The X-Files (1993)
0.5083Canon Score · ranked #17 all time
Aggregated from 9 of 13 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the show
The exploits of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigate X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder's discoveries that debunk Mulder's work and thus return him to mainstream cases.
Why it ranks #17
Every list on which The X-Files appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| THR Hollywood's 100 Favorite (2015) | Critics' canon | #3 / 100 |
| TV Guide 60 Best Series (2013) | Critics' canon | #25 / 60 |
| Empire 100 Greatest (2025) | Editorial list | #25 / 100 |
| WGA 101 Best Written Series (2013) | Critics' canon | #26 / 101 |
| Rolling Stone 100 Greatest (2016) | Editorial list | #28 / 100 |
| Variety 100 Greatest TV Shows (2023) | Critics' canon | #38 / 100 |
| Rolling Stone 100 Greatest (2022) | Critics' canon | #51 / 100 |
| IMDb Top 250 TV (2026-07 snapshot) | Editorial list | #140 / 250 |
| 1001 TV Shows You Must Watch (2016) | Critics' canon | Selected |