Podcast Summary: Fail Again: Chris Carter Wants You To Believe

Podcast: Fail Better with David Duchovny
Host: David Duchovny (Lemonada Media)
Guest: Chris Carter (Creator of The X-Files)
Release Date: March 24, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode features David Duchovny in conversation with his longtime friend and collaborator, Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files. They explore the recurring theme of failure—how it shapes creative work, their own careers, and their personal lives. In a candid and often humorous dialogue, they revisit pivotal moments from their shared history, discuss the joys and pains of creative ambition, examine how the process of "failing better" informs some of the most beloved television of the past few decades, and share insights relevant for anyone wrestling with setbacks.

Key Discussion Points

1. Opening Banter & Personal Stories

• Duchovny and Carter set a relaxed, familiar tone, recounting a recent lunch with Gillian Anderson (00:45–02:43), leading to a humorous anecdote involving Anthony Kiedis and a "meet cute" at a smoothie place.
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [02:43]: “Here I am, Anthony Kiedis is knelt next to me petting the dog, too. And so here I am… a meet cute.”

2. The Mechanics of Storytelling on The X-Files

• Duchovny credits Carter and the X-Files writing room for revolutionizing his understanding of plot and story mechanics, transforming his focus from academic language to narrative propulsion (04:45–05:47).
• Discussion on the use of 3x5 cards for episode planning and storyboarding, including a playful rivalry over who had the best penmanship (05:47–07:20).
• Notable quote:
  • David Duchovny [05:41]: “I relearned a love for plot and for the kind of smart machinery that keeps somebody guessing… I think I'd be making nonsensical movies that don't go anywhere.”
  • Chris Carter [06:49]: “Morgan and Wong… brought these, you know, bulletin boards and three by five cards, and that became the way we plotted the episodes.”

3. Collaborative Opportunities, Growth, and Team Culture

• Duchovny reflects on being given the chance to write and direct on the show—then a rarity, now common (08:10).
• Carter is praised for fostering an environment in Vancouver where everyone cared deeply about the work (08:33–09:09).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [08:38]: “The great thing about the X Files was that you were surrounded by people who wanted it to be good from the beginning…”

4. Early Ambitions and Formative Experiences

• Carter describes the pivotal moment in 4th grade that seeded his writing ambition, earning teacher praise for the slogan: “Don’t read in the dark. Let’s light up the room.” (09:25–10:04)
• The deep influence of positive and critical teachers throughout his education (32:45–36:10).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [10:04]: “It was one of those things where you got the applause. The hook.”

5. The Difficult Years: Creative Burnout and Personal Tension

• Duchovny opens up about feelings of guilt over leaving the show and the challenges around his departure at the end of season 7, discussing contract disputes and how their once-close relationship became strained (11:27–13:12).
• Carter recounts mutual burnout, the move from Vancouver to LA, and their eventual reconciliation (11:27–14:12).
• Notable quote:
  • David Duchovny [12:31]: “I was in a lawsuit with Fox while working on the Fox lot. Actually had my security sweep my trailer for bugs.”
  • Chris Carter [13:02]: “It was almost like it was a reflex. You know, I just did it, and I think it surprised both of us.”

6. The Stress of Success & The Fruits of Overwork

• Discussion of the most grueling period when Carter was executive-producing both The X-Files and Millennium (roughly 50 hours of TV in a year, plus prepping a movie), leading to exhaustion and creative strain (16:13–18:56).
• Carter describes the pressure from Fox to keep expanding his brand with new shows, sometimes at the cost of existing projects (18:22–19:15).
• Notable quotes:
  • Chris Carter [16:51]: “It was the hardest year of my life. I don’t know how I made it.”
  • Chris Carter [18:34]: “I didn’t want to do another thing, but Fox came to me and said, this is your brand. Run with it.”

7. Lessons from (and About) Failure

• Carter shares how pulling the plug on Millennium for Harsh Realm, only to have the latter quickly fail, informed his later advice to others—especially as a mentor who’s made hard calls (19:14–20:31).
• Emphasis on not ending projects prematurely if they work and bring fulfillment (19:34–20:28).

8. Pottery, Process, and the Creative Mind

• Carter likens television production and writing to his hobbies: pottery (the joy of perfecting form through repetition) and flying (redundancy and process as liberating)—connecting his artistic temperament to his working style (25:12–27:40).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [25:43]: “I would sit for 14 hours and make 300 pieces of pottery all the same… I loved it.”

9. Humor, Parody, and Early (Un-)Mentoring

• Carter’s early work at Surfing magazine, transition to screenwriting, accidental entrance into Hollywood, and how osmosis from watching TV shaped his writer’s voice (28:01–33:59).
• Duchovny and Carter swap stories about pivotal teachers and the creative power of both praise and tough criticism.
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [35:51]: “It was one of those moments. Fail better. I’m a hard worker and hate to hear the word no.”

10. On-Set Anecdotes, Authenticity, and Artistic Quirks

• Hilarious accounts of early creative misunderstandings, such as Carter overdubbing Duchovny’s line in post-production (“Damn it”) and the “widows and orphans” revelation—that Carter’s use of ellipses in scripts was more about formatting than subtext (38:00–42:44).
• Notable quotes:
  • David Duchovny [40:08]: “Now I would say… Say it. Just say it. You know, like, I’m somewhere else. I’m wrapped. Damn it all you want.”
  • Chris Carter [41:57]: “For me, it was an exercise because I always think if you can say it in four lines instead of four and a half, it’s going to be better…”

11. The Mythic vs. Psychological Character of The X-Files

• Duchovny shares a new psychological insight about Mulder’s trauma and how he (unwittingly) re-enacts it through his partnership with Scully (47:22–48:37).
• Carter reflects on story archetypes and mythic storytelling as a complement to character psychology (43:07–44:53).
• Notable quote:
  • David Duchovny [47:56]: “He’s failed. But now he’s returning to the scene week after week and putting another young woman in jeopardy. And sometimes failing… as if he’s trying to heal himself by protecting Scully in a way he couldn’t protect his sister…”

12. Public Criticism, Shame, and Resilience

• Duchovny and Carter share raw moments about how public failures and critical duds, like Duchovny’s “House of D” or Carter’s own projects, led to shame but ultimately growth (49:15–51:10).
• Carter details how an episode intended as a pivotal setup for a later X-Files conclusion was panned as a “dud,” and how his bigger meaning went unnoticed by critics (51:03–53:59).
• Notable quotes:
  • David Duchovny [49:30]: “I was in a shell. I was in a protective, non-deep breathing shell.”
  • Chris Carter [51:45]: “The review was done as a conversation with another critic… and he said… it was terrible. Another good critic word.”

13. The Power and Desire to Believe

• Carter parses the iconic X-Files motif—what’s the difference between “believing” and “wanting to believe” (54:27–54:50).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [54:27]: “Believing is a certainty. Wanting to believe is a doubter’s line that a person wants to believe. Show me the reason to believe…”

14. Curiosity, Adventure, and Legacy

• Carter relays a risky but exhilarating adventure walking on train tracks, illustrating his willingness to court both danger and serendipity in life (56:22–57:26).
• They recall uncanny synchronicity at a Malibu triathlon (57:53–58:45).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [57:26]: “It was less than a yard away from me, and it was terrifying—but one of the most exhilarating moments of my life, I think.”

15. Influences, Obsessions, and Passions

• Both compare childhood obsessions: sports, dinosaurs, tropical fish (59:04–60:09).
• Carter reveals Scully (the character) was named after his baseball hero, announcer Vin Scully (59:11).

16. Directors' Cuts, Artistic Limitations, and Turning Failures Inside Out

• Carter is delighted to announce a green light for a director’s cut of “I Want to Believe,” finally able to realize his original, scarier vision (61:06–62:23).
• They discuss how financial and technical limitations led to the signature dark style of early X-Files—an aesthetic “fail better” moment (62:23–63:30).
• Notable quote:
  • Chris Carter [63:08]: “If you have a small budget, you have to figure your way around the scare… That became its trademark and that became the art of it.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• David Duchovny [49:30]: “I was in a shell. I was in a protective, non-deep breathing shell.”
• Chris Carter [51:45]: “[The review] was a painful review in New York Times. Painful review to read… but no one got the ending. It's a huge ending.”
• Chris Carter [54:27]: “Believing is a certainty. Wanting to believe is a doubter’s line… Show me the reason to believe is what the line means.”
• David Duchovny [47:56]: “As if he’s trying to heal himself by protecting Scully in a way he couldn’t protect his sister… and sometimes even having to be saved by Scully. Saved by this sister proxy.”
• Chris Carter [62:23]: “Now I have a chance to go back and make the scary movie that I always intended to do…”

Important Timestamps

• 00:45–02:43: Opening banter, Anthony Kiedis story
• 04:45–07:20: Writing room mechanics, plot vs. language
• 11:27–14:12: Duchovny’s departure, mutual exhaustion, reconciliation
• 16:13–18:56: Extreme overwork years—50 hours of TV plus a feature
• 25:12–27:40: Pottery, process, manufacturing analogy
• 32:45–36:10: Formative teaching moments, the value of failure
• 38:00–42:44: On-set stories, authenticity, the “widows and orphans” script revelation
• 47:22–48:37: Duchovny’s new psychological insight into Mulder
• 49:15–51:10: Public failure, shame, and the “big boy voice”
• 51:03–53:59: Critical dismissals vs. hidden intentions in show arcs
• 54:27–54:50: The desire to believe
• 56:22–57:26: Train tracks adventure, embracing risk
• 61:06–62:23: Director’s cut of “I Want to Believe” announcement
• 62:23–63:30: Artistic constraints leading to X-Files’ signature style

Tone, Atmosphere, and Closing

• The episode is marked by warmth, vulnerability, irreverence, and deep respect between host and guest. They offer solace, humor, and illumination for anyone worried about creative setbacks.
• Carter’s humility, attention to craft, and appetite for adventure shine, while Duchovny balances gratitude with continual inquisitiveness.

Final Thoughts

• David Duchovny [63:59]: “We are friends and equals now… what I’m proud of for both of us… is that we have matured into peers. And we are friends and equals now.”

This episode is a masterclass in creative resilience, the evolution of collaboration, and the real (sometimes messy) lessons learned from failure—reminding listeners that failure is not the end, but the stuff from which iconic art (and lifelong friendship) are often made.