Any success or failure of this six-episode mini-series depends on how in-step and out-of-step it is with the cultural memory of the show. As a result, it no longer needs to reference other shows and genres, but rather reference itself. Layered with incredible delicacy at times, and more organic instrumentation with piano and strings (as usually happens when the budget is larger for music), the X-Files movie allowed Snow to expand his range. While the film itself is much-reviled by fans, Snow's music for the movie is quite good. While the theme (and the original intro) is intact, synthesizers have been largely traded for a more mature orchestration with a scope akin to that of the 2008 X-Files film. Stepping into the 21st century, Snow has refined his palette. Strings were often used in more traditional horror patterns, but as the show grew up it also gave the low end more adult range. Sometimes piano addressed softer moments, but could also come in as a somewhat more prepared piano consideration combined with caustic drum arrangements that pushed scenes along. It was often prominent in the mix with a tinge of b-cinema sensibilities that could make it seem cheesy at times, but always seemed to be in the right orbit for the show's many reference points. Snow's original X-Files music amply justified itself with its signature balance of references to horror, film noir, and soap opera. Original scores for each episode were not as common in the '90s as they are today - often, shows would draw from a pool of music that was composed for the entire series, or would even use stock music that was completely generic.
With the show's inherent narrative connections to eerie shows like The Twilight Zone and Twin Peaks, synthetic instrumentation and production tricks allowed Snow to set The X-Files apart with a more cinematic sound. This trick of fate helped established a sound bed unlike most of that which was heard on television prior. When the show premiered in 1993, not many knew that Mark Snow developed the now-iconic theme by accident.
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