10 Best Sci-Fi Shows Like The X-Files If You Miss Mulder & Scully
Here are projects that had an impact on The X-Files and those that were inspired by it.
One of the biggest TV series hits of the ‘90s is a legendary kaleidoscope of mystical plots numbering more than 200 episodes. Showrunner Chris Carter hit the nail on the head, creating a project that fit the era of distrust of government, conspiracy theories, and a resurgent belief in the paranormal.
Of course, the best episodes of The X-Files are so re-watchable that you never get tired of them, but there's nothing wrong with changing things up. Mulder and Scully are opposites attracted to each other, and echoes of this show can be found in many other TV dramas.
1. The Twilight Zone, 1959-1964
The Twilight Zone is a collection of short stories, a series of paradoxical science fiction and mystical tales that are connected only by two things.
First, the general depressing mood of absurdity and suspicion. Second, the creator – the author of the idea and the main writer of The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, was also the host of the show, commenting on the stories.
The Twilight Zone was the favorite show of The X-Files creator Chris Carter and thousands of other viewers who grew up in the 1960s and 70s.
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2. The Avengers, 1961-1969
This English show has nothing to do with Marvel – it has much more in common with the James Bond movies. The Avengers is similar to The X-Files with its opposite-sex duo of detectives. Secret agent John Steed is often accompanied by charming assistants, with whom he has an exclusively platonic relationship.
This is exactly the kind of relationship Carter wanted for Mulder and Scully – and used The Avengers as an argument to the studio bosses to prove that there was no need for romance between the main characters.
3. Kolchak: The Night Stalker, 1974-1975
A now completely forgotten show to which The X-Files owes a lot. This is the story of Chicago newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak, who investigates mysterious crimes, including paranormal ones, and is persecuted by the authorities.
It was the image of Kolchak that gave Chris Carter the idea that an anthology with the same main characters would be better than just an anthology. Kolchak also became one of the obvious prototypes for Fox Mulder.
4. Fringe, 2008-2013
The X-Files fan J. J. Abrams created a sci-fi about the nature of evil. Skeptical FBI agent Olivia Dunham joins the investigation of a series of mysterious incidents. Together with a scientist who has spent the last 10 years behind bars, and his son, Olivia will begin to immerse herself in the world "beyond."
The plot of the series does not stray far from the sad events of world history, so conspiracy theories go hand in hand with pseudoscience about the supernatural.
5. Haven, 2010-2015
Haven, like The X-Files, is inspired by Twin Peaks and is another reimagining of the David Lynch classic in the spirit of Stephen King 's books.
The plot centers on FBI agent Audrey, who arrives in a small town with the peaceful name of Haven to capture a fugitive criminal. It turns out that many of the town's residents have superpowers that they cannot control.
She teams up with the local sheriff and a petty criminal to deal with the consequences of these powers and uncover the mystery of their origin.
6. The Lost Room, 2006
This series is a mix of Stephen King, Terry Pratchett and a TV procedural. Pittsburgh detective Joe receives a strange key while investigating a case. It turns out that it opens the Lost Room – a mystical space that was once an unremarkable room in an abandoned hotel, but has been transformed into a supernatural entity.
It turns out that fanatics are hunting for the key and other powerful artifacts from the room called Objects. As a result of an attack by one of these hunters, Joe's daughter Anna ends up in the Room. To save her, Joe must collect all the Objects.
7. Black Lake, 2016-2018
Black Lake is perhaps the most representative in the series of Scandinavian mystical TV shows, and a perfect choice to get acquainted with these freezing projects – the plot captivates from the first minutes, and the typical cold-snowy atmosphere is, of course, present.
The story centers on a group of young people who have arrived at an old hotel located far in the mountains. Once upon a time a ski resort was supposed to open here, but a series of mysterious deaths made this place cursed.
A little bit of The Shining, a dash of The X-Files and a generous portion of Scandinavian on-screen cruelty will keep you guessing until the very end.
8. Channel Zero, 2016-2018
The horror anthology Channel Zero may not have become as popular as The X-Files, but if you are a fan of the genre, take a step back and pay attention to a project that was undeservedly overlooked by a wide audience.
First of all, this is a show with its own atmosphere that is actually scary. Second, the series is based on interesting urban legends: the first season is about a mysterious children's TV show that is somehow connected to the disappearance of children, and the second season is about a house of horrors that consists of an endless series of crazy rooms that will change you forever if you visit it.
9. The Leftovers, 2014-2017
Even the cases that are resolved on The X-Files are rarely explained, therefore there aren't many answers. The Leftovers elevates the absence of direct solutions to a whole new level. The HBO drama takes place during the abrupt disappearance of 2% of the global population.
The first season of The Leftovers was gloomy and turned off some fans, but it has since developed into a surreal drama. It's a show about accepting the unexplainable, much like The X-Files, and both shows reach the same conclusion: finding someone else who can relate to you is the only solution.
10. Evil, 2019-...
Evil is like The X-Files, except with exorcism thrown in. The show started with the standard "skeptic versus believer" setup. Tech specialist Ben, trainee priest David, and psychologist Kristen collaborate to look into allegations of demonic possession.
The investigators reach a dead end, the press writes about "miracles" and "horrors," but Kristen doesn't really believe in any of it and continues to look for a rational explanation or psychological context for it all.