While The X-Files is widely praised as one of the most daring shows of the 1990s, writer Vince Gilligan recently spoke out about one detail that plagued his time working on the show, and continues to bother him to this day. Nowadays, Gilligan is best known for creating Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, but one of his earliest writing gigs was writing for The X-Files.
Considering the incredible popularity of The X-Files, and the legacy of the show today, which continues to have a strong fanbase and influence many other projects in the sci-fi and thriller departments, it’s clear this was a milestone for Gilligan. However, he recently expressed his frustration with one detail that sometimes got in the way of the story.
Broadcast Standards And Practices Led To A Weird Scene In “Paper Hearts”
Recently, Vince Gilligan was interviewed by Ringer TV, and during this interview he takes a moment to revisit his time on The X-Files. With the episode primarily focusing on plot holes, Gilligan is prompted to think of a moment on The X-Files that frustrates him, and he brings up one detail from an episode titled “Paper Hearts.”
The episode follows a man who murdered numerous children, and by the end of the episode, he is caught and killed with a bullet to the head. However, despite being shot in the head, there appears to be no physical wound where it should be. His head is completely intact, but the window behind him is splattered with blood and a bullet hole.
As it turns out, this inconsistency in the show was down to a direction from the Broadcast Standards and Practices, which would not allow them to show a gunshot wound on the man’s head. Unfortunately, this does make for an odd moment as the man’s head falls towards the camera, with no apparent damage, despite the destruction behind him.
The X-Files Managed To Be Disturbing Even With All The Network Limitations
In all honesty, most TV shows and movies are forced to work within several sets of guidelines. Whether that be from the producing studio, or the network, the distributor, or the certification boards. They need to follow and adhere to certain rules to make the show.
Thankfully, the creatives behind The X-Files were often able to find creative ways to interpret and work around the rules, allowing them to do the things they wanted, and make the show into something that genuinely broke the mold.
The X-Files is a powerful example of how these limitations can sometimes lead to more creative outcomes, though in this instance, it just ended up creating a weird plot inconsistency that is equally frustrating for audiences and Vince Gilligan as the writer.
