The American Dream in The X-Files Reflections After Season Three

The introduction to this series of posts about the depiction and criticism of the American dream in The X-Files can be found here: https://culttvblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-american-dream-in-x-files.html?m=1

I have now gone through three series of the show in detail, looking out for possible references to the American dream. I am going to pause after this post to decide on whether or how to continue, because I'm finding it very difficult and really don't understand the subject. I would also predict that fewer episodes from now on might reference the dream, so may just do selected episodes. Here, therefore are some impressions and conclusions that I have drawn so far.

I have been surprised in my reading to find that the idea of the American dream is endlessly mutable, and its nebulousness is one of the things which has made this series of posts difficult. I have also been surprised to find that the show deals with the idea of the American dream I had to start off with (details below) and so I have also been forced to conclude that my own idea of the American dream has come from seeing US society depicted in The X-Files which is why it makes me think of the dream. Don't you love this TV blogging lark?

However despite its formative influence on me, I have concluded that the show  - while never once even using the phrase 'American dream' - manages to depict the dream in great detail and criticise it. In fact it rather drives a bulldozer through the American dream and depicts the country as a hellscape. I would theorise that this is as a result of the show being set in the USA and in the FBI. It therefore tends to focus on things like government corruption, injustices, unethical medical experimentation, mistreatment of its own troops, all the things which are closest related to the show's storyline. More implicit reference and criticism is made to subjects less directly related to the show's subject matter, such as the treatment of native Americans or Hansen's disease sufferers.

I am going to suggest a theory about another aspect of the American dream in The X-Files. This is that given that the show is set in the USA and naturally reflects many aspects of the society and culture, and also given that the show's premise is that the government and others are involved in a mammoth conspiracy to hide the reality of aliens, and also given that the show weaves this mythology and reality together... what if the American dream, as depicted and criticised in this show, is actually part of the conspiracy depicted by the show? What if the dream is actually designed to distract you from the reality? What if the show doesn't say it explicitly because if it had it would have got taken down by the network for revealing the secret? I actually think this is a valid way to read the show well in line with its narrative of weaving reality into the show's mythology. (Look, don't look at me like that, I've been watching a lot of The X-Files recently).

This was brought home to me by a comment Mitchell Hadley of itsabouttv.com made on one of my posts in which I commented that the US is both a colonial country and extensively engages in activities which could be defined as colonialism, and he said,

'[...] I think a key part of the dream might not be colonialism per se, but the desire to export democracy to other countries, with the belief that the ability to attain the dream comes from having the freedom that Americans believed in. Therefore in (for example) Vietnam, the average American believing in the dream would have said that the goal was not to make South Vietnam a colony, but to enable them to govern themselves through a democratic government.'

That's quite some power: if the dream can make you think an act which might be widely perceived as colonialism is an act of benevolence. But that's what the dream does: you see the dream but not the reality.

That's what they want you to see!!!

I have identified the shows which in my opinion significantly depict or criticise the American dream and there is a list of them below. There were quite a lot of them in the first series with the number tapering off in the second. I suspect that is because the show found its feet and spent less time setting the scene and focused more on its subject matter: in The X-Files the dream tends to be in the setting rather than in the subject.

There are two very characteristic aspects of the national ethos of the USA which have surprisingly little mention in the show: one is that there is a relative lack of mention of religion (although the religious people who appear are divided between well-meaning seekers and obvious frauds) and there is barely any mention of the constitution. I'm particularly surprised at both of these when they are prominent in the society the show is reflecting.

If there is anyone still reading the blog and I haven't offended the entire world (I don't even get the hits from Russia I used to get) I may return to this subject after a break and reconsideration of how to deal with it.

The episodes I have identified as having significant content relating to the American dream:

Core Mythology: 21 (7 with signifcant content relating to the American dream: Deep Throat, Fallen Angel, E.B.E., Little Green Men, Anasazi, The Blessing Way and Paperclip.)

Monster of the Week: 52 (9 with significant content relating to the American dream: Eve, Beyond the Sea, Young at Heart, Miracle Man, Shapes, Blood, Sleepless, Fresh Bones, and Syzygy.)