After a fourteen year absence from our TV screens, the X files made its much anticipated return to the FOX Network in the US last night.
Despite proving a big hit with the audience, hauling in an impressive 13.5 million viewers, critics were decidedly more underwhelmed.
The new six part series, which airs over here on RTÉ 2 tomorrow and Wednesday night, sees David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson return as FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully and once again the pair are embroiled in an alien abduction investigation.
The new series is written by Chris Carter, the original show's creator, and it seems that the nostalgia laden mix of UFO's and conspiracy theories in the opening episode left a disappointed taste with critics.
USA Today said "As the show’s oft-repeated catchphrase goes, the truth is out there — and the truth may be that The X-Files no longer has any new tricks to show us."
Tim Goodman of the Hollywood Reporter, who was given a preview earlier this month was equally underwhelmed.
"What we're left with is a very underwhelming hour that will force even die hard fans (and yes, I was one of them) to consider whether pushing onward is really worth the time."
Close to home The Telegraph's view wasn't much better. It's critic said, "Reminding audiences of decades-old disappointment probably wasn’t the sort of nostalgia that was intended when the notion of reviving The X-Files as a "six hour-event" was conceived, but, sadly, that’s the impression left by this first episode".
Deadline was a little kinder in its assessment and suggested that the new X files should play well with its existing fanbase saying it "wonderfully resurrects much of what made it such pivotal TV back during Bill Clinton's presidency".
"Strikingly serious and silly at the same time, the six episodes are actually a lot like the original X-Files — you either go with it or you don’t. And if you want to believe.... this X-Files is well worth opening up."
However just in case fans despair too much many critics have promised, that the next few episodes are a vast improvement with Vanity Fair saying "the good news is, X-Files fans, it gets much better" while The Guardian claims that episode three "is one of the best The X-Files has ever done."
Irish viewers will get to make up their own minds when it screens on RTÉ 2 on Tuesday at 9.55pm.
