Outlook Good for 'X-Files' 9th Year

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) â€” The annual vigil has begun for fans of ``The X-Files.'' Will the series return for a ninth season? <br><br>Call the forecast partly sunny. <br><br>``It's the same

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) â€” The annual vigil has begun for fans of ``The X-Files.'' Will the series return for a ninth season?

Call the forecast partly sunny.

``It's the same as it's always been,'' creator Chris Carter told TV critics over the weekend. ``If we can find a reason to keep doing the show creatively, we'll keep doing it.''

Later, he said there are ``great plans'' for a ninth season, ``but we're not quite there yet.''

It's been a transitional year for the Fox series. Actor Robert Patrick joined the cast and gave the show some new creative juice, Carter said. David Duchovny has become a part-timer; he'll return for several episodes starting Feb. 25.

Carter also is working on ``The Lone Gunmen,'' a comedy spinoff of ``The X-Files'' that's expected to get a tryout from Fox in March.