[Tech Noir]

^ It's amazing how the writers and the actors made that work.
There is another current show that I watch where the two leads have a similar vibe of respect and admiration that Mulder and Scully had, but fans are threatening to stop watching if they don't get a romance. I'd hate to believe that if The X-Files had come out today, people would have a similar attitude of "we want romance now even if it doesn't fit the SL."

[wickedrum]

Which show is that?

[Tech Noir]

It’s a show on a network for younger viewers, so maybe that explains some of it.
The M/S dynamic was something special even when it wasn’t romantic, and there’s a certain level of comfort in knowing fans of the show appreciated that.

[looking at the stars]

I used to mod New Girl and they forced the main couple together right away, broke them up. everyone was mad. like they could not even build a bond. all too much. people lost interest so quick

[Tech Noir]

^ Yep, that's pretty much the trend.

[~MelBelle~]

They used to do that so much in past shows (rushing the main couple together too soon) like Moonlighting, Remington Steele... X-Files, the writers did a great job at writing their relationship

[smoguntia]

Ah yes I was a fan of Remington Steele and that on/off again plot was nerve wracking

[FrellingTralk]

I did once read an article that said the X-Files represented the opposite problem to Moonlighting by teasing them getting together for too long, when it should have happened in season 6 after the movie, not sure what people think about that?

[wickedrum]

It took way too long for me. I gave up at one point round that time and only went back to the show later

[FrellingTralk]

I liked that the early years spend so long on establishing their partnership and making them getting together seem inevitable, but yeah in seasons 6 and 7 I got a little tired of the show teasing it so much, yet seeming incapable of going there.

They only really put them together once David had mostly already left the show (depending on whether you count the New Years kiss or not, their first ~official kiss~ as a couple was in what was going to be David's final episode at the time) so I guess that CC was very afraid of how M/S as a romantic pairing might affect the show and M/S as an investigative team. I wonder what that means for the new series and whether they will be settled as a couple or not

[Musickat18]

I didn't start watching the show until season 5, so I suppose my perspective is different. At the time I did really want them to be together and lived for those little snatches of moments, but I watched the show for the show so it didn't bother me too much at first. By the end of season 7 though I was like "COME ON".

[Tech Noir]

I think it would have been more frustrating for me to bear the lack of romance if one of them had been clearly in love with the other, and the show had stretched that over 7 and 1/2 seasons. For me, since the romance aspect wasn't so obvious (from either one of them) or at the forefront of the show, I just kind of went along with what the show gave us.

[Musickat18]

I kind of liked the relationship as it was most of the time anyway. It was a good example of really coming to care for someone as a person and not having it all be about animal magnetism. It was sweet.

[Tech Noir]

^Yes, there was trust, respect, deep caring for each other's well-being, admiration, etc.
Eight seasons is a loooong time, so I can definitely see how some fans may have felt that a romantic relationship between M/S was long past due, but personally I can't recall feeling that I had lost interest in them becoming a couple.

[~lipstick]

They could get so intimate with their clothes on!

Because of what you mentioned above, I never felt as if the M/S shippers were missing out on something. All of those little moments seemed to be sufficient.

They gave us so much while not really giving anything that it felt both fullfilling and frustrating at the same time. I longed for those little moments and when they gave us it was just so incredible. Of course, I was much younger (the show was part of my childhoo then adolescence) so I didn't have the sexual part of a relationship something considered. Once you grow up you do get more frustrated. I love the fact neither Mulder nor Scully were ever in a relationship with anyone, and the lack of love triangle and unecessary drama was also something to factor on: it didn't piss me off like shows do nowdays.

I think it would have been more frustrating for me to bear the lack of romance if one of them had been clearly in love with the other, and the show had stretched that over 7 and 1/2 seasons.

TBH I think they always showed them to be on the same wavelength and I think that helped a lot. We had always known that it would always be the other no matter what. No third parties, no love triangles, no outside romance. It was just the two of them against the world without adding unecessary drama. I think that helped a lot.

If it was like shows nowdays with never ending love triangles, each in stupid relationships just for the sake of it and other cheap drama we would probably have been more frustrated a lot faster.

Mulder and Scully were a sweet, soulmate kind of story and it was very well told. It was natural and organic.