36 best science fiction TV series, ranked worst to first

Image: Fox

5. The X-Files

Easily, one of the most popular science fiction TV series of all-time is The X-Files. Premiering in 1003, the Chris Carter created series took two FBI agents — one who believed in the supernatural and one who did not — and teamed them up to deal with threats considered paranormal in threat.

The series was successful thanks to the two partners that led the series for most of its existence — David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. With Fox experiencing an alien abduction of his sister as a child, he knows something else is out there while Scully only believes what she can see with her own eyes.

The X-Files often took the look of two different shows. The first was the Monster of the Week episodes, which saw Scully and Mulder investigate a case and end up having to stop a monster or other supernatural beings.

The other — and the theme that would soon dominate the series — involved aliens and their existence as well as the intent of people in charge to cover up the fact that they have been to Earth.

The X-Files finally met its demise when Duchovny left the show and Robert Patrick took his place as John Doggett while Annabeth Gish (Monica Reyes) showed up as another key new cast member.  The show ended after two more seasons.

However, The X-Files was too popular to hold down. There were two movies that came, one a Monster of the Week variety and the other a movie steeped in the alien mythology.

That was isn’t either. In 2016, 14 years after the original season finale, The X-Files was back with the original cast for a 10th season and in 2018, the 11th season aired. Overall, there were 11 seasons and 218 episodes, with two movies.