This Classic 90s Sci-Fi Detective Show Was So Good, It Got 2 Movies and 2 Revivals

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Detective and science fiction shows are both popular, but one series from the 1990s, now streaming on Hulu, uniquely combined the two. While detective shows have always been a TV fixture – think back to classics like Dragnet – the genre has changed a lot over time. After a wave of lighter, more playful cop shows like Hawaii 5.0, Magnum P.I., and CHiPs, the trend shifted towards darker, more psychological thrillers such as Hannibal and Mindhunter.

Science fiction on TV has come a long way since the pioneering work of shows like The Twilight Zone and the original Star Trek. Those early series had to explain new ideas like robots and cloning to viewers, but now many sci-fi concepts are familiar. Today’s shows, such as Netflix’s Altered Carbon, Silo, For All Mankind, Foundation, and Dune: Prophecy, create incredibly detailed worlds and complex stories that would seem simple compared to the intricate ideas explored in classic novels like Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Science fiction and detective shows haven’t often gone hand-in-hand, though series like Fringe and Twin Peaks have occasionally blended the two. However, only one show truly became a massive success by combining police investigations with paranormal science fiction, becoming a global phenomenon and launching a long-running franchise: The X-Files. Originally on Fox from 1993 to 2002, it remains the most famous and successful example of this unique genre combination.

The X-Files Is One of TV’s Most Influential Detective Shows

At first glance, The X-Files seemed like a typical buddy-cop show with a twist. David Duchovny played Agent Mulder, a dedicated FBI agent driven to prove the existence of aliens and the paranormal, stemming from a childhood trauma. He was partnered with Agent Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, who was consistently skeptical and refused to accept the supernatural, even when confronted with compelling evidence throughout the series.

Unlike many police shows before it, The X-Files didn’t just follow a predictable formula. It actually changed what people expected from TV dramas by using a complex, ongoing storyline – what’s now known as the “Mystery Box” format – years before the show Lost made it famous. While The X-Files had plenty of standalone, scary episodes, they were woven into a bigger, season-long conspiracy. Today, shows like Yellowjackets, Fallout, and The Leftovers use similar techniques, making this type of storytelling feel commonplace.

When The X-Files first appeared on television, its approach to storytelling was groundbreaking and quickly made it a hit. A new viewer might enjoy a self-contained episode featuring a memorable villain like Eugene Tooms, but they wouldn’t immediately grasp the importance of characters like the Cigarette Smoking Man or the hints about a larger, ongoing conspiracy. Ultimately, The X-Files took the simple idea of two unlikely FBI agents investigating strange occurrences and completely changed how stories were told on television.

The X-Files Getting A Second Revival Proves Just How Popular The Franchise Remains

Even without its groundbreaking storytelling approach, the show’s core idea was truly original. The concept of a supernatural crime drama inspired countless popular series that followed, including Grimm, Evil, Lucifer, Supernatural, the iconic ’90s show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fringe, Angel, and many others. While Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, is often recognized for blending detective work with science fiction and horror, that series also heavily featured small-town drama and teen storylines.

Although Twin Peaks was incredibly original, it wasn’t the best example of a typical “supernatural cop show.” The X-Files, however, fit the mold much better. Viewers could watch it as a standard detective show, simply overlooking the fact that the weekly villains were creatures or aliens instead of regular criminals. The X-Files also demonstrated the format’s lasting appeal, proving to be a long-running and profitable series.

When The X-Files was at its peak, the first movie, The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998), earned $189 million in theaters. The sequel, The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), made $64 million, which was still a good result even though the show had been off the air for six years. This showed how dedicated the fans still were. Eight years later, in 2016, the show’s creators brought The X-Files back for a two-season revival to further test that fan loyalty.

Why Ryan Coogler’s The X-Files Reboot Can Fix The Series

The popular series The X-Files is getting another reboot, this time led by Ryan Coogler, the director of Sinners. Coogler has successfully revitalized franchises before, notably with the Rocky spinoff Creed starring Michael B. Jordan. Thankfully, this new version of The X-Files will be a fresh start, not a continuation of the original series.

The main problem with the 2016 revival of The X-Files was that many shows had already used its core ideas since the original series ended. While the revival had some good moments, it didn’t feel as exciting or original as the earlier seasons because, ultimately, seasons 10 and 11 simply continued an existing storyline.

Ryan Coogler’s upcoming revival of The X-Files promises a fresh take on the classic series. Hulu greenlit a pilot episode set to star Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler, with guest appearances by Steve Buscemi, Ben Foster, and Amy Madigan. Coogler has shared that the new series will feature both a larger, season-long mystery and self-contained monster-of-the-week episodes. After 33 years, this gives fans of The X-Files something to look forward to in 2026.

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2026-05-31 23:42