When thinking of powerful women in television, the 21st century has created iconic and influential female characters. From Oliva Pope (ABC- Scandal) to Jessica Pearson (USA-Suits) to Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen (HBO-Game Of Thrones), these women have broken social barriers and have fought a fierce fight for what they believe is right. However, the women of the 90’s shall not be forgotten.
Most importantly, FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully.
The X-Files (1993-2002), is a show that deserves recognition itself, but for many years and today even, Dana Scully, who is portrayed by Gillian Anderson, has been seen as one of the most influential female characters on television. Not only did Scully encompass a career that composed mostly of men, but she was also able to portray such role on television when social standards had yet to view women as equal to men. She was a female lead in man's world. One of the most impressive characteristics of Scully is that she is a medical doctor on top of being an FBI Agent. A woman embracing such intelligence was revolutionary and gave many girls the inspiration to build their futures with Scully's role, sometimes known as "The Scully Effect". Anderson, throughout the years, has had many long-time X-Files fanatics praise her for such robust and independent character and even in 2016, almost 23 years since the show began, she still has fans thanking her. Since the beginning of the show, Scully was placed to debunk the work of another male agent, Fox Mulder, who is portrayed by David Duchovny, giving her the chance to be a voice of reason. While she backs away from helping the FBI wanting to take away the ‘x-files’ project, she became Mulder’s rock.
The relationship between Mulder and Scully is also another aspect of The X-Files that contributed to the immense success of the show, but it was Scully that gave the show it’s realistic undertones. Women in television were/get regarded as emotional and unstable characters who only seek to find a happy ending with their one true love. This quality has been the formula for many females; however, Scully’s character went outside the box and decided for herself to embark on the journey to finding the truth. It wasn’t that easy to be on the same level of Mulder though. The network (FOX), at the beginning of the show, required Anderson to walk a couple of feet behind Mulder. The show’s creator, director, and producer, Chris Carter, mentioned in an interview that she had to be seen a couple of steps behind her male partner to express her hesitant attitude in joining Mulder with the x-file case. She eventually ends up walking alongside him thanks to Anderson’s fight in not wanting to have been seen as Mulder’s sidekick. To see a woman walk alongside the man was uncommon at the time because it is usually the male character that's attribute the characteristics of being intelligent and courageous. Scully did not fall behind in this category. Scully received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, went to medical school, and got recruited by the FBI. Her role as a Scientist challenges the FBI, Mulder and her personal quest in life. Scully was labeled as a skeptic, but doesn't go without to say that she provided a realistic backbone for the show. Her rationalism is what ends up saving Mulder, which introduced a new concept that a women can save a man. While this role reversal is seen throughout the whole series, both saving each other from near death experiences, it is what sculptures her to be the innovative character that she is.
On top of her deep work ethic, she has her dreams and aspirations. Scully’s dream of having a family and wanting to settle down never turned her into a damsel in distress. It is quite the opposite. She goes through losing her [SPOILERS] father, sister, ‘daughter’, and son. On top of the loss of family members, she get’s diagnosed with untreatable cancer, gets involved in traumatic cases, and was even abducted. Her calm exterior amidst all the savagery showed that women are strong enough to withstand any situation and that they don’t need to rely on any male character to be saved. Her fight and the strength she showed makes her one of the most iconic feminist on television.
Her spirituality and her role in believing in science were another aspect of her that got most noticed by the audiences and is one of the most notable characteristics of her character. Scully makes it possible to believe in the impossible and follow what she believes in throughout her methods, not following a particular ideology. The Pseudoscience and Nonscience debate she has with herself during an era in which there was more pressure with following a particular consensus was revolutionary and impacted future sci-fi shows. For a woman to have a voice with this debate also inspired young girls to keep having faith in what they believe.
Many critics question her lack of feeling and little portal of emotions, most notably her lack of cracking a smile. Scully is a very guarded character who closes herself to everyone, except her family and Mulder, but that doesn’t make her less human. If anything, it makes her more human. Just because she doesn’t smile 24/7 and is giggly like all females should be portrayed as doesn't mean she doesn't have the biggest heart. Her way of opening to the audience eventually is able to establish Scullisms that makes her be the women to root for.
Such impacting role landed Anderson two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe. It also opened Anderson to fight for equal pay in both the 90’s and 2016 when The X-Files came back for season 10. On January 2016, Anderson returned to the screen alongside Duchovny for an X-Files six episode revival. Even 23 years later, it's still the same ambitious and brilliant Dana Scully that we all love and admire. Chris Carter's dream girl became the girl we all now aspire to follow. Here's to hoping we get season 11 of The X-Files.
And always remember: the truth is out there.
