Top 20 Best X-Files Episodes
#20: "Pusher"
This classic procedural-style episode follows Robert Patrick Modell, a man with psychic powers who can convince other people to do just about anything. He uses his ability in his work as a hitman, and it later enables him to escape FBI custody and get off scot-free at trial. The tension ratchets up throughout the episode as Modell is constantly one step ahead of Mulder and Scully, and the audience never knows what he’ll do next. The story reaches its climax in an incredibly tense standoff between Modell and the agents featuring a game of Russian roulette. The scene almost didn’t make it past Fox’s censors and it left viewers on the edge of their seats.
#19: "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man"
He’s been working behind the scenes to keep the truth hidden from the public for years, but until this episode his identity and backstory were a total mystery. In “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man,” we learn that his father was a Communist traitor, and that he was responsible for the assassinations of both JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr., among others. He’s also a semi-failed novelist with an unsurprisingly cynical outlook on life. At least, he might be. At the end of the episode, we find out that this is just one possible backstory that the Lone Gunmen have uncovered. Even if the entire thing is made up, getting an insight into the Smoking Man’s life was an unexpected treat for fans.
#18: "Duane Barry"
The first episode directed by creator Chris Carter, this thrilling season two storyline completely upended the show’s mythology. The title character believes he’s been abducted by aliens multiple times. He escapes from a mental hospital, taking hostages with him and leaving Mulder and Scully to resolve the crisis. When Mulder confronts Barry, the special agent discovers that he’s not as ready for the truth as he thinks he is. The episode ends on a cliffhanger that shocked fans and raised the stakes in a way no previous episode had done. It earned Carter a well-deserved Primetime Emmy nomination for writing.
#17: "Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster"
The 2016 revival season was met with mixed reviews, but most fans agree that this was the best thing to come out of it. Adapted by writer Darin Morgan from a script he originally wrote for the short-lived series “Night Stalker,” it’s one of the more light-hearted episodes of “The X-Files.” As Mulder questions the time he spent investigating so many monsters that turned out to be hoaxes, he and Scully are called to look into a mysterious killing. They eventually encounter a creature who subverts the usual monster tropes. In addition to containing a number of Easter eggs, the episode brought back some of the charm of the original nine seasons, much to the fans’ delight.
#16: "Darkness Falls"
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When an entire logging crew vanishes in a remote town for the second time in a century, agents Mulder and Scully are called in to investigate. Although the local officials suspect it to be a case of eco-terrorism gone too far, an activist points blame in a very odd place, insects. As it turns out, the loggers cut down older trees that were marked as off-limits, and let loose a swam of deadly locus. With our heroes trapped and light being the only thing keeping the insects at bay, we really get to see how Mulder and Scully handle a desperate situation. “Darkness Falls” is a prime example of one of “The X-Files’” recurring themes: humans tampering with things they don’t understand.
#15: "Tooms"
This episode marked the return of “The X-Files’” first monster-of-the-week, the eponymous serial killer Eugene Victor Tooms. After Mulder’s assertions about Tooms’ unnatural longevity and ability to contort his body are dismissed in court, the mutant murderer is let free. When Mulder refuses to let it go, Tooms frames Mulder for assault. However, Tooms’ need to kill ultimately leads to his undoing. The story also introduces Walter Skinner who, despite his eventual role as a critical ally of the X-Files, is looking for any excuse to shut them down, albeit under the watch of the shadowy “Smoking Man.”
#14: "X-Cops"
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When you heard the opening theme song to “Cops” at the beginning of this episode, you might have thought you were watching the wrong show. Although it’s not a true crossover – since “Cops” is a reality show and “The X-Files” is definitely not – it had the feel of a crossover. Mulder and Scully investigate a monster of the week that, like a boggart from “Harry Potter,” takes the shape of its victim’s worst fear. Meanwhile, their activities are being filmed for an episode of “Cops,” which annoys Scully but excites Mulder. The episode highlights the writers’ incredible skill at terrifying fans one week and making them laugh out loud the next.
#13: "Beyond the Sea"
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Everyone who’s watched the show knows that Mulder is the believer and Scully is the skeptic. But this episode flips the script, turning Scully into the credulous one after she has visions of her dead father. When a convicted serial killer claims to have psychic intuitions about a kidnapping, she and Mulder have to decide whether to trust him. Gillian Anderson shines in this performance, which gives her character a degree of depth and nuance that she hadn’t yet shown in the series. Her interactions with the killer are dark and intense, and have even been compared to parallel scenes in “The Silence of the Lambs.”
#12: “Triangle”
Mulder is suddenly transported to 1939 as he investigates the disappearance of a ship in the Bermuda Triangle. The episode is a fascinating technical achievement, jumping back and forth between the past and the present and filmed to look as though each act was shot in a single take. Like “The Wizard of Oz,” it uses regular cast members to play major characters in the past, leaving the audience wondering whether the whole thing really happened. By this point in the series the creators had earned the right to take some artistic chances, and the risks paid off in this truly enthralling chapter.
#11: “Paper Hearts”
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Mulder has lived his entire life believing that his sister was abducted by aliens as a child. But this episode presents an alternative theory: What if Samantha was simply killed by a man? When new evidence turns up linking a child serial killer to the Mulder family, he’s forced to consider that possibility as well as the likelihood that everything he believes is a lie. Featuring a spine-chilling performance from Tom Noonan as the killer, the episode is grim and creepy, and both Mulder and the fans are left without a definitive answer to Samantha’s disappearance.
#10: “Humbug”
The first “X-Files” episode to go full comedy finds Mulder and Scully investigating a series of attacks in a town populated by former circus performers. Those impressive looks aren’t makeup – some characters are played by actual circus entertainers, including Dr. Blockhead and the Conundrum. The episode utilizes more deadpan humor than laugh out loud jokes, but it was still a risky choice for a show that was known for its dark and spooky tone. However, the wit and the endearing group of oddballs at its heart quickly made “Humbug” a fan favorite.
#9: "Small Potatoes"
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Another delightfully comedic episode, this one follows a pitiable janitor named Eddie who can take on other people’s appearances. Instead of using his talent to become a supervillain, he assumes false identities – including that of Luke Skywalker – so he can sleep with random women. The premise is even funnier when you realize that the goofy shapeshifter is played by Darin Morgan, who wrote some of the smartest episodes in the series. When Eddie takes the shape of Mulder, David Duchovny gets to flex his comedy chops playing the janitor in disguise as his character. The episode is a light-hearted outing that isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself and its leads.
#8: “Bad Blood”
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In this comedic episode, it’s a case of “he said/she said” when Mulder kills a young man he believes to be a vampire. To make sure they have their story straight, Scully relates her version of what happened, while Mulder presents his own. The contrast between their stories and the way each exaggerates the other’s negative traits, while making themselves look more competent, is hilarious. What’s really going on in the town is stranger than either of their recollections though, but we don’t want to spoil that here…
#7: “Home”
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“Home” is where the horror is. When a baby with birth defects is found dead after being buried alive, Mulder and Scully stumble upon a warped, murderous and incestuous family. The only episode never rebroadcast on FOX, “Home” features some of the most graphic violence in the series, along with some of the most horrifying subject matter in the entire series, and that’s saying a lot. Reminiscent of the 1974 classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, “Home” puts Mulder and Scully in the middle of a slasher story. It’s telling that, despite the many grotesque and supernatural creatures depicted in “The X-Files” each week, among the most disturbing of all were these, essentially human monsters.
#6: “Anasazi”
A pivotal episode in the overall arc of the show, “Anasazi” has a lot happening, from the death of Mulder’s father, as well as the revelation of his role in the disappearance of Mulder’s sister, to the discovery of evidence of the alien conspiracy encrypted in Navajo. The truth-seeking agent is really put through the ringer this time, emotionally and physically; dosed with paranoia-inducing drugs and running a high fever. Scully, through it all, tries to keep him from losing his job and being framed for his father’s murder. Along with its two follow-up episodes, “Anasazi” revealed parts of the truth, while deepening the series’ central mythos.
#5: “The Post-Modern Prometheus”
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A black-and-white tribute to the classic “Frankenstein” films, this episode details a town’s own fantastical local legend, “the great Mutato.” Afflicted with a second face and other deformities, Mutato is the result of a mad scientist’s experiments. Framing his creation for murder, the scientist incites the townsfolk into an angry mob, complete with torches. However, Mutato proves to them that he is not a monster, merely a lonely man with a love of Cher and peanut butter sandwiches, leading our agents to make sure Mutato’s story gets a happy ending. With its distinctive style and exploration of themes like motherhood and human connection, “The Post-Modern Prometheus” is a must watch.
#4: "Jose Chung's From Outer Space"
Much like “Bad Blood,” “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space” features multiple points of view, all told to author Jose Chung about the events surrounding a pair of teenagers’ apparent abduction by aliens. Many of the stories are contradictory and nonsensical, featuring air force pilots masquerading as aliens and a bizarre man who starts a cult wherein enlightenment can be found at the center of the Earth, “Assuming of course, that your soul is able to avoid the lavamen”. Furthermore, we are treated to an appearance by the Men in Black, played by Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek; who insist that UFO sightings are merely an illusion of light off the planet Venus.
#3: “Pilot”
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"Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted.” Untrue, Mulder! Our most wanted federal agents are first brought together to investigate a group of murdered high schoolers and of course, Mulder believes may have been abducted by aliens. So much that defined the series is laid out here: from Mulder’s belief in the paranormal and his obsession with his sister’s disappearance, to Scully’s role as a skeptical and logical counterpoint. The ever-present “Smoking Man” even has an appearance, establishing the government’s conspiracy to keep the public in the dark. The X-Files’ first episode is still a great hour of television, and a fantastic way to kick off the series.
#2: “Ice”
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In a plot reminiscent of John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” a remote station in frigid a climate is terrorized by an unknown organism. The opening scene featuring two bloody, crazed men killing each other leaves a lasting impression and things remain tense even after Mulder and Scully are called in. As they and their fellow investigators become exposed to the parasitic creatures and turn paranoid, the still-new partners must learn to trust one another to escape the desperate situation and find a cure. Although some strong and engaging stories preceded it, “Ice” is when the X-Files really began to hit its stride.
#1: “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose”
Clyde Bruckman is a psychic able to see how people die. Instead of becoming a television psychic however, Bruckman takes the highroad and uses his knowledge to sell insurance to provide for those the deceased will leave behind. But when a psychic begins killing other fortune tellers, Bruckman is called on by Mulder and Scully to assist in apprehending the killer and must face his own heartbreaking, destined fate. Peter Boyle’s understated, funny, tragic portrayal of Bruckman earned him a well-deserved Emmy award, and made this episode a true gem.
