Matt Nix sounds off on the evolution (and survival) of The Gifted

Part of the TCAs this year was the Fox "Voices of Drama" panel, where Matt Nix, creator and showrunner of The Gifted, shared some interesting insights about where the show is now, and where the show could potentially be heading.

For the uninitiated, The Gifted draws from the X-Men universe. SYFY WIRE was in attendance at the panel, and when the notion of adaptation came up, Nix responded with "It depends on source material. On The Gifted we're adapting from the world but not specific stories. The reality is you need to do things that are recognizable."

After the panel, Nix told SYFY WIRE that in terms of the current season, it was about "factions," adding, "... we wanted to explore multiple sides. Even people who might be ostensible allies in theory aren't necessarily on the same side. Any political situation in the country right now, you can see the fights within the sides are at least as fierce between the sides."

As far as the show's future goes, Nix said, "We don't know about a Season 3. I guess we'll find out at Upfronts." Does Disney's upcoming acquisition of Fox have anything to do with those prospects? Marvel and Fox have the X-Men deal now, but Disney and ABC will have the rights once the Mouse has eaten the Fox. We've already seen certain platforms clearing the deck of Marvel programming (Daredevil on Netflix being a prime example) before Disney takes charge — how will The Gifted be impacted? Will it be cut completely, forced to change, or allowed to stay as it is?

"It's all premature," Nix says. "I guess the bottom line is, and I can speak for everyone who works on the show, we'd love to do it again. I think that most likely there is some evolution going forward in a situation where we come back; there probably is. As to whether it constitutes a creative compromise is impossible to know at this point."

Nix adds, "In conversations I've had with my writers, everybody feels the same way, which is nobody would want to come back to terms that made it impossible to do a good show, and frankly we wouldn't say yes to that. But the reality is that shows evolve."

Has the potential change in the X-universe impacted how they tied up Season 2? "Not really," Nix said. "Honestly, I was very pleased with how we landed this season in that there's no question that there is a strong and specific direction to go if we come back. And there is no question if we don't come back that we have told a story. Fortunately, nobody said, 'Button it up. It's done.' But to be honest, even if we were certain, it's cruel to be like, 'Okay, everybody that stuck with this show, if we don't come back, you're screwed. There will be no satisfaction ever.' That's not a cool way to make television."

The Gifted returns to Fox on Feb. 12 at 9 p.m.