The Truth is Still Out There: 30 Years of the X Files

The Truth is Still Out There: Thirty Years of the X Files by Bethan Jones, read by Daniela Acitelli, is a political and social examination of the impact of a unique sci fi TV series on the Americans and others who became enamored of the groundbreaking show. Tantor Audio is producer of the audio, telling the story of a journalist who is one of the biggest fans of the series, which ran from 1993 to 2017 in a reboot. She has a PhD in fan fiction, and is a collector of memorabilia. The chemistry between the characters, a reversal of gender roles, and the moody sets and high production values were particularly memorable. The show drew on the distrust people had of the government and its spying and coverups. The FBI takes center stage against other government agencies and the shadow government itself. A deep throat character helps Mulder and Scully with tips and warnings, and the idea is that a certain number of government officials are keeping secrets from the public regarding aliens and other black ops conspiracies. In one episode an AI gets loose and enters the internet, from which it attacks any efforts to control it from its creator. Written partly by sci fi icon William Gibson, the episode is a paranoid story with a twist. Why do people keep coming back to the show? It’s because of the big questions it asks about what fake news is, how people believe or do not believe in the things they are told, and how the Cold War and other aspects of political events affects what people watch or don’t trust. The phrases “I Want to Believe” and “Trust No One” mingle to create quirky plots acted with aplomb by Muller and Scully. The audiobook is recommended not just for fans of the show, but anyone who wants to know how the paranoia and fears of people who turn to conspiracies is affected by television.