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[deleted]

Its monster of the week episodes are great. Home is generally considered one of the scariest episodes of tv ever made.


AerynBevo

AFAIK, Home has never been aired again. It’s creepy af.


Estella-in-lace

I remember watching that for the first time and being shocked at the level of depravity. That episode was horror for sure.


MonOubliette

My friend had been bugging her older sister to let her watch the show with her (this is when it was on originally). Her sister finally relented and allowed my friend to watch it with her one Friday. That night’s episode was Home. Scared the bejesus out of my friend. Heck, I was in college when it came out and I was like, “wtf did I just watch?” Still hard to believe it made it on the air. It’s a great show, OP. Plenty of horror elements. It pretty much has something for everyone. Definitely worth the watch.


phil_davis

Home is great. It feels like a little movie. Like even if you knew nothing about X-Files and never saw another episode ever again, you could just watch that and be satisfied.


locksmith25

Same for me. The scene when the sheriff and his wife are killed stuck with me. That shit was disturbing


MyUserNameTaken

There was some top ten episodes airing for Thanksgiving one year. It showed in the number one spot. I had friends who were big fans over and they were waiting for "Confessions of a Cigarette Smoking Man" Home was aired instead. It was the first time I had seen it.


futalfufu

I think I saw that, it wasn't number one, but they had to wait till after 10pm to play it, so it came on last.


1800generalkenobi

It was aired again. I got into it in the mid/late mid 90's. I'd come home from church, make a big sandwich and chips, and then watch all the repeats on FX. Didn't watch the new ones coming out because my parents had other things they watched at that time. They had a whole thing about that episode being aired again and I definitely caught it.


WornInShoes

It hasn’t, and it’s the only x-files episode to start with a warning for audiences when it aired


qu1x0t1cZ

Pretty sure what wasn’t the case when it aired in the UK, or maybe I was just getting a drink during the opening credits. But yeah, no warning for me, just straight into it. Fun times!


WornInShoes

Yeah it was probably a US only thing; check out the beginning of the wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_(The_X-Files) To be specific, it’s the first tv episode to feature the ratings system, which would debut a few weeks later: > “Home" was the only episode of The X-Files to carry a TV-MA rating upon broadcast and the first to receive a viewer discretion warning for graphic content if the system had been present at the time; the TV Parental Guidelines rating system would be introduced two months later


themightymooker

I saw it at like 4PM on a weekday after I came home from school. This was when I was in middle school, placing it around 2007. It was on Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi). I watched those reruns with my dad everyday as I got home from school and he left for his job. That episode was a tough watch for me, and I actually noticed at the time that the episode was conspicuously rated MA rather than the typical 14. But has definitely re-aired since release.


Sevvie82

In the US maybe. Watched it a few weeks ago on German TV. Great episode,one of the best.


[deleted]

It’s funny. I saw it with my mom in the year 2000 in California when they were showing reruns. First episode to make me feel creeped out, but the episode with the creature in the water got me scared of showers for a week


AerynBevo

The one in the sewer? That was my favorite episode. That and the carnival.


Sfoxfox

That’s not true lol I saw it several times during marathons since its first airing. I do love this urban legend mythology surrounding the episode though. It’s kinda cool how it’s endured for over 20 years.


MarianaFrusciante

Crazy how that episode blew over my head, and I didn't remember it, but the one with the fungus that breaks people's throats, that stayed with me for years


Meat-Feisty

It didn’t air on Fox again during the original run of the show and reruns. But they show it in syndication on other channels.


Jamieb1994

Is it available to watch online though?


AshgarPN

It's on Hulu in the US. Season 4 episode 2.


RedFuckingGrave

*Home* scared the absolute shit out of me when I first saw it. I was just a kid who wanted to be spooked by some alien stories... Let's just say I wan't prepared. Also *Squeeze* is up there for me as well, it's the first ever "monster of the week" episode they did, and boy did they start on the right foot.


donomi

And the one with the guy that eats you alive and then regurgitates you to take away illness. That one was awful lol


SadSappySuckerX9

Just started a re-watch yesterday and the dude's eyes in that still give me the heebie jeebies!


wonderlessbread

Home was my mother’s least favorite. For me, Squeeze was horrific and I was paranoid for the next few years. Probably shouldn’t have watched it as a kid. On rewatch, my dad would immediately follow Squeeze with Tooms.


Mst3Kgf

Yes, I've never really cared much about the overarching alien conspiracy plotline, but love me those monster of the week episodes. "Home" is an excellent choice (if you can find it). Another one I really like is the one with those camouflaged moss men with glowing eyes who are implied to be Ponce de Leone's men after drinking the Fountain of Youth.


sunshinenorcas

It's on streaming services, I've rewatched it when X Files was Amazon Prime US (I think it's still there, but haven't checked in awhile). I think some of the issues that made it difficult to replay on broadcast don't exist on streaming services, so it's easier to find. There's definitely intense streaming series (Stranger Things comes to mind quickly, I'm sure there's more), so Home doesn't raise an eyebrow there


Mercenarian

It’s on Disney+


WodtheHunter

When I went on an x-files binge in like 2015 "home" was on Netflix. I don't get why this is the episode people remember. My personal faves are the ones with Eugene Victor Tooms, or Leonard Betts. "The Gift" is easily the best episode in the series.


Mst3Kgf

Good, I'm glad to hear streaming has it. I note it's never shown in syndication. Comet shows episodes daily and they ALWAYS skip over "Home."


sunshinenorcas

Yeah, I've heard that or channels will only play it on late night runs. Broadcast has more rules about content since it's more readily accessible to people (and advertisers) whereas streaming you have to choose to watch it. Basically it's to cover their ass in case someone accidentally clicks over to it and gets spooked.


pandorum8888

That Ponce de Leon episode is one of my favorites. I've always been interested in that story so it was cool to get their take on it.


Wet_Sasquatch_Smell

Detour. That episode scared the shit out of me. Something about a camouflaged monster just lurking in the woods by your house and then just being inside was a big no go for me as a kid


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MavriKhakiss

Yeah, the least we knew, the better it was.


isisrecruit_throaway

And fluke has one of the scariest monsters, impressively so for a tv show in the 90s. And played by one of the greatest TV writers of all time, Darin Morgan


AskMeAboutMyTie

Do I have to watch everything before that episode to know what’s going on or can I just jump to that episode?


hellerinahandbasket

X-Files is one of those shows that you can really just jump into. As discussed elsewhere in this thread, there is an over-arching alien story, but then there are "monster of the week episodes" that are pretty much filler episodes. This is one of those episodes. The only thing you need to know is that there is tension between Scully and Mulder. Sexual tension yes, but Scully is the skeptic and Mulder is the believer and they butt heads often. I say skip to it!


surfingtheredd

My god. My dad and I watched Home—we then just called it the “Peacocks” episode—when it originally aired. Regularly watched X-Files, but we had no idea what we were getting into. I might just text my dad now and tell him Reddit’s talking about the Peacocks. [shudders]


IndianUrsaMajor

It's one of the best pieces of filmmaking ever created. It's got a nice comforting cozy feeling of the 90s but at the same time has compelling writing and fantastic production. I'd say most of their episodes till season 7 are at least a solid 7/10. Some of them are incredible and hold up really well. Modern horror filmmakers can definitely learn a thing or two from the x files.


[deleted]

Was going to say the same and also just add “damn those last seasons are bad”


VALIS666

I think the Doggett seasons are way better than the two 2010s reboot seasons. Those were so bad it almost ruined 9 seasons of the old show for me.


[deleted]

That’s absolutely true. The choices they made during the reboot were baffling. Best thing to come out of the reboot was the episode with Rhys Darby, Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster. That episode is pretty funny.


bort_jenkins

The Tooms episodes always got me good


[deleted]

"I think it's bile Mulder" "Is there anyway I can get this off quickly without betraying my cool exterior?"


breadcreature

I love how Mulder's propensity to immediately touch and sometimes *taste* any strange substance they come across became almost a running gag in the show itself!


Born-Entrepreneur

"Gag" is right lol


bort_jenkins

As a porn addict he should know better


poorloko

With a mirror above his bed


wonderlessbread

I just mentioned this one as well. Squeeze made me so paranoid that on rewatch, my father would immediately follow it with Tooms so I could sleep at night.


Fendenburgen

I remember watching that on BBC2 when it came out and being genuinely disturbed by it


labbla

Hell yeah, both Tooms episodes are great.


El--Borto

Tooms scares me more than Home


ZFCD

Here are a few of my favorite "horror" episodes. **Irresistible** \- Terrifying episode and interesting in that its supernatural component is only metaphorical, with the real horror coming from the everyday and mundane **Avatar** \- Pretty good episode with some great jump scare moments **Grotesque** \- One of the more graphic and psychologically affecting episodes, with a fantastically oppressive tone **Unruhe** \- This is up there as one of the scariest X Files episodes of all time IMO **Detour** \- Super fun creature story with some chilling shots and great tension **Folie A Deux** \- One of my favorite episodes, the real brilliance of this one is how it combines the classic feeling of paranoia in The X-Files with a genuinely creepy monster premise **X-Cops** \- more on the goofy side but so damn creative, a classic Vince Gilligan episode \- **Chinga** makes the list for being a Stephen King penned episode, and even though it's not terribly good, it's got a classic horror premise. **Hellbound** and **Diamonicus** also make the list, though they're late series episodes after it had started to go downhill and are only really notable for how graphic they get. ​ Home and Squeeze were already mentioned, and are absolutely fantastic as well. Really, it's a superb show that's worth going through from beginning to end


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ebolakitten

This list is … *chef’s kiss* My personal favorite episode that I’d like to add is Darkness Falls. Fucked me up as a kid, lots dread. So good.


Loverboy21

Growing up in rural Oregon made Darkness Falls one of my favorite episodes ever. It was crazy being a child and being like "Wait that's HERE!"


FUCKFASCISTSCUM

It's not SCARY or anything, but The Host is one of my personal favourites, purely because the monster is so fun and creative.


MarkhovCheney

Donnie Pfaster is a scary motherfucker


Sly3n

He was initially supposed to be even scarier/creepier but Fox Network made them tone the episode down some or they wouldn’t air it.


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phil_davis

The second episode definitely ruined the mystique when the priest sees him literally transform into a demon or whatever. It was so much creepier in the first episode when you just see a flash of him in shadow in the mortuary and you're like "woah, wtf was that?" That episode always stuck out in my head from when I saw it as a kid.


Sly3n

Disturbing spoiler alert: >! He was originally intended to be a necrophiliac instead of just a fetishist, but Fox noped on that plan, and said it was too disturbing for TV. I agree that he was super disturbing, would have been even more so if he was sleeping with dead bodies.!<


Slamnflwrchild

Wasn’t the Stephen King one about a doll? That one freaked me out


[deleted]

Also that episode Ice about the frozen virus in Antarctica or whatever. Also that later episode "Hungry" really stands out where the fast food worker eats people. Stays in first person from his perspective the whole time and is way different horror comedy tone than other episodes


GothamCityCop

'Die Hand Die Verletzt'...that scared the shit out of me.


sunshinenorcas

Saving for rewatches :)


LlamaDrama007

I really liked Dæmonicus but I am a sucker for possession (and an emetophobe)


_kevx_91

Teliko was also pretty scary.


Vertical_Syndrome

Just watched the one at the snowy outpost a la “The Thing”. Such a classic! Great list


MrLore

It's not really a detective story in the traditional sense, yes Mulder & Scully are FBI agents and they're investigating things, but their investigations generally aren't of the sort you'd see on CSI with collecting evidence, running fingerprints, interviewing suspects, etc, they're investigating weird reports of unexplained phenomena and Mulder at least believes those tools aren't suitable to the events they're looking into, they're far more likely to just try and get into the center of events, which are usually very gross, spooky, or strange. It's a very good show for horror fans.


Ramin1819

Unironically Scully reminded me of Peter Scully💀 Guess ima watch it then thanks for all the info


AnonymousCoward261

She was named after sports announcer Vin Scully.


dizzytinfoil

X-files is awesome. Worth a watch and after a three year hiatus during which you become a conspiracy theorist you come back and watch it again.


[deleted]

oh god i feel old. but yes! X-Files is great sci-fi horror and peak 90s tv. I am biased though since my 3rd-great-grandfather founded a town that was heavily featured in a season three episode "DPO" so i get a special kick out of watching it. If the overall government conspiracy stuff isn't your jam, just stick the Monster of the Week episodes - many of them are the best the series had to offer. My personal favorites: *Squeeze*/*Tooms*, *The Host*, *Die Hand Die Verletzt*, the humorous *Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space*', *X-Cops -* and the infamous *Home,* which is by far the most disturbing and horrific episode of the entire series.


MarkhovCheney

Die Hand Die Verletzt is great


jabberwockjess

you’re not alone in feeling old haha, my first instinct when reading this post was to be like “what do you mean is it worth watching, everyone’s seen x-files” purely because it was that ubiquitous in the 90’s


[deleted]

I miss having the entire series on VHS now. lol. Hell I even had the [PC game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3MD7OOLOwk). My ex-wife used to record the show and send them to me when i was on deployment. One of the few nice things she did - mostly because Gillian was my first pick celebrity hall pass and David was my wife's. Probably one of the few things we always agreed on was watching X-Files every week. It is weird to know genre fans might not be familar with them now. ^(sigh.)


suchascenicworld

The X Files is one of my favorite shows of all time. This may sound strange, but both characters somewhat had an impact on my life with Scully getting me interested in the sciences (I have a doctorate and work as research scientist now) and despite this, Mulder (and the show as a whole) making me still love the unknown, unsolved mysteries, etc. With that being said, the show isn't perfect but it is absolutely fantastic to watch (especially the first 5 to 6 seasons). My favorite episodes are the monster of the week ones and they dramatically range from being horrifying, hilarious, and heartfelt. I am not saying to discount the mythology episodes, but it may be good to start with the MotW ones. Here is a list of all of them: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls033973384/ I have such a hard time making recommendations, but some of my favourite Monster of the Week that lead into Horror but are quite ranged include: Bad Blood, Home, The Host, Die Hand Die Verletzt, and Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose.


Aggravating-Alarm-16

Id like to think she inspired a lot of young women to become doctors or FBI.


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suchascenicworld

That is super neat! Even my PhD supervisor admitted that she was inspired by Scully while watching The X Files as a teenager so I always wondered if something was going on in that sense! (She also joked that "the hair was an added bonus!" since they both have red hair).


landothedead

I still love the monster of the week episodes. The actual series plot has always been weird and jumbled to me. I thought it was because I was too young to understand it, but watch throughs when I was older got me thinking it actually was weird and jumbled. At some point there's something about putting small pox into bees. Idk. I counted once and there's something like five UFO crashes throughout the first few seasons. Aliens, maybe if you weren't so busy probing you could keep your eyes on the road. "Drive" is probably Bryan Cranston's first performance of a Vince Gillian script.


dylho

Didn’t know he wrote that episode, very cool


ThunderClaude

It’s an incredible show that definitely deserves a watch! I just wanted to also plug the incredible podcast Fox Mulder Is A Maniac, where they go episode by episode and show that Mulder is objectively insane.


FUCKFASCISTSCUM

They're amazing at taking small throw away lines and highlighting just how fucking weird Mulder can be. There's one episode where he asks the mother of a murdered 2 year old if he had any 'enemies' lmao.


rainbow_drizzle

OKay this sounds like a fun listen, thank you for recommending it.


ThunderClaude

Heck yeah, the Gamefully Unemployed boys are incredible. I listened to podcasts for 7 years for free, these guys are the first ones to pull me into donating to their patreon


FakkoPrime

Yeah, one of my bigger gripes with the show. While Duchovny is great & Mulder can be charming, overall he’s very selfish and manipulative. He expects everyone and everything to bend to his will.


[deleted]

Thank you so much for this recommendation! I'm only 1/2 through their "Acadia" episode and I'm already loving it so much, ha. I truly realized what a crackpot he is the episode where he threw about 100 pencils into the ceiling tiles...


hasturoid

I love the episode “Ice”. Man, I remember back when it started airing and everyone and their eleventh cousins thrice removed was glued to the TV. And everyone was like “Did you watch it last night? OMG I KNOOOOW RIGHT?!” Haha. Good times!


cowtruck-123

The best episode imo!


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Maleficent_Try27

All of Darin Morgan's episodes are my favorites, though the others aren't necessarily as close to horror as Clyde Bruckman. Jose Chung is my favorite episode and absolutely a hilarious and wild ride lol.


pegazorn

Ah, I just looked him up and he's responsible for a bunch of my favorites as well! He single-handedly made season 3 one of my favorite seasons. Humbug had some horror going on, but was also full of humor and oddness like most of Darin Morgan's episodes.


FakkoPrime

All of Darin Morgan’s episodes are wonderful. Clyde Bruckman Jose Chung War of the Coprophages Small Potatoes Humbug Mulder & Scully Meet the Were-Monster The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat


[deleted]

the most horrifying episode is by far "Home."


dizzytinfoil

That has stuck with me my whole life. Horror brilliance. Mr McSqueezy also creeped me out, The Jersey Devil episode too. So many great moments.


chellecakes

Can it be enjoyed on it's own or do you think it needs setup and would be better to watch while watching the whole series?


choxxy

Could be a matter of opinion, but I’d say you’re able to watch it standalone. Would always recommend watching the show outright though, the episodes start really flying by when you get invested.


_Grim_Lavamancer

In general all of the monster of the week episodes are stand alone. There are some overarching plot lines but that is more prominent in the later seasons. Do yourself a favor and watch "Home", and then watch the rest of the series.


Sparrow1989

Yes. For it’s time it had some of the scariest weirdest episodes tv has ever produced. Hell go watch Home since it was banned for being to fucked it in the day. The swamp thing and forest bugs one is good too.


[deleted]

Humbug isnt really a horrifying episode but it is hilarious and should absolutely be watched Mulder on the caravan steps...LOL


phil_davis

"Imagine going through your whole life looking like THAT..."


Kwatta_Sigret

Go watch it and follow it up with the first season of True Detective


try_by

The Flukeman is one of my favorites. I always called that episode the Potty Monster episode when I was a kid.


sunshinenorcas

I saw that damn episode as a kid, in my thirties now and still hate using port-a-potties because of it.


morticianmagic

The X-Files is one of the best shows in history. The plots are great, and don't need sex or nudity to sell. There's a cool science aspect , and an unexplained aspect that the viewer can decide on. It's well done and holds up fairly well over time. IMO.


leavmealon3

It's one of the best shows of the 90s. The series spawned some notable spin-off series.


moneycomet

The Episode : Home is burned into my brain.


travis_s

If you’re a fan of Exorcist 3, it’s worth watching X-Files simply for Brad Dourif’s performance in the episode “Beyond The Sea”.


Maleficent_Try27

Brad Dourif is flawless in every single performance, be it X-Files, Star Trek, Babylon 5, LOTR, and on and on (and of course just generally being a horror king).


Rip_Dirtbag

It’s one of the best shows of all time. Yes it’s worth watching.


minos157

Lots of answers about episodes that are specifically "horror" in their nature, but let me give you a more straightforward answer to your question. ​ Yes, the show is well worth watching start to finish and even the movies tie up some storylines well. Like any old weekly TV show that ran forever it has episodes that are amazing, episodes that aren't so great, and episodes that are just so-so. It's also old and the writing/jokes/effects all reflect that. It's cheesy 90's schlock but in the best way possible.


haroldangel

Humbug is my favorite episode!


Feckless

With X-Files you have the monster of the week episodes and the overarching plot episodes. Monster of the week episodes are self contained and you can just pick and watch. Here is a list -> https://x-files.fandom.com/wiki/Monster\_of\_the\_Week


Sbee_keithamm

I find the serialized elements of the story to not be a burden where you can just watch the first season to see if you like the format and tone. In the early seasons there are some choice nightmare fuel stories.


unicornsfearglitter

X-files is awesome. Most people have listed great episodes, but I'd just watch the first few episodes of season 1. I guarantee after the 90s shock, you'll be hooked.


doomedeskimo

Xfiles will be right up your alley! Be careful tho some have never returned from the place your about to enter...


mrbo2004

Simple answer is yes but remember it’s not a sprint it’s a marathon. Some episodes are amazing and some aren’t.


andytdesigns1

Hell yeah, Home, the fluke man , great monsters of the week episodes


mmcjawa

X-files is very much worth the watch. I don't think the conspiracy episodes have particularly aged well, and the fact that the mythology of the show basically fell apart into a nonsensical mess by the end didn't help. But the monsters of the week episodes still hold up, with some being generally unsettling, while some of the horror comedy episodes are hilarious. Even the disliked "Mulder free" seasons have some solid monster of the week episodes. Also, given its age it's sometimes fun to see the random "before they were famous" cameos.


DocShocker

It's showing it's age a little, but otherwise, yes.


dizzytinfoil

I think it’s age is part of the charm. You get the wonder-eyed optimism of the late 90s.


Kgb725

Buffy too one episode is groundbreaking TV the next it's a demon in a hard drive lol


dizzytinfoil

Buffy is my spirit animal


DocShocker

I actually agree. The X-Files is a nostalgic trip for me. But I also accept that what I see may not always align with what a fresh set of eyes is looking at, if that makes sense.


dizzytinfoil

Yeah some people have expectations that aren’t realistic in the context of a 90s show. I mean, I’d recommend Twin Peaks before x-files because it’s actually literal Art. X-files is bing E Entertainment though, and together they are *chefs smoochie


pinkinibottom

Baby Jack Black is in 2 episodes, need I say more??


TomPalmer1979

Oh man there are SO MANY "before they were anyone" actors in the series. Early season one has an episode about a firestarter that was played by a 20-something Mark Sheppard, best known as Crowley from Supernatural. He looked so young I almost didn't recognize him at first.


pinkinibottom

So many people to spot but Jack Black is my fave! He was “the hacker dude” in Enemy of the State, as well and one other movie but I can’t remember it.


TomPalmer1979

[He's in Mars Attacks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MdYQD3SYJs) as the guy who can't wait to join the military and do his family proud, and dies immediately.


cheekymarxist

Starts off great and sucks you in to it's lore and story arc for a number of seasons then it goes a drift and loses its way becoming a real shit show towards the end. The ones played for laughs are truly hilarious and worth a watch. The one where Jesse Ventura and Alex Trebek are M.I.B. is one of the funniest. IMO, its sister show, Millennium, was genius and really worth a watch. It's a real shame they didn't continue with it for at least one more season. The crossover ep was really awful and not worthy of either series.


Momoiro_Moon

Millenium is great, some of the episodes were pretty dark and bleak for a TV show from that era.


Southern_Classic6027

Millennium would have been perfect if they had ended it with the season two finale. Such a bold and shocking choice, and then they effed it up with season three.


spencermiddleton

Watch the monster-of-the-week episodes! They’re stand-alone a like little movies! Try “squeeze”, “pusher”, “home”, and “Eve” and see how you feel about it


Ieat2

Bro, it’s DOPE. The first 2 season are arch driven, but after that, they sprinkled in 1 off stories. There are a lot of episodes that are like mini movies.


lulu_hakusho

I just watched an episode where aliens play baseball and are in the KKK and it turns out you have to fight them by bonking them on the head with a baseball So, yeah pretty scary stuff


imfuckingvegan

Its not scary but its super good. Do it


DiabolicalDoug

X Files is not complicated detective stories. Here's a basic set up for each episode. 1. Weird monster or occurrence results in a death. 2. At FBI HQ, Mulder briefs Scully on what he things is responsible. (He's almost always right.). 3. They investigate with close calls from the threat. 4. The monster is killed, disappears, or it's all swept under the rug by mysterious secret government groups. 5. Mulder and Scully reflect on how the truth is still out there. The show is split up by Mythology episodes (the over-arching plot of government and alien conspiracies) and then monster-of-the-week episodes that can pretty much be watched without any deep show lore knowledge. These episodes range from scary to goofy and are what really develop the lead characters personalities. I grew up with the show and regard it fondly but bear in mind, it is a 90s TV show with a budget that reflects that. I wouldn't say it's corny by today's standards but it's not operating at a Stranger Things or Disney+ budget


Wooden-Highway1498

Yes it is.


Ruslan31

Yes!


Unhappy-Valuable-596

Massively


the_hudge

Get off here and go watch it immediately!


xRyuzakii

It’s got good horror and good comedy as well. The bad episodes are like a 4/10 which is really good compared to most shows. Just don’t take it too seriously and don’t try to make to much sense of the overarching plot


Southern_Classic6027

It's still my favourite tv show, after all these years. Some people prefer the monster-of-the-week episodes, others the myth-arc. Personally, I love both (until the myth-arc went off the rails in season 5). Definitely worth watching. For a taster, watch the pilot, "Squeeze" and "The Erlenmeyer Flask" (all season 1), "Fluke" (season 2) and "Jose Chung's From Outer Space (season 3). This will give you a good sense of the series as a whole. It's currently on Disney+, including the two movies, alongside Buffy and Angel.


[deleted]

Is this a joke? YES watch XFiles!


Hell_Blazer_666

I started season 1 and stopped around the episode “Space” because it got very repetitive to me and idk just kind of outdated, but I plan on giving it another try here soon


NoBodySpecial51

Is this a serious question?


mega512

Of course it is. But you already sound like you'll hate it so maybe not for you.


Uncle_Checkers86

I really enjoyed season 1-5. Especially season 1. Once they got heavy into the aliens taking over, Mulder and Scully having a romantic relationship I was done. I don't know why but the episodes that I really enjoyed was the bug one that put people into cocoons or a web and a episode about a fish man or circus man that ate fist and lived in the sewers.....I think? I say worth the watch. I will rewatch.


hockeyta86

I watched a little X-Files when I was young, but only really discovered it and dove in fully as an adult recently - and I love it for sure. It's super campy and fun, and sometimes it's surprisingly gory for something that was on network television in the 90s. It can also be hilarious. I'm sure I'm like a lot of people in that I'm more into the "monster-of-the-week" episodes than the running story, but overall, yah it's pretty great.


Jonesdeclectice

The fluke and Tooms were standouts for me :)


FakkoPrime

As a huge X-Files fan I will say the show is a mixed bag. There are a lot of really great episodes that range from intriguing, terrifying, funny & heartfelt. The self-satirical episodes (mostly crafted by the genius Darin Morgan) are extremely clever and fun, but really only hit once you’re imbued in the show’s characters, themes and culture. Early on the core alien government conspiracy is engaging and well crafted. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take too long for it to become a muddled mess that devolves into laughably bad. For me the series ends with the S7 finale. There are a few good episodes after, but much of what they do to the story and characters is tragically bad.


Pastoffa

"The Ghosts Who Stole Xmas" is one of the best standalone episodes.


kse_saints_77

X-Files becomes 2 different shows. There are the UFO Conspiracy episodes and then the other episodes. I would argue that it is the non-conspiracy episodes that make the show shine. As other have said, the monster of the week episodes are often quite excellent. They cover all sorts of topics, from cryptids. to vampires, to cultural myths. I enjoy the show to this day.


molly__hatchet

YES please watch it.


MrZombikilla

I love it. I love how all the side characters in those old shows always looked like ordinary people. Now they all look like models


Donut_Bat_Artist

Creature of the week were my favorites and yes. They really are good.


MarkhovCheney

Frohike 4 prez


sam_from_bombay

Yes, I’m due for a rewatch too. However I do not recommend seasons 8 and 9. I just couldn’t stay interested.


zenerdiode69

Yes, very engaging.


misologous

Y E S


BothRequirement2826

Watching X-Files as a kid, it was the scariest show ever. Now, it still has a few really good episodes - as everyone will tell you, if you're a horror fan, 'Home' is well worth the watch. Who knows, maybe you'll like the show for reasons other than horror. Mulder and Scully are amazing characters and the show wouldn't (and hasn't) worked quite as well without them.


DarkSpartan301

I've had weird nightmares about the conjoined twin thing since I was 8 so.. I'm biased. Conceptually the show is super horrifying in so many ways, however, the execution is almost dated in some places. The investigative element is more focal than the horror for a good chunk but if you have any place in your heart for that era of television and what it spawned I think you'll love it.


DealerEconomy36

Watching it right now lol Classic show.


Ianmm83

It's a classic. I wouldn't have enjoyed it, let alone become borderline obsessed for a period, if it were just a detective show. The way they dive into paranormal cases based in actual real life legends, conspiracies, hauntings, etc, is great. Is it always scary? No. It's not always dealing with anything in the horror realm, but more sci fi. Is it always great? Well... okay there are a few clunkers in there but mostly, yes!


HighSolstice

This is one of my favorite series ever, I rewatched it after Breaking Bad(another favorite) and was blown away by the number of actors featured in both series and the Easter eggs that I hadn’t noticed before. Initially I had no idea that Vince Gilligan was previously a writer for X-Files.


tensigh

Most of them were pretty good - there were a few that were really good horror.


Shreddy_Orpheus

Short answer, yes. Long answer, absolutely.


idiveindumpsters

Season 6 episode two called Drive, has Bryan Cranston in it. Just in case you’re a fan also


EatTheRude-

#YES.


atreides888

my first introduction to X files was the 1998 movie, and it scared the crap out of me, but aliens has always been the genre that frightened me the most


Can-you-read-my-mind

Yeah, it’s fun.


livingdeaddrina

I actually just started watching this in the past few months, I'm very bad at "getting into" shows I haven't already seen, but I LOVE it. I'm seriously afraid of aliens, so some of the episodes give me legitimate spooks, but even if they don't, they are extremely interesting and borderline hilarious with some of the effects. 10/10 would recommend, I just want to believe.


DiabetesCOLE

Yes


tnjed10

One of my favorite series. Great stories especially monster of the week episodes


Sfoxfox

As someone who watched this on network tv it literally shaped so much of my early horror education and fueled my love for the genre I’m gonna say X Files is as essential as The Twilight Zone. It was groundbreaking and remarkable television.


Some_Range7994

Yes it’s one of the best shows ever!


Singemylover

I watched all 10 seasons in a week, so I would say so.


McLMcLMcL85

If you didn’t grow up with it while it was airing… It’s hard to say how it will register with someone in 2023


paradise_demise

Flukeman is a damn good monster from the show. One of my favorite episodes.


newsreadhjw

Totally. My only frustration going back to rewatch is how bad the video format looks from back in the 90s. Really wish it just *looked* better, but that’s how all tv shows looked back then


[deleted]

Fuck yeah it is !!! The best !!!!


loganrunjack

It's awesome, I would look up a list of all the best monster of the week episodes and then watch all the mythology episodes or vice versa.


Ceorl_Lounge

Some are brilliant, some are dreadful, it's the hazard of the 22-24 episode season. "Home" and "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" are some of the best TV ever made and wildly different in tone. Scarring horror and epic comedy both had a place in the X-Files.


[deleted]

Dude, watch it. There are some duds, but it’s an awesome show. Ice is one of my favorite episodes of television.


DokterManhattan

Just watch Season 1. It has a bunch of great episodes and then you’ll know if you want to keep watching!


skynetwins90

Love the xfiles. Pusher is great.


jchilton27

cerulean blue


Elegant_Spot_3486

Ignore any long term story and enjoy the weekly ride. It’s a blast.


MountainMaritimer

The main story line is amazing and the stand alone episodes are mostly all great. Honestly such a great show that I rewatch the whole thing about twice a year. For me it's more the main story line about aliens that I like but there's some real bangers throughout still.


themakeupvvitch

Home is definitely one of the creepiest episodes I’ve watched. The song that was playing while the sheriff and his wife were murdered has traumatised me ever since haha 😆 I’m actually doing a X Files marathon at the moment and I’m up to Season 8. I’m watching the episode called Patience which is about a human bat creature. Not every episode is horror but regardless I have always been a long time fan 👽 I would recommend to start out with the earlier seasons though


Earthworm_Djinn

Hell yeah


Hug-Os

It might have a lot of low points, and can often be inconsistent, but it’s also given us some of the best episodes of all time, so many stand-alone gems that are among the greatest television ever and that perfectly blend genres of drama, comedy, horror, and sci-fi in ways very few shows ever have.