The moon and stars aligned, and the TV landscape was forever altered whenThe X-Filesopened their basement doors to the public in 1993. FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) invited audiences to tag along as they investigate cases involving the paranormal and the unexplained. Mulder’s relentless pursuit of the truth and belief in the unbelievable perfectly complemented Scully’s skeptical science-based background. The sci-fi series became a phenomenon, attracting worldwide viewers witha fan base that hasn’t stopped growingsince its humble beginnings. From alien abductions to spontaneous human combustion,The X-Filesdelivered over 200 episodes of engaging television, and the world is better for it.
In a series spanning decades and 11 seasons, critics and fans (generally) agree ona selection of favorite episodes. Classic examples ofX-Filesstaples include “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose,” “Bad Blood,” “Ice,” and “Memento Mori.” Series creatorChris Carterand his talented team of writers and crew had something for everyone. Some fans tracked the shadowy movements of the villainous Cigarette Smoking Man throughout the mythology arc of the show. Others preferred the ever-changing tone of stand-alone Monster of the Week episodes, alternating between gory and hysterical. Amid everyone’s favorite offerings, poignant, startling, informative, incredible episodes consistently get overlooked. Here’s a list of hidden gems that deserve more love.
The X-Files
10"Familiar"
Season 11, Episode 8
The small child of a distracted parent wanders into the forestsearching for Mr. Chuckle Teeth, a wide-mouthed, (terrifying) googly-eyed TV character. By the time the boy’s mother notices he’s gone, he’s already dead. Mulder, Scully, and the local police are puzzled by the gruesome nature of the murder, which seems to have been perpetrated by an animal. The body count rises while the agents race to find who or what is behind the deadly shape-shifting forest escorts. The creep factor is high in an episode that unfolds like a “Wetwired”/“Die Hand Die Verletzt” hybrid. Good luck extricating Mr. Chuckle Teeth from your nightmares.
Fans ofThe X-Fileshave strong opinions about reboots and revivals, which leaned more negative than positive after the regular series run, ending with season 9 in 2001. However,glimpses of “the oldX-Files” were embeddedin season 11, including the episode “Familiar.” The depiction of a young boy assigning affection to a horrifically frightening character like Mr. Chuckle Teeth was reason enough to deem the episode “scary.” With the introduction of witchcraft and Teletubbie-adjacent harbingers of death, the chills continued. Irrespective of lackluster character arcs, throwback “Familiar” vibes in the hit-or-miss eleventh season of the beloved show quenched an old thirst. As it turns out, misdirection, wolves, and manifestations of nightmarish TV characters are components of a successfulX-Fileselixir. Don’t watch this one in the dark.
Season 7, Episode 14
Award-winning Dr. Robert Wieder (James Morrison) wakes to find his father-in-law dead witha message written in blood. One by one, members of Wieder’s family are targeted by a mysterious man wielding powerful voodoo. Desperate to prevent the death of his entire family, Wieder begs the man to explain what he has stolen, but the man does not oblige. Orell Peattie (Billy Drago) has come to avenge the death of his daughter, who died in the emergency room under the doctor’s watch. The young woman’s injuries were grave, and she could not be saved, so Wieder eased her last moments of suffering with morphine. However, Peattie believes he could have saved her due to his particular…talents. An eye for an eye is the bereaved parent’s only recourse.
“Theef” was an unsettling Monster of the Week installment, even byThe X-Filesstandards. The episode aired at a time when people still bought stamps and owned answering machines, so heavy-handed tropes would be handled differently today. The character of the vengeful Orell Peattie was equipped withevery problematic Appalachian stereotype imaginable. However, Billy Drago’s haunting performance would’ve had a similar impact if he hadn’t uttered a word (okay, leave in “poppin' corn!"). To their credit, writers on the show concocted “Theef” in a pinch after the episode they were supposed to film was scrapped at the last minute. Series writersFrank Spotnitz,Vince Gilligan, andJohn Shibonsaid they were going for a “modern medicine versus supernatural arts” approach, but felt the episode read more likeCape Fear. Fortunately for fans, both “Theef” andCape Fearwere outstanding.
8"Grotesque”
Season 3, Episode 14
An intense artist from Uzbekistan falls under the spell of a gargoyle whom he says hasdirected him to kill seven people. Bodies covered in clay molded into gargoyles are found in the artist’s studio, and he is charged with murder. Mulder’s former mentor from an investigative unit at Quantico, Agent Patterson (Kurtwood Smith), has been working on the bizarre gargoyle case for three years and requests Mulder’s assistance. As Mulder reverts to Agent Patterson’s teaching methods- to know the killer is to imagine oneself in their place - the case’s darkness affirms its grip on everyone involved. Is the gargoyle enchanted, or have the agents followed the killer too far?
“Grotesque” is a brilliant title for the atmospheric episode that offered a rare glimpse into Mulder’s time as an agent before he was assigned to the X-Files. It came as no shock to fans of the show whenthe episode won a Primetime Emmy Award for Cinematography. Though “Grotesque” was largely Mulder-centric, the interplay between Mulder and Scully continued where the previous episode, “Syzygy,” left off: filled with tension and distrust. From the feverish charcoal rendering in the opening minutes to Mulder’s spontaneous artistic aptitude, “Grotesque"sinks its talons into viewers and doesn’t let go. While audiences might’ve longed for more insight into the killings (and the gargoyle), it remains one of the more memorable episodes in series history.
7"Red Museum”
Season 2, Episode 10
Mulder and Scully fly out to Delta Glen, Wisconsin, to investigate a series of kidnappings. Disoriented, partially clothed teenagers have been taken and returned by an unknown source who scrawls “He is one” or “She is one” on their bare backs. The sheriff (Steve Eastin) of the town believes thata local cult is responsiblefor the peculiar game of catch and release and points Mulder and Scully in their direction. The Church of the Red Museum’s members are a group of vegetarians led by Richard Odin (Mark Rolston), who purchased a ranch with 500 heads of cattle and turned them into pets. The town and surrounding areas are known for their beef production, thus making The Church of the Red Museum an affront to the cattle farmer’s way of life. A pivotal discovery reveals infinite layers to a shadowy entity the agents have yet to corral.
“Red Museum” unfurls like a Monster of the Week episode until about 20 minutes in, when a concerned citizen drives Mulder and Scully to a remote farm. Some critics thought the episode was “all over the place,” while others commended the series creators for weaving a clever thread tying into “The Erlenmeyer Flask” from season 1. The red turbans worn bymembers of The Church of the Red Museumserved as literal red herrings in this twisty pastoral romp viewers didn’t see coming. The agents leave with additional questions and an unresolved case, but “Red Museum” delivers justice for Deep Throat and provides further evidence of widespread government testing. The episode also broaches the concept of “walk-ins,” enlightened beings Mulder becomes acquainted with in the season 7 episode, “Closure.” Mulder and Scully sloppily devour BBQ, and Anderson delivers lines with sauce on her face, which is reason enough to tune in.
6"The Rain King"
Season 6, Episode 8
Following an argument with his fiancé, Daryl Moontz (Clayton Rohner) goes for an alcohol-infused drive and gets into a car accident. Daryl loses a leg and blames the heart-shaped hail, rather than his drinking, for the loss. Daryl also gains something from the accident:he can make it rain. Equipped with his new-found talent, Daryl dubs himself “The Rain King” and begins charging a fee for his services. Meanwhile, other non-rain related weather anomalies occur, and Daryl’s (now ex-fiancé) Sheila Fontaine (Victoria Jackson) fears she is the actual weathermaker. However, Mulder and Scully predict an alternative forecast involving matters of the heart and little to do with climate conditions.
Though some fans were unimpressed by the lighter tone of season 6 following the series' location change to Los Angeles, it birthed several fan-favorite episodes andearned eight Primetime Emmy Award Nominations. Some critics thought the episode’s premise was “silly,” partly due to the implausibility ofan emotionally triggered weather conduitin the form of a meteorologist, but also because of airborne bovines. “The Rain King” had to compete with an unusually high number of comedicX-Filesepisodes in season 6, but its atmosphere was unmatched. Longtime Scully and Mulder shippers couldn’t help but swoon because love was literallyin the air.
5"The Calusari"
Season 2, Episode 21
A young boy named Charlie (Joel Palmer) ispossessed by the evil spirit of his stillborn twin, Michael, who mysteriously lures their younger brother and father to their deaths. The boy’s mother is a Romanian woman raised in the Romanian Cǎluş tradition but no longer observed her faith after marrying an American. The woman’s mother, Golda (Lilyan Chauvin), believes that Charlie’s possession is a consequence of not performing a “separation ritual” on the twins at birth. Scully suspects child abuse and involves social workers, but Mulder is #TeamGolda and summons the Calusari Mystics to perform the separation ritual to save lives. Scully witnesses events she cannot deny, and an equally bewildered Mulder has a front-row seat to an exorcism.
During its initial airing, “The Calusari” received mixed critical reviews, primarily due to the premise. Themes of faith, demonic possession, strangulation, andan opening scene worthy of aStephen Kingmoviecombined to produce a weighty, disturbing episode. “The Calusari” (a Romanian order of male-only members considered endowed with magical healing and protective powers) was penned by writerSara Charno, an Eastern medicine doctor. An integral part ofThe X-Filesviewing experience is the careful attention to detail and facts mixed with fantastical elements, which this episode has in spades. In the spirit ofThe OmenandThe Exorcist, the inconclusive conclusion lingers, as does the palpable unease of the series' leads.
4"Field Trip"
Season 6, Episode 21
The agents travel to North Carolina to investigate the anomalous skeletal remains of a couple who had only been missing for three days. While Scully studies the couple’s bones, Mulder retraces their steps, which leads him into a subterranean cave. Scully finds traces of a powerful digestive enzyme on the remains, so she travels to inform Mulder. Upon arrival, Scully steps on a mushroom and experiences a series of realistic though improbable hallucinations. Mulder, also hallucinating, realizes that both he and Scully are in the cave, unconscious while beingdigested by an enormous cannibalistic organism. The agents continue to awaken, each time uncertain about the state of their reality.
The theme central toThe X-Fileshas consistently been “Trust No One.” The series has made skeptics out of the least paranoid through countless examples of government conspiracy and alien shape-shifting bounty hunters. In “Field Trip,” confusion escalates as Mulder and Scully discover they can’t trustthemselves.To be fair, Scully’s “trip” is brutal(Anderson delivers another tearfully aggrieved performance), while Mulder’s deceptive deep fakes are what he’s come to expect. An episode that could have – nay,shouldhave become tedious was, instead, a layered, pseudo-meta experience for viewers and Mulder and Scully. At first glance, the premise of “Field Trip” reads like a stand-alone Monster of the Week, but look closer and find cyclical futility, fear, and a dogged resolve tobelieve.
3"Agua Mala"
Season 6, Episode 13
Mulder drags Scully to Florida during a hurricane to investigate a report of a tentacled sea creature by retired FBI agent Arthur Dales (Darrin McGavin). According to Dales, a neighborhood friend called in a panic after her husband vanished from their bathroom, with evidence pointing to the toilet. When Mulder and Scully search the family’s home, they find only Reggie, the cat, hiding in the washing machine. As the storm intensifies, the agents attempt to evacuate the city but are thwarted by local authorities and take shelter in an apartment complex. A handful of stragglers remain in the building, including a Sheriff’s Deputy who the illusive water-based monster has attacked.The agents wage war with salt waterduring a dark deluge worthy ofJules Verne.
“Agua Mala” might be an unpopular or lesser-utilized entry, but the fact remains that it was steeped in wet and wild watchability. Scully is glorious as a bandana-clad, scene-stealing bandit in rain-soaked exasperation. Aside from problematic stereotype oversight and an inexplicable fluid, murderous cephalopod’s presence, it’s an entertaining, memorable episode. Series fans are used to inconclusive evidence, open-ended cases, and implausible scenarios. Maybe audiences never learn what it was or why the creature appeared, but Mulder isn’t wrong –there’s a lot we don’t know about the ocean. One thing is sure: Scully was a saturated, triaging, no-nonsense boss, and Mulder owes his life to her…and Reggie the cat.
2"Oubliette"
Season 3, Episode 8
Photography assistant Carl Wade (Michael Chieffo) kidnaps 15-year-old high school student Amy Jacobs (Jewel Staite) and locks her in a dark dungeon (an Oubliette). Wade snaps relentless photographs of the captive girl in the dark room, intermittently inflicting acts of violence. Meanwhile, 20 miles away, Lucy Householder (Tracey Ellis) collapses after experiencing injuries mirroring Amy’s. Mulder discovers that Wade isa repeat offender who evaded captureafter kidnapping Lucy in her youth. Through Lucy, the agents are led to Amy and Wade, whose promise that “nothing is going to spoil us” might become a reality. Mulder and Scully are at the mercy of a powerful psychic connection and a sadistic vessel for evil determined to finish what he started.
On the surface, “Oubliette” is about the psychic trauma bond created when kidnappings decades apart become inextricably linked. Though the connection between Amy and Lucy manifests visually and physically, an emotional association is present: Mulder’s. In response to Mulder’s offering of sympathy, Amy’s mother says, “I’m sorry, but how could you know how I feel?“X-Filesfans knowhow intimately acquainted Mulder iswith this subject after his sister’s abduction. Instead of operating as a straightforward kidnapping plot, the episode cuts deeper, delving into the enduring effects of traumatic experiences. Mulder’s concern and protective instincts towards Lucy add complexity and insight into the agent’s heartbreaking quest to find his sister. It’s a true episodic example of greatness that shan’t be ignored.
1"The Pine Bluff Variant”
Season 5, Episode 18
Mulder participates in a sting operation orchestrated by the FBI to capture Jacob Steven Haley (Daniel von Bargen), the second in command of an anti-government group called The New Spartans. Haleymeets a source at a public parkwhere a mysterious package is exchanged. Upon receipt, the source is killed by a fast-acting pathogen, and Haley escapes. Scully believes Mulder allowed Haley to escape and is informed Mulder is going undercover to infiltrate The New Spartans. Bones are broken, and faces are melted in this taut, fast-paced chess match with Mulder positioned as an expendable pawn. Without Scully’s trust or alliance and a suspiciously complicit FBI, the bioweapon-armed militia could end Mulder–and the whole world.
The episode’s cold opening telegraphs a thrilling hour of television, and “The Pine Bluff Variant” doesn’t disappoint. Mulder takes a page fromKeanu Reeves' character inPoint Breakby joining forces with a righteous fringe group and participating in a masked bank robbery. The episode’s final moments find Mulder at odds with his role as a government agent and the implications of its corruption.Scully is left out of the loopbut swoops in on a white horse with a Buscadero and a saddlebag of evidence, validating Mulder’s long-feared theories on government testing. In a heated, confrontational conclusion, Scully and Mulder demand The Truth (they can’t handle it) but ultimately settle for surviving the episode and saving the world. It’s incredibly stressful from start to finish but also illuminating: essential X-File elements.
