Episode Works Without Expectations
Is “Chinga” a true Stephen King masterpiece? Absolutely not. Given the massive rewrites, it barely qualifies as a representation of King’s work. This is likely why it remains a divisive The X-Files episode. Seeing Stephen King in the credits comes with certain expectations. Audiences expect genuine scares. They anticipate an innovative hour of television on par with titles they associate with King, like The Shining or Stand By Me. The scares are there. “Chinga” has people clawing their eyes out and hair tangling in blenders. However, the meshing of King’s and Carter’s styles did it no favors. King became a secondary player in his script to maintain the sanctity of Scully and Mulder.
In reality, the episode isn’t a King story but an homage to King stories, from the Maine location to the frequent “ayuhs”. It’s campy. It’s fun. And it certainly doesn’t skimp on gore. Those expecting anything else will surely be disappointed. To enjoy “Chinga”, one must celebrate what it does well while mourning what it could have been.
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