‘The X-Files’ Alum Kim Newton Talks Show’s Writers’ Room: ‘It’s Survival Of The Fittest’

After critics called out “The X-Files” showrunner Chris Carter for seemingly rejecting diversity after hiring an all-male writing team for Season 11, former series writer Kim Newton opened up about her time in the show’s writers’ room from 1995 to 1996.

In a recent interview with BuzzFeed News, Newton — one of the only nine women who have written for the series — revealed that the show’s writers’ room during her time with the series had a very competitive environment. “It’s probably the only job I’ve ever really had like that that was constructed that way,” Newton shared. “You pretty much work on your own, and you bring things to Chris. You talk over ideas, and you sort of deal with him one-on-one.”

“The X-Files” was Newton’s first-ever staff job on a TV series, and if she had been there 10 years in as opposed to it being her first job, she thinks that she would’ve done quite a bit better and would’ve lasted longer. “When you’re in an environment that isn’t like a team-environment, more of a ‘survival-of-the-fittest’ environment, it’s a real challenge. … On the day-to-day, you are always feeling like your job is at risk,” said Newton, whose writing credits also includes “The Blacklist,” “Las Vegas” and “Cold Case.”

READ: 9 Best Moments From “The X-Files” Season 10

While “The X-Files” lacks female writers, Newton doesn’t think that it’s coming from “a bad place or a totally sexist place.” She also added that enlisting “The X-Files” veterans Darin Morgan, Glen Morgan and James Wong for Season 11 was Carter’s “prerogative” as a showrunner. “They are tried and true, and they have a shorthand, and there’s no substitute for something like that,” Newton said of Carter’s decision to hire the abovementioned male writers. “I’m sure it brings him a great peace of mind. I guess my question really is, Were women read? Were women considered?”

Either way, Newton believes that having a diverse staff is best for any show. “People of different ages, genders, backgrounds, races — they all have an interesting perspective that’s worth hearing and considering,” Newton said. “Scully’s (Gillian Anderson) a woman. She’s half of the [‘The X-Files’]. And while a lot of those guys write her very well, every once in a while, there’s a value in seeing through another woman’s eyes and not just through a man's eyes. Without at least hearing those voices, I think it can be limiting and repetitive.”

Just a couple of days after TVLine revealed Carter’s all-male writing team for Season 11, Anderson took to Twitter to call attention to “The X-Files” lack of women directors. In her tweet, the actress pointed out that only two women have earned credits for directing “The X-Files.” And those two women are Anderson and Michelle MacLaren.

After receiving a tweet from GoldDerby about starting a petition to include female directors in “The X-Files” Season 11, Anderson named four female directors she would like to see direct future episodes of the FOX series. Those directors are MacLaren, Carol Banker, Philippa Lowthorpe and Lesli Linka Glatter.

“The X-Files” Season 11 will premiere midseason on FOX.