The Greatest Sci Fi/Fantasy TV Shows: Considering the case for the sci fi and fantasy television shows that should be counted among the greatest of all time.
What Is It?
This series follows FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as they investigate cases that appear to be linked to the paranormal. In the course of their investigations, they discover a worldwide conspiracy and must thwart the schemes of a cabal that has sinister plans for the human race.
Aired: FOX, 1996 to Present, 11 Season Totaling 218 Episodes
Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, Annabeth Gish, Mitch Pileggi
Created By: Chris Carter
Argument to Count It as One of the Greatest Sci Fi TV Shows:
This was an odd entry on the FOX schedule in 1993, delivering a rather cheesy show that was equal parts Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Project: UFO and it did not perform particularly well in the ratings in its first year. But it had a notable creepiness to it and critics seemed to like it and the network decided to give it a chance despite the low viewership (fans of Firefly certainly wish FOX had been as generous with that show a decade later). The X-Files experienced a notable improvement in its second season as it approached its material with a bit more confidence and really began to explore its potential. It delivered several excellent stand-alone episodes, but it was also developing an overall story arc (which was rare for television at that time) that kept viewers coming back each week. In addition, it really amped up the creepiness, quickly becoming the scariest show on television.
But the cast may have been the most important element to the show as they gave a human connection to the paranormal investigations presented each week. David Duchovny was perfect as the driven Fox Mulder carrying on a life-long crusade to prove the existence of extraterrestrials. And Gillian Anderson was spot on as the rational counterpoint, arguing the science against the fantastic. The two developed a notable chemistry, and both characters have since become iconic to the genre. In addition, the recurring actors were important to the show as well such as Mitch Pileggi as Director Skinner, William B. Davis as the Smoking Man and the Lone Gunmen, and more.
The X-Files did start to grow long in the tooth in its later seasons as FOX wanted to stretch it out once it became a Top 20 hit (Chris Carter’s original plan was to wrap up the show around the fifth or sixth season). And the two revival seasons from the 2010s proved rather unsatisfying. But when the show was at the top of its game (the second through sixth seasons) it delivered some excellent genre television and should be considered one of the greatest sci fi TV shows of all time. (You can read more about the show at this link.)
Argument Against:
While The X-Files has its moments, it does not stand the test of time. The first season is nearly unwatchable because it is so cheesy, and the second season was not much better. The show did manage to get in some good, creepy episodes, and it delivered some notable characters for genre television, but you have to wade through a lot of sub-par episodes to get to the highlights. And while it did produce some very good seasons once it finally hit its stride, and ran out of steam too quickly. The later seasons became all to convoluted while also retreading on ground the show had previously covered, and its ninth year stumbled to an end on a rather unsatisfying finale. Nor did the revival do much to provide answers to the many questions the show raised over the years, and those two seasons should probably just be ignored. So while The X-Files is a notable genre entry, its place among the best of sci fi and fantasy television is certainly debatable.
Johnny Jay’s Take:
It’s true that the first season of The X-Files is a pretty cheesy affair, but I can take cheesy as long as there is good story to go along with it. The strength of its stories along with the interesting characters is what this one delivered early on and it continued for several years, during the time that Chris Carter was closely involved. The X-Files has become iconic among genre television entries, and that is because it was a damn good show, charting an important path for sci fi TV on the broadcast networks in the ’90s. Genre entries were thriving in syndication at that time, but had little presence on the old school networks. The X-Files changed that once it become a Top 20 hit, leading to multiple copy-cat shows along with other sci fi and fantasy entries hitting the schedule. That resurgence of interest in genre programming was short-lived, but still helped bring back some sci fi TV to the broadcast networks. The influence of The X-Files is still felt today, and while it did carry on a few seasons too long (and whiffed on the revival), the show has earned its place among the all-time greats in the genre, and I would place it solidly in the Top 10.
Where Can you Watch It?
The entire series is available on DVD and Blu-ray, and you can also purchase it VOD. It is currently available for streaming on Hulu, and CometTV runs repeats throughout the week.
Do you consider The X-Files to be one of the greatest sci fi/fantasy TV shows of all time, or has it not stood the test of time? Chime in with your thoughts below.
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