10 Actors Who Left Hit TV Shows And Then Came Back
9. David Duchovny (X-Files)
After spending seven seasons playing special agent Fox Mulder on the hit sci-fi show, The X-Files, actor David Duchovny had had more than his fair share of time in the role. Which is why at the end of season seven, Mulder is bizarrely abducted by aliens (allegedly) and his character is all but written out of the show.
Sure, it left the door open for Duchovny's potential return, but this was a pretty big narrative twist to throw at audiences. It wasn't as if Mulder only went missing for a few episodes, his dissapearance was the driving narrative force behind the entire first half of the eighth season. Inevitably, Duchovny returned for the latter half of season eight when he was offered greater payment.
Then, after the finale of the eighth season, Duchovny announced he was leaving AGAIN.
This time it seemed to be for good, as his appearances in the ninth season were limited to archival footage and cameos. That is, until Duchovny found himself stepping back into the role for the series revival in 2016.