‘The X-Files’
Do you believe in extraterrestrial life? Or the paranormal? The X-Files makes you question everything you thought you knew. Created by Chris Carter, the series follows FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigating strange and unexplained cases. The X-Files’ focus on government conspiracy, reinvigoration of horror, science fiction, and mystery tropes, Mulder-Scully dynamic, variation in tone and approach, and breakdown structure of monster-of-the-week and mythology episodes makes it one of the most groundbreaking series of all time.
Not only did it set the stage for modern hits like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, but countless shows like The Big Bang Theory and Family Guy reference it. Drawing on a wide range of earlier television shows, especially Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the series debuted on Fox in 1993. Now, almost 30 years later, it leaves a legacy of 11 seasons and two films, The X-Files: Fight the Future and The X Files: I Want to Believe.