"Looking Forward" by Emma Keturah
an interview with Kristi - December 5, 2005
(spoilers: 7x01 "mea culpa", 7x14 "Home For Christmas", 8x05 "Chance", 8x06 "Close To You", 8x09 "Disclosure", 8x10 "Poodle In A Puddle", 8x11 "What We Used To Know", 8x13 "Highly Sensitive")

Giddy up! It's interview time! We are currently mid-Season 8 here at "Fox & Rat" Virtual Series so you can be assured that there is still much more drama to come before the much anticipated season finale. There have been some major character developments this season so we're here with Executive Producer and writer Kristi to find out just what is going on.

Emma Keturah: First of all I'd like to congratulate you on the first half of this season. You've really outdone yourselves with your writing. Has the drama of this season been a major challenge for you? I know you like to write comedic scripts.

Kristi: Thanks Em. It's been a busy first half of the season, and we have a lot more planned for the future. The drama this season is something that has been hard to adjust to. Last season we were very dramatic and angsty, but this season's drama is much more involved, speaking psychologically. It's very challenging, but that only makes it refreshing and fun to write.

EK: Some of those dramatic challenges must be Monica's decision not to marry Brad and her "gift" (if you can call it that) getting stronger. You seem to have split your fanbase this season with the Brad/Monica/Knowle triangle. Have you any ideas as to how you are going to resolve this storyline?

K: Monica's gift has been very interesting to work with. We saw how it really affected her in episodes like "Close To You" where she could connect with the killer. In that episode she even feared hurting the ones she loved. Monica's gift is still something of a mystery in "Fox & Rat". We saw the gift get the better of her in "Highly Sensitive", even her Grandmama couldn't help her. I think in a way, her gift was the start of the falling out between her and Brad. Brad doesn't know how to handle her, and she doesn't know how to handle her gift.

Monica's decision not to marry Brad actually came as a surprise to me while writing the episode. But the biggest surprise was definately their break up. That came without a writer's meeting before it was written. It was one of those, "oh woops, how did that happen". But Cassie and I discussed it and we thought it could really work to bring a change to the series.

The Brad/Monica/Knowle triangle has been interesting, at least to me. But you're right, Em, it really has divided the fanbase a bit. We've got the Brad/Monica fans who want them to work out and get back together. Then there are the Knowle/Monica fans who have noticed the small moments between them. If you recall back to season 7, Knowle would drop everything to help Monica. His feelings for her really came out in the Christmas episode, "Home For Christmas" when he helped Monica and Dana get out of the facilities. As for resolving this... well, only time will tell what will happen. A lot can happen between now and the end of the season.

EK: Firstly, let the record state that I am in favour of Knowle/Monica. :)

Knowle keeps surprising us with little quotes and actions that say he is a really nice guy. Previously we have heard him claim he hates Scully because of what she had to do to Monica in The Facility. Yet in 8x11 "What We Used To Know", we learn from his mother, Naomi, that he really does like her. Also, Knowle is very close to Doggett, like a brother. What has led to these relationships?

K: Since we're stating things for the record, I'll simply say that I'm torn, but leaning. *winks*

Knowle, in a way, is a lot like Krycek. He's misunderstood, and not everyone gets him - just like Krycek. Knowle has an attitude and a "reputation" to live up to, just like Krycek and his "da man" attitude.

As we have seen throughout this season, Knowle is very protective of Monica. He finds ways to care for her, and when he sees her hurt he has to blame someone for that. Unfortunately that happens to be Dana. He says he doesn't like her, but as you mentioned, Naomi told Scully that he does like her because she is "John's girl".

Knowle is a very loyal person. In season seven we saw him drop everything in "mea culpa" to help John and Monica. Knowle and John have been through a lot together. They were in the Gulf War together, and in "Disclosure" Doggett said that a building collapsed around them. That's a traumatic event to have happen to a person, and when your stuck in a situation like that with a close friend, there is definately going to be some sort of closeness that developes after the incident. Knowle will do anything he can for John, and that includes Dana.

EK: Now, you've said before that you and Cassie have sat down and worked out an arc for the rest of the series, does that make it easier to write your episodes? Or do you find that changes make their way into the scripts as you write, changing the arc?

K: We have an overall plan. The little changes that happen by surprise don't change what we have in mind. We've planned for ten seasons, and after that, we don't really see where we could go. But of course, we do want to leave the end of the series open for "movies" or something similar to how we did "European Voyage" in the Summer of 2003. Overall the main plan/arc will not change. Small character development changes, but that can only add and impact the rest of the plan for the series. I'm excited to see what we have in mind unfold. Character arcs are the most fun to play with because they really do tell the story. They drive the story, and they are what makes it happen. I'll simply say that I'm excited for the rest of the series to unfold.

EK: "Fox & Rat: The Movie". It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it.

You've recently introduced the character Samuel DeWitt who is a member of Monica's psychic support group. You've established psychics are immune to the alien virus. As colonization approaches is he, (and the rest of the group), going to have a larger role?

K: Excellent question Em. :) Samuel DeWitt was last seen in the silly Halloween episode, "Poodle In A Puddle". He said some mysterious things to some of our characters, especially to Scully. Psychics are immune to the alien virus, that is correct - lucky Monica, huh?

As for when colonization approaches, anything is possible. The world is going to be a different place. Psychics will be very important, especially to those who are not immune to the virus. Psychics are, well... psychic. They hear things. In "Highly Sensitive", we heard Monica say "Constant noise from above in tongues not known to Earth." The way I see it, she can hear the aliens. They are here on Earth.

What's interesting about the colonization and psychics is how each individual will react. We've seen Monica react in a negative way to her gift. It's hard on her. She can't control it. Samuel DeWitt on the other hand seems to be handling his ability much better than Monica. Whether that will change over time or not is unknown at this point. We'll have to see what happens. Anything is possible when alien colonization happens. It'll be a different world. It's going to be unpredictable.

EK: Perhaps Samuel's gift is not as strong as Monica's?

"You're so close to finding her if you would just open your eyes." -Samuel DeWitt to Mulder in "Poodle In A Puddle".

It makes me more and more curious about Samantha. Is Marita's workmate Samantha, Mulder's sister, and if so does Marita know? How will Mulder react to finding his sister? Will he ever do as Samuel suggests and open his eyes? Are you even at liberty to disclose this information?

K: Will Mulder ever find Samantha? That's a tough one to answer. It would be a matter of when. Before colonization? During? After? What happened to her if she is still alive? I can tell you this much, Marita doesn't know where Samantha is. Mulder's eyes are always open, but is his mind? For years he's always told the story of his sister being abducted by aliens. He may even doubt that she is alive.

EK: That would just be too tragic for words if he never found her.

We know characters from other shows ("Without A Trace", "Sliders") like to make appearances in FRVS. Do you have plans to write more crossover type episodes?

K: It would be tragic, wouldn't it?

We were going to have a "Scrubs" crossover this season, but it worked out better that we didn't. It's difficult to characterize enough with the crossover characters to help the FRVS readers know them if they never watched the show before.

We are planning on using the "Without A Trace" characters later in this season, in a two-parter that will air after the new year. The episodes are in the works right now, and we are planning on using Jack Malone. Jack is the Supervising Agent of the Missing Person's Unit at the New York Field Office.

EK: There you go people, brush up on your "Without A Trace" ;)

One of the two questions of everyone's lips is of course will Krycek ever grow up. Come on, he peed on Knowle! *laughs* Trouble and Krycek go hand-in-hand. Have you an idea of Krycek's future career or is he doomed to be fired from one dead-end job after another?

K: Krycek. The hunky punk of FRVS. Da Man of Hollywood and flop horror flicks. Yes, Krycek will grow up. We've got a huge plan for him. Life changing even. He's one of those interesting characters, you know? He'll do something so incredibly stupid one moment, and the next he's the kindest guy ever. He just needs to know it's all right to show others what he's really like. He needs to drop his "da man-hunky punk" attitude and look life in the face before it comes up behind him and bites him. He will definately grow up in the future... it's just a matter of what happens to make him get that way.

EK: Interesting. I never thought I'd see the day Krycek grew up!

The other question on everyone's lips: will Super Buddies be revived this season? It seems that even some of the other characters are asking Mulder to bring back the group that gave the world green and red t-shirts.

K: Super Buddies, I miss that little organized fun group. *laughs*

In a way, Super Buddies will be coming back this season. Not as it was before, but in another fun light. We have a guest writer this season who is writing about Super Buddies in a reunion kind of way. Ok, so the guest writer is you, Em. *smiles* It's a great light-hearted piece from what I've read of it so far. It'll definately be a good treat for FRVS fans. That episode will air in the new year... around finale time. Be sure to catch it.

EK: Thanks for the plug. I must admit that question was in part a shameless bit of self-promotion. *g*

Doggett and Scully. What an emotional season for them. It's nice to see that their relationship is a lot healthier now that Scully has opened up about her time in The Facility. We've seen Doggett's attempts at proposing marriage thwarted a few times and turned him into Mr. Grumpy Bum. Is this a sign that it isn't meant to be, or will Doggett finally propose to Scully? Will meeting Scully's family at Christmas turn him off the idea? It's widely known that Scully's brother, Bill Jnr., isn't easy to impress.

K: John and Dana have been through a roller-coaster ride to get where they are right now. In "Disclosure" Dana finally opened up to John and told everything that was on her mind about what happened to her. She has been through so much in her life, and knowing John and being with him is the greatest thing that has ever happened to her. They've been through some pretty hard tests in their relationship, as young as it is. I think it's safe to say that they will survive whatever comes their way. They have a trust between them that isn't shared with anyone else. They are soul mates. Dana's been through enough bad men in her life to know that John is the one for her.

Doggett's very much in love with Scully. Yes, he's tried to propose to her before this season, but that didn't work out. Maybe he's taking the advice of Grandmama Reyes in knowing that everything happens for a reason. When he first tried to purpose to her, it didn't work, and unlike in the European Voyage episodes, he wasn't bothered by it. He knew that it wasn't the right time. He'll get his time. I don't think, after everything he and Dana have been through, that he'll let her brother shake him up. He's with her 100%.

EK: Unfortunately that's all we have time for. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Good luck with the rest of the season and also congratulations on your three Virtual Series Awards this year!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone :)

K: Thanks Em. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone too.

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