David Duchovny says he is happy Season 11 of The X-Files will include 10 episodes and spend more time on Mulder and Scully's strange cases than offering a crash course on what the series is about.

Duchovny and his co-star Gillian Anderson returned for the iconic sci-fi drama's 10th season in 2016 after a 14-year absence.

But Duchovny recently told reporters at New York Comic Con he feels Season 10—which only had six episodes—was too "exposition heavy about how to get you up to speed."

Now that all the groundwork is laid, the actor said, the truth-seeking FBI special agents he and Anderson play are able to hit the ground running for Season 11.

"That's exciting to me, to actually start telling stories," Duchovny said. "Unfortunately, we kind of got trapped into telling the story of the show [in Season 10.] To me, that's not so interesting. It might be interesting to fans. I don't know. I can't look at it that way, but once you start talking endlessly about yourself. ... To me, the show was about the case and how that affects the characters. Unfortunately, after a certain point, it becomes about the characters, not about the case and, to me, that is less interesting."

Asked why he thinks the revival of The X-Files worked when the reboots of so many other shows haven't, Duchovny admitted: "I don't know why exactly. ...

"Revivals can get trapped in doing the same thing -- trying to give people what they think they want, rather than giving them what you want to give them and hoping they come around," he said, adding The X-Files "was always about wonder. It was like a Twilight Zone-type show."

So, would he be up for a Season 12, if FOX ordered one?

"I'm open. I love working with these people and I love the show. I'm always open. It's a struggle to get everyone together at the same time, regardless of what [creator] Chris [Carter] says. If they want to do it, I'm open to do it."

Duchovny didn't reveal too many details about the upcoming season, but he did remind journalists: "Mulder's at death's door at the end of the last little season we did.

"So, obviously, that can't last. So, we've got to get him out of there."

X-Files Season 11 is to debut on Jan. 3, 2018.

By Karen Butler