Doggett/Reyes "Relationship" = Implausible
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| Title: | Doggett/Reyes "Relationship" = Implausible |
| Creator: | Dana Doggett |
| Date(s): | June 2016 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom: | The X-Files |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | Doggett/Reyes "Relationship" = Implausible |
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Doggett/Reyes "Relationship" = Implausible is a 2016 essay by Dana Doggett posted to Semper Fi, "a John Doggett & Scully/Doggett Fansite."
The essay is quite pro Doggett/Scully, and very anti Monica Reyes.
Other Related Essays
Other essays posted to Semper Fi:
- everyone's dirty little secret by T h r e a d s (July 2001)
- Keep the Flame Alive by Tony Scullystud (2001)
- The 'Dip by Gina (June 2002)
- Long Live The Doggship by Moose (June 2002)
- Second Chances by Linzee (November 2004)
- Potential, Possibilities, and Respect by Dana Doggett (April 2006)
- "Comparing & Contrasting" by Geekery (June 2011)
- Doggett/Reyes "Relationship" = Implausible by Dana Doggett (June 2016)
Excerpts
There is only one episode of "The X-Files" that I sincerely enjoy every on-screen moment between John Doggett and Monica Reyes, "Empedocles" (season 8). That episode defines, for me, the way the Doggett/Reyes partnership should have been written in season nine of the series. Unfortunately, the interactions and relationship created between Doggett and Reyes in season 8, was destroyed by the writers in a desperate attempt to re-create the "magic" of Mulder and Scully (and then, for some fans, the "magic" of Doggett and Scully), and I don't mean "magic" as in a romantic relationship kind of way, I also mean it in the way that "magic" made the FBI partnerships and friendships of Mulder/Scully and Doggett/Scully so special. Reyes, IMO, was brought in as a main character to disrupt a partnership (Doggett/Scully) that had been perceived as a threat to the Mulder/Scully relationship by some of the fandom's more rabid MSR 'shippers.
In the few episodes of season 8 that Reyes took part in, she had a point. She wasn't a pointless character just around to give puppy dog eyes, and gaze longingly at her partner in hopes of romance. By the end of season 8, things were looking good for season 9. Granted, I wasn't thrilled about the suggestion that now Reyes was officially assigned to the X-Files by Doggett (for starters, as a Special Agent, Doggett doesn't have the power to re-assign another FBI agent), but during the hiatus between seasons 8 and 9, I kept positive. How bad could it get? Doggett was coming back, Scully was coming back, and what I loved most about "The X-Files" in season 8 was returning, or so I thought, the FBI partnership of Doggett and Scully.
I was wrong.
Monica Reyes was made a main character, to star in every episode of season 9.
Cary Elwes was cast as Brad Follmer, a former love interest (perhaps current love interest for) of Monica Reyes.
Scully left the FBI to teach at Quantico.
The Doggett/Scully FBI partnership was officially dissolved, and a character was being brought in for the sole purpose of "love."
Ouch.
The failure of "The X-Files" to get renewed for a tenth season is testament to the fact that viewers were not interested in watching Doggett and Reyes investigating cases, myself included (and I consider myself to be one of the biggest John Doggett fans in the entire fandom! I would have loved to have had more seasons with John Doggett, but not if Reyes was going to be his sidekick). I can only imagine how great season 9 would have been if the Doggett/Scully FBI partnership had remained in tact, or if David had stayed on for the entire ninth season, Scully could have taught at Quantico, and Doggett and Mulder could have investigated X-File cases (let's face it, Doggett and Mulder working together in season 8's "Vienen" was amazing and so much fun to watch, I'd give my life, back then, for more Doggett and Mulder investigations!). I imagine if either of those two scenarios had happened, we would have seen a tenth season during the 2002/03 television season.
The way I see it, Reyes was only brought in during season 9, as a main character, to please fans who were upset with watching Doggett and Scully work together (read: rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth 'shippers), and who hated the fact that there were a lot of fans of Doggett/Scully (as in potential relationship) within the fandom. In catering to those rabid (MSR) fans, the powers that be ruined their show, they cut its life short. The intentionally ruined something that actually worked (Doggett/Scully FBI partnership) and replaced it with a partnership that lacked: Doggett/Reyes. I know Carter cites 9/11 as the reason why FOX cancelled the series, but let's be honest, no one was honestly interested in watching Doggett and Reyes working X-File cases together. A mon avis, that is the reason why the series got cancelled.
In the 2016 "The X-Files" Revival, we found out that Monica Reyes left the FBI eight years ago to go work for the Cigarette-Smoking Man. This information is like the final nail on the coffin with regard to the idea of a romantic relationship between Doggett and Reyes. John Doggett proved throughout season 8 and season 9 that he is loyal to Scully, and to Mulder, and those who work against them. I'm positive that Doggett found out about Reyes' allegiance with the Smoking Man and cut off all ties he had with her. People have argued that while Reyes did join forces with the Smoking Man, she had good intentions. I don't think that would matter to Doggett. The fact remains that Reyes is now working against all that Mulder and Scully fight for. There is no way that Doggett would remain friends with her in this scenario. And aside from the fact Robert Patrick has no interest in going back to "The X-Files," with regard to his character, it makes sense that we didn't even hear from him, or have Reyes say anything about him. We can assume that Doggett and Reyes are no longer in contact with each other. Her alliance with the Smoking Man ruined any kind of relationship (professional partnership, friendship, or otherwise) that she had with Doggett.