In the beginning, there was Twin Peaks....and it was good. It was a Postmodern show that got people talking. It caused people to take an interest in what they were seeing. It forced them to use their minds. Leaving questions unanswered, endings open marking the dawn of a new age in postmodernist TV programming. It had all the makings of a David “Lynchian” masterpiece, meta references, genre blending, gender bending and confusing plots. Fans of the show couldn't get enough. This spawned the ultimate in fandom....the fanzine. A periodical dedicated to the universe of the show. But it was short lived. The show was canceled and never had the chance to fully develop.
This was not the case for Twin Peaks successor The X-Files, a program heavily influenced by Twin Peaks even using the same themes of the unknown. But how did a show with such little commercial appeal at the start succeed while using many of the same Postmodernist style and ideas. The answer lies in the vast cyberspace of the Internet. (Strange TV)
Sure "the man" would lead you to believe that the internet was created for the sharing of free information, but we all know that in actuality it was created so sci-fi fans could zing each other anonymously behind handles such as Scullyslave62, as well as discuss their favorite shows. The internet and the X-Files arrived on the scene at the perfect time. The X-File’s tech savvy 90’s audience had this new found ability to communicate and blog on what is now known as the Fansite. The internet in general allowed for the pinnacle of postmodern TV. Creators were allowed to extend their universe beyond the fictional small screen. Enacting alternate storylines, interacting with fans themselves, breaking down that fourth wall in essence marking the pinnacle of Postmodern in TV.
In 1993 this was something that was brand new. A common plane where X-Philes could freely mingle with each other from the comfort of their own Lazy-Boys. Perhaps if Twin Peaks had the advantage of such a communal meeting place such as the internet it could have had a better shot.
Today The Fansite has allowed shows that function outside the realm of normal TV to flourish. The most notable fan following is in the realm of Joss Wheadon at his fan site http://whedonesque.com/. Where fans are going beyond the show and now divulging into his life.
Fans of lost have now taken a hold of the the wikipedia software and developed an encyclopedia of fan information on everything from character bio’s all the way to every theory ever thought by the fan base. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lostpedia
So while it’s my theory that the internet is what allowed the X-Files to truly become the hit it became, what it boils down too is the X-Files was able to set itself apart from failed programs such as Twin Peaks due to the fact that while the material was Post Modern fantastic, it constantly remained buried in the realm of the real. It kept grounded. (Strange TV 123)
Booker, M. Keith. Strange TV Innovative Television Series from The Twilight Zone to The X-Files. December 30, 2002. Greenwood Press.
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