Should I Watch The X-Files?
Absolutely, yes! At least, up to seasons 10 and 11 anyway. The first 9 seasons, including the feature film, are incredibly endearing and groundbreaking for their time. The simple episodic format allows for some very creepy and memorable standalone episodes, which feed into a much larger conspiracy that remains one of the most fascinating and gripping to appear on the small screen.
Some of the bigger mysteries aren’t fully explained by the end though, but there are just enough answers to leave satisfied by the end. It’s best to forget about seasons 10 and 11, which are nowhere near the quality of the original 90’s run.
How Long Is This Show?
The X-Files has 11 full-length seasons, each with 42 minute episodes. The first 4 seasons have 24 episodes, before seasons 5-9 drop that to between 20 and 22. Season 10 has 6 episodes while season 11 has 10 episodes. At the time of writing, it’s highly doubtful that The X-Files will return for season 12.
What Is The X-Files Actually About?
The X-Files revolves around two F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic. Having witnessed his sister abducted by aliens as a child, Mulder is on a one man crusade to prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. Along for the ride is Dana Scully, who begins by debunking Mulder’s work. Along the way though she starts to witness the same strange phenomena and begins to believe. A little anyway.
As the seasons progress, a global conspiracy is uncovered, throwing huge question marks over who’s telling the truth and who’s lying.
What Language Is This In?
The The X-Files is shot and filmed in English.
Where Can I Watch The X-Files?
The X-Files is available to watch in its entirety on Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ via the Stars tab.
Is There A Trailer For This?
Absolutely, you can check out the trailer for season 1 here:
What Do I Need To Know Before Watching The X-Files?
The X-Files combines episodic content with a long-form mystery that’s stretched out across a long period of time. There is a specific order to watch these in (detailed below) but ultimately you need to know that not everything is full explained. What happened to Mulder’s sister Samantha is resolved though.
What Is The Correct Order To Watch The X-Files?
Most fans agree to watch the show in this order:
-Seasons 1-5
-The X-Files: Fight The Future (1998 movie)
-Seasons 6-9
-The X-Files: I Want To Believe (2008 movie)
-Seasons 10-11
What’s The Age Rating?
The age rating for The X-Files is a 15. Some of the episodes are incredibly creepy and unsettling, so do be aware of that before jumping in.
Who Are The Main Stars?
Gillian Anderson plays the sceptical scientist Dana Scully while David Duchovny steals the show as the dashing, charismatic believer. Mitch Pileggi also plays a constant role as the FBI Director too.
What Other Shows Are Like The X-Files?
Fringe is probably the spiritual successor to The X-Files while Twin Peaks, Lost and Dark all manage to capture the same eerie mood and mystery box vibe.
Our Thoughts:
Our full season reviews for the first 11 seasons of The X-Files are currently live! You can check them out HERE.