I'm not a viewer of the Fox television series The X-Files, but I do know that the show likes to switch it up between "mythology episodes" that advance the overarching story and standalone "monster of the week" episodes. At this point in the series, when long periods of time have gone by with no X-Files at all and the show is now coming back for shortened revival seasons, I would think that mythology episodes would be more important than ever. Fans have been watching this story play out for a long time, and you never know when The X-Files could be ending for good.
Series creator Chris Carter and his writers don't seem too concerned about dealing with the mythology right now, though. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Fox entertainment chairman David Madden revealed that only two of the next season's ten episodes will be mythology episodes.
We're really proud of last season. We had the responsibility to explain to the audience what had happened in the intervening seven or eight years. We're free from that responsibility this time and can just plunge in and tell the stories. We're having a lot of fun doing it. Eight of the episodes will be stand-alone stories so they will be classic 'Mulder and Scully plunging into new adventures.'"
Apparently the decision to include only a couple mythology episodes is a reaction to the fact that viewers preferred the standalone episodes over the mythology episodes last season.
Madden also shared some details on next season's plot:
We start the season right up from where the season finale left off with that big helicopter and takes you right from there. You'll be launched into a very urgent adventure that has a lot to do with William — Mulder and Scully's kid. So the search for William will be a significant thread through the show. You will see the Cigarette Smoking Man [William B. Davis]. You may see The Lone Gunmen somewhere along the line. There will be other characters from the previous mythology that will be reprised."
Starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, Annabeth Gish, and (according to Madden) William B. Davis, the new season of The X-Files – the series' 11th season overall – is expected to air on Fox in 2018.