I know I have mentioned it in past articles but I LOVE The X-Files. My dad got me hooked to aliens by playing XCOM UFO Defense and my curiosity has only increased (see People of Earth). As soon as I saw even the very first episode of The X-Files, I was in love, and not just with Agent Mulder.

This show had everything: aliens, conspiracies, supernatural creatures, ghosts, serial killers and comedy. I think every actor popular today had a cameo on that show. When I heard they were coming back with a six-episode season 10, I became a kid on Christmas. It was everything we hoped and it ended on an insane cliffhanger.

There are rumors floating everywhere of an 11^th season and I am crossing my fingers so hard, they may very well snap off. You can imagine how difficult it is to type this with my fingers like that. I WANT TO BELIEVE! So, in the spirit of hope and celebration of the premier of season 10 on this day last year, I’ve gathered some of my fellow X-Philes to present some of our favorite go-to episodes from all 10 seasons.

The Host S02E02

One of the most memorable episodes, to me, is “The Host”. You may not remember the name, but I’ll bet you remember the Flukeman. That creature design was… something else. Pair that slimy terror with an open-ended conclusion and my 7-year-old self was scared shitless. The Flukeman haunted my dreams and made every trip to the washroom absolutely terrifying. So, basically, I love it. –Kelly McNeely

Blood S02E03

Some of the best X-Files episodes are the ones that don’t have a clear conclusion. Be it supernatural or government conspiracy, there’s a special kind of fear to seeing Mulder and Scully being so powerless in the face of one of their cases. Such as this one in Franklin, Pennsylvania where ordinary citizens are suddenly going berserk and engaging in killing sprees.

As Mulder digs deeper, he discovers a link between a new pesticide and electronics that seems to play on people’s fears until they’re pushed to the breaking point. All while following one nebbish postal worker named Edward Funsch (played by William Sanderson of BLADE RUNNER) who repeatedly resists the push by the strange electronic force trying to get his to kill.

An unsettling episode about government experimentation (citing DDT use being hailed as harmless in the 50’s) and people going “postal” which is sadly as relevant as ever.  –Jacob Davison

Paper Clip S03E02
I have always been partial to the conspiracy episodes, and “Paper Clip” may have been the mother lode. Beyond powerful men meeting in darkened rooms while Mulder and Scully pour over hordes of secret medical files in a West Virginia mountain, nothing was more delicious than the showdowns between The Smoking Man (William B. Davis) and Skinner (Mitch Pileggi).

Davis’ calm, threatening arrogance mixed with Pileggi’s seething disdain created an intensity that lept off the screen. “This is where you pucker up and kiss my ass.” To call it pure magic would not be inaccurate. – Landon Evanson

Check out Landon’s article on an interview with The Smoking Man.

https://youtu.be/7OZwMHSQ6wY

Home S04E02

For The X-Files, my favorite episode is “Home”. As the first episode to receive a viewer discretion warning for graphic content, it’s pretty shocking. It’s brutally violent with horrific content, but on a lighter note, there are some really lovely Mulder and Scully moments! –Kelly McNeely

Bad Blood S05E12

My favorite is a “monster of the week” episode, but not for the monster. This episode captures everything we love about Mulder and Scully’s dynamic as polar opposites. Seeing how they view each other through their own lens is hilarious as they each tell their own recollections of the same situation. Not to mention a drugged Mulder makes a very memorable Shaft reference! –Piper Minear

X-Cops S07E12

One of my absolute favorites is “X-Cops”, a delightful “monster of the week” episode. Mulder and Scully get caught up in an episode of Cops after a cop being filmed gets a call about a giant animal running loose. Obviously, when Mulder and Scully are on the case, it’s not your run of the mill dog, cat, or grizzly bear running around.

Besides how different from other episodes it is, this one is great because it’s just so damn funny. There’s a scene involving a 911 call from a couple who’s seen a possible attack and as our favorite agents are leaving the house, a laugh escapes Mulder that you can FEEL is real. When you know the actors had fun recording an episode, it really shows. Amid the story lines of conspiracy, aliens and illness, this one is lighthearted and entertaining. –D.D. Crowley

Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster S10E03

This episode is from the all-too-short release of episodes last year. It includes some of my favorite people along side Mulder and Scully: Kumail Nanjiani (superfan of the show, The X-Files Files) and Rhys Darby (What We Do in the Shadows). After finding a body, the dynamic duo is looking for the strange creature attributed for the crime.

However, things are not what they seem. It’s a vague description, but trust me, you don’t want this spoiled. It has a great twist ending and is THE funniest episode I have ever seen of this show. Even though its placement is odd in the theme of season ten, it was a wonderful little break in the drama. –D.D. Crowley

Now go, binge and find the episodes that speak to you. Seasons 1-9 of The X-Files are available on Netflix right now. Afterward, you too will know that “the truth is out there.”

Featured image courtesy of screenrant.com