The X-Files (1993)
The truth is out there.
The exploits of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigate X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder's discoveries that debunk Mulder's work and thus return him to mainstream cases.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 10 September 1993 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 21 March 2018 |
| Genre | Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Crime |
| Created by | Chris Carter |
| Starring | David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson |
| Seasons | 11 seasons, 218 episodes |
| Episode length | about 46 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 167 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 8.4/10 |
Where to watch The X-Files
The X-Files is streaming on Disney+ ($15.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Hulu ($18.99 a month). At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 4 months of Disney+, or $63.96 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Chris Carter built a procedural where the monster is usually a metaphor, and the real mystery is why a smart woman keeps debunking a man who is right more often than he should be. It runs 46 minutes per episode, 218 episodes total, and 11 seasons. That is roughly 167 hours of Mulder believing in the truth while Scully checks the lab results. The tone is dry, the stakes are cosmic, and the chemistry is the actual plot. It does not need your belief in aliens, only your willingness to follow a skeptic into the dark.
What the critics said
Critics didn't just like it; they canonized it. Ian Burrell in The Independent called it "one of the greatest cult shows in modern television," a label that stuck hard. Richard Corliss in Time named it the "cultural touchstone" of the 1990s, which is a heavier title than most shows earn. Entertainment Weekly later ranked it No. 4 among cult shows, praising its love for conspiracy theorists. Not everyone agreed with the science, though. The facts note a 1998 critique regarding the show's paranormal hypotheses, a dissent that adds necessary friction to the glow.
How it did with audiences
The box office data is missing, so we lean on the numbers that stick. TMDB users rate it 8.4 out of 10. That is a solid score. It asks you to doubt everything, including your own opinion of it.
Awards
The series accumulated 62 Emmy nominations and 16 wins over its run. It also collected 5 Golden Globe wins from 12 nominations, including three for Best Television Series – Drama. Gillian Anderson took home a Saturn Award for Best Actress in 1997. The numbers suggest the show was hard to ignore, even if the jury was busy.
What came next for the cast
Before 1993, David Duchovny had played roles in Beethoven and Chaplin. He later starred in Zoolander and Evolution. Robert Patrick appeared in Terminator 2 and Die Hard 2 before taking on parts in Bridge to Terabithia and Gangster Squad. Mitch Pileggi showed up in Basic Instinct and Return of the Living Dead Part II, then later in Grey's Anatomy and Supernatural. The credits list what came next. They cannot say the show caused it.
Where it left its mark
The show built a blueprint for the procedural mystery. Creators like Joss Whedon borrowed its blend of horror and humor, describing Buffy as a cross between The X-Files and My So-Called Life. Russell T Davies called Torchwood "dark, wild and sexy," citing The X-Files as a key inspiration. Dana Scully shifted how women on television were perceived and behaved, paving the way for other strong investigators. The cultural footprint is large enough to warrant a Simpsons parody, where Homer’s alien sighting yields no evidence but a background cameo from the Cigarette Smoking Man. It remains a touchstone.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The X-Files.
Read more: Fringe · The Blacklist · Criminal Minds
Sources
- The X-Files on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q2744 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The X-Files” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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