FBI Special Agent John Jay Doggett is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series The X-Files.

The introduction of Doggett was met with mostly positive reaction by critics, while getting more mixed response from longtime fans of the series.

After gaining a Juris Doctor and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University, Doggett went on to work for the New York Police Department from 1987 to 1995, eventually becoming a detective in the Fugitive Division's Warrant section.

[1] While he was working for the NYPD, his son, Luke Doggett (played in flashbacks by Jake Fritz), was abducted and murdered.

Doggett teamed up with Special Agent Monica Reyes, who was working out of the New York FBI field office at the time, to search for his son's killer.

During this time, Doggett and Kersh developed a bitter enmity, similar to the early relationship between Mulder and Walter Skinner.

Gradually, Doggett and Scully came to trust one another to some degree, although he and Mulder, who later returned and recovered from his abduction, remained untrusting of each other for some time.

At the end of the series, Doggett is likely a regular agent, as it appears that Kersh was forced to close down the X-Files division.

[13] The introduction of the new character in the eighth season was one of two main factors that influenced the series' production personnel to decide to go back to more serious episodes.

[12] Some members of the fanbase criticized the introduction of Doggett, claiming that the character had been intentionally created to replace previous lead Fox Mulder's work.

[15] Chris Carter responded to this with a denial of the accuracy of their claims, and further stated in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), "What he brings is a different approach to The X-Files.

Entertainment Weekly reviewer Ken Tucker said that Patrick's portrayal brought "hardboiled alertness" to the series, being overall positive towards the new character.

[17] Anita Gates from The New York Times said that most fans had "accepted" Doggett, and further commented that the character actually looked "like a Secret Service Agent.