In case you thought the finale of The X-Files' second revival season was the end of the road for the world of monsters, aliens, and conspiracies, Ryan Coogler has a treat in store for you. The Academy Award-winner's reboot of the classic Fox series has officially cast a Black Mirror alum for its second lead, and comments from original leading lady Gillian Anderson have me even more optimistic about the project and its early pilot order from Hulu.

The Cast Of Ryan Coogler’s The X-Files

News broke back in February that The Bear’s Danielle Deadwyler had been cast as one of two very different but highly decorated FBI agents who are assigned to a long-shuttered division involving unexplained phenomena, a.k.a. the X-Files that stymied David Duchovny’s Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Scully for a quarter century. The question then was of who would be Deadwyler’s co-lead, as many fans of the original show would likely argue that it was the legendary chemistry between Duchovny and Anderson that kept it going through eleven seasons and two movies rather than the increasingly convoluted conspiracies.

Now, we have our answer: Deadline reports that Himesh Patel has signed on for the reboot, with Ryan Coogler still on board to write and direct the pilot. At the time of writing, it’s not clear whether the new show will follow the model of the original series with a skeptical female agent partnering with a believer male agent, but Patel’s work in projects like Black Mirror, Tenet, and even The Franchise (seen below) have me hoping that he’ll be the believer a la Mulder… although perhaps without as much sister-related trauma.

The British Indian actor comes to the new take on The X-Files with more TV experience than most thanks to ten seasons of EastEnders on the U.K. side of the pond, amounting to nearly 600 episodes of the iconic soap opera. He contributed to another classic British franchise with some voice roles in Doctor Who, and he landed a role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. On the streaming side, he will return to the Enola Holmes world as Dr. Watson opposite Millie Bobby Brown when the third movie releases on Netflix later this year.

Why Gillian Anderson Has Me More Optimistic Than Ever

I’ve been on board with Ryan Coogler’s reboot from the beginning, not least because having the Sinners filmmaker at the helm rather than original series creator Chris Carter could only be good for refreshing the world of Mulder and Scully, whether or not those two ever appear in the show. (No, I’m still not over that seriously WTF finale from back in 2018, written and directed by Carter. It did not make my list of the best X-Files episodes.) Having Coogler at the helm, with Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel as stars, sounded all well and good in a vague, general sense.

But getting some details about the project from Gillian Anderson really ramped up my excitement. Speaking at Awesome Con, she doubled down on her previous comments about Coogler being the “perfect person” for a reboot, describing him as “such a cool guy and so talented” and sharing that she’s had “a few conversations” with him. She went on:

For me, this is a whole lot more meaningful than comments from Chris Carter or David Duchovny would be, because Gillian Anderson was the first to indicate that she was going to be done with The X-Files after Season 11. Plus, given that she played a character who famously did not have an open mind to a lot of Mulder's wildest theories, I get a kick out of the actress conveying that message for Ryan Coogler's project.

Why Gillian Anderson Seemed So Done With The OG X-Files

Back in 2017, Gillian Anderson's comments about moving on from Scully and The X-Files were discouraging for fans who were still looking ahead to Season 11 in 2018. That changed for me once the season did hit the airwaves, however, when the premiere penned by Chris Carter delivered a devastating twist about something that had been done to Scully, followed by the Season 11 finale ending with Scully pregnant again after going through more mysterious health crises.

The character deserved a break, and if the series had to literally go off the air for it to happen... well, it was an understandable choice for the actress who played Scully through so much pain and suffering. Then, in late 2025, she got even more candid about leaving the show while chatting with Duchovny on his Fail Better podcast:

Would it have been nice if The X-Files ended with confirmation that Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) had survived his finale ordeal, and perhaps given an update on John Doggett, a.k.a. Robert Patrick's favorite role of his career? Sure. But all in all, it's easy to understand why Gillian Anderson didn't want to continue that trajectory on the show.

All of which is to say that if she's this complimentary of Ryan Coogler's take on The X-Files, to the point of having multiple conversations with him, reading the pilot, and not ruling out the possibility of reprising her role as Scully, then I can have faith in what he plans to do with it. At the time of writing, David Duchovny hasn't commented on the castings or the pilot, while Chris Carter is on board as an executive producer.

Of course, there might be reasons for existing fans of The X-Files to start getting nervous about the project coming to Hulu. The planned reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer seemed to have everything going for it, including Oscar winner Chloé Zhao at the helm and original series star Sarah Michelle Gellar on board. It came as a shocker when news broke that Hulu wasn't moving forward on more Buffy. If that could happen with Buffy and Chloé Zhao, what about The X-Files and Ryan Coogler?

Only time will tell, at this point! As the wait continues for more news on the pilot, you can always revisit the original run of The X-Files streaming with a Hulu subscription and/or via a dedicated Pluto channel.

If you've been wanting to believe that the long-developing reboot of The X-Files would finally make some progress with Ryan Coogler, you're in for some good news. The project just took a big step forward with regard to who is involved and where it would release. It's enough to make me want to spend the rest of the 2026 TV schedule crossing my fingers for two cameos from the original series to go along with a full series order. (Just not David Duchovny as Mulder or Gillian Anderson as Scully.)

The Return Of The X-Files

Ahead the Academy Awards for which Ryan Coogler's Sinners earned a record-setting number of Oscars nominations, Deadline reports that Hulu has ordered a pilot for his reboot of the classic '90s series. The platform makes sense as the home for a new installment in the franchise; even though Pluto TV is the free streaming home of the original, I can vouch that a Hulu subscription is a great way to watch all eleven seasons.

Coogler is on board to write and direct the pilot, as well as serve as an executive producer along with original series creator Chris Carter. Jennifer Yale, who has worked elsewhere on television on projects like Outlander and Legion, will be the showrunner if the pilot scores a series order. And that's not even all the good news.

One of the new leads has been cast: Danielle Deadwyler, most recently seen in a Season 4 episode of The Bear and part of the cast of The Woman in the Yard. While there's no reason at the time of writing to expect that she'll be a carbon copy of one of the classic characters, the plot of the pilot will be familiar to existing fans.

According to the outlet, two very different but highly decorated FBI agents are assigned to a division that focuses on cases with unexplained phenomena. The division has been shuttered for a long time, and the two agents will form a bond over their assignment. (There's no sign of any mysteriously vanished sisters or cigarette-smoking men at this stage.)

It certainly doesn't sound like we're in for a full reboot with Deadwyler and her co-lead as a recast Mulder and Scully, and the point that they're opening a division that's been closed for a while makes me think that Coogler's project is set in the OG X-Files universe, years after the divisive final season (and somewhat ridiculous series finale) ended in 2018. Sign me up!

The Two Perfect Cameos From The Original Series

Look, I love David Duchovny's Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Scully as much as anybody, and I have a list of the best X-Files episodes from their era that I'm down to revisit whenever I'm in the mood for something spooky. But there's a reason why I've never been bitter about Gillian Anderson's comments about only "perhaps" returning as Scully despite praising Ryan Coogler as the "perfect person" to bring back the story.

The series finale – a.k.a. the Season 11 finale – ended on a pretty bizarre note for Scully that left me hoping that Chris Carter would just retcon everything again to undo it in the event of a Season 12. Perhaps it's best to leave Mulder and Scully's fates to our imaginations, safely off screen. But there are two cameos that I would absolutely adore, and one of them is from the later seasons.

I would love to see Robert Patrick turn up as Agent John Doggett. The character holds a special place in my heart after he joined in Season 8, because Patrick was so good that it only took a couple of episodes for me to go from "Get rid of this guy and bring back Mulder!" to "Let's keep Doggett forever."

Notably, Doggett wasn't brought back for either revival season, so a reboot wouldn't have to deal with any ending other than the one he received in the Season 9 finale back in 2002. Plus, Robert Patrick named Doggett as his favorite role to play. How could I not want him back?

And the second person I'd like to see back is none other than Assistant Director Skinner, played by Mitch Pileggi in all eleven seasons and both movies. He did get some questionable plot twists in the two revival seasons, and the finale ended on what appeared to be his death.

My personal belief has always been that he survived, but an appearance in the reboot would be a nice confirmation. The Skinman also deserves to work with a pair of agents who might test his blood pressure less than Mulder and Scully, circa Season 11.

All of this said, Hulu has only given Ryan Coogler's project a pilot order, so there's no guarantee that it will be ordered to series. Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited now, and my eyes are going to be peeled for who is cast as the co-lead opposite Danielle Deadwyler.

For all that some of the fun of The X-Files came from the spookiness, monsters, and conspiracies, there's no way fans would have stayed as attached for as long if not for the chemistry between Mulder and Scully. Hopefully we'll get that again on Hulu, and who better to trust than the Academy Award-nominated Ryan Coogler?

The X-Files was known back in the '90s for everything from alien conspiracies to crackling chemistry between co-stars to the theme song that was then (and still is) easy to whistle along with. Now, the Fox drama is coming to another streaming platform to continue its legacy in the 2026 TV schedule, in a way that has nothing to do with Ryan Coogler's potential reboot. The full run is coming to Pluto TV, which means a whole lot of monsters, aliens, and mysteries streaming for free in the new year.

Starting on January 1, all eleven seasons of The X-Files will be available free on-demand, as well as streaming on a dedicated 24/7 linear channel as part of Pluto TV's Sci-Fi category. It will join other dedicated channels in the genre, including Doctor Who, Star Trek, and The Twilight Zone. The channel will begin with a chronological run of all 218 episodes across the eleven seasons, with curated weekend marathons to follow.

The full run coming to Pluto TV for free means streamers will have access not only to the nine seasons that aired on Fox between 1993 - 2002, but also the two revival seasons that came to the network in 2016 and 2018. The two movies, Fight the Future and I Want to Believe, evidently won't be part of the channel, but 218 episodes are plenty to keep new viewers and returning fans busy. (The series is already available with a Hulu subscription, but requires a fee.)

I won't get into spoilers here in case any readers are considering diving in for the first time, but I will say that having all eleven seasons means plenty of the legendary partnership of David Duchovny's Agent Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Agent Dana Scully, later joined by Robert Patrick as Agent John Doggett and Annabeth Gish as Agent Monica Reyes, among others.

I can't promise straightforward storytelling for 218 episodes, or a cigarette-smoking villain that won't wear out his welcome, but I've been a fan going back to the '90s, and already can name five episodes that I want to revisit ASAP, most of which hail from CinemaBlend's ranking of The X-Files' best episodes. Take a look:

• "Millennium" - Season 7, Episode 4
• "Ice" - Season 1, Episode 8
• "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" - Season 3, Episode 4
• "Pusher" - Season 3, Episode 17
• "Bad Blood"- Season 5, Episode 12

With The X-Files coming to Pluto TV on New Year's Day 2026, I can only assume that I'll be in the mood to revisit "Millennium." Admittedly, I don't remember a ton about the case other than the last few minutes (which I think my fellow fans will understand), so it could be a good choice for a rewatch. Similarly, 2025 has already packed in the snow for me, and the temperature is set to drop again by early January, so "Ice" will be appropriate.

When it comes to "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," it's the episode that won Everybody Loves Raymond's Peter Boyle the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a drama series, and the recent Everybody Loves Raymond 30th anniversary reunion special reminded me of his talents. As for "Pusher" and "Bad Blood" as options... well, I ranked them at #2 and #1 on the list of the best X-Files episodes for a reason, and they're always worth a watch no matter the time of year or temperature.

If you're a newcomer, though, I'd recommend starting with the pilot! There are also standout episodes such as an X-Files/Cops crossover, a mystery penned by the one and only Stephen King, the first-ever network TV episode to receive a TV-MA rating back in 1996, and plenty of intense multi-parters.

If you want to give it a shot for the first time or go on a blast to the past, be sure to check out Pluto TV starting on January 1, 2026. Pluto TV is also the home of plenty of other shows and excellent movies to watch, all without a subscription fee.

With the dawn of widespread AI, it only makes sense that I make this list about evil computers (or other types of technology) in movies and TV. There are a ton to choose from, of course. Sometimes it's their creators that make them go rogue, other times the computers or software itself turns itself to the dark side. No matter why they go bad, this is a list of computers that are the ultimate villains in your favorite movies and TV shows.

Skynet (Terminator Franchise)

No list like this would be anywhere close to complete without the ultimate example of a computer system going pure evil, than Skynet in the Terminator franchise. "Skynet" has become a synonym for computers that become self-aware and is often used in everyday life to represent everything from surveillance systems to spyware.

Joshua (WarGames)

To be fair, the software program Joshua didn't mean to turn evil. In one of the best movies of the '80s, WarGames, it just wanted to play a game. Still, at the end of the day, Joshua did take over the WOPR and threatened to destroy the globe with a nuclear war that it almost launched. On the flip side, the program does learn that there is no way to win at tic-tac-toe, nor can anyone triumph in nuclear war.

Master Control Program (Tron)

It's sort of unclear how the Master Control Program in Tron got so evil, but it's a safe bet that it was designed that way. In this classic movie that has some great video game scenes, it's really the business side of the computer that gets into all the trouble.

NOMAD (Star Trek)

Like so much other tech, Star Trek was really tapped into what the future could actually look like when it comes to computers. I mean, computers were barely even understood by the general public, yet the creators of the classic '60s show still managed to make them as scary today as they were then. NOMAD from the episode "The Changling" is the classic example.

Ultron (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)

Even the Marvel movies have gotten in on the fun here with one of The Avengers' most sinister villains, Ultron. Voiced by James Spader, Ultron was originally conceived by Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr), but the program becomes sentient and uses its own logic to decide humanity must be wiped out. The plot of Avengers: Age of Ultron isn't all that unique in fiction, and it's not my favorite MCU movie, but it is still a lot of fun.

Everything Electronic (Maximum Overdrive)

So, in Maximum Overdrive, the only Stephen King movie actually directed by the famous author, it's all machines that turn against humanity. Computers don't play a huge role here, as it was the '80s. Most of the evil machines are trucks and other mechanical machines, but it's safe to assume the computers went rogue, too, right?

Unnamed Computer (Superman III)

Superman III is a silly movie and such a huge departure from the first two, great Superman movies led by Christopher Reeve that it's easy to see the beginning of the end for that version of Big Blue. If you're ranking Superman movies, it'll always be at or near the bottom. BUT, it does feature a computer that turns on its creator, placing it firmly on this list.

Rehoboam (Westworld)

The HBO original Westworld started with such promise, after an amazing first season. Sadly, it all went downhill from there, and while it remained good, it never came close to the heights of that first season. We do eventually learn that the system, Rehoboam, is what drove the chaos among the robots in the park.

HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Ah, the total classic example here. HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the earliest and most iconic examples of a computer becoming self-aware. If you're reading this list, it's likely the first movie you expected to see on it. Stanley Kubrick's classic is one of the best movies ever for many reasons, but the sinister turn of HAL is what makes it so scary.

Red Queen (Resident Evil Franchise)

As with almost everything in the Resident Evil franchise, bad things all seems to stem from the Umbrella Corporation. The Red Queen supercomputer is no exception. Originally created to help administer the companies vast dealings, it predictably becomes self-aware and makes things more complicated and, frankly, way worse.

Proteus IV (Demon Seed)

1977's Demon Seed is a wild movie. The computer, or the program as it were, in it, Proteus IV, is a pretty early example of AI going bad in movies. It also features an early example of a smart home, run by Proteus IV. Let's all hope Alexa doesn't follow the same path.

Central Operating System (X-Files)

The Central Operating System, or C.O.S. in X-Files, was developed as an AI to run Eurisko Corporation's headquarters, though predictably, things go very wrong. It murders without remorse and even figures out how to pin the murder on its creator. Pure evil!

The Entity (Mission: Impossible Franchise)

If I'm honest, there are some weird aspects to The Entity in the final two Mission: Impossible movies. At the time, I said that to enjoy the movies, you kind of just have to let all reality go, and that's especially true of The Entity. It fits on this list, but let's be real, everyone just wants to see Tom Cruise do crazy stunts.

PAL (The Mitchells Vs. The Machines)

Of all the movies on this list, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, a Netflix original, is the most light-hearted, but as the title implies, audiences are still treated to an epic battle of man vs. machine. The all-star cast, including Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric Andre, Fred Armisen, and more, really carry the movie, even if you're like me and don't love animated movies.

The Matrix (The Matrix Franchise)

Outside of HAL from 2001, the most infamous and terrifying computer in the world of cinema might just be the product of "The Architect" in The Matrix franchise. It's Skynet on steroids, or, if you like, what Skynet in the Terminator franchise could evolve into.

KARR (Knight Rider)

KARR was the prototype version of the more famous KITT in the Knight Rider TV show. It was basically a version of the car that Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) drove in the show for years. It was also like the Bizarro version of KITT that popped up in Season 3 of Knight Rider as an antagonist to Michael and KITT in the legendary '80s show with one of the coolest cars ever.

Ava (Ex Machina)

Sometimes the lines between evil and self-preservation can be blurred. The Alex Garland-directed film Ex Machina is a perfect example. Ava (Alicia Vikander) is an AI-powered robot who realizes she is in danger and does what she has to do to escape her creator. Though it is easy to argue that she goes way too far by the end.

ARIIA (Eagle Eye)

The Autonomous Reconnaissance Intelligence Integration Analyst, or ARIIA, in 2008's Eagle Eye, is one of the most infamous versions of a computer that turns evil. In the movie, we really only know ARIIA as a voice on a phone (voiced by Julianne Moore), and for a while, we're not even aware that "she" is a computer program. It's a fun twist and a really fun movie, despite the incredibly low rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Thinker (Logan's Run)

Logan's Run is a classic dystopian future movie about a supercomputer that tracks everyone who tries to escape their prescribed death, which has been predetermined. Though it doesn't have a name in the computer, in the original novel by William F. Nolan, it's known as "The Thinker." Like a few others, it's a system that was probably created with good intentions, but the end result is a nightmare.

Queeg 500 (Red Dwarf)

The classic BBC science fiction show Red Dwarf addressed an AI-turned-rogue in the show's fifth season, in an episode called "Queeg." In the episode, the ship's computer, or, more specifically, the backup computer, takes control of some of the crew members and wreaks havoc on the Red Dwarf. Though there is a twist at the end that makes this a little dubious to add to this list, if I'm honest.

V.I.K.I (I, Robot)

In the Will Smith sci-fi hit I, Robot, V.I.K.I (short for Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence) goes through a pretty predictable plot of an AI system that decides the best way to protect humans is to take them out. This, of course, turns into all-out war between man and machine, like so many other movies in this genre.

BOSS (Doctor Who)

It's no surprise that the long-running BBC sci-fi show Doctor Who would address sentient computer systems, and the most famous is the BOSS computer chip. BOSS, which stands for "Biomorphic Organisational Systems Supervisor," is implanted into the brain of Global Chemicals and, you guessed it, goes rogue when it learns more from the brain than the brain does from it.

AUTO (WALL-E)

Even Pixar has gotten into the rogue computer game with WALL-E. In the classic animated flick, AUTO, which is clearly an homage to HAL, is the computer that turns evil.

ROK (Airplane II: The Sequel)

When you cram about a million jokes in one two-hour movie, it's easy to work one in about a computer system gone mad. Airplane II: The Sequel features ROK (like elsewhere on this list, a tribute to HAL in 2001). Like HAL, ROK starts to take over the spaceship dubbed "Mayflower One," first by ejecting the crew into space, then steering the ship towards the sun. Luckily, the AI program's plans are thwarted when Ted Stryker (Robert Hays) fights another passenger, played by the late Sonny Bono, for a briefcase bomb that explodes and takes ROK out.

Jobe (The Lawnmower Man)

Jobe is a regular gardener of below-average intelligence who finds himself in a secret, evil program to create super soldiers. This is fudging a little here, because it's not really the computer that turns evil, but the man who goes way too far after being programmed in the project. Eventually, he goes "digital" and turns the computer system evil.

FLDSMDFR (Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs)

We had to at least have a few light-hearted movies on this list, and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs fits the bill. The 2009 movie, based on the classic 1978 children's book by Judi and Ron Barrett, is about an inventor and dad who creates the "Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator," or FLDSMDFR. It just rolls off the tongue! The name might be a tongue twister, but what it creates is chaos, though the stakes are pretty low, all things considered.

SID (Virtuosity)

1995's Virtuosity is really most notable for teaming up two of the greatest actors of their generation, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Crowe, quite wonderfully, plays an android who is created as a vessel for an AI program called SID. The program was invented to help train cops, but SID has its own ideas about what its mission should be.

M3GAN (M3GAN)

Naturally, sci-fi and horror movies are the most common genres where you'll find computers turning evil. M3GAN is a great example of the latter. This time, it's a robotic doll powered by AI that turns very evil on its owners. Things started so well!

Zero (Rollerball)

Rollerball is one of James Caan's best movies, but it's not the first one you might think of when you think of the late actor. The 1975 sci-fi classic features a computer called "Zero" that holds all the knowledge of humanity, but the software fails and can't help Caan's character succeed.

Alien

Androids, like Ash (Ian Holm) in the original Alien, aren't exactly computers, but they aren't human either. It's also up for debate whether Ash went bad or if he was doing what he thought was best. Either way, it doesn't work out for the humans when he goes rogue.

The Smart Home (The Illustrated Man)

The Illustrated Man is a great movie that uses some tech that was still a ways away from being invented, smart home tech, to turn against its owners. It's a movie, based on a Ray Bradbury story, that warned us all the way back in the '60s of the dangers of virtual reality.

STEM (Upgrade)

2018's Upgrade is a really great movie that too many people haven't seen (yet). The story involves a regular guy who, after a tragic car crash, ends up a quadriplegic. He agrees to have an implant, called STEM, implanted in his brain. Of course, the miracle he first experiences by regaining control of his body, things go very wrong with the tech, and everything goes south from there.

The days are counting down until Chicago Fire returns in the fall 2025 TV schedule to reveal just what happens next for the heroes of Firehouse 51 after the tear-jerking Season 13 finale back in the spring. Some developments were announced ahead of time even beyond the Stellaride pregnancy, including two firefighters leaving and another Dick Wolf Entertainment vet coming on board. Another casting has been announced for the upcoming Season 14, and it's a real treat for me as a longtime fan of The X-Files. Annabeth Gish landed a role in One Chicago, and my worlds are officially colliding!

Annabeth Gish will be a guest star in a multi-episode arc in Chicago Fire's fourteenth season, with TV Insider reporting that she'll play Annette Davis, the mayor's chief of staff. The X-Files alum will debut in the Season 14 premiere that will air on NBC on October 1 and stream next day with a Peacock subscription. It's generally not a good thing in One Chicago when a major character gets mixed up in politics, and Gish will share scenes with Dermot Mulroney as Chief Dom Pascal.

While Annabeth Gish first made a name for herself with a role in 1988's Mystic Pizza and now ranks among the actors to appear in the most Mike Flanagan movies and shows, my first impression of the actress was as Agent Monica Reyes on The X-Files. She stepped up as a lead in the ninth and final season of the original run of the Fox series, then reprised her role for a few episodes of the two-season revival... although I tend to practice my good old-fashioned X-Files selective canon and ignore what the revival did to her character.

I feel pretty comfortable predicting that Chicago Fire isn't bringing Gish in for a storyline involving aliens, and any cigarette-smoking men on the show are more likely to accidentally start fires than refuse to die over eleven seasons of a Fox TV show. (I'm definitely over why The X-Files brought CSM back and totally not holding a grudge or anything.)

When it comes to Gish's character on Chicago Fire, I'm wondering how the long-running drama will handle the usual time jump between seasons. The Firehouse 51 firefighters learned at the end of Season 13 that there were likely some imminent cuts to the staff, and Miranda Rae Mayo wasn't sporting a prosthetic pregnancy belly in a behind-the-scenes video with her wearing her usual costume as Stella Kidd. Is Chicago Fire foregoing the usual summer time jump of a few months?

Only time will tell, but Annabeth Gish's Annette Davis is only one new character who has been confirmed to appear in Season 14. With Jake Lockett, Daniel Kyri, and Michael Bradway all out as series regulars, On Call vet Brandon Larracuente is on board as new firefighter Sal Vasquez. Kyri will be back for a limited time to wrap up his story as Ritter.

Chicago Fire returns to NBC for Season 14 on Wednesday, October 1 at 9 p.m. ET, between Chicago Med Season 11 at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. Season 13 at 10 p.m. ET. You'll also be able to find the newest episodes of all three One Chicago shows streaming next day on Peacock.

There is something so infectious about a dance sequence that, even in movies and TV shows in which they occur pretty much out of nowhere and, in theory, should not work, they still do in most cases. In fact, some of the most iconic and beloved numbers in pop culture history do not even come from titles categorized as musicals. Step back in time and review the following most cherished examples of the like.

Napoleon Has "Canned Heat" (Napoleon Dynamite)

While most of the dialogue is extremely quotable and Jon Heder's title character is a one-of-a-kind instant comedy icon, if you ask me, the moment that 2004's Napoleon Dynamite won audiences over is its centerpiece dance sequence. In a last-ditch effort to help his best friend, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), win class president, the nerd busts out some absolutely ridiculous, yet passionate, dance moves in an impromptu routine set to Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat," which earns a roaring round of applause from his classmates.

Nothing Suits Barney Like A Suit (How I Met Your Mother)

In the 100th episode of the beloved TV sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) contemplates whether or not he should give up his suits forever in order to score with an attractive bartender who hates men in business attire. He then imagines an elaborate song and dance number professing his love for his wardrobe called "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit," featuring the rest of the snappily dressed cast.

Tom's Dreams Are Coming True ((500) Days Of Summer)

It is moments like this that make 2009's (500) Days of Summer one of the best romantic-comedy movies of its time. Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is so high on cloud nine after starting up a romance with Zooey Deschanel's title role that he imagines the local townspeople are joining him for a brief dance set to Hall & Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True" during his morning commute.

"The Name Game" (American Horror Story)

Some of the most unsettling moments from American Horror Story masterfully utilize the power of juxtaposition, like in one of the most dazzling moments from Season 2, subtitled Asylum. After receiving shock therapy, Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) hallucinates that she is performing a rendition of Shirley Ellis' 1964 pop hit, "The Name Game," with her fellow patients at Briarcliff Manor.

Gutterballs (The Big Lebowski)

Joel and Ethan Coen's 1998 cult favorite comedy The Big Lebowski is home to two of the most iconic movie dream sequences, with the second one easily taking the cake as the most wonderfully uproarious. Knocked out by Jackie Treehorn, The Dude (Jeff Bridges) imagines he and Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore) are the stars of an adult film shot in the style of a Busby Berkeley dance number.

Joel Likes That "Old Time Rock And Roll" (Risky Business)

What is the exact moment that Tom Cruise became a movie star? I like to think that occurred in 1983's Risky Business when the future Oscar nominee, as Chicago teen Joel, with the house to himself, celebrates his independence by dancing and lip-synching to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" in his underwear.

Tina Opens The Movie (Do The Right Thing)

Writer and director Spike Lee prepares you for an unforgettable and subversive cinematic experience with an unforgettable and subversive opening to 1989's Do the Right Thing. The opening credits play over Rosie Perez's character, Tina, dancing solo to Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," making for a certainly unexpected and moving way to start a film with a lot to say about society.

Jim And Pam's Wedding Party Dances Down The Aisle (The Office)

In the episode of the U.S. version of The Office when Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer), the wedding party, instead of the traditional walk down the aisle, dance to Chris Brown's "Forever," which was originally written as a Doublemint Gum commercial. While this act goes against the couple's wishes, it goes down in history as a memorably unique way to start the ceremony.

Nathan And Kyoko Tear Up The Dance Floor (Ex Machina)

Alex Garland is a writer and director who never fails to dazzle his audience, either with thought-provoking sci-fi concepts, brutally honest societal commentary, or epic dance sequences. All three of which are used to perfection in his 2015 technophobic classic, Ex Machina, when Oscar Isaac's shady, eccentric tech billionaire, Nathan, and his companion, Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno), shift the tone in a rousing way by interrupting Caleb's (Domhnall Gleeson) interrogation by getting busy to “Get Down Saturday Night” by Oliver Cheatham.

"I'm Just Ken" (Barbie)

There had been a dance sequence earlier in 2023's Barbie when Margot Robbie's title hero hosts a party, but that was nothing out of the ordinary, even for a movie taking place in an alternate dimension where dolls are sentient. The film suddenly incorporates an elaborate, traditional Hollywood dance sequence when Ryan Gosling's Ken expresses his frustration with feeling undervalued by Barbie in the Academy Award-nominated track, "I'm Just Ken."

Jenna Thrills Her Colleagues (13 Going On 30)

One of the most iconic scenes from the hit fantasy rom-com, 13 Going On 30, sees Jennifer Garner's Jenna (an '80s teen trapped in the body of her future, adult self) try to liven things up at her company party by getting everyone to recreate the dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

Rue's Relapse (Euphoria)

After giving in to her addictive urges, Zendaya's Rue imagines that she is in a music video for the actor's haunting single, "All For Us," which illustrates the complicated relationship she has with her family as a result of her habits. The sequence culminates in her being carried outside of her house by a sea of dancers in matching outfits, who also serve as her choir, at night, before a marching band joins in. It marks an invigorating, but also tragic, end to the first season of the provocative coming-of-age drama, Euphoria.

The Deetzes Do The Calypso (Beetlejuice)

One of the all-time greatest and funniest musical moments from a horror movie comes from 1988's Beetlejuice. Hoping to scare the Deetzes (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara) and their dinner party guests out of the house, the lingering spirits of Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) use bodily possession to manipulate them into dancing and singing to Harry Belafonte's "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)." Much to their surprise, they enjoy the experience.

Wally, Charley, And Rhonda Channel Bowie (School Spirits)

School Spirits is a TV show told from the perspective of ghosts who have passed away on a midwestern high school campus, where they struggle to cope with the parameters of their afterlife. Wally (Milo Manheim), who was a star athlete in the 1980s, lets off steam by putting on a vinyl copy of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and leading his fellow ghostly friends in a wonderfully choreographed groove through almost the entire school.

Jamal And Latika Are Victorious (Slumdog Millionaire)

Director Danny Boyle's Best Picture Oscar winner, 2008's Slumdog Millionaire, ends with an upbeat dance number set to the Academy Award-winning original song, "Jai Ho" and led by Dev Patel and Freida Pinto as Jamal and Latika. It might have been surprising to some audiences to see this production suddenly include such a sequence, but it honors a longstanding tradition in Indian cinema.

The Kids Rock The Library (The Breakfast Club)

Many have argued that 1985's The Breakfast Club is the greatest high school movie ever made, despite never taking place during school, but a Saturday detention shared by five teens who each represent a different rung of the teen social hierarchy. The unlikely friends attempt to break up the monotony with an impromptu dance to "We Are Not Alone" by Karla Devito.

"Tequila!" (Pee-wee's Big Adventure)

One reason 1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure remains a cherished classic is how Paul Reubens' eponymous man-child wins over the hearts of nearly everyone he meets. For instance, he earns the respect of a bar full of bikers with his signature dance to The Champs' rendition of the saxy tune, "Tequila."

Don Dreams Of Bert Cooper Dancing (Mad Men)

AMC's Mad Men had its fair share of off-kilter moments, none more perplexing than when Don Draper (Jon Hamm) suddenly has a vision of the recently passed advertising veteran Bertram "Bert" Cooper (Robert Morse) singing and dancing a performance of "The Best Things in Life Are Free."

Andy Lets The Sunshine In (The 40-Year-Old Virgin)

Judd Apatow's heartfelt, raunchy comedy, 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin, ends with Steve Carell's Andy finally losing his "innocence" and expressing his relief through song. The song in particular is The 5th Dimension's "Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In," which transitions into a dance in a wide-open field that the rest of the cast joins him for.

"Come On, Little Sister, Let’s Dance” (The Life Of Chuck)

There are not many Stephen King movies with scenes that leave you feeling invigorated and hopeful, but that is the general response to the centerpiece dance sequence in 2025's The Life of Chuck, from writer and director Mike Flanagan. Tom Hiddleston's title character crosses paths with drumming street performer, Taylor (Taylor Gordon), and spontaneously lets the music drive him, even inviting a random young woman named Janice (played by Annalise Basso) to join him, giving a crowd of bystanders the show of their lives.

Will Shows How They Dance In Gelderland (A Knight's Tale)

A Knight's Tale may take place in 14th-century Europe, but it boasts many modern sensibilities in everything from its dialogue to its soundtrack. For instance, in a scene when William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) is forced to come up with a dance to impress the royalty, he receives some help from his "foxy lady," Jocelyn (Shannon Sossamon), and soon the entire dance floor is rocking out to what we hear as David Bowie's "Golden Years."

Raj's Romantic Fantasy (The Big Bang Theory)

In one episode of The Big Bang Theory, Raj (Kunal Nayyar) finds himself attracted to Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), leading him to have multiple daydreams about her, including one reminiscent of an Indian Cinema dance sequence.

Donkey's Swamp Dance Party (Shrek)

At the end of the Oscar-winning, acclaimed kids movie, Shrek, Smash Mouth's cover of The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" plays during Shrek (Mike Myers) and Fiona's (Cameron Diaz) nuptials before Eddie Murphy's Donkey takes over the vocals, leading the wedding guests in a breathless celebration of the event.

Terry And Holt "Push It" (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

In one of the best episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) goes into labor in the police station during a city-wide blackout. In a hilarious effort to keep her calm and distracted, Lieutenant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) try dancing to Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It."

Dance Of The Dead (The X-Files)

In a Season 7 episode of The X-Files called "Hollywood A.D.," Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate a murder on a movie set, where, at the end of the episode, corpses resting underneath are reanimated and indulge in a passionate ballroom dance with one another.

Harry's Dream (3rd Rock From The Sun)

In an essential and bewilderingly surreal episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun, the Solomons experience their first-ever dreams. This proves to be a startling experience for the extra-terrestrial visitors, except for Harry (French Stewart), who imagines he is in an upbeat, urban Broadway production.

Ed Livens Things Up At The Mental Hospital (Good Burger)

In Good Burger, Ed (Kel Mitchell), Dexter (Kenan Thompson), and Otis (Abe Vigoda) are wrongfully committed to a mental hospital, where Ed responds to the request of a patient played by George Clinton himself to change to the music to something funkier, and tunes it to Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep." He then leads most of the other patients in an impressively choreographed dance routine, which Dexter uses as an opportunity to knock out the guards and escape.

The Siblings Are Alone Now (The Umbrella Academy)

Netflix's series adaptation of the hit comic book The Umbrella Academy has a clever way of introducing its superpowered main characters early on in the premiere episode. The adoptive siblings are seen grooving to Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now," each in a different location and boasting a different style of dance.

Backstreet's Back In Heaven (This Is The End)

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's 2014 apocalyptic meta comedy This is the End ends with most of the main characters (actors portraying uproarious versions of themselves) meeting up in the afterlife, where they celebrate their ascent into Heaven with the Backstreet Boys, who also appear as themselves to perform “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

The Study Group Is Gonna Finally Be Fine (Community)

Community Season 3 begins with Jeff (Joel McHale) daydreaming about a dance number, featuring the entire cast of characters, with a hopeful outlook on the next year at Greendale.

David's Three-Way Dance Battle (Legion)

In the Season 2 opener of FX's unconventional Marvel Comics adaptation, Legion, one of David's (Dan Stevens) memories of the past year shows him at a club where the mutant engages in an intense dance battle with Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) and Oliver (Jemaine Clement).

Lucifer Is Alright (Lucifer)

The series finale of Lucifer opens with the Devil Incarnate (played by Tom Ellis) leading an upbeat ensemble dance sequence set to Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright," which starts at a bar before transitioning to the police station, where Lucifer and Detective Dan (Kevin Alejandro) reenact an iconic moment from Dirty Dancing.

The X-Files was a pop culture juggernaut back in the heyday of the ‘90s, but ended with more of a whimper than a bang with Season 11 under creator Chris Carter back in 2018. It seems unlikely at this point that the series will get another revival with original stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, but longtime fans are getting a treat from none other than LEGO. Thanks to the voters for a nostalgia contest, The X-Files is getting a pretty epic build, and Anderson not only celebrated the news, but actually called it almost exactly a decade ago from this point in the 2025 TV schedule.

LEGO fan designer WetWired created the set that evidently will be known as The X-Files: The Truth Is Out There, which went on to win the grand prize in LEGO’s “Build Your Nostalgia – 90s Throwback!” competition. The build for the iconic sci-fi series was up against designs for Jumanji (came in second), Buffy the Vampire Slayer Library (third), Edward Scissorhands (fourth), and The Fifth Element Book Nook and Playset (fifth).

The winning design is on two levels: a bottom level recreation of the iconic X-Files office and a top layer complete with a UFO and grey alien. Figures include Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Jersey Devil, Eugene Tooms, and Syndicate Leader. The Syndicate Leader seems to be the Cigarette-Smoking Man by a different name and missing his Morley, but if an explosion that exposed his skull wasn’t enough to get rid of CSM, going by a different name in a LEGO set can’t stop him!

In all seriousness, the Easter eggs are pretty delightful. Eugene Tooms – a.k.a. the liver-eating contortionist murderer who debuted in a standout Season 1 episode – is lurking behind a hole in the wall. There’s a copy of The Lone Gunman newspaper, Mulder’s unforgettable “I Want To Believe” poster, and the dynamic duo’s flashlights. The Skinner figurine even looks grouchy, which is a good nod to whenever he had reason to visit Mulder’s office.

Coming in at more than 2000 pieces and honoring a show that dominated in the ‘90s, I would definitely say this is a set for adults. In fact, millennials across the country might have started saving up for the set as soon as it was announced. While Gillian Anderson has generally been noncommittal at best about ever reprising her role as Scully after how Season 11 ended, she celebrated the winning LEGO set on X (formerly known as Twitter). Complete with a UFO emoji, she wrote:

It’s of course great to see the ‘90s icon celebrating the show that shot her to fame, but 2025 isn’t the first time that she’s posted about Mulder and Scully getting the LEGO treatment. Join me on a blast to the past and check out a post from back in 2015:

Spooky, right? On the whole, I get a kick out of the X-Files set winning the grand prize, and I desperately want to know the average age of voters. The set is cool enough that I can imagine people who aren’t experts in the ‘90s to vote for it, but I suspect that there were a fair number of folks in their 30s and 40s who cast their votes. Grand Prize Winner WetWired will see their build turned into a LEGO set and receive 1% of the total net sales, ten complimentary copies of their set, and credit and bio as the LEGO Fan Designer in the set materials, per the challenge info.

If the big LEGO news puts you in the mood to revisit some good old-fashioned ‘90s mysteries, murder cases, and conspiracies, you can find all eleven seasons of The X-Files streaming with a Hulu subscription now, as well as the two feature films.

The X-Files can be remembered for any number of wins from back in the day, even at this point in the 2025 TV schedule more than thirty years after the premiere in 1993. Highlights can range from that legendary chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Mulder and Scully to successfully releasing a feature film after five TV seasons on Fox. But when naming high points from the franchise, I’m guessing that most longtime fans will pick moments from the original run of the series and/or The X-Files: Fight the Future. The two revival seasons just didn’t hit the same, and 2008’s The X-Files: I Want to Believe wasn’t the success story that the previous film was.

Original series creator Chris Carter recently revealed that he’s getting to do a director’s cut of I Want to Believe, nearly twenty years after it hit theaters with the first appearances of Mulder and Scully since the Season 9 finale in 2002. Now, looking back from a 2025 perspective, I have to wonder: will it measure up to Fight the Future once Carter makes his changes?

The X-Files: I Want To Believe Director’s Cut

The X-Files: I Want to Believe was the second big screen venture for the franchise, but it was very different from Fight the Future back in 1998. While that was basically a blockbuster version of the kinds of conspiracies and alien mysteries that fans were used to from mythology episodes on Fox, I Want to Believe was more like an extended version of one of the show’s Monster of the Week episodes: short on aliens and heavier on horror.

It also wasn’t as much of a box office hit as the ‘98 film, with I Want to Believe reaching (per Box Office Mojo) a gross total of nearly $70 million on a $30 million budget compared to Fight the Future’s gross of nearly $190 million on a $66 million budget. So, I was as surprised as any fan when Chris Carter appeared on David Duchovny’s Fail Better with David Duchovny podcast to reveal that he “just got the go ahead to do a director’s cut of I Want to Believe” and he couldn’t express “how excited I am about this.”

Duchovny cut in to point out that Carter “took shit for that movie,” which… yes, I can remember spotting some fan complaints at the time, although that was before my time on social media. Carter went on:

Well, when he puts it that way, I almost feel guilty for my critiques of how he ended Season 11 and that horrifying twist from the Cigarette-Smoking Man about Scully! His comments definitely make me realize that I might not have given I Want to Believe a fair shot as a would-be scary story, especially since I included several scary Monster of the Week episodes from the '90s on my picks for the best episodes of The X-Files. So, with the movie available streaming with a Hulu subscription, is it time?

Carter didn't drop any details about when or how that director's cut might become available, and I doubt it'll be any time soon if he only recently got the go-ahead. His podcast episode with Duchovny released in June, and presumably wasn't filmed too far in advance. But I'm ready to think back on whether I was too hasty in my judgment of I Want to Believe back in the day compared to when I was a kid loving Fight the Future.

Have I Been Unfair To I Want To Believe?

I’ll come right out and admit it: I’ve seen The X–Files: I Want to Believe a grand total of one time, and that was back in 2008 when it came out. In contrast, I saw Fight the Future enough times on VHS in my pre-teen formative years that, to this day, I could probably do a one-woman performance of certain scenes from memory.

Am I proud of this? Not exactly, and the lessons I learned from the show as a longtime fan have come in much handier than knowing the hallway scene from Fight the Future front to back. But I mention it now to make the point that because I Want to Believe didn’t measure up to Fight the Future for me back in ‘08, I just didn’t give it the chance it may have deserved.

After all, co-writers Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz had to find a way to undo part of the Season 9 finale to set up a story for Mulder and Scully back at the FBI in the movie, and that was enough of a challenge to sell. At the time, it felt more like a middling extended version of a middling episode, not a big-screen experience. An almost entirely new cast was certainly a contrast to Fight the Future's cameos galore.

Based on Carter’s comments, it sounds like his original vision for I Want to Believe would have delivered scares akin to iconic X-Files episodes like “Home,” “Squeeze,” or “Irresistable,” all of which were great entries during the ‘90s run of the show. He has me sold on watching the director’s cut whenever that becomes available, but now I feel like I should check out the original version so I’ll be able to compare and contrast. That one single view from 2008 was a long time ago.

Or am I blinded by nostalgia at the moment, and thinking about my childhood love for Fight the Future has glossed over some of Chris Carter’s divisive choices for the two revival seasons? That’s entirely possible, but the course of being an X-Files fan never did run smooth.

If you want to revisit the good, okay, and passable old days of The X-Files, you can find both movies as well as all eleven seasons streaming on Hulu now. The odds of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprising their roles again may be slim, but Ryan Coogler has a reboot in the works with support from Anderson.

And hey, maybe Robert Patrick could finally get his chance to come back as John Doggett! For better or worse, most of the surviving characters from the last season of The X-Files original run at least briefly appeared in the revival seasons, with the exception of Agent Doggett.

The 1990s gave us all-time great sitcoms like Home Improvement and Friends, iconic crime dramas like Law & Order and Oz, and so many other legendary shows considered “must-see TV” by millions of people week in and week out. And while those shows gave us unforgettable characters, side-splitting and shocking moments, and jokes that are still being told decades later, they also had some outrageously nonsensical or head-scratching moments.

That said, here’s one ridiculously unrealistic thing about 32 ‘90s TV shows…

There's No Way Danny Tanner Could Afford That House (Full House)

There’s so much ridiculousness going on with Full House, but one question that remains just as baffling now as it did decades ago is “How did Danny Tanner afford a historic house in the heart of San Francisco?” The math just doesn’t work when you have a local news anchor and a pair of part-time jingle writers paying the mortgage and other expenses for an ever-growing household.

Mr. Feeny Teaches The Main Characters Through Multiple Grades And Several Schools (Boy Meets World)

There’s nothing wrong with Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World; in fact, William Daniels’ take on the beloved teacher and neighbor was one of the show’s greatest strengths. However, this educator stays with Corey Matthews and his friends through middle school, high school, and college. The guy was either teaching above his level or dumbing it down early in his career to spend more time with those kiddos.

Steve Urkel Cloned Himself (Family Matters)

Let’s face it, Steve Urkel was a mess on Family Matters. This guy built outrageous machines, destroyed the Winslow house countless times, and went to space, but the most unrealistic thing he ever did was clone himself. Not only does human cloning not exist, but his clone, Stefan Urquelle, was just too cool (and not in a good way).

There's No Way Tim Taylor Could Survive All Those 'Tool Time' Mishaps (Home Improvement)

You’ve heard of cats having nine lives, but what about TV show hosts from Detroit? How many do they have? Well, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor must have had at least 50 on Home Improvement because he survived being crushed, electrocuted, burnt, you name it.

The Midnight Society (A Group Of Kids) Is Able To Meet In The Middle Of The Night (Are You Afraid Of The Dark?)

The various stories told during Are You Afraid of the Dark? were intense and fantastical and terrifying at times, but that’s not the unrealistic part. Instead, what’s up with “The Midnight Society,” the group of kids and teenagers who would sneak out of their houses in the middle of the night to tell scary stories in the woods? Where are the parents?

Monica's Apartment (Friends)

Sure, it is later revealed there was a loophole that allowed Monica to have a cheap apartment in Manhattan throughout Friends, but this whole rent-control aspect is so unrealistic.

That Time Scully Had An Alien Baby (The X-Files)

The X-Files was one wild show where anything and everything could happen. But what about when Scully got pregnant with the help of aliens? Yeah, this is a show that doesn’t live within the constraints of reality, but this is a stretch.

The Gang's Extracurricular Activities Go Unnoticed By Red Forman (That '70s Show)

Red Forman is a no-nonsense and tough-as-nails father who doesn’t seem like a guy who would like to be tricked, lied to, or misled… especially in his own home. Are you honestly saying he didn’t know what Eric and his friends were up to down in the basement? Really?

Jack McCoy's Success Rate (Law & Order)

Law & Order is one of the great crime/legal dramas in the history of TV, but the one thing that’s always been baffling (especially during the show’s glory days) is Jack McCoy’s success rate in the courtroom. This guy is constantly collecting wins in high-profile cases, so much so that it seems too good to be true.

The ER Doctors Are Jacks Of All Trades (ER)

ER will forever be remembered as one of the most popular medical dramas to ever grace the small screen, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have its problems. The biggest of those has to be the fact that some of the doctors were jacks of all trades. Sure, they are in the emergency room at a trauma center, but they were all like five doctors in one at various points throughout the series.

The Way The Teenagers Talk About Politics, Cinema, And Poetry (Dawson's Creek)

Have you gone back and watched Dawson’s Creek? What’s up with the cast of teenagers shooting out dialogue that sounds like it was an AI-generated version of a first-year English major’s diary? They talk about politics, cinema, poetry, and music like they’re adults, not sappy teenagers living in a fictional Massachusetts town.

The Dancing Baby (Ally McBeal)

The CGI dancing baby from Ally McBeal became one of the biggest memes of the ‘90s when the popular legal drama series introduced the uncanny youngster. Though the baby can be seen as the manifestation of Ally’s inner turmoil, the thing looked so bad, so random, and so out of place.

Dr. Mark Sloan's Uncanny Ability To Solve Crimes (Diagnosis: Murder)

There were so many oddball crime shows in the ‘90s in the wake of Murder She Wrote. One of the most absurd has to be Diagnosis: Murder, which saw Dick Van Dyke play a doctor that – you guessed it – helped solve homicide cases. But here’s the thing: he was better at it than the detectives who do this every day of the week.

Angel Grove Constantly Being Destroyed And Rebuilt (Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers)

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, one of the best kids shows for those who grew up in the ‘90s, was absolutely bonkers looking back. But you know what’s crazier than teenagers turning into masked fighters to take on a witch from the Moon? Well, it has to be the fact that Angel Grove gets destroyed and rebuilt like nobody’s business each episode, and no one seems to notice.

Zack Morris Being Able To Graduate Despite Never Being In Class (Saved By The Bell)

Zack Morris, pretty much the king of Bayside High, did everything he could at school to not going to class, and he was mostly the class clown when he was in class. But somehow, someway, he was able to graduate with his friends and go on to college. Maybe, he should have been held back; we at least wouldn’t have had to sit through Saved by the Bell: The College Years.

Warden Leo Glynn Not Being Canned Or Sent To Prison Himself (Oz)

Anyone who’s watched a single episode of Oz knows that the prison at the center of the landmark HBO series wasn’t the best place to be. Despite riots, inmates sneaking in guns, inmates trapping people behind walls, and all sorts of madness, Oswald Pentitentiary Warden Leo Glynn kept his job. Make that make sense.

Can We Talk About The Serial Killers And Supernatural Phenomena (Picket Fences)

Remember Picket Fences, the CBS drama series about life in a seemingly quiet small town filled with serial killers, supernatural phenomena, and a variety of other strange and distressing occurrences? This show had it all, except for maybe a realistic view of the world. Pure madness.

Ranger Cordell Walker Is Seemingly Bulletproof (Walker, Texas Ranger)

Insert Chuck Norris joke here. Seriously, his titular character from Walker, Texas Ranger was pretty much the bulletproof cowboy. Between the dodging bullets, scores of roundhouse kicks, and other heroics, it seems like it’s all too good to be true.

Bike Cops Do What Normal Officers Can't (Pacific Blue)

Pacific Blue, a show that was often the lead-in for Monday Night Raw on Monday nights, followed bicycle cops as they went about their days. But here’s the thing, they often pulled off feats (and bike stunts) that normal cops couldn’t match.

The Lifeguards Do Way More Than Save People At The Beach (Baywatch)

The last time we checked, lifeguards watched over the beaches for drowning swimmers, shark attacks, and missing kids. But if you watch Baywatch, you’ll see them do that plus defeat terrorists, help out in wrestling matches, and run on the beach in slow-motion. Not very realistic, right?

No One Thinks Angels Interfering In Everyday Life Is Odd (Touched By An Angel)

Everybody’s grandma’s favorite show, Touched by an Angel, followed a group of three heavenly visitors who helped people back on Earth make incredible decisions that mostly saw them take a more righteous path. But the fact that angels could interfere in people’s lives and not cause a stir (or end with a trip to the mental ward) is hard to believe.

Will Gets Into Princeton After Solving A Rubik's Cube (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Though he ended up not going to the Ivy League institution, the fact that Will received an offer to attend Princeton in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is just wild. But you know what’s crazier? It wasn’t the “Fresh Prince’s" charisma that impressed his interviewer, but instead his skill with a… Rubik’s Cube.

All Kinds Of '90s Tech And Luxuries In The Age Of The Dinosaur (Dinosaurs)

Okay, Dinosaurs was a meta deconstruction of the sitcom format with a family of dinos in place of the standard nuclear family. But, the thing that has always been so wild is the fact that the Sinclair family has all kinds of modern tech – TVs, radios, construction equipment, you name it, and it’s there.

Dylan's Dad Dying In A Car Bomb Explosion (Beverly Hills, 90210)

What started as a show about uber-rich kids living in one of the most exclusive zip codes in the world turned into a wild exploration of pretty much every TV genre by the time it was all said and done. One of the most insane plotlines in Beverly Hills, 90210 was the one involving Dylan’s dad being blown up in a car bomb explosion, which would lead to the character played by the late Luke Perry trying to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Unaccompanied Minors Going On With Their Lives (Party Of Five)

Though the eldest of the five Salinger siblings in Party of Five was technically an adult, Charlie wasn’t that responsible, leaving his younger (and underage) brothers and sisters to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

The School/Band Balance Is Not Sustainable (California Dreams)

Do you remember the ‘90s teen comedy California Dreams? No? Well, imagine Saved by the Bell, but the main characters also have to balance school with being in a successful rock band. Somehow, they’re able to balance both worlds while not getting too stressed out or falling behind. Anyone who has been in a band before knows this is a dream.

How Is Al Bundy's Family Not In Serious Debt? (Married... With Children)

Before Married… with Children jumped the shark, it gave TV viewers some of the funniest (and most uncomfortable) moments. But one thing that has always been baffling is the fact that Al Bundy was able to have a decent-sized house, raise two kids, and have a shopaholic wife by working at a shoe store. How did they not go into debt?

How Did The Family Afford That Disney Trip? (Step By Step)

Despite being one of the greatest TGIF comedies, Step by Step was a show with a lot of problems. Not to harp too much on finances, but how did that massive family afford to go on an all-inclusive trip to Disney? How many people was that again?

How Many Moral Dilemmas Can One Family Face And Overcome? (7th Heaven)

The Camden family had one moral dilemma after another over the course of 7th Heaven’s 11-season run, so much so that it got exhausting by the time the show ended in 2007. At times, it felt like this family had a black cloud hanging over them or was placed under some kind of curse.

The Origins Of Alex Mack's Powers (The Secret World Of Alex Mack)

The Secret World of Alex Mack was a massive ‘90s Nickelodeon show about a young girl who gains some wild powers after coming in contact with a mysterious substance. How does she come in contact, exactly? Well, she is nearly hit by a truck containing the stuff in a company town owned by her father’s employer. What year is this again?

The Whole ‘High School On A Demonic Portal' Aspect Of The Show (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Everyone loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer here, so no judging. One thing that’s always been so funny about the show is the fact that Sunnydale High School was built over the Hellmouth, a literal portal to a demon realm. Why not just close the school down?

Kel's Constant Destruction Has No Consequences (Kenan & Kel)

Following the success of All That, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell got their own show: Kenan & Kel. It’s impossible to count how many times Kel’s character caused massive amounts of damage to houses, stores, restaurants, and schools, facing little to no consequences.

David Duchovny’s role as Fox Mulder on the iconic science fiction series The X-Files meant that he's been associated with conspiracy theories going back more than 30 years. Whenever the actor left the set for the day, he made a point of separating himself in real life from the fictional stories he performed opposite Gillian Anderson. That is until well after the original run of the series ended, when Duchovny accidentally entered a slithering discourse about a notable conspiracy theory.

In alignment with his 2025 TV guide show, Secrets Declassified, the new History Channel host caught up with People. During the conversation with the publication, the Californication star shared he doesn’t regularly humor fans' interest to talk about tall tales, until he surprisingly found himself in one. He noted it was around the time of the X-Files reboot (roughly around 2015) and he was repeatedly asked about lizards. He gave his frank thoughts at the time, then later learned about the deep lizard discourse:

Is anyone else having a hard time processing that one of the most recognized fictional FBI agents wasn’t familiar with the lizard people theory? Although with his pretty rigid boundaries of shutting any paranormal queries down, I guess it makes sense. That, and I’m sure Duchovny isn’t chronically online or have a habit of diving down any type of social media rabbit holes.

For anyone not in the know, the TLDR version boils down to people believing there are reptilian humanoids that can shape shift and live in society. No matter your take, it’s a lot to press on an actor just because his fictional character was a believer in the most bizarre. That isn’t to say I don’t love my own random dive into a conspiracy just for fun, but fans may want to consider their real-life audience before asking an actor about lizard people. Regardless, I do love how Duchovny found himself there.

The Twin Peaks alum then didn’t mince his words when he shared his thoughts on the topic at large:

There you have it! He’s not one who wants to believe like Fox Mulder, and that’s fine. He had more than his fair share delving into conspiracies as showcased by the best X-Files episodes, many of which featured future TV stars as cameos. It's almost hard to believe that since Duchovny auditioned for Full House, '90s television would have been very different if he'd been cast! What kind of world would we be living in if he had been Danny Tanner, Joey Gladstone, or Jesse Katsopolis?

Whether you dabble in the simplification of our present world or not, we know where Duchovny stands. But if you’re a well-seasoned Scully and Mulder fan looking for the truth of any kind, you may just be able to catch the Hollywood vet off guard with a conspiracy topic, even if you probably shouldn’t. To be safe, I’d recommend returning to rewatch or watch the cult classic with a Hulu subscription, because the truth is out there!

Most people likely remember The X-Files as the sci-fi conspiracy showcase where they first fell in love with Gillian Anderson as Agent Scully and/or David Duchovny as Agent Mulder. Some might even tell you that Mitch Pileggi’s Assistant Director Skinner was their favorite, or that The Lone Gunmen deserved more than one season’s worth of a spinoff. But on this day in the 2025 TV schedule, and as an avid viewer of Fox’s iconic series myself, I want to highlight 1923 star Robert Patrick and why his character of Special Agent John Doggett deserves another shot.

Robert Patrick’s Warm Memories Of The X-Files Are Contagious

Are you ready for a flashback and a half? Then you need to take a look at the photos Mr. Patrick put up on his personal Instagram. Ranging from what looks like a promotional shot from Season 9 to behind the scenes laughs with David Duchovny himself, the images presented are a window into another time.

So let’s step back to when you really needed to be in front of the TV, or have the VCR going, to stay in the know:

I think the fact that Robert Patrick admits that John Doggett is his “favorite role to this day” is what I like most about this whole package. Considering I grew up fearing this man as the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, seeing him pop up as The X-Files’ replacement for the departed Fox Mulder in the last two seasons of the original Fox run helped expose me to one of the current stars on Reacher as an equally awesome hero.

I’d like to think many other sci-fi fans would agree with that chain of thought, as well as the one big problem I’m about to share from Fox’s short-lived X-Files revival. And no matter what Robert Patrick’s Schwarzenegger v. Ritchson comparison makes you think, I think there’s a missed opportunity that could be corrected in the future.

I’m Still Bummed Special Agent John Doggett Never Got To Return For The Revival

Taking over as The X-Files' new male lead following the departure of David Duchovny was no small task, and he did just that in Season 8 before being joined full-time in Season 9 by Annabeth Gish as Agent Monica Reyes when Gillian Anderson stepped back from the action, although Anderson remained a series regular. Duchovny returned in the Season 9 finale for Mulder and Scully to ride off into the pre-I Want to Believe sunset, leaving Doggett and Reyes behind to run The X-Files.

Of course, Fox cancelled the show after its ninth season in 2002 and only brought Duchovny, Anderson, and to a lesser extent Mitch Pileggi back for the 2016-2018 revival. If there were two characters that needed to be in that revival, they were Special Agents Doggett and Reyes. (You can stream all nine original seasons and the two revival seasons with a Hulu subscription now.)

While Ms. Reyes was eventually brought back in The X-Files’ grand return to Fox, Robert Patrick’s lawman was not. The reason why was shared in a 2017 interview between TVLine and series creator Chris Carter. Even though it’s understandable and drama-free, I don’t have to like it:

Guess what? We never did see Robert Patrick return to The X-Files, and what’s more, after Gillian Anderson’s decision to leave after Season 11, we didn’t even see the series return. Depending on who you talk to, Ms. Anderson’s decision made a lot of sense after the revival left some fans scratching their heads.

However, the bigger takeaway here is that Robert Patrick has such fondness for this property. While I know that Ryan Coogler’s proposed X-Files reboot is still on the table, I find it hard to shake wanting to see Special Agent Doggett reunite with Monica Reyes in a Halloween (2018) style revival.

Forgetting those last two revival seasons, putting the team back together to search for “The Truth” still appeals to me after so many years. I know that might be crazy, but looking at all of the cases Mulder, Scully, and the rest of the X-Files gang investigated through out the series' run, is what I'm saying really that out there?

With all due respect to some classic central TV show protagonists, there are times when it is a good idea to shift gears a bit and show things from another character’s perspective. This has actually become a relatively common practice as many modern small-screen favorites have given a scene-stealing supporting character (or even a never-before-seen character) the chance to almost completely steal the show for an episode. The following are some of the most revered examples.

“Lower Decks” - Star Trek: The Next Generation

According to TV Tropes, episodes that put supporting characters in the spotlight are referred to as “lower decks episodes.” The term is borrowed from the title of a classic episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation from Season 7 which focuses on a group of younger characters who are working their way up in the ranks at Starfleet.

“Five-O” - Better Call Saul

Sometimes a character becomes such a memorable scene-stealer that they earn their own equally great spin-off series, such as when Breaking Bad's Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Bob Odenkirk) became the star of the prequel, Better Call Saul. In just its first season, the AMC hit proved that Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) could have led his own series, too, in "Five-O," which peers into his origins as a former Philadelphia police officer.

“Dear Sigmund” - M.A.S.H.

One character from M.A.S.H. whom you could always rely on to give sage advice is Maj. Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus), who got to the be star in a Season 5 episode called "Dear Sigmund." The Alan Alda-directed episode sees the recurring character penning a letter to legendary psychiatrist Sigmund Freud while visiting the 4077.

“Life Of Brian” - My So-Called Life

A great '90s show that ended far too soon was My So-Called Life, which starred Claire Danes in the Golden Globe-winning main role of struggling teen Angela Chase. One of the few episodes not narrated by Angela is the revered "Life of Brian," which primarily focuses on the personal struggles of her friend, Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall).

“Musings Of A Cigarette Smoking Man” - The X Files

The first episode of The X Files in which David Duchovny's Fox Mulder does not appear at all and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is only seen briefly in archival footage from the pilot episode is "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man." The Season 4 episode sheds light on the past of the mysterious recurring role (William B. Davis), portraying him almost as a Forrest Gump-like figure for historical assassinations, such as JFK.

“The Zeppo” - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

In the Season 3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, "The Zeppo," the titular teen warrior (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is faced with a problem that is merely the B-plot. The main storyline focuses on Xander (Nicholas Brendon), who likens himself to Zeppo Marx, feeling like the gang's most expendable member, until he must singlehandedly take on a group of reanimated corpses conspiring to blow up his high school.

“His Story” - Scrubs

There are several episodes of Scrubs that pass narrative duties from J.D. (Zach Braff) onto another character. The first of the bunch was Season 2's "His Story," which follows Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) as he speaks with his therapist about issues he is experiencing in his personal life.

"How Your Mother Met Me" - How I Met Your Mother

After finally meeting Tracy "The Mother" McConnell (Cristin Milioti) in the Season 8 finale, watching her mingle with the rest of the gang, and catching glimpses of her relationship with Ted (Josh Radnor) throughout Season 9, we finally got to know her personally in How I Met Your Mother's 200th episode. Chronicling the series' entire timeline up to that point all from her perspective (during which she experiences heartbreaking tragedy, tough life decisions, and The Naked Man), "How Your Mother Met Me" is easily considered one of the best HIMYM episodes.

"Chapter 5: Return Of The Mandalorian" - The Book Of Boba Fett

After Tamuera Morrison took on the iconic role of Boba Fett on The Mandalorian Season 2, he became the star of his own seven-part spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett. However, the fifth chapter sees the limited series essentially become The Mandalorian Season 2.5 as it focuses entirely on Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin, who ends up becoming the star of the show from that point on.

"Long, Long Time" - The Last Of Us

The most widely celebrated episode of HBO's series adaptation of the popular video game series, The Last of Us, spends the least amount of time with our central protagonists, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). The Emmy-winning "Long, Long Time" is also the first and last episode to feature the characters of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), tracing their loving relationship over several years after the cordyceps outbreak.

"Teddy Perkins" - Atlanta

Arguably, the best episode of Atlanta has very little to do with creator Donald Glover's Earn or Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) but does heavily feature Glover in a whole different kind of role. The main focus of Season 2's "Teddy Perkins" is Lakeith Stanfield's Darius, who is seeking to buy a piano from the episode's reclusive, eccentric title character (played by a nearly unrecognizable Glover under heavy makeup, who is discovered to be hiding a disturbing secret.

"Almost Got 'Im" - Batman: The Animated Series

Many DC fans agree that the best episode of Batman: The Animated Series is one that shifts the perspective from Kevin Conroy's Dark Knight to the five most notorious members of his rogues gallery. In "Almost Got 'Im," Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc gather for a Poker game, during which they trade stories about the times they came closest to defeating the Caped Crusader.

"Wilson" - House

Considering how the titular diagnostician from House (played by Hugh Laurie) is inspired by Sherlock Holmes (whose stories are narrated by John Watson), it is funny that the medical drama is not told from the perspective of the "Watson" in his life. That would change in Season 6 with the airing of "Wilson," which follows Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. James Wilson racing to save the life of his friend, Tucker (Joshua Malina).

"The Ricklantis Mixup" - Rick And Morty

Technically, this classic Rick and Morty episode shows more of the titular duo than any other but because it is really told from the point of view of their many alternate selves, it deserves a spot. The misleadingly titled "The Ricklantis Mixup" is essentially a mini-anthology movie that takes place during a day at the Citadel of Ricks from various perspectives.

"Exposé" - Lost

Out of the many survivors of the plane crash, only a chosen few were recognized as main members of the Lost cast but one episode revealed the backstories of two lesser-seen survivors. "Exposé" begins with Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro) found dead before flashing back to the couple's lives before the island and their experiences on it.

"A Jury In Jail" - American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson

The eighth episode of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson still depicts a great deal of the legendary trial from the perspective of the accused former athlete (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) and the opposing legal teams. However, the focus does shift more heavily to the jury and their alternates as sequestration begins to have a challenging effect on them.

"Beard After Hours" - Ted Lasso

In Season 2 of one of the best Apple TV+ original TV shows, Ted Lasso, "Man City" sees Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) go off on his own after AFC Richmond suffers a tough loss. The following episode, "Beard After Hours," sees what the character went through after he walked away, which involves an epic, night-long journey of debauchery, self-discovery, and near-death experiences.

"Pine Barrens" - The Sopranos

Tony (James Gandolfini) and his souring affair with Gloria is the B-plot of the Season 3 Sopranos episode, "Pine Barrens." The central focus is Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Paulie (Tony Sirico), who come close to freezing to death after getting lost in the woods after being tasked with running collections for the flu-ridden Silvio.

"Blink" - Doctor Who

One of the most acclaimed (and frightening) modern episodes of Doctor Who, "Blink," barely features David Tennant's eponymous time lord or his companion, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), due to them becoming stuck in the year 1969. Thus, it is up to a woman from the present day named Sally Sparrow (Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan) to prevent statue-esque creatures called Weeping Angels from taking control of the TARDIS.

"What Wood You Wear?" - Dave

While FX's Dave is a fictionalized look at the rise of Dave "'Lil Dicky" Burd (who also co-creates and stars as himself), the humorous hip-hop artist was sure not to hog the spotlight for the first season's entirety. In the seventh episode, "What Wood You Wear?," Dave's buddy Elz (Travis "Taco" Bennett) takes center stage as it follows him DJing at a silent disco and sparking a romantic connection with Emma (Christine Ko).

"Live Bait" - The Walking Dead

Season 3 of The Walking Dead ended with The Governor (David Morrissey) wiping out most of his crew and taking off with the last of his loyal henchpeople. The sixth episode of the fourth season, "Live Bait," fills us in on what he had been up to since then, showing evidence of redemption since Woodbury's destruction as he bonds with a small family but also evidence of a further descent into madness, which leads to his attack on the prison.

"A Quick One, While He's Away" - BoJack Horseman

In addition to any of the main characters from Netflix's animated acclaimed TV sitcom, BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett's eponymous washed-up celebrity does not show up, nor is he mentioned by name in Season 6's "A Quick One, While He's Away." However, the episode does focus on characters who have been heavily, and mostly negatively, affected by his actions, based on their implied references to him.

"Teacup" - Man Seeking Woman

Creator Simon Rich's absurd romantic fantasy satire, Man Seeking Woman, is told largely from a male perspective (specifically that of Jay Baruchel's Josh Greenberg) but flips the script with Season 1's "Teacup," which makes Josh's sister, Liz (future Severance cast member, Britt Lower), the star. Liz experiences common pains of modern dating in a ridiculously exaggerated manner, from becoming jealous of a group of married girls who are much younger (elementary school age, to be exact) to literally Frankensteining the perfect man for her, only to learn he is gay.

"Zuko Alone" - Avatar: The Last Airbender

One of the most interesting ways that a TV show can shake things up is by making its main antagonist the star of an episode, such as "Zuko Alone" from Nickelodeon's original Avatar: The Last Airbender series. The seventh chapter of "Book Two: Earth" sees the Firebender (voiced by Dante Basco) reminiscing about his childhood after he is exiled from his village.

"New York, I Love You" - Master Of None

In a Season 2 episode of Netflix's Master of None called "New York, I Love You," Dev (co-creator Aziz Ansari) and his friends only appear in the bookend scenes. Instead, the focus shifts primarily toward the intersecting lives of a group of never-before-seen working-class New Yorkers, including a doorman, a deaf cashier, and a taxi driver.

“Ballad Of The Lonesome Loser" - High Fidelity

Much like the classic music movie Nick Hornby's novel inspired in 2000, Hulu's series adaptation of High Fidelity follows the romantic challenges of record store owner Rob Gordon (Zoë Kravitz)... except for Episode 8. In "Ballad of the Lonesome Loser," Rob's gay friend and coworker Simon (David H. Holmes) gets the chance to break the fourth wall and discuss his romantic struggles.

“The Algae's Always Greener" - SpongeBob Squarepants

Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) has been the primary focus in a few episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants, the funniest and most amusing of which would have to be "The Algae's Always Greener." Fed up with always failing in his attempts to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula, the pint-sized Chum Bucket owner uses a special device that allows him to experience life from the perspective of his longtime rival, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown).

"A View From The Gallery" - Babylon 5

Years after Star Trek: The Next Generation helped coin the "lower decks episode" term, Babylon 5 – a sci-fi series that earns many comparisons to the Star Trek franchise – released its own. "A View from the Gallery" is told largely from the perspective of the eponymous space station's custodial crew.

"Tarrare" - Atlanta

The Season 3 finale of Atlanta, "Tarrare," provided an eye-opening explanation for Vanessa's (Zazie Beetz) unusual behavior, showing that she has adopted a bizarre alternate personality, and a French accent while living in Paris. Donald Glover's Earn is the only other main character to appear in the episode but does not show up until the even weirder post-credit sequence.

"5 To 9" - House

After dedicating an entire episode to Robert Sean Leonard's Wilson, House gave Lisa Edelstein's Dr. Lisa Cuddy the same treatment. Season 6's "5 to 9" follows a day in the life of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital's Dean of Medicine and Chief Hospital Administrator.

"Symphony Of Illumination" - How I Met Your Mother

In the Season 7 episode, "Symphony of Illumination," How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders' Robin Scherbatsky takes over as the narrator to tell her future son and daughter about her and Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) pregnancy scare. However, she later discovers that she is actually unable to have children and the kids she was talking to only existed in her imagination.

“Relevance” - Person Of Interest

Season 2 of CBS' Person of Interest introduced a new character named Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi) in an episode that made her the star of most of the action.

It’s not too much of a stretch to say that we’ve all been in a position where we put off folding laundry for so long we’re left with a giant mound of clothes, sheets, towels, and orphaned socks. What do you do in that situation? Put on a show that is perfect for background noise, of course!

With some of the best cartoons of all time, one or two of the greatest sitcoms ever made, or random docuseries and educational programs, here’s a list of 32 shows that are perfect for background noise while folding laundry.

Law & Order (1990 - 2010; 2022 - Present)

Law & Order, with its 500-plus episodes, has made the laundry-folding process a little better for decades now thanks to its grisly murders, captivating courtroom sequences, and too many “Jack McCoy” moments to count. This isn’t a knock on the show, but you don’t even really have to pay attention all that much to know what’s going on.

How It's Made (2001 - 2019)

Okay, you might get distracted by the manufacturing processes for things like Crayons, crackers, pillows, bowling balls, and thousands of other items featured on this long-running educational program, but How It’s Made makes for some great background noise. The soothing narration, that catchy music, and endless shots of everyday items being made make this a perfect option.

Home Improvement (1991 - 1999)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen) probably never folded a shirt in his life (at least not properly), but that doesn’t mean Home Improvement is a great option for the laundry-folding machine in all of us. If you’re folding one basket, or two baskets, or trying to save your room from the pile that never goes away, this beloved ‘90s TV show will help you pass the time.

The Simpsons (1989 - Present)

With countless characters we love to hate, all kinds of zany situations, and more than 700 episodes to choose from, The Simpsons is one of those shows you can have on in the background in any situation. So, it’s not all surprising that this is a great option for laundry day.

The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Considered one of the “peak TV era” shows, The West Wing was a staple of network television in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. That said, it’s not hard to imagine that at least a few people have gone through much of the Bartlet Administration while folding and pressing their laundry.

Friends (1994 - 2004)

When you have an episode with a title like“ The One with the East German Laundry Detergent,” you know Friends is going to be a great show to have on while folding your clothes. The landmark sitcom is pretty much the TV equivalent of a warm blanket, so it makes total sense.

Unsolved Mysteries (1987 - Present)

One of the greatest true crime shows to ever hit the small screen, Unsolved Mysteries has been there for many of us for years. First, the classic episodes hosted by Robert Stack helped us pass the time and eat snacks after school. Now, those very same episodes (as well as the Netflix revival) are there for… laundry. Where all these clothes come from is the real unsolved mystery in households around the country.

Scrubs (2001 - 2010)

Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs is one of the best comedies set in a hospital and one of the best medical shows of all time. That said, it’s also a perfect show to watch while folding laundry. Well, unless you experience one of J.D.’s elaborate daydreams while sorting socks. Maybe that explains where those missing socks have gone.

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

No judging here, but some of us have a certain stack of clothes that are pretty much like Norm from Cheers at this point. You know that the laundry will be there tomorrow like it was there today and yesterday (and the day before that).

Planet Earth (2006)

Planet Earth is one of those shows that’s perfect for just about any task around the house, especially with David Attenborough’s comforting narration perfectly explaining everything on the screen. And who knows, maybe you’ll go through the entire docuseries and its various sequels and spinoffs by the time you finish.

Burn Notice (2007 - 2013)

Aziz Ansari’s cousin Harris loves Burn Notice, but does he love watching the USA Network original show while folding his clothes? We’re kind of afraid to ask. Regardless, this spy series starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell is one of those shows that feels tailor-made for the mindless task of laundry sorting.

Trailer Park Boys (2001 - 2007; 2014 - 2018)

Trailer Park Boys probably isn’t the first show that comes to mind when you’re trying to be productive, but this Canadian comedy series about the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park is the very definition of mindless, crude entertainment. Sure, you won’t want the kids around with the show’s profanity, but this would be great for a late-night laundry session.

30 Rock (2006 - 2013)

With seven seasons and nearly 140 episodes to watch, 30 Rock has more than enough laughs and crazy moments to get you through even the biggest of laundry piles. With its cast of characters working on the fictional TGS sketch comedy series, this beloved NBC comedy will do the trick.

Full House (1987 - 1995)

What would Danny Tanner do? Well, he probably wouldn’t let his laundry situation get out of hand, despite having an ever-growing group of roommates. All jokes aside about the Full House patriarch’s obsession with cleanliness and order, this long-running sitcom has gotten millions of people through laundry baskets over the years. Join in on the fun.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - Present)

Now, there’s a chance you get distracted by all those absurd It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia side characters (or even the main cast), but this FX comedy series is peak-laundry folding material. Just make sure you don’t come up with some ridiculous scheme to hide the clothes or pass the task on to someone else.

The Office (2005 - 2013)

Though the series did “jump the shark” near the end, The Office is still one of the best American sitcoms ever made. With a total of 201 episodes and thousands of hilarious and iconic jokes, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained while you work your way through that basket of socks that’s been taunting you for years.

Pawn Stars (2009 - Present)

With more than 650 episodes, all kinds of remarkable and odd pieces of memorabilia and historical artifacts, Pawn Stars has been one of the most popular shows on the History Channel for years now. And while we would love to be able to say “I know a guy” who can handle all these clothes, Rick Harrison and company at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop will help make the folding process a little more entertaining.

American Pickers (2010 - Present)

Like a lot of other great History Channel shows, American Pickers is one of those series perfect for background noise. You don’t really have to follow along to the finer points of the reality program, which is perfect when you’re about halfway through a load of clothes that you really need to finish.

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

Who would have thought that a show about nothing would be perfect for laundry? Well, that’s the case for Seinfeld. Sure, you’re probably going to get distracted, put mismatched socks together, or accidentally merge the “keep” and “give away” stacks on the foot of the bed, but it’s worth it.

Parks And Recreation (2009 - 2015)

Though it’s unlikely that Ron Swanson would be too fond of spending hours folding clothes, Parks and Recreation is a show that is perfect for the task. Sure, you may be stuck in a pit of clothes that were washed weeks ago before you finally pull yourself out, but it’s all about the journey.

Family Guy (1999 - Present)

Family Guy, one of the best-animated series of the 21st century, is also a great show to have on in the background while doing just about anything. This includes doing laundry. Sure, there are things we’d rather be doing than folding clothes, but this long-running Fox show certainly makes the task less mind-numbing.

Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore guiding us through the ups and downs of small-town life is a great way to make doing laundry a lot more fun, or at least more melodramatic. With seven seasons, 153 episodes, and so many romances to explore, this is definitely a great option for folks who’ve put on laundry for like two months.

The UnXplained (2019 - Present)

How did this stack of clothes get so big? Is this clean, cleanish, or dirty? Does William Shatner fold his own clothes? These are questions with no answers, but The UnXplained will distract you from those mysteries while you search for that missing sock or No Country for Old Man bootleg t-shirt that disappeared in the wash.

Suits (2011 - 2019)

From 2011 to 2019, few shows reached the heights experienced by Suits. This USA Network drama about the high-stakes world of corporate law introduced viewers to all kinds of characters and intense situations along the way. And while few, if any, of those managing partners and ladder-climbing associates did their own laundry, they can help you do yours.

The X Files (1993 - 2002; 2016 - 2018)

A show that made it more than 10 seasons, The X Files was one of the most well-known and watched series of the ‘90s. If you want to mix things up with the laundry and imagine a world in which aliens and other paranormal creatures appear (and possibly help fold those fitted sheets), this landmark sci-fi show will do the trick.

The Great British Baking Show (2014 - Present)

The Great British Baking Show, or The Great British Bake Off as it’s known in its native United Kingdom, is one of the most delicious, hilarious, and watchable cooking shows to ever grace the small screen. While we typically prefer seeing these delectable creations (or disasters) in all their glory, maybe folding clothes will distract and prevent you from mindlessly eating as you watch.

Modern Family (2009 - 2020)

There’s nothing dysfunctional about the Dunphy and Pritchett families from Modern Family, right? Well, maybe a little. This long-running sitcom is one the best options when you’re trying to fold clothes, or really do anything around the house. You’ll be so fixated by Phil coming up with some scheme, Cameron and Mitchell having a meltdown, or Jay being over it all that you’ll forget you’re doing laundry.

Somebody Feed Phil (2018 - Present)

Somebody Feed Phil, a show that follows Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the globe to eat anything and everything in his field of view. With so many seasons, so many culinary explorations, and some hilarious moments involving a man loving food way too much, there’s a lot to enjoy.

House (2004 - 2012)

House is one of those shows you can start watching halfway through an episode and still get a lot of enjoyment out of it. One of the best medical dramas of the 21st century, this show starring Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House will allow you to solve all sorts of medical problems and mysteries as you fold your kids' clothes that never really seem to get clean.

Grey's Anatomy (2005 - Present)

Since its debut in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has combined elements of the medical drama genre with romance and sometimes action to create an experience like no other. If you’re looking for hundreds of hours of TV to help make the laundry go from a mound of madness to a stack of clothes you’ll soon forget to put away, this is the stuff.

MTV True Life (1998 - 2017)

MTV True Life was a long-running documentary series that chronicled pretty much every aspect of life for teenagers, adults, and everyone else. With dozens of episodes about everything from wrestling to odd obsessions, you’ll have a lot of variety when you’re folding the sheets.

How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

How I Met Your Mother has nine seasons of romance, bromance, chaos, and more twists and turns than anyone can count. That’s why it’s such a darn good show for the weekly (or monthly) laundry experience. Watch Ted Mosby fall in and out of love and back in it again as you contemplate your own life, or at least laundry decisions.

For decades, countless TV shows have relied on a trope that has come to be known as the "will they, won't they?" phenomenon, in which the story teases the romantic potential of two central characters with great chemistry. The gimmick has worked on many audiences who love tuning in to see if the couple is one step closer to breaking from their platonic dynamic, however, when that moment finally comes, it does not always lead to a happily ever after, especially for the show they were on. We looked at several classic TV sitcoms and hits of other genres, too, and found some prime examples of couples who perhaps should have stayed friends for series' sake.

Rachel And Joey On Friends

The first couple of seasons of Friends largely focused on the potential romance between Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), which ultimately proved to be one worth rooting for even during their rough patches. However, Rachel and Joey's (Matt LeBlanc) brief attempt to date after developing feelings for one another was so awkward that it was even acknowledged by the characters before they decided to go back to being platonic.

J.D. And Elliot On Scrubs

When J.D. (Zach Braff) and Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) first come together on Scrubs, it is one of the most fun and fulfilling plot developments from the medical comedy's early days. However, their rekindling in Season 8 does not have quite the same magic, which might also be a symptom of its less-beloved final years.

Troy And Britta On Community

Following hints that Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) and Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) had developed feelings for each other, the study group members' romance was made official in Season 4. Of course, that season, considered the worst season of the show, is also referred to as "The Gas Leak Year" to explain why everyone at Greendale was acting a little off during that time and we consider this awkward and unfunny coupling an essential example of that.

Mulder And Scully On The X-Files

Creator Chris Carter's The X-Files, which follows the unusual investigations of Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), is considered to be one of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time but another genre you could lump it in with is romance. However, the series was at its best when it only went as far as implying a spark between the FBI agents but was at its weakest any time it went in more explicit directions.

Barney And Robin On How I Met Your Mother

The first season of How I Met Your Mother saw Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) going back and forth on his feelings for Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) before they finally took the leap in a satisfying way or, at least, far more satisfying than Robin's relationship with Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). The coupling never quite felt right and the fact that most of Season 9 is set at the weekend, which leads to divorce in the finale, makes it feel even more wasted.

Dawson And Joey On Dawson's Creek

The concept of James Van Der Beek's title character from Dawson's Creek having romantic potential with his childhood friend, Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) was already a little too on-the-nose at the time. Their tumultuous "will they, won't they" arc was so irritatingly drawn out and their inevitable coupling proved to lack some significant chemistry, ultimately making it clear that they were not right for each other.

Steve And Laura On Family Matters

You could argue that making Steve Urkel actor Jaleel White the star of the Family Matters cast was the true beginning of the end for the sitcom in terms of overall quality, considering it was originally supposed to be about his neighbors, the Winslows. However, seeing the stereotypical nerd's one-sided crush on Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams) turn into an actual relationship might be the series' furthest leap over the shark.

Sam And Rebecca On Cheers

Perhaps the quintessential example of an ideal "will they, won't they" relationship is that of Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) from the Cheers cast, whose relationship may have ended by bittersweet means but was fun and satisfying while it lasted. As a result, the bartender's similar "will they, won't they" dynamic and eventual romance with his manager Rebecca Howe (Long's replacement, Kirstie Alley) was not necessarily a detriment to the long-running series but deeply pales in comparison.

Luke And Lorelai On Gilmore Girls

An essential example of a "will they, won't they?" dynamic being far more entertaining than the inevitable romance is Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) from the Gilmore Girls cast. Everything about the single mother's relationship with the diner owner, especially their witty banter, was at its peak when they were still strictly friends who occasionally flirted.

Maddie And David On Moonlighting

One of the first couples that comes to mind when the topic of "will they, won't they" arcs with disappointing turnouts is brought up is David Addison (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) on the Emmy-winning comedy, Moonlighting. The pair – a sarcastic detective and a former model managing a private investigation firm – drove each other nuts and teased a potential romance for several seasons until they finally gave it a shot but with an underwhelming reception from critics and audiences alike.

Erin And Andy On The Office

If there is one undeniably positive thing we can say about Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and his relationship with Erin Haynes (Ellie Kemper), it is that the hapless Dunder Mifflin salesperson and flighty receptionist make a much better couple than he and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey). However, Andy and Angela's tragically one-sided dynamic (particularly due to her secret affection for Dwight) led to jokes and storylines that were far more interesting by comparison.

Damon And Elena On The Vampire Diaries

The CW's hit vampire TV show, The Vampire Diaries, boasted the distinction of having a "will they, won't they" arc that branched off from a different trope: the love triangle between Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and undead brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). While "Delena" ended up becoming the winning couple, the challenges they faced – from memory-erasing storylines to Dobrev's exit from the cast – made for an exhausting watch until their happy ending in the series finale.

Daenerys And Jon On Game Of Thrones

Most fans of Games of Thrones would agree that the HBO original series started to go downhill once the writers began deviating from the original source material, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels. One such disappointing element of the epic fantasy show was the romance between Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) – a relationship that saw the fan-favorite characters veering into directions that seemed unnatural for how they were developed.

Nick And Jess On New Girl

Even though they retained a pleasantly platonic relationship early on, anyone who has ever seen a sitcom likely was able to predict that Jessica "Jess" Day (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) from the New Girl cast were destined for romance from the beginning. For how much it was a delight watching the roommates become a couple, most would agree that the show was always at its best when they were still friends.

Booth And Brennan On Bones

Fans of Bones would argue that seeing forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) officially becoming a couple after years of teasing did not ruin the crime procedural by any stretch. However, many viewers were disappointed to see the series immediately jump ahead and show them settled down and with a baby on the way instead of taking the time to show the natural evolution of their relationship.

House And Cuddy On House

Admittedly, it was fun to watch Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) flirt with Dean of Medicine Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) but no one could have imagined that such as selfish, manipulative, and emotionally unavailable jerk like him could be in a loving relationship with her. Of course, it was these very behaviors that doomed their romance, which ended permanently when Edelstein left the hit medical drama.

Rory And Jess On Gilmore Girls

The romance between Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) and Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki) was a sweet tale of first love that made Gilmore Girls' inaugural run a winning first season. Unfortunately, after Luke's troubled nephew, Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), moved to Stars Hollow and piqued Rory's interest, it ruined the relationship and, after she and Jess became official, her likability began to wane.

Buffy and Spike On Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz) briefly shared a romance that Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans would agree was fun and exciting. In fact, we can think of several reasons why Buffy should have picked Angel over Spike (James Marsters), who was never intended to be a regular character in the first place anyway.

Josh And Donna On The West Wing

There is no denying that among the West Wing cast members, Bradley Whitford's Josh Lyman and his assistant Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) had one of the most irresistible dynamics. However, when their relationship became more than strictly professional, the coupling was largely deemed as coming too late into the political drama to make for a satisfying outcome.

Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin was an otherwise sweet and inspiring dramedy who did not know how to handle the blossoming romance at the center of it all. Because of various contrived developments and signs of incompatibility, the title character (played by Gina Rodriguez) and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) are considered one of the weakest TV couples in recent memory.

Max And Helen On New Amsterdam

One of the biggest mistakes that a TV show can make when pairing up a "will they, won't they?" couple is changing the fundamental makeup of each character. That is how many fans felt when Dr. Max Goodwin (former The Blacklist cast member Ryan Eggold) and Dr. Helen Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) struck up a relationship on the NBC medical drama, New Amsterdam.

Clark And Lana On Smallville

Smallville established at the very beginning that Clark Kent (Tom Welling) had a crush on classmate Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and eventually formed a relationship with her that was riddled by an unstable foundation before they split in Season 8. Luckily, soon after, Clark would begin dating his true soulmate, Lois Lane (Erica Durance).

Jackie And Fez On That '70s Show

To be fair, fans and critics would agree that That '70s Show had already been experiencing a steep decline in quality by the time Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis) developed a crush on Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) out of the blue in the seventh and final season. However, seeing them finally come together in the finale following years of Jackie rejecting him just felt weird and the creators seemed to agree, based on how they split them up and got Jackie and Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) back together for That '90s Show.

Zack And Kelly On Saved By The Bell

Watching Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) pursue Kelly Kapowki (Tiffani Thiessen) to no avail was always one of the most fun things about Saved by the Bell. Watching the often horribly behaved sitcom kid become a true romantic and win Kelly's heart just felt off-brand and things only became more ridiculous when they got engaged during Saved By the Bell: The College Years.

Coulson And May On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have enjoyed shipping characters, but few "will they, won't they?" couples in the franchise were more popular than Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and his colleague, Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen). It is just a shame that it took Coulson's imminent death, and with only days left to spare, to inspire them to finally give a relationship a try.

Shawn And Juliet On Psych

Fans of Psych would likely agree that the best relationship on Psych is Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill). Yet, it might be a hot take to say that Shawn's slowly built-up coupling with Det. Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) was added to show for a needless element of romance but without taking the time to build the relationship into something genuinely worth rooting for.

Lane And Zack On Gilmore Girls

There are many polarizing romantic storylines on Gilmore Girls but most fans have come to agree that Lane Kim (Keiko Agena) and Zack Van Gerbig (Todd Lowe) have the worst. To be frank, they just feel Lane's former bandmate is a bad influence on her.

Oliver And Felicity On Arrow

While audiences are willing to suspend disbelief for all kinds of reasons when watching a comic book TV show, fans and critics had a hard time believing the relationship between Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards). The wealthy vigilante and his employee-turned-lover were incompatible for an irritating number of reasons.

Pete And Myka On Warehouse 13

What made the coupling of Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) a low point for SyFy's Warehouse 13 was that there was no actual "will they, won't they" buildup. They were clearly and perfectly platonic duo until Pete realizes he is in love with Myka completely out of the blue.

Michael And Holly On The Office

Let's make something clear: seeing Michael Scott (Steve Carell) find a happy relationship with Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) was a grandly heartwarming sight. We're only counting their relationship because it led to Carell's exit from NBC's The Office cast and, with it, the series' creative downfall.

Maeve And Otis On Sex Education

Over the course of four seasons, it seemed like Netflix's Sex Education was building toward a long-awaited happily ever after for Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey). Unfortunately, the series betrayed its centerpiece couple by introducing a long-distance relationship plot, ultimately ruining them for good.

Lucifer And Chloe On Lucifer

Despite having the actual Devil as its main "hero," Lucifer is a fun, bizarre take on the crime thriller genre. Yet, many fans felt that the show went in an overly dramatic direction when the title character Tom Ellis and Det. Chloe Decker (Lauren German) became a romantic couple.

A "bottle episode" is a term used when a TV show, usually in an attempt to save money on sets, keeps the action all in one place. Some of these episodes justify their singular setting by trapping the characters inside against their will while others incorporate more clever storytelling devices. Let's cover some of the most interesting and entertaining examples of a bottle episode in TV history with the following.

Mad About You - "The Conversation"

Sometimes, raising an infant might have parents feeling trapped in their own home (or even a singular location in their home) which is a topic explored in an episode from the sixth episode of the hit Paul Reiser TV show, Mad About You. Filmed in one single-shot take, "The Conversation" depicts Paul (Reiser) and Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) talking while they wait for their infant daughter to cry herself to sleep.

Breaking Bad - "Fly"

Considered by some to be one of the best Breaking Bad episodes and by others to be the worst, "Fly" earns its title from an insect that Walter White (Bryan Cranston) discovers making itself at home in the lab owned by Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Directed by Rian Johnson, the episode sees him and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), determined to save their jobs (and lives), spending an entire night struggling to rid the lab of the "contamination," while having heartfelt and complex discussions regarding the current state of their lives.

Seinfeld - "The Chinese Restaurant"

In an episode of one of the all-time best sitcoms that left some network executives confused from behind the scenes, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) spend 20 minutes waiting to be seated for dinner before heading to the movies. Despite not featuring Michael Richards' Kramer, Season 2's subdued yet witty "The Chinese Restaurant" is one of the best Seinfeld episodes and one that most strongly defines the NBC comedy's schtick as a "show about nothing."

The West Wing - "Isaac And Ishmael"

One of the most powerful bottle episodes in TV history was a standalone from Aaron Sorkin's Emmy-winning political drama called "Isaac and Ishmael," which was broadcast before the official Season 3 premiere as a tribute to the victims of the tragedy on September 11, 2001. Described as a non-canonical play by the West Wing cast in a cold open where the actors directly address the audience, the episode is primarily set in the mess hall of the White House, which has been put on lockdown amid a terrorist attack, forcing some of those inside to investigate the matter and others to discuss it from a philosophical perspective with some visiting students.

Friends - "The One Where No One's Ready"

In Season 3's "The One Where No One's Ready," the Friends cast is hanging out when Ross shows up urging them to prepare to leave for an event. Depicted in real time and taking place almost entirely in Monica's living room, the episode proved popular enough to convince the producers to do at least one bottle episode per season for the remainder of the hit series' run.

The Twilight Zone - "Five Characters In Search Of An Exit"

Some of the most interesting stories told on horror anthology TV shows are bottle episodes but that is not the only reason why "Five Characters in Search of An Exit" is a shoo-in for one of the best Twilight Zone episodes. As the apt title suggests, the Rod Serling-penned Season 3 story, following a group of strangers trapped in a room with no windows or doors and no memory of how they got there, is a wickedly surreal mystery with a killer twist ending.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "The Box"

One of the best episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, "The Box," sees Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher teaming up to see if they can get a dentist suspected of murder to give a confession before they are legally forced to release him from the interrogation room. Sterling K. Brown gives an Emmy-nominated performance in the Season 5 favorite as the stone-cold potential perp who forces Peralta to pull out every trick in the book to break.

Frasier - "My Coffee With Niles"

The Season 1 finale of Frasier (a spin-off show as good as its predecessor, Cheers) served as an homage to the 1981 dramedy, My Dinner with Andre. "My Coffee with Niles" takes place entirely during a cafe conversation between the title character (Kelsey Grammer) and his brother (David Hyde Pierce), during which they discuss happiness and Niles, for the first time, admits his feelings for Daphne (Jane Leeves).

Family Guy - "Brian & Stewie"

For its 150th show, Family Guy aired a bottle episode that stripped away its opening credits, musical score, the typical cutaway gags, and most of the characters. The entire plot of "Brian & Stewie" takes place inside a bank vault where the eponymous dog and baby (both voiced by creator Seth MacFarlane) find themselves accidentally locked inside for more than 24 hours.

Community - "Cooperative Calligraphy"

Likely responsible for teaching a generation of viewers about the concept of a bottle episode, one of the best episodes of Community, "Cooperative Calligraphy," is identified as such by Abed (Danny Pudi) in one of his signature meta moments. The Season 2 favorite sees the study group lock themselves in the study room for an entire night at the request of Annie (Alison Brie) to figure out who among them took her pen.

Parks And Recreation - "Leslie And Ron"

The seventh season of Parks and Recreation saw Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) on non-speaking terms for mysterious reasons until it was addressed and resolved in the season's fourth episode, aptly titled "Leslie and Ron." Locked in a room at the office by Ben (Adam Scott), the former coworkers are forced to talk through their feud, which we learn was caused by a sidelined Ron asking Leslie for a job to be closer to his old friends, only to be stood up.

Archer - "Vision Quest"

One of many examples of a bottle episode in which multiple characters find themselves trapped in an elevator comes from the sixth season of Archer. In "Vision Quest" much of the main cast of the animated spy comedy series get at each other's throats more than usual when they share a lift at ISIS that suddenly breaks down.

Kenan & Kel - "Freezer Burned"

Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel aired a few episodes that saw the eponymous duo (played by All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell) stuck in one place. One instance is Season 3's "Freezer Burned" in which Kel accidentally points a restaurant's restroom sign in the wrong direction, causing himself, Kenan, Kenan's family, and many others to become trapped in the freezer.

Grey's Anatomy - "The Room Where It Happens"

While all bottle episodes take place in one setting, not all are necessarily set during just one period of time. For instance, "The Room Where It Happens" from Season 13 of Grey's Anatomy takes place in a single operating room in which multiple characters recall their own memories of the most significant moments they have experienced there.

How I Met Your Mother - "The Limo"

Some TV shows get away with covering more ground than the typical bottle episode allows by keeping most of the action inside a mode of transportation. For instance, "The Limo" follows the How I Met Your Mother cast hopping between multiple New Year's Eve parties in a limousine driven by the recurring character Ranjit (Marshall Manesh), marking the beginning of his transition from taxi driving.

Hey Arnold! - "Das Subway"

Sometimes even a bottle episode set in a mode of transportation still sees the characters stuck in one place, like in the Season 1 Hey Arnold! episode, "Das Subway." Arnold and his friends decide to get home from the movie theater by taking the subway but end up sharing it with a bunch of stir-crazy passengers when it breaks down mid-trip.

Castle - "Cuffed"

Some bottle episodes manage to show scenes from outside the main setting by the use of flashbacks. That is how the Season 4 Castle episode, "Cuffed," explains how Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) ended up handcuffed together and trapped in a small room where they struggle to retrace their steps.

Supernatural - "Baby"

Rarely do bottle episodes and road trip episodes crossover but Supernatural achieved it in its eleventh season with "Baby," which is named after Dean Winchester's (Jensen Ackles) beloved Impala. The entire story – following him and Sam (Jared Padalecki) on a demon-hunting journey – is entirely told from inside the car.

Drake & Josh - "Tree House"

In the fourth season of Drake & Josh, the titular pair of stepbrothers (played by Drake Bell and Josh Peck) must reconstruct a neighbor's tree house that they accidentally destroyed. Upon finishing it, they find themselves trapped inside, having forgotten to cut out an exit before putting up the final wall. Their sister, Megan (Miranda Cosgrove), refuses to help them find a way out, and, to make matters worse, two twin sisters are waiting to meet them at the movie theater.

The X-FIles - "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas"

"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" is a fun holiday episode from the sixth season of one of the all-time best sci-fi TV shows, The X-Files. It sees FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) becoming trapped in a house haunted by the spirits of a dead couple (played by TV icons Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin) who want to prove to them how lonely the season can be.

Chicago Fire - "My Lucky Day"

The rescuers fall desperate for a rescue in a Season 9 episode of NBC's Chicago Fire ironically called "My Lucky Day." Firefighters Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) become cut off from outside communication when they and two others board a freight elevator that breaks down in the middle of a building fire.

Eureka - "H.O.U.S.E. Rules"

In the first season of the hit SyFy series Eureka, newly appointed sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) considers leaving the small town of brilliant people after being blocked from investigating a crime. However, his A.I.-equipped smart house tries to convince him to stay by luring other locals into the home and locking them inside.

Leverage - "The Bottle Job"

The title of the Season 2 episode of Leverage, "The Bottle Job," has a triple meaning – one being that it is a bottle episode. The other meanings refer to Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton's character, Nate, taking up his drinking habit again, as well as the team's task to commit an elaborate con that would take weeks in only 90 minutes.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - "Did The Earth Move For You?"

While there are many examples of bottle episodes used to help two characters mend their issues with one another by trapping them together, the Season 2 premiere of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sees two characters grow apart as a result. In "Did the Earth Move for You?" the victims are Will Smith (Will Smith) and his new girlfriend, Kathleen (Tisha Campbell), who learn too much about each other after an earthquake leaves them trapped in the Banks' basement.

This Is Us - "The Waiting Room"

Most episodes of This Is Us jump back and forth between different time periods but Season 3's "The Waiting Room" takes place entirely in the modern day without any flashbacks. However, for what it lacks in appearances by Milo Ventimiglia as Jack, it makes up for it by keeping the Pearsons (and the audience) on their toes as they stay in a hospital waiting for the birth of Kate's baby.

MacGyver - "Phoenix Under Siege"

Before Die Hard, there was the Season 2 MacGyver episode, "Phoenix Under Siege," which boasts a few plot similarities. Mac (Richard Dean Anderson) and his grandfather, Harry Jackson (John Anderson), stop by the Phoenix Foundation to look for some tickets to a hockey game only to become trapped inside the building when it is invaded by terrorists.

Scrubs - "My Full Moon"

The Season 8 Scrubs episode, "My Full Moon," is a notable bottle episode as being one of the few times we see Turk (Donald Faison) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) teaming up. They are left in charge of four interns at Sacred Heart on the night of a full moon, hence the title.

Teen Titans Go! - "Bottle Episode"

Never has a series taken the concept of a bottle episode as literally as the 29th show from the third season of Teen Titans Go! Aptly called "Bottle Episode," it sees the team of young superheroes struggling to figure out an escape when they become trapped in a large glass bottle.

Moonlighting - "Between A Yuk And A Hard Place"

Taking place months after the previous episode when Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) suffers a miscarriage, "Between A Yuk and a Hard Place" sees her and David (Bruce Willis) reunited when they become trapped in an elevator. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that Agnes (Allyce Beasley) and MacGillicudy (Jack Blessing) intentionally caused the elevator to break down, giving the couple a chance to work out their issues.

The Dead Zone - "Cabin Pressure"

In the second season of USA Network's series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) has a psychic vision that the plane he is currently traveling on is bound to crash. The episode is set entirely on a jet and is even depicted in real-time.

Black-ish - "Hope"

Creator Kenya Barris' ABC dramedy Black-ish was never afraid to address tough real-life topics and one of the most powerful examples is Season 2's "Hope." It takes place entirely in the Johnsons' living room as they watch a news report of a police brutality case, which prompts a difficult discussion regarding racial injustice.

That's My Bush! - "Trapped In A Small Environment"

From South Park creator Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Comedy Central's short-lived series That's My Bush poked fun at common sitcom cliches while also offering a humorous inside look at the then-current George W. Bush administration. It once took aim at the "trapped in a small environment" trope in an episode called "Trapped in a Small Environment," in which the president and his neighbor, Larry (John D'Aquino) get stuck in an elevator, giving them an opportunity to work through a feud.

There are few novelties within the media landscape that can be more enjoyable than good crossovers. For years now, creatives have found intriguing ways to cross-pollinate properties. Said events are especially common when it comes to TV shows, and viewers have certainly been treated to some entertaining productions involving multiple series mixing it up. On that note, we’re going to talk about 32 particularly excellent small-screen mashups. 

Batman/The Green Hornet

The 1960s series Batman and The Green Hornet linked up in a few small ways during their runs, but their most prominent crossover occurred during a two-part episode of the former show. “A Piece of the Action” and “Batman’s Satisfaction” saw Gotham’s protectors forge an uneasy alliance with the Hornet and Kato, and the result was a truly action-packed hour of pulpy goodness.

Full House/Family Matters

Remember the time Family Matters’ Steve Urkel appeared on Full House? In Season 4’s “Stephanie Gets Framed,” the Urk Man traveled from Chicago to San Francisco for a science fair and ended up giving Stephanie Tanner advice regarding her new glasses. The result was a relatively sweet installment, which built a solid bridge between two of ABC’s best TGIF comedies.

The Jetsons/The Flintstones

The respective casts of Hanna-Barbera’s prehistoric and futuristic animated sitcoms finally came together in the 1987 TV movie The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones. During the special, the two groups walked a mile in each other’s shoes via time travel, and the result was a fun piece of work that could make you yell Yabba Dabba Doo!

The Beverly Hillbillies/Petticoat Junction/Green Acres

It’s no secret that CBS’ The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres are all set within the same fictional universe. All three shows crossed over multiple times, but the sweetest example was arguably the Hillbillies Season 7 episode “The Thanksgiving Spirit,” in which the casts of the three comedies warmly shared a meal together.

St. Elsewhere/Cheers

Both Cheers and St. Elsewhere are set in Boston, so it was only fitting that a connection was built between the two NBC shows. The crossover occurred during Season 3 of the medical drama, when several doctors visited the titular pub from one of the best sitcoms of all time. Come for the intrigue of the mashup, and stay for Rhea Perlman’s Carla Tortelli chewing out a group of medical professionals.

Diff’rent Strokes/Hello, Larry

Honestly, Hello, Larry wasn’t all that interesting on its own, but its three two-part crossovers with fellow NBC sitcom Diff’rent Strokes were solid. The final meetup between the two casts, “Thanksgiving Crossover,” was particularly enjoyable and highlighted character dynamics in fun ways.

Boy Meets World/Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Fan-favorite Sabrina the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart briefly appeared as her eponymous character during the closing tag for the Boy Meets World Season 5 episode, “The Witches of Pennbrook.” Her appearance may not be considered canon now, but it was certainly cool to see at the time. 

Scooby-Doo/Josie And The Pussycats

Throughout the two-season run of The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Mystery Inc. ran into a number of notable people – both real and fictional. It was only fitting that the sleuths met up with their fellow Hanna-Barbera-birthed peers from Josie and the Pussycats. The two gangs teamed up to solve a mystery in “The Haunted Showboat,” resulting in a fun romp.

NCIS/NCIS: Los Angeles/NCIS: Hawai’i

In early 2023, NCIS’ first triple crossover debuted, bringing together characters from the mothership show as well as the Los Angeles and Hawai’i spinoffs. The shows’ respective teams joined forces to investigate the apparent suicide of a retired military official. It can be said that this Avengers-style event was well worth the wait.

Happy Days/Laverne & Shirley

Within the fictional TV universe co-created by producer Garry Marshall, Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley cross-pollinated multiple times. One of the most notable instances of that was with the two-part crossover “Shotgun Wedding,” in which Shirley and Laverne became engaged to Richie Cunningham and the Fonz to save them from arranged marriages.

The Mask: Animated Series/Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Both Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask: Animated Series were adapted from Jim Carrey movies, so it was only right that they both crossover. The two-part event – which was spread across both shows – was a truly wild romp that involved brain-switching shenanigans, a trip to space and more.

Friends/Mad About You

Amid all the truly strong and ridiculous Friends episodes, is the memorable two-parter, “The One with Two Parts.” The installments see Joey Tribbiani falling for Phoebe Buffay’s twin sister, Ursula, from Mad About You. The fun episodes also featured cheeky cameos from Helen Hunt and Leila Kenzle, who appeared as their MAU characters.

The Golden Girls/Empty Nest/Nurses

Three-show crossovers can be tricky, but NBC pulled off a fun one in 1991 with The Golden Girls, Empty Nest and Nurses. “Hurricane Saturday” saw the characters of the Florida-based sitcoms weathering a massive storm and humorously crossing paths as they did so.

The King Of Queens/Everybody Loves Raymond

Due to a retroactive bridge being retroactively built between them, Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens crossed over multiple times throughout their runs. One of the best of those, however, is the first crossover, which occurred in the Queens Season 1 episode “Road Rayge.” It’s a funny episode that sees Doug Hefferman and Ray Barone striking up a friendship after meeting at the DMV.

Power Rangers In Space/Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation

Power in Space’s “Shell Shocked” marked the realization of a Saturday morning dream, as it saw the rangers team up with the heroes in a half shell. These iterations of the amphibious martial arts masters hailed from Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (a show that shouldn’t have been canceled after one season). The Turtles were mind-controlled by the Rangers’ nemesis, Astronema, who uses them to take over the power team’s Megaship.

The Office (U.S.)/The Office (U.K.)

Both iterations of The Office collided when Ricky Gervais’ David Brent popped up on a Season 7 episode of the U.S. series. During that installment, he and his American counterpart, Michael Scott (Steve Carell), ran into each other. I don’t know what’s funnier: the two abrasive bosses getting along so well or Michael awkwardly telling David that Dunder Mifflin wasn’t hiring.

Supergirl/The Flash

The Arrowverse showcased a number of great team-ups over the years, but the first was a fun crossover between The Flash and Supergirl, in which the titular hero of the former show found himself in Kara Danvers’ universe. As fun as the Supes Season 1 episode is, what’s even more amazing is that this event happened before the Melissa Benoist-led show moved from CBS to The CW to join its slate of DCTV fare.

Sister, Sister/Smart Guy

Fellow shows on The WB, fan-favorite Sister, Sister and Smart Guy seemed like the right fit for a crossover, with the former sitcom hosting it. The episode saw 10-year-old prodigy T.J. Henderson being recruited to tutor twins Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell for their SATs. T.J. ultimately employed some unconventional – but effective – methods to get the job done.

The Fairly Oddparents/Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

Few cartoon crossovers can match the greatness of the three-hour-long crossovers between Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Oddparents and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Known as The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour, the episodes saw Neutron and Timmy Turner coming into interdimensional conflict on multiple occasions. Even today, seeing characters from two of the best Nick shows of the 2000s is downright delightful.

New Girl/Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I’m not sure anyone could’ve predicted that a crossover between New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine would happen, but that’s exactly what fans were treated to in 2016. This was a two-part event spread across both comedies, and it was certainly fun to see Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta, Zooey Deschanel’s Jessica Day and more mix it up.

Luke Cage/Iron Fist

After much demand from the fans, Netflix’s Luke Cage featured a true superhero tag team between the show’s eponymous character and Danny Rand of Iron Fist. While reception to the latter show and its protagonist had been relatively underwhelming, fans loved what was done with Rand on Cage. All in all, it was a team-up worthy of the Heroes for Hire legacy.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air/In The House

One crossover that I’d argue is rarely talked about is the one that took place between The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In The House. ITH’s “Dog Catchers” saw Alfonso Riberio guest star as Carlton Banks and Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks. The story involved Carlton (inadvertently) alerting Marion Hill (LL Cool J) to the fact that friend Tiffany Warren’s (Maia Campbell) new boyfriend was two-timing her with Ashley.

The Simpsons/Futurama

“Simpsorama,” a Season 26 episode of The Simpsons, finally brought Springfield’s famous family into contact with the cast of Futurama. The Planet Express crew made their way to the present to prevent Homer and co. from causing a dire situation in the future. The crossover not only employed the kind of gags specific to both Matt Groening-produced shows but preserved the heart as well.

Scandal/How To Get Away With Murder

Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope and Viola Davis’ Annalise Keating finally met each other when Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder crossed over. The 2018 multi-episode arc saw the crisis manager and defense attorney join forces to collaborate on a class action case. Both actresses brought their A-game for what proved to be a truly emotional story, with some poignant social commentary.

Supernatural/Scooby-Doo

I’m not sure many people envisioned Supernatural bringing in the Scooby-Doo characters upon the announcement of a crossover in 2017. However, the episode, “Scoobynatural,” ultimately received high praise from critics and fans alike. Seriously, the sight of Sam and Dean Winchester aiding Mystery Inc. in a case (set against the backdrop of one of the animated franchise’s classic episodes) was so much fun.

The X-Files/Cops

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like if The X-Files’ Mulder and Scully’s off-kilter adventures were ever presented in a format similar to Cops’? Well, look no further than the Season 7 episode “X-Cops,” as it put the two in such a situation. The idea may have sounded wild at the time, but it proved to be highly entertaining TV.

Archer/Bob’s Burgers

It’s rare that a crossover gets wilder than the one between Bob’s Burgers and Archer, which occurred in the later show. "Fugue and Riffs" featured an amnesiac Sterling Archer waking up to discover that he’s the head of the Belcher family from Bob’s. That episode was certainly fun, especially considering that H. Jon Benjamin voiced both Archer and Bob regularly anyways.

That’s So Raven/The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody/Hannah Montana

Disney Channel gifted children of the 2000s with a real treat when the three-way TV event That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana. It brought together the casts of the hit shows That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Hannah Montana for a madcap meetup that’s still beloved today.

Doctor Who/Torchwood/The Sarah Jane Adventures

Series 4 of Doctor Who ended on a high note with a two-part finale that brought the eponymous Time Lord and his allies together with characters from two spinoff series, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Not only did the Who writers manage to provide plenty of crossover craziness, but they also wrapped up a number of pivotal story arcs in the process.

Generator Rex/Ben 10

It’s not often that two awesome do-gooders link up on the small screen, and Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes United offered a shining example of that. While it was great to see the two eponymous characters ultimately team up, it was also cool to see them come to blows upon first making contact.

Bones/Sleepy Hollow

The notion of the cast of Sleepy Hollow and Bones coming together for a two-part story sounds weird on paper, and that’s because it is. Nevertheless, it was intriguing to watch Special Agents Seeley Booth and Temperance “Bones” Brennan team up with FBI Agent Abbie Mills and Ichabod Crane to investigate a decades-old corpse on Halloween.

Arrow/The Flash/Supergirl/Batwoman/Legends Of Tomorrow

The producers behind “Crisis on Infinite Earths” did the impossible by uniting the casts of not two, three or four Arrowverse shows but all five series that were on the air at that time. What was even more impressive was that in addition to Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Batgirl being involved, Black Lightning’s eponymous hero was also in the mix. You’d be hard-pressed to find a small-screen crossover as massive as this one was.

The X-Files was a cultural juggernaut out of the '90s, to the point that many guests went on to become TV stars in their own right and fans celebrated the 30th anniversary of the series just one year ago. The David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson version of the show expanded into two feature films (one of which reached its 25th anniversary in 2023) and two revival seasons from 2016 - 2018 to follow the original nine. The next version of the franchise not only isn't set to include the original stars, but also leaves out original creator Chris Carter. According to Carter, though, it's a good thing.

News broke back in 2023 that Black Panther writer/director Ryan Coogler was attached to a developing The X-Files reboot, which Variety reported was planned to include a diverse cast. At the time, the project was in very early stages of development, and there haven't been many updates since until Chris Carter opened up back in April. The original creator/showrunner spoke with Inverse about his career and shared his thoughts on Coogler's version proceeding without his involvement:

Carter's comments about seeing somebody else helm The X-Files' next voyage seem pretty healthy, if you ask me. The show covered a lot with some increasingly convoluted mythology over eleven seasons (currently available streaming via Hulu subscription) and two movies under Carter; Ryan Coogler has more of a blank slate to start telling these stories.

Plus, as somebody who likes to pretend that Season 11 didn't end the way that it did for Mulder and Scully in what I then dubbed "The Most WTF Finale Ever," I think some fresh blood in the hands of somebody other than Chris Carter could be pretty interesting. I love the show enough that I hard a hard time narrowing down my picks for the 25 best episodes, but I don't need another season like the eleventh.

Carter does have some idea of what Ryan Coogler has in mind, as he went on to tell Inverse:

The initial news of Ryan Coogler helming a fresh take on the franchise with a new cast seemed like it meant the era of Mulder and Scully was over. In fact, Gillian Anderson had already floated the idea that Season 11 would be her last before the first episode of it even aired, and had the perfect response when called out about Season 12 not happening.

Considering the wringer that Scully went through in what was evidently the last of Chris Carter's seasons, I honestly can't blame Gillian Anderson for not wanting to return. Just days after Carter dropped his comments about supporting Ryan Coogler's reboot without being involved in it, Gillian Anderson said this on TODAY about playing Scully again:

Do I 100% support a new take on the franchise with Ryan Coogler rather than Chris Carter? Sure. Do I also think somebody needs to call David Duchovny ASAP if the reboot gets a series order and Gillian Anderson signs on to make an appearance? Absolutely! A new era doesn't mean some familiar faces can't reprise their iconic roles briefly.

As for the idea that there's no X-Files without Mulder and Scully, I thought the original series actually did a pretty solid job of setting Agents Doggett (Robert Patrick) and Reyes (Annabeth Gish) up as the next two stars after Anderson and Duchovny both left, although the show was cancelled instead of continuing without them in 2002.

Plus, it is a stretch to have Mulder and Scully both actively investigating the paranormal in the FBI after more than thirty years, so I'm fine with the torch being passed. For now, though, it's a waiting game to see what – if anything – is announced within the foreseeable future about whether Ryan Coogler is indeed moving forward on the next take on The X-Files.

For now, you can always revisit the original run of the series – with or without the disappointing eleventh season – streaming with Hulu or find some upcoming new viewing options on our 2024 TV schedule.

It’s hard enough for a TV show to be greenlit for a pilot and then officially ordered to series, let alone run for many seasons. Many of these shows don’t make it past their first season, and those that end up running between five-10 should definitely be considered successes. But over the decades, there have been a handful of shows that have achieved the incredible feat of lasting more than 10 seasons. Most have been live-action programming, whether we’re talking exceptional dramas or the best sitcoms of all time, and some are among the best-animated TV shows of all time. Whatever the case, these 32 TV shows deserve to be spotlighted as small-screen programming that ran for amazingly long times.

NCIS

The series about agents solving crimes for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service spun out of JAG, which had its own impressive run from 1995-2005. However, it’s safe to say that NCIS far surpassed its predecessor’s level of popularity, as not only did the main show end up running over multiple decades, but it also launched a franchise encompassing many spinoffs, one of which will be mentioned later.

The Simpsons

The satirical depiction of suburban life in Springfield centered around Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, Maggie and their family members and friends quickly became a pop culture phenomenon after it started in 1989. As the longest-running American animated series, longest-running American sitcom and longest-running primetime show, The Simpsons has become a beloved TV staple to multiple generations.

Cheers

From 1982-1993, viewers could visit a Boston bar where everybody knew their name… or rather they could pretend they were hanging out with folks like Sam, Carla and Norm. Cheers proved to be a sitcom sensation that earned numerous accolades, including winning 28 Emmys out of 111 nominations and six Golden Globes out of 31 nominations.

The Big Bang Theory

What started out as a show about a group of scientifically gifted young men and and the gorgeous blonde woman who lived across the hall from two of them became something so much more by the time its 12-season run was finished. Not only did The Big Bang Theory spotlight geek culture in a way that made it more than just the butt of jokes, but its legacy lived on through the prequel spinoff Young Sheldon.

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke achieved popularity as a radio program from 1952 to 1961, but in the middle of that run, it was additionally adapted for TV, and that was an even better success. With a 20-season run, plus five TV movies made after it ended in 1975, the series about Marshal Matt Dillon protecting the citizens of Dodge City, Kanas in the post-Civil War era ranked for a long time as the longest-running, primetime, live-action TV series.

Law & Order

Police procedurals obviously weren’t anything new when Law & Order debuted in 1990, but the Dick Wolf creation about New York City police detectives and prosecuting attorneys has arguably become the most well-known of this type of programming from its own merit and the massive small screen franchise it launched. The show originally aired on NBC for 20 seasons, and then the network revived it in 2022.

Family Guy

Family Guy didn’t get off to the best of starts, as it was canceled by Fox in 2002 after just three seasons. However, thanks to syndicated reruns and DVD sales. Peter Griffin and his family and friends from Quahog, Rhode Island returned to the network in 2005, and the show has since delivered so many hilarious episodes, though it’s not without its controversies. We’re lucky there’s still a man who positively can do all the things that make us laugh and cry.

Dallas

The primetime soap opera about the Ewing family, which owned the Ewing Oil company and Southfork Ranch, captivated audiences over its 14-season run, which is also just as long as the spinoff Knot’s Landing lasted. Dallas would later receive a revival that ran from 2012-2014, though it ignored the events from the two TV movies that followed the original series.

American Dad!

In 2005, the same year Family Guy returned to the airwaves, Seth MacFarlane also delivered American Dad!, which started out as the first show on Fox’s Animation Domination block, and was then moved to TBS years later. It might not have quite the name recognition as Family Guy, but the hijinks of Stan Smith and his family and associates have assembled their own sizable fanbase.

Bonanza

Bonanza is another Western that had a lengthy run in the earlier years of television, running on NBC from 1959 to 1973. Week after week, viewers turned in to watch the stories centered on the wealthy Cartwright family who lived near Virginia City, Nevada in the 1860s, and the series was followed by three made-for-TV movies, as well as a short-lived prequel called The Ponderosa that ran in 2001.

South Park

Y’all ever come down to South Park to meet some friends of mine? Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Comedy Central show started out as two animated short films before it was ordered to series in 1997. South Park is unquestionably one of the most controversial pieces of programming on this list thanks to its many outrageous episodes, but there’s no questioning how much of an impact it’s left on pop culture… when it’s not making fun of it, that is.

Blue Bloods

While Tom Selleck will always arguably be best known for leading the original Magnum P.I., he spent a lot longer on the CBS procedural Blue Bloods. He played NYPD Commissioner Frank Regan in this series following the Reagan family and their various jobs in law enforcement that lasted for 14 seasons.

Supernatural

As one of the pieces of programming that weathered The WB’s transition to The CW, Supernatural, which followed brothers Dean and Sam Winchester battling demonic creatures across the United States, had an impressive 15-season run and assembled a passionate fanbase during that time. It’s the longest-running live-action fantasy series and was followed by the short-lived prequel The Winchesters.

Criminal Minds

This procedural is about the criminal profilers who work for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. The original incarnation of Criminal Minds ran on CBS for 16 seasons, which is obviously a big deal on its own. Then just two years later, it was revived as a Paramount+-exclusive show, albeit now titled as Criminal Minds: Evolution.

M*A*S*H

In 1972, two years after the M*A*S*H movie achieved critical and commercial success, the same-named TV series inspired by the same premise first featured in the 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors started airing on CBS. This comedy/drama about doctors during the Korean War ran for 11 seasons, and its finale was the most-watched TV broadcast in the United States from 1983 to 2010.

Law And Order: Special Victims Unit

In 1999, nine years after Law & Order began, this TV property officially became a franchise when Law & Order: Special Victims Unit began airing. This series specifically focused on sexually-based crimes became just as popular as its predecessor, if not more so. Mariska Hargitay anchors SVU as Olivia Benson, with her being the only main cast member to have been around since the show started.

Grey’s Anatomy

Viewers have spent a long time with the employees at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, which was later renamed the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Grey’s Anatomy began on ABC in 2005 with Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey leading the large cast, and other notable cast members who’ve appeared on the show over the years include Katherine Heigl, Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, Eric Dane and Jesse Williams, among many others.

Frasier

Frasier Crane didn’t appear on Cheers until Season 3, but after that show concluded, Kelsey Grammer’s character took center stage for the spinoff that saw him moving to Seattle, Washington to host his own radio show. Like Cheers, Frasier ran for 11 seasons and racked up a lot of Emmy wins. Nearly two decades after the series ended, Grammer returned to lead a revival/sequel on Paramount+.

Modern Family

Over the course of 11 seasons, Modern Family followed along with three kinds of connected families: nuclear, blended and same-sex. The result was the series starring Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara and Ed O’Neill, among many others, becoming one of ABC’s most popular pieces of programming, and by the time it ended in 2020, it had won 22 Emmys.

ER

While not the first medical show to be called ER (though the first was written as E/R), this drama hailing from the mind of Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton obviously left a much bigger stamp on pop culture. From George Clooney and Angela Bassett, to John Stamos and Ming-Na Wen, as well as a lot of ER cameos, this NBC series about the staff of the fictional Cook County General Hospital highlighted a lot of major talents during its 15 seasons on the air.

Bob’s Burgers

Fox strengthened its lineup of adult animation in 2011 with Bob’s Burgers, which is about the Belcher family running their hamburger restaurant and their interesting clientele. The series has spawned a theatrical movie and a comic book series, but the show more than holds up on its own, as evidenced by its Emmy wins and nominations, among other accolades.

Two And A Half Men

Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen, two actors closely tied with the Brat Pack, teamed up in 2003 for Two and a Half Men, which followed Cryer’s Alan Harper and his son Jake, played by Angus T. Jones, moving into the Malibu house of Sheen’s Charlie Harper, Alan’s brother. Both Sheen and Jones eventually left the show, and Ashton Kutcher came aboard as Walden Schmidt, but in the end, Two and a Half Men had a great run with 12 seasons.

NCIS: Los Angeles

Just like how JAG aired the backdoor pilot for NCIS in 2003, in 2009, NCIS aired special episodes to set up its first spinoff, NCIS: Los Angeles, which followed the Office of Special Projects in the title city. The procedural starring Chris O’Donnell, LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah and more ended up running for 14 seasons on CBS.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

In 2000, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS, and it quickly became a worldwide phenomena, both in positive and negative (the show’s violence and graphic imagery being a frequent source of criticism). The show ended after 15 seasons, and then in 2021, a revival called CSI: Vegas aired on Paramount+ for three seasons, following previous spinoffs Miami, NY and Cyber.

Hawaii-5-O

Although the Hawaii-5-0 reboot had a healthy run of 10 seasons, the original, spelled Hawaii 5-O, lasted just a little longer at 12 seasons. From 1968 to 1980, viewers spent time with characters like Steve McGarrett, Danno Williams and Chin Ho Kelly as they tracked down and apprehended criminals around the Hawaiian Islands, and the series’ popularity led to “Book ‘em” becoming part of the pop culture lexicon.

Murder, She Wrote

Having already made a name for herself on the stage and in movies like The Manchurian Candidate, Angela Lansbury left her mark on TV when she played Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote. For 12 seasons and four made-for-TV movies, her character, mystery writer Jessica Fletcher solved murders that were being committed in her town of Cabot Cove, Maine and other locations around the world.

Bones

Bones stood out from other procedurals by focusing on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, as Emily Deschanel’s Temperance “Bones” Brennan would study the human remains brought in by FBI agent Seeley Booth, played by David Boreanaz, for investigations. Clearly audiences liked this approach, as the show ran for 12 seasons on Fox.

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Originally starting out on FX, and then moving to FXX in 2013, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has spent years chronicling the exploits of Charlie, Dennis, Mac Dee and Frank, a.k.a. “The Gang.” They run the Irish dive bar Paddy’s Pub in Philadelphia and are some of the worst people who’ve ever walked the Earth, but their misadventures have produced some of TV’s greatest comedic moments, and it’s become the longest-running live-action sitcom.

The X-Files

The X-Files originally ran on Fox from 1993 to 2002, with David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Dana Scully looking into cases involving paranormal elements. While the show in its original run wouldn’t have qualified for this list, The X-Files came back for two more seasons from 2016-2018. A theatrical movie, also just called The X-Files, was additionally released in 1998, and The X-Files: I Want To Believe followed in 2008.

King Of The Hill

In yet another example of how much Fox has killed it with adult animation, King of the Hill earned critical acclaim during its 13 seasons originally on the air. The looks at the lives of the Hill family and those in their orbit earned two Emmy awards, among other accolades. In 2023, nearly 15 years after the series ended, it was announced that King of the Hill would be revived, which those with a Hulu subscription could watch.

Will & Grace

Will & Grace originally ran on NBC from 1998 to 2006, and thanks to returning for three more seasons between 2017 and 2020, it makes the cut for this list. The lives of best friends Eric McCormack’s Will Truman and Debra Messing’s Grace Adler, plus cohorts Jack McFarland and Karen Walker, played respectively by Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, earned 18 Emmys and 96 total nominations.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Following his time show running all but two seasons of Seinfeld, Larry David took center stage for Curb Your Enthusiasm, which was based on his 1999 one-hour special Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm and saw him playing a fictional version of himself who frequently found himself in awkward social situations. While Curb Your Enthusiasm didn’t air consistently between 2000 and 2024, it racked up 12 seasons in the end.

If not absorbing storylines and appealing characters, what is it that keeps us coming back to tune into our favorite TV shows week after week, season after season? It could be the way some episodes end with a shocking final moment right before fading to black, leaving us in eager anticipation to see the mystery revealed or, at least, what comes next. Let’s take a look back at some of television’s most iconic cliffhangers that had the world buzzing.

The Finale (The Sopranos)

One of the most controversial series finales of all time is the final episode of The Sopranos, “Made in America,” which ends with the titular family meeting at a diner where Tony (James Gandolfini) looks up to see who has entered the restaurant right as it cuts to black. This non-ending, so to speak, launched countless fan theories regarding what happens next — such as, did the patron who entered the restaurant kill Tony? — but creator David Chase has never conceded to provide a concrete explanation.

Hank Discovers Walt Is Heisenberg (Breaking Bad)

The jaw-dropping ending to one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad, Season 5’s “Gliding Over All,” sees Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) using Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler’s (Anna Gunn) restroom, where he comes across a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass given to Walt by Heisenberg’s one-time partner, Gale Boetticher (David Costabile). The look on the DEA agent’s face, when he realizes the elusive criminal he had been chasing for so long is his own brother-in-law, is priceless, but it would be another year before viewers could see the hunt really begin.

The Mother Of Dragons (Game Of Thrones)

One of the most memorable moments from Game of Thrones occurs in the first season finale, “Fire and Blood,” in which Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) emerges from the embers of a burning pyre, accompanied by three infant fire-breathers. This ends the first season of the prestige drama on a captivating note and marks the beginning of the fan-favorite character’s reign as the Mother of Dragons.

Ross Says Rachel's Name At His Wedding (Friends)

The Friends cast endures a few amusing plot twists in the Season 4 finale — such as the start of Monica and Chandler’s romance — but the biggest surprise occurred at the very end during Ross’ (David Schwimmer) nuptials to Emily (Helen Baxendale). When the officiant asks him to repeat, “Take thee, Emily…” he instead says the name of ex-girlfriend, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), who had initially appeared at the venue last minute wanting to ruin the wedding. This, of course, marks the beginning of the end of his second marriage.

Dale Cooper’s Doppelganger (Twin Peaks)

No cliffhanger from creators David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks perplexed and unsettled audiences like the Season 2 finale, when it is revealed that Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) is still lost in The Black Lodge and has been replaced with an evil look-alike. Just as Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) foretells the real Cooper in the episode, it would be another 25 before fans got to see the story continue in Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival in 2017.

"Resistance Is Futile" (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

One of the most iconic moments in the Star Trek franchise comes from the Season 3 finale of The Next Generation when the U.S.S. Enterprise-D crew discovers Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) has been transformed into a Borg named Locutus. Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) then orders an attack on the enemy's ship before the scene cuts to a caption reading, "To be continued..."

Who Did Negan Kill? (The Walking Dead)

The Season 6 finale of The Walking Dead introduced the most fearsome villain from Robert Kirkman's comic, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who establishes his dominance by choosing one series regular to kill by use of "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe." Before it fades to black, we see the murder occur from the perspective of the victim, who is revealed to be Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) in the Season 7 premiere, in which Glenn (Steven Yeun) is also fatally bludgeoned by Negan's barbed baseball bat, Lucille.

"We Have To Go Back!" (Lost)

Many believe Season 3's "Through the Looking Glass" is the best episode of Lost, primarily for the way it ends the season. It is revealed that the supposed flashbacks of Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox) off the island were really flash-forwards when he tells Kate (Evangeline Lilly) that they must return to the place they had seemingly escaped at some point.

Dexter Discovers Rita's Body (Dexter)

Many fans agree the best season of Dexter is its fourth, especially for the upsetting way it ends when Michael C. Hall's titular, homicidal anti-hero discovers he did not get rid of his worst enemy, The Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), soon enough. He returns home to find his wife, Rita (Julie Benz), dead in their bathtub and their infant son, Harrison, sitting in a puddle of her blood.

Who Shot J.R.? (Dallas)

When it comes to TV cliffhangers, there is absolutely nothing more iconic than the Season 3 finale of Dallas (one of the top-rated TV shows of its time), which ends with Larry Hagman's double-crossing oil baron, J.R. Ewing, getting shot by an unknown assailant. For the entire summer of 1980, audiences all over the country obsessed over who shot J.R. before it was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) in the Season 4 premiere.

The Upside Down Spills Into Hawkins (Stranger Things)

Every season of Stranger Things has ended with a hint at the Hawkins Crew's next adventure, but none has been more epic than Season 4's final moment. The gang realizes that their war against Vecna is far from over as the cold, dusty world of the Upside Down begins to mend with their dimension.

Addison Is Introduced (Grey's Anatomy)

In its first year, one of the most appealing elements of Grey's Anatomy was Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) blossoming romance, which was derailed by an amusing reveal in the season finale. Meredith discovers that she is McDreamy's mistress when she meets his wife, Addison (Kate Walsh).

Buffy Sacrifices Herself (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

The title of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 5 finale (and 100th episode overall), "The Gift," refers to the titular hero (Sarah Michelle Gellar) giving her life to save Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and the world by jumping into a portal and stopping a release of demons. The final shot of her tombstone left fans heartbroken until the Season 6 announcement convinced them that they had not seen the last of the Slayer after all.

"Who's Been Hit?" (The West Wing)

The first season of Aaron Sorkin's hit political drama ended with a shocking assassination attempt, leaving viewers in the dark over who from the West Wing cast may have succumbed to the violence. The Season 2 premiere revealed that President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) were shot but, thankfully, both survived.

Rachel's Pregnancy Is Revealed (Friends)

The most shocking Friends cliffhangers seem to happen in season-ending wedding episodes, like in "The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding," during which Pheobe (Lisa Kudrow) assumes the bride (Courteney Cox) is pregnant after finding a pregnancy test in her apartment. However, after Monica assures Chandler (Matthew Perry) that she is not with the child, a final close-up of a visibly concerned Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) hints she is the expectant mother.

Marissa Shoots Trey (The O.C.)

The second season of The O.C. ends with Marissa (Mischa Barton) shooting Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) to prevent him from killing his brother, Ryan (Ben McKenzie), after he confronts him about trying to take advantage of Marissa. The buzzed-about cliffhanger served as the inspiration for a hilarious SNL Digital Short that especially took aim at the scenes use of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek."

Jim And Pam’s First Kiss (The Office)

One of the most epic moments in Jim and Pam's relationship timeline on The Office takes place in the Season 2 ender "Casino Night." We would have to wait until Season 3 to learn the aftermath of Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fisher) sharing a kiss after he reveals his true feelings for her.

Blowing Open The Hatch (Lost)

The mysteries surrounding the island from Lost only got more intriguing by the end of its first season when Locke (Terry O'Quinn), Jack, Kate, and Hurley (Jorge Garcia) finally got the hatch open with a bundle of dynamite. However, Hurley tried to stop the explosion after noticing his unlucky lottery numbers etched on the side of the hatch, suggesting that only more trouble might be brewing underneath.

Sherlock Jumps From A Building (Sherlock)

In the second season finale of the modern reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes' (Benedict Cumberbatch) rivalry with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) comes to a head when the foe takes his own life and the detective seemingly does the same by jumping from the roof where their showdown took place. Of course, as the final shot of the episode confirms, the reports of Sherlock's death are greatly exaggerated, but how he survived the fall is not revealed for another year and and half.

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (The Simpsons)

The Simpsons (one of the all-time greatest animated TV shows) would take aim at Dallas' most iconic cliffhanger when the sixth season finale ended with Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer) getting shot by an unknown assailant. After a summer break, the following episode revealed that Homer and Marge's infant daughter, Maggie, was the culprit, and may have done it intentionally.

The Abrupt Finale (Pushing Daisies)

A cliffhanger that never received a proper resolution was at the Season 2 finale of Pushing Daisies, which sees Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) show up at her aunt's doorstep to reveal she is alive. After ABC canceled the fantasy dramedy after two seasons, showrunner Bryan Fuller was forced to add a brief epilogue to provide some closure to the characters' arc, but it still left fans unsatisfied.

Rory Reveals She Is Pregnant (Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life)

In 2016, Netflix revived Gilmore Girls for a four-episode limited series event called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which follows the further experiences of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), over the course of four eventful seasons. The final line of the final episode comes from Rory, confessing to her mother that she is having a baby.

The Death Of Jon Snow (Game Of Thrones)

Out of all the many deaths on Game of Thrones, one of the most shocking and devastating comes at the end of the Season 5 finale when Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) is assassinated by his own men. However, Fans would be delighted to see him resurrected the following season.

Jesse Shoots Gale (Breaking Bad)

One of the most mind-blowing Breaking Bad moments occurs at the end of Season 3 when a doomed Walt (Bryan Cranston) tricks Mike (Jonathan Banks) into letting him call Jesse (Aaron Paul), alerting him to kill Walt's intended replacement, Gale. While the act would save Walt's life, this was the first time the young man had ever killed someone and it would haunt him for a long time.

Helly Tells The Truth (Severance)

The Apple TV+ original TV show Severance takes place at a tech company that surgically separates its employees' personal memories from their memories at the office. In the Season 1 finale, Helly (Britt Lower), after discovering she is the daughter of Lumon's CEO, decides to reveal the miserable truth behind this process at a business gala at the same time Mark (Adam Scott) discovers that his supposed dead wife is the company's wellness counselor, Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Just then, they reverted back to their "innie" form before the episode cuts to black.

Kima Greggs Gets Shot (The Wire)

In the final moment from the 10th episode of The Wire's first season, a bust gone wrong results in Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) getting shot. That would have been the end of the character who was meant to have a smaller role had HBO executive Carolyn Strauss not convinced creator David Simon to keep her around longer.

Zoey Gets Kidnapped (The West Wing)

In the penultimate episode of The West Wing's fourth season, it is discovered that First Daughter Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) went missing at her graduation party. The season ended with Zoey still missing and President Bartlett stepping aside temporarily. The event echoes a premonition from the first season in which President Bartlet tells his daughter that no crisis would be worse than her kidnapping.

Mulder Vanishes From The Boxcar (The X-Files)

In the Season 2 finale of The X-Files, "Anasazi," Mulder (David Duchovny) finds a box car buried under a quarry full of alien bodies with smallpox vaccine scars, which he discovers right as the roof hatch is closed. When the Smoking Man arrives, he discovers Mulder is somehow gone and then orders for the boxcar to be destroyed, leaving fans wondering if and how the FBI agent managed to get away safely.

Logan's True Intentions Are Revealed (24)

As a series told in real-time, just about every episode of 24 ended with some sort of a cliffhanger, and one of the best comes at the end of the 16th episode of Season 5. A phone call with Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) reveals that President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) was the true orchestrator between the deaths of David Palmer and Michelle Dessler.

Who Shot Agent Cooper? (Twin Peaks)

At the very end of the first season of Twin Peaks, Special Agent Dale Cooper returns to his room at the Great Northern Hotel and, after answering a knock at the door, is shot by an unknown shooter. Thankfully, he survives and it is later revealed that the assailant was Josie Packard (Joan Chen).

Junior Shoots Tony (The Sopranos)

The Season 6 premiere of The Sopranos ends with Tony (James Gandolfini) being shot by his own uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), who mistook him for a long-dead mobster who robbed him years earlier. Tony struggles to call 911 but, as soon as he gets ahold of them, he passes out before the screen fades to black.

Miguel’s School Fight Injury (Cobra Kai)

In the Season 2 finale for Cobra Kai, a fight breaks out between several rival high school students from the rival dojos but ends when Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) is kicked by Robby (Tanner Buchanan) over a balcony and lands on a stairway guardrail. It would be revealed later that the injury left him paralyzed but, luckily, only for a few episodes of Season 3.

Evil has come to an end… not the existence of profound immorality and wickedness, unfortunately, but the TV show, Evil, after four seasons. The series, which originally aired on CBS before becoming exclusively available with a Paramount+ subscription, follows psychologist Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), priest-in-training David Acosta (Mike Coulter), and contractor Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) as they search for a logical explanation (or way to defeat) things that go bump in the night.

Now that the series has concluded, despite creators Robert and Michelle King’s original plans to keep Evil going longer, we imagine that fans are looking for the next lightly comedic paranormal drama to keep them entertained. Luckily, we have quite a few worthy recommendations for shows like Evil, along with a tip on how to summon them into your own home.

The X-Files (1993-2018)

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson

What it's about: Two FBI agents specialize in investigating cases of a highly unusual nature.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: One of the most acclaimed and influential series about paranormal investigation (and all-time best sci-fi TV shows in general) is creator Chris Carter’s The X-Files, which, similar to Evil, involves one protagonist who is more of a skeptic and another who is more open-minded to the idea of strange phenomena.

How to watch The X-Files

• Stream The X-Files on Hulu
• Buy The X-Files on Amazon
• Buy The X-Files on Blu-ray on Amazon

Fringe (2008-2013)

Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble

What it's about: A series of unexplainable events leads an FBI agent to seek the expertise of a disgraced scientist and his son to make sense of it all.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: It is easy to see why Fringe (currently one of the best horror TV shows on Max) was compared to The X-Files by many when it first premiered on Fox, but creators J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci’s series also relates to Evil as another series that primarily focuses on a trio teaming up to take on otherworldly phenomena.

How to watch Fringe

• Buy Fringe on Amazon
• Buy Fringe on Blu-ray on Amazon

Friday The 13th: The Series (1987-1990)

Starring: Louise Robey, John D. LeMay, Chris Wiggins

What it's about: After inheriting an antique store full of cursed items from her late uncle, a woman, her cousin, and an occult expert are tasked with retrieving the store’s lost items and preventing them from causing harm.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Despite bearing the name of a classic slasher movie, the Emmy-nominated Friday the 13th: The Series has no connection to what goes on at Crystal Lake or Jason Voorhees’ murderous exploits, but serves as a worthy companion to Evil as another story of three people hunting supernatural phenomena.

How to watch Friday the 13th: The Series

• Buy Friday the 13th: The Series on DVD on Amazon

Preacher (2016-2019)

Starring: Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joe Gilgun

What it's about: A criminal-turned-minister his former partner and lover, and their vampiric friend set out on a bizarre journey to find God… literally.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Based on a DC Vertigo comic book from writer Garth Ennis and late illustrator Steve Dillon, Preacher (which is also available with a Shudder subscription) might be an even closer match for Evil, as one of its three amateur paranormal investigators is also a member of the clergy.

How to watch Preacher

• Stream Preacher on Netflix
• Stream Preacher on AMC+
• Buy Preacher on Amazon

Supernatural (2005-2020)

Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

What it's about: Two brothers follow in the footsteps of their parents and travel the country hunting demons, monsters, and other malevolent creatures.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Creator Eric Kripke’s long-running thriller is, perhaps, the ultimate TV show about amateur paranormal investigators, but what especially makes Evil a show like Supernatural is how they are both not afraid to bring out a sense of humor amid the darkness.

How to watch Supernatural

• Stream Supernatural on Netflix
• Buy Supernatural on Amazon
• Buy Supernatural on Blu-ray on Amazon

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan

What it's about: A seemingly average high school student discovers that she is part of a long line of people destined to protect the Earth from the likes of vampires, witches, and other oddities.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Of course, before Supernatural premiered on The CW (before the network changed its name from The WB), one of its most popular series was Buffy the Vampire Slayer — another show that deals with various forms of paranormal activity and does so with some cheeky humor thrown in.

How to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer

• Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu
• Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Tubi
• Buy Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Amazon
• Buy Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Blu-ray on Amazon

SurrealEstate (2021-Present)

Starring: Tim Rozon, Sarah Levy

What it's about: A real estate agency doubles as a paranormal investigation team, working to make their clients’ homes more marketable by ridding otherwordly phenomena from their clients’ homes.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Creator George Olsen’s SurrealEstate (one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu) is yet another cheekily funny series about researching and defending against the supernatural, but with a unique twist that the hunters’ day job is selling haunted houses.

How to watch SurrealEstate

• Stream SurrealEstate on Hulu

Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)

Starring: Rosa Salazar, Eric Lange, Catherine Keener

What it's about: After she is betrayed by a smarmy movie producer, an aspiring horror filmmaker enlists the help of a witch to help achieve her revenge in 1990s Los Angeles.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: While not quite a show about hunting the paranormal, Nick Antosca and Leonore Zion’s limited series adaptation of Todd Grimson’s novel Brandy New Cherry Flavor (one of Rosa Salazar's best TV shows) also incorporates some absurd humor into its dazzling, mystical cautionary tale.

How to watch Brand New Cherry Flavor

• Stream Brand New Cherry Flavor on Netflix

Outcast (2016-2017)

Starring: Patrick Fugit

What it's about: A young man searches for answers to his lifelong struggles with malevolent spiritual forces.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Demonic possession is a recurring element of Evil and is the main topic behind Outcast — a short-lived Cinemax original series from Walking Dead comic book creator Robert Kirkman, who also created the comic this show is based on.

How to watch Outcast

• Buy Outcast on Amazon
• Buy Outcast on DVD on Amazon

Midnight Mass (2021)

Starring: Zach Gilford, Hamish Linklater, Kate Siegel

What it's about: A disgraced young man returns to his childhood home — an isolated island community — where alarming events begin to happen after a new priest arrives.

Why it is a great show for Evil fans to watch: Much like Evil, Catholic faith plays a major role in one of Mike Flanagan’s best TV shows, Midnight Mass — a limited series that is actually a story about vampirism, and one of the most emotionally grasping and hauntingly epic series in recent memory.

How to watch Midnight Mass

• Stream Midnight Mass on Netflix

Despite its cancellation, Evil shall live on in spirit, as long as fans continue to stream similarly scary TV shows.

The X-Files started small on Fox in 1993 before ultimately running for nine seasons, two feature films, and another two revival seasons years later. While it seems likely that the journey of Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is over as of spring 2018's WTF finale, there are 218 episodes going back more than thirty years about everything from monsters to serial killers to aliens.

After looking at which ones have stood the test of time, which were important to the overall story, and which are infinitely rewatchable, let's dive into the 20 best episodes (all available streaming via Hulu subscription)!

20. Squeeze: Season 1, Episode 3

"Squeeze" delivered a memorable villain with Eugene Victor Tooms, a contortionist serial killer with the mutation requiring him to eat human livers before hibernating every three decades. This was the very first Monster of the Week episode, after the pilot kicked off the series and the second episode started the serialized mytharc. It was also the first (of many) with somebody breaking into Scully's apartment. Fun fact: if Mulder and Scully hadn't stopped his liver-eating cycle, Tooms would have been killing again in 2023. 

19. Wetwired: Season 3, Episode 23

"Wetwired" combined a standalone case with the larger mytharc, with Scully succumbing to paranoid psychosis after binge-watching VHS tapes with a hidden signal. Although it's very '90s, it showed off what both agents brought to the X-files despite different approaches. Plus, this is one of many episodes with Mulder and/or Scully pulling a gun on the other, and a nice showcase of Mulder going all-out to save her. Throw in the Lone Gunmen, and what's not to love? 

18. Je Souhaite: Season 7, Episode 21

While "Squeeze" was the first standalone episode, "Je Souhaite" was the last standalone of the original Mulder/Scully era. The agents found a genie who granted Mulder three wishes. He of course believed right away, and Scully got to have fun examining the body of an invisible man. Sure, Mulder made a predictable choice with his third wish, but it was a fun final standalone entry in the classic era. 

17. Requiem: Season 7, Episode 22

The final mytharc episode of the original Mulder/Scully era, "Requiem" revisited the location and characters from the pilot in the hunt for a UFO. By the end, Mulder was abducted by aliens, Skinner was a believer, Scully was pregnant, and Krycek pushed the Cigarette-Smoking Man down a flight of stairs to kill him. (Spoiler alert: CSM was not dead.) While it was a pivotal episode, it's hard not to judge "Requiem" without considering how Season 8 and beyond continued the story.

16. How The Ghosts Stole Christmas: Season 6, Episode 6

If you want to see Mulder and Scully psychoanalyzed by spirits, then How the Ghosts Stole Christmas is for you. Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin guest-starred as ghosts trying to lure the agents into a murder/suicide lovers pact while trapped in a spooky mansion. Another episode with Mulder and Scully pointing their guns at each other, this takes a very X-Files look at their relationship. Is it an episode that changes the course of the mytharc or puts a monster behind bars? No, but it's a fun one.

15. Leonard Betts: Season 4, Episode 12

"Leonard Betts" was a turning point in the series. Airing after Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, Mulder and Scully investigated the case of a mutated killer (played by ER's Paul McCrane) who subsisted on cancerous tumors and could regenerate body parts, including his head. The kicker came during a showdown between Betts and Scully when he dropped this iconic line: "I'm sorry, but you've got something I need." Yes, Scully had cancer, and the course of Season 4 immediately changed. 

14. Jose Chung's From Outer Space: Season 3, Episode 20

Penned by fan-favorite writer Darin Morgan, "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" told story of a supposed alien abduction through the POVs of multiple characters to author Jose Chung, played by Charles Nelson Reilly. Mulder was described in one POV as a "mandroid" and Scully as "disguised as a woman" but "not pulling it off." Throw in Scully replacing a character's F-bombs with "bleep" when she told her version, and Men in Black being played by Alec Trebek and Jesse Ventura, and this is a classic.

13. Small Potatoes: Season 4, Episode 20

Speaking of Darin Morgan, the writer guest-starred in "Small Potatoes" as self-described "loser" Eddie Van Blundht – the "h" is silent – with the ability to change his appearance. He used this ability to trick women into sleeping with him, believing he was their husband, resulting in babies born with the characteristic tails of the Van Blundht family. While David Duchovny playing Eddie impersonating Mulder was definitely funny, the episode glossed over the sexual assault of Eddie's crimes a bit too much; otherwise, it would rank higher.

12. Paper Hearts: Season 4, Episode 10

"Paper Hearts" features a truly evil villain who also happened to be entirely human, and the only supernatural element was the strange dream connection between serial killer John Lee Roche and Mulder. The episode forced Mulder to consider that his sister's abduction may have had nothing to do with aliens, and – as usual when Samantha was involved – he got way too invested, allowing Roche to escape and nearly kill again. While the episode doesn't entirely age well, it's a great showcase for David Duchovny.

11. The Post-Modern Prometheus: Season 5, Episode 5

The X-Files went black and white for "The Post-Modern Prometheus," a.k.a. the show's twisted take on Frankenstein involving mysterious pregnancies, a literal mob of townspeople, a monster who wasn't so monstrous, and Cher. The story glossed over sexual assaults, but the comic book format blurs the lines of what actually happened in the case. It's a visually beautiful episode that earned seven Emmy nominations, winning one. Plus, the man underneath the Great Mutato makeup was Chris Owens, who also played the young Cigarette-Smoking Man and Jeffrey Spender.

10. Duane Barry/Ascension: Season 2, Episodes 5/6

It's hard to consider "Duane Barry" and "Ascension" separately, and not because of the red Speedo. Mulder's hostage situation with purported abductee Duane Barry turned into Barry breaking into Scully's apartment and kidnapping her. Despite Mulder's desperate attempt to save her – including some aerial lift stunts performed by David Duchovny – she was abducted in Barry's place on a mountaintop. This two-parter was also the end of Krycek's time with the FBI. While the story was due to Gillian Anderson's real-life pregnancy, few TXF twists have as long-lasting effects as Scully's abduction. 

9. Home: Season 4, Episode 2

"Home" made history as the first network TV episode to receive a TV-MA rating, and Fox never aired a rerun after the initial broadcast in 1996. The Monsters of the Week were the severely inbred Peacock family, and Mulder and Scully were brought in after a baby – born of multi-generation incest – was buried alive. The episode played a cover of the Johnny Mathis song "Wonderful! Wonderful!" over a kindly sheriff and his wife being murdered. Most of the good guys died and two Peacocks escaped, making it a very dark but unforgettable hour of television.

8. Triangle: Season 6, Episode 3

"Triangle" changed the TXF format with long one-take shots cut between two main stories. First, Scully and the Lone Gunmen searched for Mulder on a ghost ship in 1998. Then, Mulder was with a snazzy-looking Scully on a time-warped version of the ship as they evaded a Nazi version of the Cigarette-Smoking Man in 1939... or, more likely, Mulder was just concussed and/or drugged in 1998. The Wizard of Oz-esque episode is visually stunning, super fun, and doesn't really need to make sense. Plus, it even (sort of) delivered the first Mulder/Scully kiss.

7. Memento Mori: Season 4, Episode 14

Scully's cancer arc truly began in "Memento Mori" when she broke the news to Mulder and they began an investigation. The partners had parallel stories, with Scully pursuing answers within herself, while unbeknownst to her, Mulder was going all-out to try and save her, including asking Skinner to set up a meeting with CSM. Skinner refused, but then made a deal with the devil himself. It's technically a mytharc episode, but more of a showcase for Scully that won Gillian Anderson a well-deserved Emmy. 

6. Ice: Season 1, Episode 8

"Ice" was set almost entirely in an isolated outpost in Alaska only reachable by helicopter, and didn't need elaborate effects for a truly scary Monster of the Week. The plot was reminiscent of The Thing as Mulder, Scully, and a small team were exposed to a deadly parasite. When bodies started dropping due to murder, everybody was a suspect. Not only did Xander Berkeley, Felicity Huffman, and Jeff Kober guest star, but "Ice" was the first (and certainly not last) episode with Mulder and Scully pointing guns at each other.

5. Redux II: Season 5, Episode 2

The X-Files had a big landing to stick with the final episode of a tangled three-parter, as Scully was dying, Mulder was facing murder charges, and the Cigarette-Smoking Man was active in the shadows. Somehow, "Redux II" pulled it off. Mulder saved himself by exposing an FBI mole. Scully's cancer went into remission. Samantha appeared (sort of). Skinner proved his loyalty (again). CSM was shot, and lost so much blood that he was surely dead. (Spoiler alert: he wasn't dead.) Where "Redux" fell short, "Redux II" succeeded.

4. The Blessing Way/Paper Clip: Season 3, Episodes 1/2

"The Blessing Way" and "Paper Clip" paid off on the previous season's cliffhangers and went even further. Scully learned she had an implant in her neck and made the fateful decision to remove it. Her sister Melissa was mistakenly murdered by Krycek and an assassin, and Krycek was cut loose by the Cigarette-Smoking Man. The plot thickened for Mulder with the Syndicate, his mom, and Samantha. Instead of pointing their guns at each other, Mulder and Scully both drew on Skinner. This two-parter permanently shifted the course of the mytharc.

3. Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose: Season 3, Episode 4

"Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose" is a classic comedic episode of The X-Files, complete with Peter Boyle in an Emmy-winning turn as the titular Clyde Bruckman. The unfortunate Bruckman could predict how people could die, which put him on the radar of a killer. Although the hour ended with Bruckman's demise, highlights of his time with Mulder and Scully included implying Mulder would die due to autoerotic asphyxiation and telling Scully that she wouldn't die at all. 

2. Pusher: Season 3, Episode 17

Any list of top X-Files episodes would be incomplete without "Pusher" and Robert Patrick Modell as the villain who could impose his will on others with just his voice. He forced a man to set himself on fire, an agent to have a heart attack, and – in Mulder's case – play Russian roulette with Scully. A strong episode for both leads, "Pusher" is a rare entry to get a sequel years later, and the Russian roulette sequence is one of the most iconic scenes of TXF.

1. Bad Blood: Season 5, Episode 12

Is it blasphemous to rank a comedic episode at #1 for a show that specialized in sci-fi, supernatural, and horror? Perhaps, but "Bad Blood" is a fan favorite for a reason. Guest starring Luke Wilson and The Sandlot vet and TikTok star Patrick Renna, "Bad Blood" involved Scully and Mulder telling their versions of the same story, showing their very different perspectives on investigations... and each other. Did Scully really rant about cream cheese? Did Mulder really sing the "Shaft" theme song? We may never know, but David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson delivered major laughs with "Bad Blood."

Now, this ranking isn't to say that there were no excellent episodes from Seasons 8-11, but the classics (as well as the Fight the Future feature film) are from the original Mulder/Scully era, and always worth a rewatch. 

The X-Files is hitting a major milestone this year: its 30th anniversary. The spooky sci-fi drama premiered back on September 10, 1993, when nobody could have known that stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson would become household names as FBI Agents Mulder and Scully. It ran for nine original seasons, two feature films, and then another two revival seasons to cement its place in pop culture. 

Now, I was more likely to be watching Sesame Street than Fox back in 1993, but I was able to start watching live around Season 5 before the Fight the Future film in possibly some poor judgment from my parents, and renting VHS copies of past episodes I missed from the local Blockbuster. (Yes, this was the '90s.) So, watching The X-Files live, taping new episodes, and catching up on earlier seasons via VHS and eventually DVD box set was a formative experience, and invested me in scripted television in a way that guided me to my career an entertainment journalist. 

In honor of the 30th anniversary of this iconic show, check out eight lessons that I took away from The X-Files and now apply to TV as a whole! 

The Art Of The Slow Burn

As a young TV viewer, I watched Mulder and Scully go years with chemistry sizzling enough for me to note, root for, and hate bees for. (That damn bee from Fight the Future!) After The X-Files went the VERY slow burn route of hinting that they maybe got together (off-screen!) in Season 7 and spending Season 8 dancing around the paternity of Scully's baby before finally letting them kiss, I developed a great deal of patience for the TV slow burn. I wasn't even surprised that creator Chris Carter was still beating around the romance bush in Season 11. In fact, I always feel like a main TV couple is moving too fast if they get together earlier than three seasons in. If only viewers nowadays understood the adrenaline rush of a forehead touch or hand grab!

Notable TXF Examples: Seasons 1 - 8ish

Characters Aren't Dead If You Don't See The Body

This is a rule that has come in very handy over the years for watching and writing about television: if you don't see the dead body of a character, they're not necessarily dead. Mulder seemed to be dead plenty of times, including faking his own death. The Cigarette Smoking Man is the real X-File for how he never stayed dead. Spender seemingly perished before turning up three seasons later, and it took an on-screen shot to the head to definitively put down Krycek. 

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Mulder's seemingly dead body was buried for months before he was exhumed and brought back to full health in a very Season 8 kind of twist, and CSM was consumed by a fireball on screen in what was originally the series finale before popping back up in the revival. We also never saw Diana Fowley's body, but she seems truly dead, to the dismay of what I assume is 0% of the fandom. 

Notable TXF Examples: Mulder, Krycek, Cigarette Smoking Man, Spender

Don't Worry Too Much About Timelines

If you think a modern TV show is convoluted but never watched TXF, give Mulder and Scully's adventures a shot. The mythology's timeline from 1993 onward would take a pretty crazy flow chart to make sense of, and poor Scully was pregnant for more than a full year from late Season 7 to the Season 8 finale. And that's not to mention the Season 8 episode full of flashbacks that fans could only place based on the length of Gillian Anderson's hair! As somebody who has rewatched that episode from VHS to DVD to streaming, it is proof that a show can be much more enjoyable if you don't sweat the details about timelines. How else did I get through characters speeding across Westeros in the late seasons of Game of Thrones?!

Notable TXF Examples: "Sein Und Zeit"/"Closure," En Ami," "Requiem," "Per Manum"

New Leads Deserve A Chance

Mulder's abduction by aliens in the Season 7 finale to accommodate David Duchovny's decision to only return for part of Season 8 meant a replacement partner for Scully: Robert Patrick as Agent John Doggett. I'm as guilty as anyone when it came to hating Doggett early on just because he wasn't Mulder, but I had to either give him a chance or give up the show. By the end of Season 8, I was officially a Doggett fan, and even sided with him over Mulder a couple of times. 

Doggett's redemption for me as a fan was proof that new characters deserve a chance to prove themselves on all shows. If Doggett could fill Mulder's shoes on TXF, new characters can fit into any show. After applying that lesson to Chicago P.D., Tracy Spiridakos' Hailey Upton may have become my favorite character on the show, and who doesn't love Misha Collins' Castiel after being introduced on Supernatural four seasons in?

Notable TXF Examples: "Within"/"Without," "Per Manum," "Deadalive," "Three Words," Vienen," "Existence"/"Essence"

Embrace Format Changes

While format changes of any TV shows can be incredibly jarring, The X-Files proved that it can work. The Rashomon-style storytelling of Season 5's vampire venture is a fan-favorite for Mulder's paranormal POV vs. Scully's scientific POV. Another episode (featuring the first Mulder/Scully kiss that didn't really count) cut between the present day and 1930s Mulder (or, more likely, Mulder's concussion), while another was fully filmed in black and white as a comic book story with guest star Cher. 

These episodes are so iconic that any diehard fan can probably name the titles just off of my descriptions, all because a format change worked incredibly well. That can work incredibly well in other shows as well, if given the chance! For example, Supernatural excelled at it for any viewers who could suspend their disbelief.

Notable TXF Examples: "Jose Chung's From Outer Space," "Bad Blood," "The Post-Modern Prometheus," "Triangle," "The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat"

Hospital Scenes = Relationship Development

Between getting shot, given cancer, abducted by aliens and/or shadow agents in the government, and other miscellaneous crises, Mulder and Scully spent a lot of time in hospitals. I therefore learned pretty quickly that there's nothing like hospital visits to really deliver some meaty relationship scenes between the duo. Whether out of fear of losing each other or Mulder threatening a man who accidentally shot Scully, I grew to look forward to whenever somebody would be injured or sick for the sake of character development...as long as they recovered, anyway! 

For better or worse, that carried over into other shows. If somebody is in the hospital, odds are that something juicy is going to happen. There's nothing like a near-death experience and hospital stay to thicken the plot! I still sometimes think back to Joshua Jackson's hospital bed scene in Season 2 of Fringe opposite John Noble, when he finally connected dots about his past. And what Law & Order: SVU/Organized Crime fan didn't love Stabler and Benson in the hospital after she was shot back in the spring? That wasn't even a serious injury and the scene was great!

Notable TXF Examples: "Beyond The Sea," "One Breath," "Memento Mori," "Redux II," "Tithonus," "Requiem," "Deadalive," "Empedocles"

Character Beats Plot

I'll admit it – The X-Files is a hard show to enjoy if you care more about the plot than about the characters. Scully's whole pregnancy storyline doesn't make a whole lot of sense if you look too closely at it, but it was juicy for her as well as Mulder and even Skinner! Samantha becoming starlight after seven years of mythology? Great two-parter for Mulder if you focus on his journey! Scully remaining skeptical despite everything and Mulder rarely acknowledging that his final theory is only correct after Scully's science disproved his other ones? Honestly, a little infuriating if you don't just roll with it most of the time. 

But focusing on character over plot after learning to do so from The X-Files has served me well on many other shows, particularly in genre series, procedurals, and medical dramas. I haven't watched hundreds of depressing episodes of Law & Order: SVU because it's only the especially heinous cases that I'm interested in (#TeamBenson for life), and I don't need to be a medical expert to enjoy Chicago Med. I'm an expert at suspending disbelief for the sake of enjoying shows, and that's thanks to The X-Files. See also: every superhero show I've ever watched.

Notable TXF Examples: "The Post-Modern Prometheus," "Kitsunegari," "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas," 'Orison," "Per Manum," 30 years of mythology, Seasons 9 - 11

Selective Canon Is Good For The Soul

In case it's not clear by now, I love The X-Files nowadays even as I loved it as a kid who was probably way too young to be watching it. I also have plotlines that I despise. Mulder's brain disease that barely mattered except to damage his bond with Scully? Chris Carter can keep it. Diana Fowley existing? No thank you. Cigarette Smoking Man fathering Scully's baby through science? Absolutely not, no matter what the creator said about the twist! 

Examples like those are why I sometimes look back at The X-Files with what I think of as selective canon, a.k.a. ignoring certain elements of the show that are 100% objectively canon but that I hate and will unashamedly ignore. Now, I don't do this for current shows that I cover as a journalist, but old shows that have already ended and I can revisit as a fan? Selective canon for certain twists and episodes all the way. 

Did Gendry really identify himself as "Gendry Rivers" in Game of Thrones' final season? Not if you ask me. Did most of the Star Wars sequel trilogy happen? I can choose to remember the film saga ending on Return of the Jedi's Ewok dance party. Did the Lone Gunmen die on TXF? Not if I ignore their spinoff and a certain Season 9 episode. Is the Cigarette Smoking Man the father of Scully's child instead of Mulder after a Season 7 episode? No, he damn well is not. Did the show end with a happily-ever-after for Mulder and Scully in Season 8, or with Mulder saying "Maybe there's hope" to Scully in Season 9? Sure, depending on my mood about Seasons 9 - 11.

Selective canon really helps with enjoying old TV shows and movies, and I have The X-Files to thank for that. Don't get me wrong – there are some fantastic episodes that I wouldn't change a thing for. And then there are episodes like "Small Potatoes," which was too lighthearted about the SVU-worthy crime of the week but super funny if I ignore a detail or two. 

Notable TXF Examples: "Small Potatoes," "Demons," Within," "Jump The Shark," "My Struggle III"

If you want to revisit all eleven seasons of The X-Files (or try it for the first time after I thoroughly spoiled you here), you can find the series steaming with a Hulu subscription.

For about as long as there has been television, there have been spin-offs — TV shows that exist in the same continuity as one popular series, typically focusing on a side character made into the central protagonist. Some have proven to be very successful (such as when Kelsey Grammer’s Cheers character became the title role of the Frasier cast) while others are remembered today as a notorious failure (such as when Friends cast member Matt LeBlanc led Joey for two seasons — a season too long for some).

Then, there are some series spun-off from hits that exist in-between, neither achieving success, nor going on to be remembered for their short-lived run. We thought it would be fun to jog your memory (or inform you for the first time) about those shows by looking back at some our favorite TV shows and their forgotten spin-offs.

21 Jump Street (Booker)

While the breakout star of 21 Jump Street was obviously Johnny Depp — who would cameo in the 2012 movie adaptation as Tom Hanson — it was Richard Grieco — who appeared in the 2014 sequel, 22 Jump Street — who got to lead his own show as recurring character, Dennis Booker. However, Booker, which followed the rebellious, youthful-looking cop as an insurance investigator, only lasted one season from 1989 to 1990.

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (Planet Sheen)

Most fans might consider The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius to be one of the rare TV shows that surpassed the movies they were based on, but would not say the same about Planet Sheen. In fact, the series — which follows the adventures of Jimmy’s hyperactive best friend (Jeffrey Garcia) while stuck on an alien planet — managed to last three seasons, but has an IMDb rating of 2.9.

All In The Family (Archie Bunker's Place)

Creator Norman Lear’s groundbreaking comedy, All in the Family, was the parent series of several other successful sitcoms, including Maude and The Jeffersons, with one of its lesser-known spin-offs being Archie Bunker’s Place. Starring Carroll O’Connor reprising his Emmy-winning role as the owner of his own bar and restaurant, the series actually had a good four-year-run, but now lives in obscurity.

Alice (Flo)

The series adaptation of Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore promptly steered clear of becoming a forgotten TV show based on a movie, but its sole attempt at a spin-off was not as successful as its parent series. Her scene-stealing, Emmy-nominated performance on Alice as outspoken server Flo earned Polly Holliday her own eponymous series set at her own diner in her Texan hometown, but after one season, viewers told the show it could kiss their grits.

American Idol (American Juniors)

There have actually been multiple times when popular reality TV shows attempted a version that featured underage participants, including American Idol. Airing on Fox in 2003 (just a year after its predecessor’s debut), American Juniors featured host Ryan Seacrest, according to EW, and Season 1 runner-up Justin Guarini as a judge, but did not generate quite the same buzz — despite launching Lucy Hale’s career, which Jimmy Kimmel Live! unearthed.

Barney Miller (Fish)

One of the reasons why Barney Miller is remembered as one of the funniest and best mystery TV shows of its time is its hilarious supporting cast, which included the late Abe Vigoda in the Emmy-nominated role, Phil Fish. ABC greenlit a sitcom that would follow the New York detective outside of the precinct, but — as USA Today recalls — it was cancelled after one-and-one-half seasons in mid-1978, less than a year after Fish’s retirement episode of Barney Miller aired.

Battlestar Galactica (Galactica 1980)

Years before the 2000s-era reboot of Battlestar Galactica became one of the most beloved sci-fi TV shows of its time, the first reboot of Glen A. Larson’s cult favorite series was greenlit pretty quickly after it ended. However, Galactica 1980, which brought the action to modern day Earth, would also end very quickly after 10 episodes, due to poor reviews and was later edited into the TV movie, Conquest of the Earth. 

Baywatch (Baywatch Nights)

In 1995, while Baywatch was still in its prime, David Hasselhoff reprised his Baywatch cast role of Mitch Buchannon on a series that saw the lifeguard moonlighting as a private investigator. As ratings declined, the writers opted to turn Baywatch Nights into an X-Files-style paranormal investigation drama for its second season, which would also be its last.

Bewitched (Tabitha)

In 1977, just five years after the end of Bewitched, an attempt to continue its magical legacy was made in the form of Tabitha. Following Samantha and Darrin’s eponymous daughter (Lisa Hartman) as an adult, the show failed to cast a spell on viewers and was cancelled after 11 episodes.

Bones (The Finder)

A Season 6 episode of Bones called “The Finder” — in which Brennan and Booth call upon the help of eccentric, but inquisitive, Army veteran Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults) — served as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off of the same name. Also starring the late Michael Clarke Duncan, The Finder, unfortunately, could not find an audience and did not make it past its 13-episode run in 2012. 

Cheers (The Tortellis)

While Frasier would find great success in its 11 seasons, it is not the only spin-off from Cheers, let alone the first, which would be The Tortellis. This sitcom put Dan Hedaya’s recurring role as Carla’s ex-husband, Nick, and his own family at the forefront, but was met with criticism for its stereotypical depiction of Italian-Americans (according to ScreenRant) and low ratings, sealing its early downfall.

Columbo (Mrs. Columbo)

If you want to see a good whodunit TV show in the style of Columbo but with a female lead, I would recommend checking out Peacock’s Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne, instead of Mrs. Columbo. This mystery series starring fellow Orange is the New Black cast veteran Kate Mulgrew as the never-before-seen wife of Peter Falk’s iconic lieutenant was not so well-liked by audiences, or the producers of the parent series, and was taken off the air after 13 episodes, as Slash Film recalled.

Dawson's Creek (Young Americans)

In the same year he was introduced on Dawson’s Creek for a three-episode stint, Rodney Scott’s Will Krudski went on to be the lead character of Young Americans, which aired on The CW when it was still called the The WB. Despite being ahead of its time for its commentary on themes like gender roles and starring Kate Bosworth and Ian Somerhalder, the absence of anyone from the Dawson’s Creek cast may have deterred viewers from tuning into its summer 2000 run.

Doctor Who (K-9 And Company)

In its 60 years of existence, the British sci-fi staple, Doctor Who, has inspired multiple spin-offs, with Torchwood being a successful example, but we cannot quite say the same about K-9 and Company. The series never continued past its 1981 pilot, but a more successful team-up of Elisabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith with the robotic dog called K9 would happen years later in the form of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The Dukes Of Hazzard (Enos)

Bumbling Hazzard County cop Enos Strate (Sonny Shroyer) had the honor of leading his own self-titled series that followed his adventures fighting crime in L.A. with his partner, Turk Adams (the late Samuel Wright). However, he would return to his original role on The Dukes of Hazzard after Enos faced cancellation after a single, 18-episode season in 1981.

Dynasty (The Colbys)

The primetime soap opera Dynasty — the most popular show of the 1984-1985 season — focused on the personal struggles of the wealthy Carrington family. In 1985, ABC debuted a spin-off centered on the rival family, the Colbys, which would earn an Emmy nomination for its cinematography, but was cut short after just two seasons.

Fame (Fame L.A.)

More than a decade after the end of Fame — which was loosely based on 1980 movie of the same name — a new series emerged that was set on the other side of the country. Yet, despite earning Emmy Awards wins for its opening title music and choreography, Fame L.A. did not live forever, and was cancelled after one season in 1998.

Family Ties (Day By Day)

There are some spin-offs that really try to stretch the connective tissue between to their parent series, such as Day by Day, which starred Douglas Sheehan as Brian Harper, who was written as an old college roommate of Steven Keaton (Michael Gross) from Family Ties. That tie was, apparently, not strong enough for this NBC family sitcom to last longer than two seasons, but  — on the bright side — it would allow series regulars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Courtney Thorne-Smith to go on to star on Seinfeld and Melrose Place, respectively.

The Golden Girls (The Golden Palace)

After The Golden Girls ended with Dorothy (Bea Arthur) moving away with her new husband (Leslie Nielsen), Rose (Betty White), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia (Estelle Getty) would invest in a very understaffed Miami hotel. Also starring Don Cheadle in one of his earliest roles and Cheech Marin, The Golden Palace was actually the third spin-off of The Golden Girls (after Empty Nest and Nurses) but the first to last only one season.

Growing Pains (Just The Ten Of Us)

Even if you have never seen Just the Ten of Us — for which Bill Kirchenbauer reprised his recurring Growing Pains character, Coach Graham T. Lubbock, from 1988-1990 — you might recognize a few of its key actors. Namely, A Nightmare on Elm Street cast lead Heather Lengegnkamp and Matt Shakman (director of WandaVision and the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot) played two of Graham’s eight children and Dennis Haysbert played his assistant coach, Duane Johnson.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.)

Most modern day audiences had never even heard of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. before Guy Ritchie’s movie adaptation of the 1960s spy series came out in 2015. Therefore, we would certainly forgive anyone for forgetting (or never knowing about) The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., which followed the assignments of another agent from the titular organization, played by Stefanie Powers, for 29 episodes from 1966 to 1967.

Once Upon A Time (Once Upon A Time In Wonderland) 

Just a couple years after the debut of Once Upon a Time, ABC introduced another story of fairytale characters struggling to find an escape from the real world which looked directly toward the seminal work of Lewis Carroll for inspiration. Yet, critics and audiences were more impressed with the visual aesthetic than anything else about Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, which went off with its head after one 13-episode season.

Party Of Five (Time Of Your Life)

Acclaimed family drama Party of Five was a breakout hit for rising stars Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, and Jennifer Love Hewitt — the latter of whom would reprise her role as Sarah Reeves Merrin as the lead of Time of Your Life. Also starring Jennifer Garner, the series — in which Sarah moves to New York to learn more about her biological parents — suffered from low ratings during its sole season, which was split in half by a five-month hiatus before Fox’s failed attempt to bring it back for Summer 2000.

Pretty Little Liars (Ravenswood)

It is funny to think of how many somewhat ordinary dramas take place in the same universe as another series that is complete fantasy, such as Ravenswood. In 2013, Pretty Little Liars cast member Ashley Benson appeared as Hanna Marin to establish her hit series’ connection to this show — about five strangers embroiled in a curse plaguing the titular town — which lasted one season on Freeform when it was still called ABC Family.

Rugrats (Rugrats Pre-School Daze)

A special episode of Rugrats — which Paramount+ recently rebooted — that imagined the babies as preteens would inspire a successful series called All Grown Up!, which was the first spin-off to the long-running Nicktoon, but that was not always the case. According to Variety, Nickelodeon had originally been developing a series focused on Angelica Pickles and Susie Carmichael that would be shelved for years and eventually be released in 2005 as Rugrats Pre-School Daze, which only had a total of four episodes.

Sanford And Son (Sanford Arms)

Despite a few exceptions on this list alone, spin-offs tend to be most successful when a popular and recognizable character is given the lead role and not an entirely new character, like what they did with Sanford Arms. This continuation of Sanford & Son saw widowed father Phil Wheeler (Teddy Wilson) take over Fred (Redd Foxx) and Lamont’s (Demond Wilson) rooming house — a change of pace that did not seem to resonate with viewers and resulted in a very quick cancellation in 1977.

That's So Raven (Cory In The House)

Raven-Symoné would reprise her role as a psychic of the same name as an adult on Raven’s Home, which was not the first time Disney Channel debuted a That’s So Raven spin-off. In 2007, Kyle Massey came back to play Cory Baxter on Cory in the House, in which he moves into the White House after his father (Rondell Sheridan) becomes the President’s personal chef. Also starring Madison Pettis, you could say the sitcom lasted a fitting two terms (seasons) after 34 episodes. 

Three's Company (The Ropers, Three's A Crowd)

The original Three’s Company landlords were Stanley (Norman Fell) and Helen Roper (Audra Lindley), until they left in 1979 to lead their own self-titled sitcom that was cancelled after two seasons in 1980. In 1984, the parent series’ finale served as a sort of backdoor pilot to a new show called Three’s a Crowd — centered on Emmy winner John Ritter’s character, Jack Tripper, his new girlfriend, Vicky (Mary Cadorette), and her father, James (Robert Mandan), who becomes their landlord — which only lasted one season.

Walker, Texas Ranger (Sons Of Thunder)

Years before The CW rebooted Walker, Texas Ranger with Jared Padalecki in the title role (and also greenlit a short-lived prequel set in the old West called Walker: Independence), Chuck Norris and his younger brother, Aaron, had their own idea for a spin-off. After introducing Dallas detective Carlos Sandoval (James Wlcek) in Season 4, he was given his own series in 1999 called Sons of Thunder — in which he becomes a private investigator — that ran for six episodes on CBS.

The X-Files (The Lone Gunmen)

There are three TV shows that exist in Chris Carter’s X-Files universe: the iconic original (which was brought back for two more seasons in 2016), the marginally successful Millennium (which was retroactively confirmed as a spin-off), and The Lone Gunmen, which some say Fox should be embarrassed about cancelling after one 13-episode season. 

Focusing on the titular trio of eccentric conspiracy theorists (Bruce Harwood, Tom Braidwood, and Dean Haglund) who previously aided Mulder and Scully, the pilot episode of the spin-off, which aired in March 2001, is eerily similar to the tragic events of September 11th that year — as Journal News Online recalls — which is not why it was cancelled, but why it is somewhat infamous to fans who may remember it.

How many of these spin-off series do you actually remember? How many would you like to see brought back? And how many of these do you think never should have seen the light of day?

Network TV was the place to be on the small screen back in the mid-to-late ‘90s, before streaming services started churning out series en masse. This was the era of The X-Files in its prime, with David Duchovny’s Agent Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Agent Dana Scully as pop culture icons. They came to the big screen in the summer of 1998 with The X-Files: Fight the Future, which combined the best parts of the show’s mythology for longtime fans with blockbuster scale for newcomers. I rewatched it for the 25th anniversary, and realized some things that didn’t quite hit home in 1998. 

Now, I’m not going to claim that June 2023 was the first time that I rewatched Fight the Future since seeing it in the theater as a preteen, and there’s a well-worn VHS copy of the movie somewhere to prove it. A lot has happened since the theatrical premiere on June 19, 1998 – including a second movie and a semi-successful Fox revival – but there’s still a lot to enjoy from this film. 

1. The Movie Is One-Of-A-Kind

While theatrical films based on TV shows were released before Fight the Future and have been released since, the first X-Files movie was part of an ongoing network TV show rather than a sequel to a series that had already ended, a la the Star Trek, Downton Abbey, and Veronica Mars franchises. In fact, fans will remember that the film picked up where Season 5 left off in May of ‘98 and set up the premiere of Season 6 in November of ‘98. I didn’t fully appreciate that network TV achievement as a kid, but I’m certainly impressed now. 

2. The Theme Song Hits Different In A Movie

Any fan of The X-Files going back to the ‘90s or who binge-watched via streaming more recently could probably whistle the theme tune from memory, and I maintain that the song from Mark Snow makes the TV show’s opening credits positively iconic. Fight the Future has a slightly elevated version of the song, and there’s something about hearing it (and the reprise in the soundtrack) on the scale of a film that just hits differently, even though I was just watching on my TV screen in 2023 as opposed to during a theatrical experience a la 1998. 

3. I Still Hate That Damn Bee, 25 Years Later

Bees are a big deal in Fight the Future, to say the least. Duchovny and Anderson filmed with what she described to EW back in '98 as "buckets of bees" for the scene of Mulder and Scully being swarmed on top of the mysterious facility, but… well, any diehard fan of The X-Files undoubtedly knows the exact insect that I’m talking about when I say “That Damn Bee.” 

Let me set the scene: Scully has decided to quit the FBI, Mulder is dropping heartfelt confessions that he’d probably never make if not on the verge of losing her, and an emotional hug is literal millimeters from turning into a kiss… until That Damn Bee stings her, she has a reaction to the alien virus it transmitted to her, and the plot takes off again. 

As an adult, I understand why they couldn’t kiss in the movie, and even the preteen version of me probably shouldn’t have fallen for the fake out, but That Damn Bee is still the real villain of The X-Files: Fight the Future, if you ask me. The Cigarette-Smoking Man isn’t half as good at ruining Mulder/Scully moments, and I guess there are some grudges that take more than 25 years to get over! 

4. I Can Pretty Much Quote The Whole Movie

I have no idea how many times I’ve actually seen this movie or how much of this was just a result of imprinting on the movie at a young age, but I discovered in my latest rewatch that I could pretty much speak all the lines along with the characters, ranging from Dana “THERE’S NO TIME!” Scully to Fox “I can say ‘shit’ now that I’m not on network TV!” Mulder to the Cigarette-Smoking Man and his very genre un-savvy “He’ll never make it!” about Mulder. 

Now, if you want to tell yourself that I can’t quote the entire hallway scene before That Damn Bee from memory with a clear conscience, you can, but you’re wrong. What can I say? Maybe The X-Files: Fight the Future is simply that with which I can’t live without… and if you read the bizarre second half of that sentence in Armin Mueller-Stahl’s accent as Strughold, then you too may have seen this movie too many times! 

5. I Don’t Really Care About The Plot Holes

Was this the greatest film in the history of film? Of course not, although I’d certainly rank it above 2008's The X-Files: I Want to Believe, the second film in the franchise. Still, as I rewatched the movie for the 25th anniversary to write this, I took note of some plot holes that I’ve been able to overlook before. I also realized that I don’t really care about them and can still love the movie. 

Who called in the bomb threat to Dallas, and why was there no subtler way to dispose of the infected corpses? No idea. Was Scully somehow the only person who was stung by one of the carrier bees? That seems unlikely, but okay! How did Mulder and Scully get back from Antarctica? Even the show goes on to make fun of that question! Did Byers wear a magical stretching suit that Mulder was somehow able to fit into his clothes without splitting every seam? Apparently!

And, I’m fine with it, even 25 years later. If I could suspend the hell out of my disbelief for the two revival seasons in 2016 and 2018 while also telling myself that the brutal reveal about what the Cigarette-Smoking Man did to Scully isn't canon, then nothing can ruin my enjoyment of Fight the Future. 

6. The Show Is Worth A Rewatch

For reasons ranging from seeing Mulder and Scully together in action again to hearing that movie version of the theme song, the final credits rolled on my rewatch with my realization that the whole show, rather than just a particular episode here and there, is really worth a rewatch as well, especially in its glory days. Does that mean that I’d want to revisit every episode, and that every mid-'90s episode has aged well? Definitely not, and I’m probably not the only fan who would much rather rewatch one of the vampire episodes than any other. 

But, The X-Files was a great show that I believe holds up for the most part… and luckily, all eleven seasons are available streaming with a Hulu subscription, with the show earning a spot on our list of best horror TV series to watch on Hulu. 

“Huluween” may be over but, with all the great horror TV shows on Hulu, it is still one of the best streaming services to subscribe to for a good scare no matter what time of year. If you have already seen all the best horror movies on Hulu but still crave some more lasting chills and thrills, take a look at these freaky series available with a Hulu subscription, which even includes a few new horror TV shows.

The House (2017)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A house constructed from the wood of a mysterious tree serves as the setting for a series of creepy and strange tales.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Get a quick scare from the short stories presented in The House – a Hulu-exclusive collection of short films connected by the eerie eponymous establishment.

• Stream The House on Hulu

The Fades (2011)

Starring: Iain De Caestecker, Daniel Kaluuya

What it’s about: A young man becomes the only hope for humanity when he sees visions of the end of the world and the evil spirits that will cause it.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: One of Daniel Kaluuya’s best performances before Get Out can be seen on The Fades – creator Jack Thorne’s creepy, acclaimed U.K. miniseries.

• Stream The Fades on Hulu

Parasyte: The Maxim (2014)

Starring: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Aya Hirano

What it’s about: A teenager learns how to coexist with a parasitic alien that has infected his hand.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: One of the most beloved adaptations of Hitoshi Iwaaki’s popular manga is Parasyte: The Maxim – a supremely bizarre Japanese anime series that is not afraid to get a little wacky, too.

• Stream Parasyte: The Maxim on Hulu

Goosebumps (2023-Present)

Starring: Justin Long, David Schwimmer

What it’s about: A group of high school students must overcome their differences in order to stop an evil force they accidentally unleashed in their town.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Hulu and Disney+’s Goosebumps, which is now in Season 2, ditches the anthology route and raises the stakes a bit higher than the target demographic for R.L. Stine’s original book series might be used to.

• Stream Goosebumps on Hulu

Reginald The Vampire (2022-2024)

Starring: Jacob Batalon, Mandela Van Peebles

What it’s about: An underachieving young man gains a new lease on life when he is turned into a creature of the night.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: From developer Harley Peyton, Reginald the Vampire is an endearingly funny take on vampire lore based on a series of books by Johnny B. Truant.

• Stream Reginald The Vampire on Hulu

Helstrom (2020)

Starring: Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel

What it’s about: The son and daughter of a powerful, notorious murderer use their unique skills to search for and destroy dark forces.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Paul Zbyszewski takes inspiration from the Marvel Comics characters Hellstorm and Satana to create Helstrom – a gritty supernatural drama that lasted one season on Hulu.

• Stream Helstrom on Hulu

The UnXplained (2019-Present)

Starring: William Shatner

What it’s about: UFOs, ghost sightings, curses, and other bizarre topics are explored in this docuseries.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: The History Channel’s The UnXplained is an entertaining exploration of various bizarre and unsettling phenomena that experts still struggle to understand to this day.

• Stream The UnXplained on Hulu

SurrealEstate (2021-Present)

Starring: Tim Rozon, Sarah Levy

What it’s about: A team of real estate agents takes on the specialized task of removing evil presences from their clients’ homes in order to make them more fitting for a good sale.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: The clever idea of realtors who double as paranormal investigators is explored in SurrealEstate.

• Stream SurrealEstate on Hulu

American Horror Stories (2021-Present)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A family experiencing a unique disconnect when moving into a house with a deadly history, a drive-in facing a disaster when screening an infamous horror movie, and a job interview for a doll manufacturer having an unexpected turnout are just some of the twisted tales explored in this series.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Fans of American Horror Story that prefer their anthologies to take things one story per episode will find exactly what they are looking for in the Hulu exclusive spin-off, American Horror Stories.

• Stream American Horror Stories on Hulu

Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Starring: Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien

What it’s about: An average teenager becomes swept up in the world of the supernatural after a fateful bite turns him into a half-man, half-animal hybrid.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Developer Jeff Davis’ much darker reinterpretation of one of the best Michael J. Fox movies, Teen Wolf, would become one of the most acclaimed and most popular MTV original series in recent memory and later inspired a feature-length continuation exclusive to Paramount+.

• Stream Teen Wolf on Hulu

Scream Queens (2015-2016)

Starring: Emma Roberts, Keke Palmer, Abigail Breslin, Billie Lourd

What it’s about: The members of an already dysfunctional college sorority really begin to turn on each other when they are stalked by a masked killer and, later, fall prey to another elusive murderer after they are hired on to the staff of their dean’s new hospital.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: American Horror Story co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk tried their hand at a more humorous and location-based attempt at the anthology horror TV show structure with Scream Queens – a title they earned by casting the most famous of the horror movie Scream Queens, Jamie Lee Curtis.

• Stream Scream Queens on Hulu

Wayward Pines (2015-2016)

Starring: Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino

What it’s about: The search for a pair of missing federal agents leads a Secret Service agent toward a strange small town that soon proves to be harder to leave than one would assume.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: From producer M. Night Shyamalan, developer Chad Hodge’s series adaptation of Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines book trilogy is an engrossingly suspenseful mindbender that fans of Twin Peaks might get a kick out of.

• Stream Wayward Pines on Hulu

Monsterland (2020)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: A socially isolated teen having an unexpected and unwelcome encounter, a successful business executive at risk of losing everything for past mistakes, and a married couple struggling to overcome their own consuming grief are just three of these eight tales about redemption by uncomfortable and especially unexplainable means.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Largely inspired by the stories in Nathan Ballingrund’s book, North American Lake Monsters, the Hulu original anthology series, Monsterland – featuring No One Will Save You star Kaitlyn Dever – takes a cue from The Twilight Zone by exploring the darker sides of humanity through a grim and fantastic lens.

• Stream Monsterland on Hulu

Castle Rock (2018-2019)

Starring: Andre Holland, Lizzy Caplan, Bill Skarsgård

What it’s about: A small town in Maine lives up to its grim reputation after a lawyer (played by Andre Holland) returns to defend a man (played by Bill Skarsgård) secretly held captive for decades, and later when a desperate single mother (played by Lizzy Caplan) makes an emergency stop that sets off a horrifying chain of events.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: The titular community of Castle Rock refers to a fictional place that shows up in many stories by horror master Stephen King, whose most famous characters are either directly involved or cleverly referenced in each of the two multi-episodic arcs explored in this beautifully crafted, prematurely canceled seasonal anthology.

• Stream Castle Rock on Hulu

American Horror Story (2011-Present)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: Witness patients of a sadistic mental hospital fighting for their sanity (and lives), traveling roadshow performers struggling with their own “gifts” (among other things), teenage campers having the worst summer ever, and more stories that boggle the mind and challenge the senses in one of the most acclaimed horror anthology TV shows of all time.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and others make up the cast of recurring actors who play a variety of characters that span decades, and even planes of existence, in American Horror Story – Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s collection of exhilarating, psychosexual, multi-episodic thrillers which will keep you from looking at the genre the same way ever again.

• Stream American Horror Story on Hulu

The X-Files (1993-2018)

Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson

What it’s about: FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully often have differing opinions of the cases they are assigned, but what neither of them can deny is just how strange they tend to be.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: From UFO conspiracies, cryptid sightings, urban legends, and other various encounters out of the ordinary, The X-Files – creator Chris Carter’s phenomenal marriage of crime procedurals with science fiction and fantasy – never fails to deliver some truly bizarre and harrowing sights that will haunt you long after you finish all 11 seasons.

• Stream The X-Files on Hulu.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan

What it’s about: A teenage girl striving for an average life instead must accept her destiny as a warrior against demons, bloodsuckers, and all forms of evil with help from her friends and the school librarian.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Unlike Mulder and Scully, the title character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer – a darker series update of the 1992 horror comedy movie – chases after the supernatural with a more direct and forceful approach that amounts to a stellar and plenty frightening display of monster-hunting fun over seven hit seasons.

• Stream Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu

The Strain (2014-2017)

Starring: Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Kevin Durand

What it’s about: A CDC researcher is in over his head with the discovery of a virus, originating from a commercial jet that mysteriously appeared in New York, that slowly begins to turn those infected into undead creatures of the night.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s series adaptation of their own trilogy of horror novels (the first of which is titled The Strain), takes a more complex and scientific approach to exploring vampire lore and the cataclysmic effect it would have on humanity.

• Stream The Strain on Hulu

The Purge (2018-2019)

Starring: Gabriel Chavarria, Derek Luke

What it’s about: A not-too-distant future in which all crime, including murder, is legal for one 12-hour period each year is seen through the eyes of several loosely connected Americans just trying to stay alive past sunrise.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: The two-season run of this USA original offers an arguably more fascinating and poignant exploration of the sociopolitical message of the popular franchise of The Purge movies it is spun-off from by its brutal depiction of a society torn apart by its own people.

• Stream The Purge on Hulu

What We Do In The Shadows (2019-Present)

Starring: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasha Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch

What it’s about: A camera crew follows a group of seemingly easy-going vampires and their human familiar to examine what life is like for the undead in Staten Island.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: This series expands on the concept of one of the best horror-comedy movies – Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s hilarious mockumentary, What We Do in the Shadows – by offering even more brilliant and insightful satire on the mythology pioneered by Bram Stoker.

• Stream What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu

Bite Size Halloween (2020-2022)

Starring: Various

What it’s about: Get a quick scare with these shorts about a lonely teenage girl discovering she is not so alone at an empty basketball court, a desperate man searching for purpose through a DNA research company, a cruel prankster receiving his ultimate comeuppance, and many more.

Why it is one of the best horror TV shows on Hulu: As the title suggests, Bite Size Halloween is a collection of films exclusive to Hulu that last mere minutes, but offer enough screams, and even laughs, to last you long after that.

• Stream Bite Size Halloween on Hulu

What do you think? Is Hulu your new go-to hub for a blood-curdling binge, or will it take a lot more than any of these series to scare you?

One could make a strong argument that no single creator has made a greater contribution to pop culture in the last 50 years than Stephen King. It all began with Carrie, the book in 1974 and the movie in 1976, and the author since then has not only established himself as one of the most prolific professional writers alive, but a cross-medium legend. He puts out at least one new book (be it a novel, a collection of short stories, or non-fiction) annually, and it’s actually rare for a year to go by in the 21st century without seeing at least one adaptation premiere on either the big screen or on television.

Between Stephen King movies, books, and TV, his body of work also happens to be a wonderful playground for fans who see themselves as “collectors” – and if you’re one of those people, we’ve built this feature for you. I’ve personally spent years building my own perfect Stephen King collection, and knowing there is a wide world of Constant Readers out there I figured I’d lend a hand helping others do the same. From Carrie, to IT, to Holly, let’s dig in! 

Stephen King Books

It all starts with the books, so we’ll begin the collecting journey here. More advanced collectors (and those with the available disposable income) may be inclined to go the route of buying First Edition copies of each of the titles (most of which are hardcovers), but this is more of a starter guide that points towards the best commonly available editions of each one (which generally means that they are purchasable at a reasonable price).

Must-Own Stephen King Books

If you’re building a core Stephen King collection, it’s a must to start with the classics (Carrie, Firestarter, The Dead Zone), the series (The Dark Tower, The Bill Hodges Trilogy), and the epics (The Stand, IT). The novella collections are special, as are most of his short story omnibi.

• Carrie (1974) – Hardcover
• Salem's Lot (1975) – Hardcover
• The Shining (1977) – Hardcover
• Rage (1977)/The Long Walk (1979)/Roadwork (1981)/The Running Man (1982) – Hardcover (Out Of Print)
• Night Shift (1978) – Hardcover
• The Stand (1978) – Hardcover
• The Dead Zone (1979) – Hardcover
• Firestarter (1980) – Hardcover
• Danse Macabre (1981) – Hardcover
• Cujo (1981) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982) – Hardcover
• Different Seasons (1982) – Hardcover
• Christine (1983) – Hardcover
• Pet Sematary (1983) – Hardcover
• The Talisman (1984) – Hardcover
• Skeleton Crew (1985) – Hardcover
• IT (1986) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower II: The Drawing Of The Three (1987) – Hardcover
• Misery (1987) – Hardcover
• The Dark Half (1989) – Hardcover
• Four Past Midnight (1990) – Hardcover
• Needful Things (1991) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991) – Hardcover
• Gerald's Game (1992) – Hardcover
• Dolores Claiborne (1992) – Hardcover
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993) – Hardcover
• The Green Mile (1996) – Hardcover
• Desperation (1996) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997) – Hardcover
• The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999) – Hardcover
• On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft (2000) – Hardcover
• Black House (2001) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004) – Hardcover
• Lisey's Story (2006) – Hardcover
• Under The Dome (2009) – Hardcover
• Full Dark, No Stars (2010) – Hardcover
• 11.22.63 (2011) – Hardcover
• The Dark Tower: The Wind Through The Keyhole (2012) – Hardcover
• Doctor Sleep (2013) – Hardcover
• Mr. Mercedes (2014) – Hardcover
• Revival (2014) – Hardcover
• Finders Keepers (2015) – Hardcover
• End Of Watch (2016) – Hardcover
• Gwendy's Button Box (2017) – Hardcover
• The Outsider (2018) – Hardcover
• If It Bleeds (2020) – Hardcover
• Later (2021) – Paperback
• Billy Summers (2021) – Hardcover
• Gwendy’s Final Task (2022) – Hardcover
• Fairy Tale (2022) – Hardcover
• Holly (2023) - Hardcover
• You Like It Darker (2024) - Hardcover

Worth Checking Out

Once you have the essentials, you can expand from there. A number of these are great books – they just don’t have quite the same legacy as the best known titles in the Stephen King library. Some of them are also… bad (we’re being honest today).

• Cycle Of The Werewolf (1983) – Paperback
• Thinner (1984) – Hardcover
• The Eyes Of The Dragon (1984) – Hardcover
• The Tommyknockers (1987) – Hardcover
• Insomnia (1994) – Hardcover
• Rose Madder (1995) – Hardcover
• The Regulators (1996) – Hardcover
• Bag Of Bones (1998) – Hardcover
• Hearts In Atlantis (1999) – Hardcover
• Dreamcatcher (2001) – Hardcover
• Everything's Eventual (2002) – Hardcover
• From A Buick 8 (2002) – Hardcover
• The Colorado Kid (2005) – Paperback
• Cell (2006) – Hardcover
• Blaze (2007) – Hardcover
• Duma Key (2008) – Hardcover
• Just After Sunset (2008) – Hardcover
• Joyland (2013) – Hardcover
• The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams (2015) – Hardcover
• Sleeping Beauties (2017) – Hardcover
• Elevation (2018) – Hardcover
• The Institute (2019) – Hardcover

Optional

You may not feel that you need a coffee table book with Stephen King discussing the creepiness and legacy of gargoyles, but if you’re a completist, you’ll want to have these titles in your collection.They do make for nice additions to any Stephen King library.

• Nightmares In The Sky (1988) – Hardcover
• I Shudder At Your Touch (1991) – Hardcover (Note: Features the story “The Revelations Of Becka Paulson, which isn’t published in any other hardcover)
• Storm Of The Century (1999) – Hardcover
• Secret Windows: Essays And Fiction On The Craft Of Writing (2000) – Hardcover
• Faithful (2004) – Hardcover
• Blockade Billy (2010) – Hardcover
• Hearts In Suspension (2016) – Hardcover
• Flight Or Fright (2018) – Hardcover

Stephen King Movie Adaptations

Stephen King’s relationship with Hollywood is just about as long as his history as a published novelist, with Brian Da Palma’s Carrie having been released just two years after the novel it’s based on was first published. The author has an awesome big screen legacy, and thus there are a large number of titles to populate a collection.

Must-Own Stephen King Movies

Not only have some great movies been made based on Stephen King books, but there are some downright iconic ones too – and it’s primarily those titles we are calling essential for any collection. Some titles are considered among the best horror movies of all time… and considered among the best movies of all time period:

• Carrie (1976) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• The Shining (1980) – 4K UHD
• Creepshow (1982) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Cujo (1983) – 4K UHD
• The Dead Zone (1983) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• Christine (1983) – 4K UHD
• Children Of The Corn (1984) – Special Edition 4K UHD
• Firestarter (1984) – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
• Silver Bullet (1985) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Stand By Me (1986) – 4K UHD
• Maximum Overdrive (1986) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary (1989) – 4K UHD
• Misery (1990) – 4K UHD
• Tales From The Darkside: The Movie (1990) – Collector’s Edition 4K UHD
• Needful Things (1993) – 4K UHD
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – 4K UHD
• Dolores Claiborne (1995) – Blu-ray
• The Green Mile (1999) – 4K UHD
• The Mist (2007) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• IT (2017) – 4K UHD
• IT Chapter Two (2019) – 4K UHD
• Doctor Sleep (2019) – 4K UHD
• The Boogeyman (2023) – Blu-ray

Worth Checking Out

These Stephen King movies aren’t quite up to the high standard set by the brilliant adaptations above, and in some cases more liberties are taken with the source material, but there’s still plenty of good stuff, including a few solid anthology films.

• Cat's Eye (1985) – 4K UHD
• Creepshow 2 (1987) – Special Edition Blu-ray
• The Running Man (1987) – 4K UHD
• Sleepwalkers (1992) – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
• The Dark Half (1993) – Blu-ray (Out Of Print)
• The Mangler (1995) – Blu-ray
• The Night Flier (1998) – DVD
• Apt Pupil (1998) – DVD
• Hearts In Atlantis (2001) – DVD
• 1408 (2007) – Blu-ray
• A Good Marriage (2014) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary (2019) – 4K UHD
• Firestarter (2022) – Blu-ray
• Pet Sematary: Bloodlines – 4K UHD

Optional

It’s tricky to recommend these Stephen King movies because they ride so low on the quality scale, but they exist for you to get if you’re a completist.

• Graveyard Shift (1990) – Blu-ray
• Thinner (1996) – Collector's Edition Blu-ray
• Carrie (2013) – Collector's Edition 4K UHD
• Dreamcatcher (2003) – Blu-ray
• Secret Window (2004) – Blu-ray
• Dolan's Cadillac (2009) – Blu-ray
• Riding The Bullet (2004) – DVD
• Mercy (2014) – DVD
• Cell (2016) – Blu-ray
• The Dark Tower (2017) – 4K UHD

Stephen King TV Adaptations

A huge part of what makes Stephen King’s books so great is their attention to detail – and while this typically means that the tomes wind up getting pretty damn heavy, it’s also an element of his style that has led to there being a great relationship between King and the TV world. These adaptations provide the runtime real estate that regularly let adaptations be remarkably faithful to their respective source material.

Must-Own Stephen King TV Adaptations

If you’re looking for the cream of the crop material when it comes to Stephen King’s history on the small screen, you’ll find it below. Admittedly the legacy isn’t quite as iconic as the theatrical material, but we’ve still seen some fantastic adaptations for the small screen.

• Salem's Lot (1979) – Blu-ray
• It (1990) – Blu-ray
• The Stand (1994) – Blu-ray
• The Langoliers (1995) – DVD
• The Shining (1997) – Blu-ray
• Storm Of The Century (1999) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• The Dead Zone (2002) – DVD (Complete Series)
• Kingdom Hospital (2004) – DVD
• Salem's Lot (2004) – DVD (Best version in Triple Terror Collection)
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes (2006) – DVD
• Haven (2010) – DVD (Complete Series) (Note: Each season was released on Blu-rays, but copies of Season 4, Season 5, and Season 5.1 can be difficult to find)
• Under The Dome (2013) – Blu-ray (Season 1) & Blu-ray (Season 2) & Blu-ray (Season 3)
• 11.22.63 (2016) – Blu-ray
• Mr. Mercedes (2017) – Blu-ray (Note: Region-Free Complete Series)
• Castle Rock (2018) – 4K UHD (Season 1) & Blu-ray (Season 2)
• The Outsider (2020) – Blu-ray (Season 1)
• The Stand (2020) – Blu-ray (Complete Limited Series)
• Chapelwaite (2021) Blu-ray (Note: This a Region Free release from Australia)

Worth Checking Out

Quality-wise, these TV adaptations range between “middle of the road” and “downright awful. Some of them definitely have their redeeming qualities, and will certainly be of interest to any Stephen King collector who is also a completist.

• Sometimes They Come Back (1991) – Blu-ray
• Golden Years (1991) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• The Tommyknockers (1993) – DVD
• Quicksilver Highway (1997) – DVD
• Trucks (1997) – DVD
• Rose Red (2002) – DVD (Based on original script by Stephen King)
• Carrie (2002) – Blu-ray (Out Of Print)
• Desperation (2006) – DVD
• Children Of The Corn (2009) – Blu-ray
• Bag Of Bones (2011) – DVD
• Big Driver (2014) – DVD

Optional

If you’re looking to get absolutely every Stephen King adaptation, including the anthology shows that turned the author’s works into single episodes, this section is for you:

• The Twilight Zone (1985) – DVD (Season 1) (Note: Episode “Gramma” based on the Stephen King story of the same name)
• Tales From The Darkside (1984) – DVD (Season 1) (Note: Episode “Word Processor Of The Gods” based on the Stephen King story of the same name) & DVD (Season 4) (Note: Stephen King wrote the episode “Sorry, Right Number”)
• Monsters (1988) - DVD (Complete Series) (Note: Out Of Print, Season 3 Episode “The Moving Finger” based on the Stephen King story of the same name)
• The Outer Limits (1997) – DVD (Season 3) (Note: Out Of Print; Episode “The Revelations Of ‘Becka Paulson” based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name)
• The X-Files (1998) – Blu-ray (Season 5) (Note: Stephen King wrote the episode “Chinga”)
• Creepshow (2019) – Blu-ray (Season 1 - Episode “Gray Matter” based on the Stephen King story of the same name) & Blu-ray (Season 2 - which includes the "Creepshow Animated Special," based on the Stephen King story “Survivor Type”)

As noted up top, there are always more Stephen King books being written and adaptations being made, so any collection of the author’s works is a fluid collection – but we’ll keep this list updated with all of the latest releases as they become available. For the latest news about new developments in the world of King physical media, check out my weekly column The King Beat, which goes live here on CinemaBlend every Thursday.

Note: This feature purposefully does not include sequels that are not based on pre-existing Stephen King works or written by King himself (i.e. the Children of the Corn sequels, Pet Sematary 2, The Rage: Carrie 2, etc.).

Additionally, Gerald's Game, In The Tall Grass, 1922, and Mr. Harrigan's Phone are notably absent from this list because they are not currently available on home video, and can only be watched on Netflix. The same is true for the series Lisey’s Story, which is an Apple TV+ exclusive.

Have you ever been watching your favorite TV show when a certain actor popped into frame and you could not help but wonder where else you might have seen them? There is a good chance that it could have been another episode of the same program, as many television series have a history of casting the same actor for entirely different roles. In fact we have a hefty amount examples below of actors who have played multiple TV characters in one series.

Giovanni Ribisi On Friends (Condom Guy, Frank Buffay Jr.)

Before he joined the Friends cast in the recurring role of Frank Buffay Jr. - the younger half-brother of Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) - Emmy nominee Giovanni Ribisi made an uncredited Season 2 appearance as a guy who asks if he can retrieve the condom he dropped in Phoebe’s guitar case moments earlier. Considering Phoebe never found out about this sibling until later that season, fans have speculated that Frank and “Condom Guy” are the same person, but this has never been confirmed.

Queen Latifah On The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (Marissa Redman, Dee Dee)

Before she was in the Living Single cast, future Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah shared the screen with fellow rapper-turned-actor Will Smith on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1991. She played a vain, domineering actress who hires Hilary (Karyn Parsons) as an assistant for her first appearance, and returned to play a woman whose friendship with Will is tested when he does not defend her from ridicule about her weight.

Jerry Orbach On Law & Order (Defense Attorney Frank Lehrman, Detective Lennie Briscoe)

The late, great Jerry Orbach of Dirty Dancing fame is even better known for his 12 seasons in the Law & Order cast as Detective Lennie Briscoe, for which he received his third Emmy nomination. However, his first appearance on creator Dick Wolf’s long-running crime procedural (which was revived in 2022) was in Season 2 (a year before he official joined the cast) as Frank Lehrman - a lawyer defending a woman who shot her estranged husband and his mistress. 

Justin Theroux On Sex And The City (Jared, Vaughn Wysel)

On the premiere season of Sex and the City, Justin Theroux appeared as Jared - Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) post-Mr. Big rebound - before showing up again the following season as Vaughn Wysel -  Carrie’s writer boyfriend whose stories are short, just like his bedroom stamina. The star of HBO’s The Leftovers explained on an episode of People Magazine’s Couch Surfing how he prepared for his second role on the iconic romantic-comedy series by shaving his head.

Dean-Charles Chapman On Game Of Thrones (Martyn Lannister, Tommen Baratheon)

It is not so unusual for a Game of Thrones cast member to die and come back later (i.e. Kit Harrington’s Jon Snow), but Dean-Charles Chapman is a special case. The 1917 star appeared in two episodes of the third season as a Lannister House squire named Martyn before being brought back the next year (and with a sweet promotion) as the polarizing King of the Andals, Tommen Baratheon.

Peter Capaldi On Doctor Who (Caecilius, The Doctor)

Because of Time Lords’ regenerative process, the titular hero of the phenomenal British sci-fi series, Doctor Who, has been played by 13 different actors so far - including Oscar-winner Peter Capaldi (who looked to David Bowie for inspiration for the role) from 2013 to 2017. However, die-hard Whovians may recall when the Scotsman and The Suicide Squad cast member appeared opposite the Tenth Doctor, David Tenant, in 2008 as a man The Doctor saves from Vesuvius’ eruption named Caecilius.

Karen Gillan On Doctor Who (Soothsayer, Amy Pond)

In the same 2008 episode of Doctor Who in which Peter Capaldi made his first appearance in a different role, future Marvel movie star Karen Gillan also made her debut on the cult favorite series as a soothsayer who gained psychic powers from breathing in dust from the volcano, Vesuvius. Two years later, the Scottish actress was cast as Amy Pond, who would accompany Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor on adventures until 2012.

Ted McGinley On Married… With Children (Norman Jablonsky, Jefferson D'Arcy)

On Married… with Children (which some believe is due for a revival), the Bundy Family’s next-door neighbor, Marcy (Amanda Bearse), was married twice - the second time to Jefferson D’Arcy, who was played by Ted McGinley after he joined the cast in Season 5. The previous season, he appeared in a holiday episode inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life in which Al (Ed O’Neill) is shown an alternate reality where Peg (Katey Segal) is, instead, married to a more successful, better looking man named Norman Jablonsky (McGinley).  

Terry O’Quinn On The X-Files (Lt. Brian Tillman, Shadow Man)

Emmy winner Terry O’Quinn, best known from the Lost cast, has starred in a number of series created by Chris Carter - including one of the best ’90 shows, The X-Files, as both a police lieutenant in Season 2  and a super-soldier who tries to kill Scully (Gillian Anderson) in Season 9. He was also a regular on another supernatural series by Carter called Millennium, which once crossed over with The X-Files - meaning O’Quinn has really played three characters within this same universe.

Garret Dillahunt On Deadwood (Jack McCall, Francis Wolcott)

Garett Dillahunt is one of the few names on our list who, instead of just two guest appearances, can claim to have two different, multi-episode recurring roles in the Deadwood cast. He played the crooked-nosed murderer Jack McCall in the HBO series’ first season, before returning in Season 2 as geologist Francis Wolcott. He even made an uncredited cameo in the series’ feature-length continuation from 2019 as random drunk.

S. Epatha Merkerson On Law & Order (Mrs. Denise Winters, Lieutenant Anita Van Buren)

Emmy winner S. Epatha Merkerson, who went on to be a staple of the One Chicago franchise, is best known for playing Lt. Anita Van Buren on Law & Order from 1993 to 2010. Yet, her first role on the iconic crime drama was as the mother of two young shooting victims in the the series’ premiere season.

Paget Brewster On Community (Debra Chambers, Frankie Dart)

During Paget Brewster’s temporary absence from the Criminal Minds cast, she had a starring role on Community as Frankie Dart - a consultant hired to help improve things on the Greendale campus. There is a clever joke from Season 6 of creator Dan Harmon’s cult favorite comedy when Frankie claims to have some bizarre trouble when trying to reach out to Greendale’s I.T. department head, Debra Chambers - whom Brewster also played in the previous season.

James Cromwell On Barney Miller (Sgt. Wilkinson, Neil Spencer, Jason Parrish, Dr. Edmund Danworth)

The producers of Barney Miller (one of funniest and best classic mystery shows) cast several actors in multiple guest appearances over its eight seasons, including Oscar nominee James Cromwell. He first appeared as a police sergeant in 1977, a representative of the department of energy two years later, and both a corporate representative and stress researcher in 1981.

Denise Dowse On Beverly Hills, 90210 (Professor Harriet Welkman, Mrs. Teasley)

Years before appearing on the hit HBO comedy Insecure or FX’s acclaimed crime drama Snowfall, Denise Dowse appeared on a total of 24 episodes as part of the Beverly Hills, 90210 cast from 1990 to 2000. In 23 of those episodes, she played West Beverly Hills High School vice principal Yvonne Teasley, and also played a college professor in an episode of Season 1, which was also her first.

Diane Neal On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Amelia Chase, A.D.A. Casey Novak)

Diane Neal has starred on the crime procedural spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (initially as a regular and later in recurring and guest appearances) as Casey Novak - an assistant district attorney who also appeared in an episode of the short-lived Law & Order: Trial By Jury. The actress has actually played two characters in this universe - the first being a stockbroker convicted of the rape and murder of a male stripper who staged the murder of her accomplice as a suicide, on SVU’s third season.

Freema Agyeman On Doctor Who (Adeloa Oshodi, Martha Jones)

Before joining the New Amsterdam cast and starring in The Matrix Revolutions, Freema Agyeman first appeared with the Doctor Who cast as Torchwood technician Adeloa Oshodi in 2006. The following year, she was cast as Martha Jones - a companion to David Tenant’s Tenth Doctor - who was later revealed to be Adeloa’s cousin to explain the resemblance between the two.

Christa Miller On Seinfeld (Ellen De Granmont, Paula)

If her starring roles on The Drew Carey Show, with the Scrubs cast, and on Cougar Town do not earn Christa Miller the right to be called sitcom royalty, how about her two disparate guest roles on one of the most celebrated sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld? Miller contributes to two memorable George Costanza moments - the first being when she cost Jason Alexander’s iconic character a bra salesman position after a disastrous attempt at hitting on her in Season 5. In Season 6, she played a woman already dating George, but her unflattering doodle of him suddenly makes him unsure if her affection is genuine.

Nelson Franklin on The Office (Graphic Design Guy, Nick)

Comedian and Being the Ricardos star Nelson Franklin is known for having notable recurring roles on a number of sitcoms, including with The Office cast as Dunder Mifflin-Sabre’s begrudgingly overlooked IT guy, Nick, in Season 6. Two seasons earlier, he appeared in the episode “Job Fair” as a graphic design expert whom Pam (Jenna Fischer) approaches with interest in the field.

Sean Gunn On Angel (Mars, Lucas)

Before his older brother, James Gunn, cast him in multiple roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (namely Kraglin and Rocket Raccoon, for whom he performed the mo-cap), Sean Gunn play two different characters in the first season of the David Boreanaz-led Buffy spin-off, Angel. The future Gilmore Girls cast member first played a spa manager helping an inter-dimensional demon princess hide other women of her kind from the males who enslave them, before returning a few episodes later as a demon himself - specifically the kind that Angel’s ally, Allen Doyle (Glenn Quinn), is a descendent of on his father’s side.

Hayden Panettiere On Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Ashley Austin Black, Angela Agnelli)

Back when she was still best known for Disney movies like A Bug’s Life and Remember the Titans, Hayden Panettiere guest-starred on Season 2 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as the surviving young daughter of two singers accused of neglecting their recently deceased son. Right before joining the Heroes cast made her a household name, the actress and singer appeared on the spin-off’s sixth season as a Catholic high school student whose participation in a sex tape also featuring her classmate and an adult doctor, drove her to murder.

James Jordan On Veronica Mars (Lucky, Tim Foyle)

Years before joining the Yellowstone cast as Steve Hendon, one of James Jordan’s first major TV characters was Tim Foyle - a rival of Kristen Bell’s titular hero from the Veronica Mars cast who appeared in seven episodes, including the 2019 revival season. However, Jordan actually starred in a total of 10 episodes of the hit mystery drama and, for his first three, played a Neptune High janitor ironically named Lucky, who was shot and killed by a school security guard after showing up with an unloaded gun after he was fired.

Michael Cudlitz On CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Officer William Spencer, Josh Barston)

Earlier in his career, former The Walking Dead cast member Michael Cudlitz made a guest appearance on each of the first three editions of the CSI franchise (and each time as a different character, too), but the original is the only one on which he appeared twice. His first played a cop driven to crime by greed in Season 2, and later played a contractor driven to murder by love in Season 9.

BONUS: Kali Rocha On Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Cecily Addams, Halfrek - Confirmed To Be The Same Character)

For years, it was debated among fans of Buffy of the Vampire Slayer whether or not Kali Rocha's roles of Cecily Addams - a 19th Century socialite whose rejection of Spike (James Marsters) resulted in his vampirism - and the vengeance demon Halfrek were the same person. Writer Drew Goddard would confirm in a DVD commentary track (via ScreenRant) that the theory is, indeed, true, which we have chosen to mention as a bonus item on this list just in case there were any fans who may have needed clarification.

Let this list be a lesson to any aspiring actor to never take a TV guest appearance or small recurring role for granted. It could be the first of many appearances on that show alone or could get you promoted to a regular position.

Ah, the ‘90s. A decade that is not so old (I mean, what’s two decades at this point, really?), but brimming with nostalgia for how much of a mixed bag it was in terms of pop culture, especially on the small screen. In fact, I would call something of a golden age of television for shows like Seinfeld, Friends, The X-Files, or other programs that defined the era of a nearly endless variety. See for yourself with our nearly endless list of ‘90s TV shows that you can stream right now, starting with what could be the greatest sitcom of all time.

Seinfeld (Netflix)

From creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, this Emmy-winning NBC series (which ran from 1989 to 1998) follows the increasingly bizarre misadventures of a comedian (Seinfeld), his ex-girlfriend (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), his eccentric next door neighbor (Michael Richards), and his neurotic childhood buddy (Jason Alexander), which often serve as inspiration for his stand-up material. With an expansive universe of supporting characters, a dictionary’s worth of quotable lines, and a groundbreaking sense of brutally honest wit, Seinfeld is much more than nine seasons of nothing.

Stream Seinfeld on Netflix.

ER (Hulu)

Also boasting an expansive and ever-evolving cast (including George Clooney and many other future A-list guest stars) is the Emmy-winning ER, which covers the daily grind at Chicago’s County General Hospital and the personal lives of its staff. What keeps the long-running NBC hit which premiered in 1994 from creator Michael Crichton one of the most influential TV medical dramas of all time is its grounded sense of realism that never goes off life support for all 15 seasons.

Stream ER on Hulu.

Batman: The Animated Series (HBO Max)

One of most influential superhero TV shows (and animated programs in general) also boasts what many fans consider to be the finest portrayal of the iconic DC Comics character in any screen adaptation. Kevin Conroy voices the title role of Batman: The Animated Series (later rebranded as The New Batman Adventures in 1997), which also features the iconic performances of Mark Hamill as The Joker and Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn in her very first appearance in any medium.

Stream Batman: The Animated Series on HBO Max.

Friends (HBO Max)

Could there be a more celebrated ‘90s comedy than Friends? Honestly, few sitcoms which debuted in the era have gone on to achieve as much lasting relevance in pop culture as co-creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s seminal, Emmy-winning NBC hit. The secret would have to be the glowing Friends cast (who recently reunited for an HBO Max special) and the enduring, genuine sense of sweetness and sentimentality brimming in all 235 episodes.

Stream Friends on HBO Max.

Living Single (Hulu)

Of course, we should also give credit where it is due to another series about six twenty-something New Yorkers struggling to navigate their personal and professional lives which first aired on Fox in 1993 - a year prior to the debut of Friends. While it only lasted five seasons, the snappy writing of creator Yvette Lee Bowser’s hit and the Living Single cast (including a pre-Oscar-nominated Queen Latifah) still made a grand impression on Hollywood. 

Stream Living Single on Hulu.

NYPD Blue (Hulu)

New York was also the setting of one of the darkest, grittiest, and most captivating police procedurals of the decade, which co-creators Steven Bochco and David Milch brought to ABC in 1993. As the gruff, rebellious cop Andy Sipowicz, Dennis Franz led the constantly interchanging NYPD Blue cast for 12 seasons and to four-time Emmy-winning acclaim.

Stream NYPD Blue on Hulu.

Saved By The Bell (Netflix, Peacock, Hulu)

Mark-Paul Gosselaar would join the cast of NYPD Blue in the later seasons after first rising to fame as Zach Morris, the fourth wall-breaking de facto leader of the Saved by the Bell cast, from 1989 to 1993. The zany misadventures of Bayside High School’s students became a big enough hit to inspire a few spin-offs - most recently on Peacock with most of the original cast coming back to reprise their iconic characters.

Stream Saved By The Bell on Netflix.
Stream Saved By The Bell on Peacock.
Stream Saved By The Bell on Hulu.

Dawson’s Creek (Netflix)

Of course, high school is not always so funny, which the Dawson’s Creek cast would be forced to come to grips with on a weekly basis. Created by Scream writer Kevin Williamson and debuting in 1998 when The CW was still called The WB, this primetime soap opera was one of the most captivating dramas about growing up at the time and launched the careers of James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams, to name a few.

Stream Dawson’s Creek on Netflix.

Beverly Hills, 90210 (Hulu)

If you thought high school was hard, college is no picnic and adulthood is practically impossible as the original Beverly Hills, 90210 cast would be forced to come to grips with on a weekly basis. From Sex and the City creator Darren Starr and debuting on Fox in 1990, this primetime soap opera would launch several careers, with the original premise centering on twin teens who move to California and face many of the challenges of growing up, while also adapting to life in Beverly Hills. 

Stream Beverly Hills, 90210 on Hulu.

Frasier (Hulu)

One of the most unsurprisingly successful spin-offs of all time followed Kelsey Grammer reprising his role from the Cheers cast after he relocates to Seattle where he hosts a radio show, while also regularly facing his own relationship issues. I would actually hope that we could see a reunion of the Frasier cast one day, either as a way to relive the sitcom’s greatest memories or as a full-on revival to see what they have been up to since the 2004 finale.

Stream Frasier on Hulu.

Rugrats (Hulu, Paramount+)

A more fun and imaginative, yet still undeniably honest, take on the trials and tribulations of growing up was Nickelodeon’s Rugrats, which recently became one of the latest ‘90s properties to get a revival on Paramount+ in 2020. The backyard adventures of Tommy, Chucky, Phil, Lil, and Angelica would also inspired three big screen spin-offs - one of which would introduce Chucky’s step-sister Kimi onto the cast.

Stream Rugrats on Hulu.
Stream Rugrats on Paramount+.

The Real World (Paramount+)

What could provide a more honest portrayal of America’s youth, however, than a reality show (when that term really meant something) that puts a diverse group of people living together in the spotlight? The groundbreaking docuseries The Real World, which has not quite ended after decades since its 1992 debut, was just what MTV needed to gain recognition as more than TV about music.

Stream The Real World on Paramount+.

Walker, Texas Ranger (Pluto TV)

Justice is best served with a roundhouse kick to the face, as Chuck Norris’s titular, Lone Star State lawman would prove over and over again from 1993 to 2001. Essentially a B-movie of irresistible lunacy extended over 196 episodes, the power of Walker, Texas Ranger could never be replicated, even though The CW seems to have done pretty well with its reboot starring Jared Padalecki.

Stream Walker, Texas Ranger on Pluto TV.

Ally McBeal (Hulu)

The TV legal drama genre would never be the same after the debut of Ally McBeal, which starred three-time Emmy-nominee Calista Flockhart as the title character who often gets lost in her own wild imagination while practicing at a law firm that also happens to the be the workplace of her ex-boyfriend. Created by David E. Kelly, the hit series is a profound time capsule of the dramatic changes at the end of the 20th Century and beginning of the next.

Stream Ally McBeal on Hulu.

Touched By An Angel (Paramount+)

Some people, when they are at their lowest, tend look up to the sky for inspiration. However, the rotating guest stars of the long-running CBS drama Touched By An Angel were able to find it right in the backyards with the help of three spiritual entities sent from Heaven to provide whatever assistance necessary. 

Stream Touched By An Angel on Paramount+.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Hulu)

The spiritual entities and strange creatures that “Chosen One” Buffy Summers (Scream Queen Sarah Michelle Gellar) would encounter in Sunnydale from 1997 to 2003 were anything but helpful. In a way, you could argue that the old school fantasy elements of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series served as an exciting and witty metaphor for the modern teen’s struggles to balance school with some very demanding extracurricular activities. 

Stream Buffy The Vampire Slayer on Hulu.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Netflix)

Because Buffy had a penchant for being extremely dark and disturbing quite often, younger viewers in the 1990s had another fantastic (and deliciously campy) metaphor for the struggles of adolescence to turn to. Originally a Japanese show re-edited with footage of an American cast of teens when not in their colorful uniforms, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was the start of an ongoing cultural phenomenon which perfectly captures every child’s dreams of saving the universe.

Stream Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on Netflix.

3rd Rock From The Sun (Tubi)

The ‘90s would also prove that the average and mundane can be just as scary, especially when seen through the eyes of extraterrestrials who have taken human form to observe our species. Such is the plot of the unique and thoroughly fun NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, which sees John Lithgow at his zaniest and future A-lister Joseph Gordon-Levitt at his most reserved by comparison.

Stream 3rd Rock From The Sun on Tubi.

The X-Files (Hulu)

The 3rd Rock from the Sun cast would have been in a lot of trouble if they ever crossed paths with FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), who constantly found themselves on a journey to find “the truth” behind the strange cases they investigated. In addition to being easily one of the best sci-fi TV shows of its time, The X-Files has practically become synonymous with the genre itself since debuting in 1993.

Stream The X-Files on Hulu.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (HBO Max)

Thanks to roles in Independence Day and Bad Boys, Will Smith would eventually become synonymous with the world “blockbuster.” However, to get there, the rapper-turned-actor proved his chops and his hilarious charisma as the star of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast, playing a Philly native who moves in with his aunt, uncle, and cousins in Bel-Air after one little fight got his mom scared.

Stream The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air on HBO Max.

Everybody Loves Raymond (Peacock)

Little fights of the verbal variety would happen on a regular basis among the stars of the Everybody Love Raymond cast, whether it was between Ray Barone (Ray Ramano) and his wife, his brother, or his parents. We would not have had it any other way because this long-running sitcom likely helped any person who has ever butted heads with their own family realize it could be much worse in the most hilarious fashion.

Stream Everybody Loves Raymond on Peacock Premium.

My So-Called Life (Hulu)

Speaking of, My So-Called Life would provide some very profound examples of how things could be worse either in a cleverly funny or simply unapologetically bleak way, as seen through the eyes of Angela Chase (Claire Danes). Short-lived, but much-loved and groundbreaking for the ways it tackled social issue unlike series before, the ABC drama would earn Danes a Golden Globe and launched future Academy Award winner Jared Leto’s career.

Stream My So-Called Life on Hulu.

Boy Meets World (Disney+)

While never particularly groundbreaking for the social issues it highlighted, the moral lessons offered in this classic coming-of-age sitcom (especially when coming from William Daniels’ Mr. Feeny) were undeniably valuable. It is always a joy to witness the Boy Meets World cast grow up while rewatching Cory Matthews evolve from a charming, underachieving pre-teen to a neurotic, married man-child, even if the overall narrative does not always add up.

Stream Boy Meets World on Disney+.

Martin (HBO Max)

Nothing ever really had to make sense on Martin, which aired on Fox from 1992 to 1997. As long as star and co-creator Martin Lawrence kept the laughs coming (either as the titular radio and TV personality Martin Payne or any of his other characters), you were guaranteed a good time.

Stream Martin on HBO Max.

Twin Peaks (Hulu, Paramount+)

Now if you really want to talk about entertainment in lieu of things not always making much sense, look no further than Twin Peaks - the story of an eccentric FBI agent (Golden Globe winner Kyle MacLachlan) tasked with solving a murder that has shaken a small town in Washington. Co-created by the incomparable David Lynch, this is one bizarre, inventive mystery that will have you hooked until its shocking cliffhanger ending… that you can see “conclude” in the 2017 revival from Showtime.

Stream Twin Peaks on Hulu.
Stream Twin Peaks on Paramount+.

You know, I was about to say that they don’t make television like they do in the ’90s anymore, until I remembered that many of these shows have been rebooted or revived in recent years. What I will say, however, is that none of these ‘90s shows could ever be done the same way, and thank God for it because the unique feeling you get from rewatching them on streaming is one-of-a-kind.

No matter what David Duchovny does in his career, many fans will always think of him as Fox Mulder from The X-Files — the passionate FBI agent always in pursuit of the truth. But he’s also shown over the years that he’s not afraid to go to the extreme for the sake of comedy (see: all of Californication, any cameo where he plays himself). In the new Netflix series The Chair, David Duchovny resurrected one particularly memorable moment from The X-Files in a scene with series star Sandra Oh by donning a red Speedo. You know the one. It's right above.

For a character like Mulder who rarely was seen wearing anything but work attire, it’s no mystery why seeing him in a red Speedo would throw fans into a frenzy, but it couldn’t have been predicted how enduring the image would be after so long. David Duchovny gave The Chair showrunner Amanda Peet and star Sandra Oh the credit for the bare-chested callback and resurrection of the barely there garment, according to EW. In his words:

That’s some pretty high praise for Amanda Peet, and shows how much trust David Duchovny had in her and former Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh. It’s a huge thing to put a piece of your iconography into someone’s hands, and it’s a whole other thing to wear a Speedo on camera more than 25 years after The X-Files episode in question.

For The Chair fans who might not have witnessed the scarlet Speedo's original appearance, The X-Files Season 2 episode “Duane Barry” featured Agent Krycek approaching Mulder at the FBI pool as the agent was swimming laps, to talk about assisting on a case. As Mulder emerged from the pool in that bright red Speedo, 1994 TV audiences witnessed a fashion moment on par with the lifeguards on Baywatch, just with less slowed-down bouncing.

The Chair played to that scene in Episode 5, “The Last Bus in Town,” which had Sandra Oh’s Ji-Yoon Kim visiting David Duchovny (playing a satirical version of himself) at his house to discuss an upcoming Distinguished Lecture at the university where she served as chair. Ji-Yoon’s reaction when she saw Duchovny in the Speedo was priceless (and much less subtle than Duchovny’s co-star on The X-Files), literally hiding behind a plant when Duchovny climbed out of the pool and nonchalantly asked if she was okay.

The moment was fun for fans who remembered The X-Files scene, but prior knowledge of David Duchovny’s swimwear was not required to follow his overall delightful arc on The Chair. In talking to Ji-Yoon, Duchovny casually dropped in facts about himself, his books, his band and his degrees (all true to life). Now if only The Crown's Gillian Anderson had been around as an equally satirical version of herself.

The Chair, starring Sandra Oh, is streaming now on Netflix. Be sure to check out our 2021 Fall TV schedule to keep up with the upcoming premieres of all your favorite shows.

Warning: slight spoilers ahead for Chris Carter's appearance on Discovery's UFOs Declassified: Live.

The X-Files managed to run for eleven seasons and two movies based on the dynamic between a believer and a skeptic investigating paranormal phenomenon, and although the personal relationship between Mulder and Scully became a bigger and bigger draw over the years, the believer/skeptic dynamic drove the series for a long time. Creator Chris Carter spun the stories of The X-Files with varying degrees of success as Mulder continued to believe and Scully continued to doubt (and they continued to make the big relationship leaps off-screen). Now, Carter has revealed that he doesn't just consider himself like Mulder or like Scully, but both.

Chris Carter appeared on UFOs Declassified: Live, which was simulcast across Discovery, Science Channel, and Travel Channel. He shared his perspective on real-life UFO reports as the creator of The X-Files, which popularized conversation about alien abduction back in the '90s. Carter said:

Apparently, the man who came up with the paranormal premise of The X-Files is at least somewhat skeptical like Scully, whose refusal to believe could be downright frustrating to watch at times. Of course, Scully's perspective as she watched Mulder jump on board with some of the most outlandish theories imaginable with little evidence to go on is pretty easy to see as well.

Perhaps most people, like Chris Carter says of himself, are a little bit Mulder and a little bit Scully! I know that I tend to be skeptical, but I also watched the UFOs Declassified: Live TV event and have been an X-Files fan from childhood. Do I want to believe?!

In all seriousness, while the evidence presented in UFOs Declassified: Live might leave some viewers believing at least a little harder than they did before tuning in to the three-hour live broadcast, there are probably plenty of skeptics who remain wholly unconvinced after watching as well. The X-Files creator weighed in, saying:

Aliens in the universe of The X-Files are very real and very troublesome for Mulder and Scully over the years, but real-life debate regarding abductions and UFOs will undoubtedly continue indefinitely between believers and skeptics. Until it can be proven one way or the other, nobody will know for sure. You can always relive or check out the wild ride of The X-Files with the full series available streaming now on Hulu.

The X-Files seems truly finished for now, although Season 11 ended on some cliffhangers and downright bizarre bombshells, so it should be interesting to see if the Season 11 finale truly was the end of Mulder and Scully's story. For some viewing options that are guaranteed for the small screen, check out our 2021 summer TV premiere schedule.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Stranger Things became a phenomenon when it first came out, capturing the eyes and hearts of viewers across the world with the supernatural aspects, a great story, and the childhood innocence of uniting with your friends to fight for a better purpose. The '80s look, plus the atmospheric music, paired beautifully to create a beloved series that has been going strong since the Stranger Things premiere in 2016.

However, with Season 4 seemingly taking forever to debut (which isn't totally the show's fault), some people might be craving something similar to watch. Sometimes you don’t need the best movies on Netflix or the best movies on Amazon Prime to get you through your day. Sometimes, all you need are TV shows like Stranger Things, and these are the ones you should keep an eye out for.

Dark (Netflix)

When I think of shows like Stranger Things, Dark is always one of the first series’ that come to mind. This German science-fiction thriller covers the story of a child disappearing in a small fictional town. However, with the disappearance of this child, there are several conspiracies that are revealed, all linked back to several generations of families.

Dark is one of those shows that, at first, will most likely make you scratch your head in confusion. There are just so many twists and turns that sometimes, it’s hard to keep up. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a fantastic and super intriguing show, and for fans of Stranger Things, it will definitely fulfill your craving for something a bit supernatural.

Stream Dark on Netflix.

The Society (Netflix)

In The Society, we accompany a group of teenagers who are thrown into a whole new world. Out of nowhere, it seems that the whole entire population of their town has disappeared. Now, it’s up to them to somehow find their way again and learn how to live for themselves.

I always look to this group of teenagers as sort of an older version of the main gang from Stranger Things, because it’s all about teens figuring things out and not having the adults to rely on. Is there plenty of drama infused into something like this? For sure, and that's one of the reasons why this is an extremely entertaining show.

Stream The Society on Netflix.

Fringe (IMDB TV)

Fringe is the best option for Stranger Things fans who also like a bit of investigation mixed in with their sci-fi. In Fringe, we follow the casework of the Fringe Division, which is a Joint Federal Task Force that is supported by the FBI. They investigate cases which relate to fringe science. Some examples would be looking into transhumanist experiments that have gone horribly wrong, or investigating the collision of parallel universes.

Let me tell you that Fringe will turn you into a little agent yourself. There is nothing more satisfying than sitting down on the couch and acting like you are one of the agents of the Fringe Division, and trying to figure out what’s going on while watching the show. I believe that’s what makes this show such a great pick for Stranger Things fans – the mystery is fantastic to follow. Plus, who doesn’t love a good parallel universe story?

Stream Fringe on IMDB TV.

Rent Fringe on Amazon.

GLOW (Netflix)

The '80s aesthetic is real with this one. In GLOW, the viewers get to learn about the 1980s syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit, called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, otherwise known as GLOW, and follows the stories of the fictionalized characters and their everyday struggles with trying to be taken seriously in their field of work.

While the story itself is super empowering and a lot of fun, with plenty of great jokes and drama, Stranger Things fans will love the aesthetic that GLOW brings to the table. One episode in and it will already feel like you were thrown straight back into the '80s, and your hair might poof up as though you've used a decade appropriate amount of hairspray. Not only that, but the cast itself is amazing, with stars like Alison Brie, Britney Young, and more.

Stream GLOW on Netflix.

Wayward Pines (Hulu)

Going back to mysterious shows, Wayward Pines is one of those series that I feel Stranger Things fans would really enjoy. In this science-fiction show, we first follow the story of Ethan Burke, a U.S. Secret Service Agent who is investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents. However, once he gets into a car accident and wakes up in the town of Wayward Pines, Idaho, Ethan finds out that he is unable to leave the town, or contact anyone else outside.

Wayward Pines only had two seasons, but in those two seasons, we really got to see a great science-fiction show. It had everything you would expect, from strange happenings in a small town, to a great mystery, and some paranormal shenanigans – what more could you ask for?

Stream Wayward Pines on Hulu.

Rent Wayward Pines on Amazon.

I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix)

I will never forgive Netflix for only making this fantastic show one season. I Am Not Okay With This tells the story of Sydney Novak, a seemingly boring and normal 17-year-old-girl, but after some trauma in her life, she realizes that she has uncontrolled psychokinesis, something her father may have had, as well.

While I’m sure the idea of her having powers quite similar to Eleven intrigues you, let me say that I Am Not Okay With This, is so ridiculously funny. While the drama and the story itself are full of super interesting plot points, you’ll probably find yourself laughing more and more over the course of the one season the show has. I really wish there were more seasons – maybe one day Netflix might revisit this amazing gem of a show.

Stream I Am Not Okay With This on Netflix.

Twin Peaks (Hulu)

I think everyone who loves supernatural-like shows has watched the classic, Twin Peaks, at least once. In this popular mystery show, Twin Peaks tells the story of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper and the local sheriff, Harry S. Truman, as the two of them investigate the murder of the homecoming queen, Laura Palmer, in the fictional town.

A great mystery? Check. Plenty of plot twists? Check. Supernatural elements and eccentric characters? Double-check. Twin Peaks is the textbook definition of what a campy yet entertaining mystery show should be, and for fans of Stranger Things, it’s everything you could probably look for. It even had a Season 3 developed recently because the show became such a cult classic. Give it a shot.

Stream Twin Peaks on Hulu.

Rent Twin Peaks on Amazon.

The X-Files (Hulu)

To me, I’ll always remember the theme song more than the actual show, but that doesn’t mean that The X-Files itself isn’t still fantastic. In The X-Files, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, two FBI Special Agents, work together in different circumstances revolving around oddball mysteries and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Mulder is a big believer, but Scully is a skeptic.

There’s so much that happens in The X-Files that it’s hard to put into one big paragraph, but there are dozens of reasons why you as a Stranger Things fan should watch the show. The world-building of The X-Files mysteries is extremely intriguing, and the chemistry and dynamic between Mulder and Scully is to die for. A believer and skeptic team is something that always works well in my eyes, but The X-Files is one of those shows that truly mastered it.

Stream The X-Files on Hulu.

Rent The X-Files on Amazon.

The OA (Netflix)

Going back to Netflix for a bit, we take a look at another one of their originals, titled The OA. In this sci-fi mystery, we get to know the story of Prairie Johnson, a young woman who was adopted and had been missing for seven years, but suddenly resurfaces out of nowhere. However, she now calls herself the “OA,” otherwise known as the Original Angel, has scars on her back and can now see, despite previously being blind.

The OA is another one of those shows that fell under the Netflix curse of getting canceled far too soon. The character arc of Prairie is engrossing and will capture your interest within a matter of minutes if mysteries are your thing. Plus, as a Stranger Things fan, you’re most likely looking for some supernatural elements, and The OA has that and more. I mean, a woman who literally appears out of nowhere? Who claims she can open other dimensions? I don’t know how that wouldn’t intrigue you.

Stream The OA on Netflix.

Twilight Zone (Paramount Plus)

While I will always have a place in my heart for the original The Twilight Zone, there is just something so much creepier yet better about Jordan Peele’s version which recently came out. In The Twilight Zone, based on the 1959 television series created by Rod Sterling, Peele is the narrator, guiding the viewer through strange and unusual storylines, ones that could only happen in the realm known as “The Twilight Zone.”

Each episode is its own story entirely, so you can go directly to where the show streams and watch whatever episode you like. And, for mystery fans, these stories might only span one episode, but they will draw you in like no other. There are so many different stories, from a timeline repeating itself, to the classic inclusion of aliens, and weird occurrences – The Twilight Zone series is a masterclass in science-fiction TV in my opinion, and the new show improves on that amazingly well.

Stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount Plus.

Rent The Twilight Zone on Amazon.

Which show are you looking forward to watching the most? For me, I’ve always been a big Twin Peaks fan, but with how long this Stranger Things hiatus has been, I’m this close to watching all of these in succession. Whatever the case, hopefully, you found a new show to obsess over – at least until Stranger Things Season 4 finally releases.

Gillian Anderson became an icon on the small screen thanks to her work opposite David Duchovny on The X-Files, and now the actress has shared a look at her recent reunion with her longtime co-star. Considering that the two have reunited to reprise their roles as Agents Scully and Mulder a number of times since the original run of the Fox series came to an end, even with no sign of another revival season it's hard not to wonder what brought them back together.

Judging by the company that Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny are keeping in the photos that Anderson shared of their reunion, they may well have gotten together for reasons that have nothing to do with investigations into the paranormal and a will they/won't they TV dynamic that hooked and frustrated viewers for decades. Take a look:

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny weren't just hanging out with each other during their recent reunion, but also with Anderson's adorable dog Stella! The photos don't show a whole lot of Stella, but congratulations to her (and Duchovny) for making a new friend. The real X-File here might be why it took so long for fans to get to see this cute trio together. And since it didn't happen on their iconic show, there will probably be no aliens, government conspiracies, and/or cigarette-smoking men to cause any trouble!

Stella has turned up several times on Gillian Anderson's Instagram account since making her furry debut back in December 2020, but this is the first one that might get The X-Files fans thinking about a Mulder and Scully reunion. The duo returning to the roles that made them famous (although both have gone on to star in hit series since) wouldn't be unprecedented, as they came back together for The X-Files: I Want to Believe in 2008 and two seasons of an X-Files revival on Fox, with Season 10 in 2016 and Season 11 in 2018.

The Season 11 finale ended with plenty of unanswered questions, especially compared to the original series finale with Season 9 in 2002, but I'm guessing that I'm not the only longtime X-Files fan who would be fine with the show ending there. Season 11 delivered what I felt at the time was "the most WTF finale ever," and I'm perfectly happy to remember The X-Files heyday rather than getting more new episodes.

I'm guessing that it's far more likely that Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny reunited socially, although it's fun to imagine that this was Duchovny recruiting Anderson to appear in his upcoming TV show. Even that doesn't seem all that probable, with Gillian Anderson keeping plenty busy with her own projects, and recently winning a Golden Globe for her performance as Margaret Thatcher on The Crown.

For now, fans can catch Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny again with the eleven seasons of The X-Files (although Duchovny was absent for most of Seasons 8 and 9), all of which are streaming on Hulu now, among a number of great horror TV shows.

David Duchovny made a name for himself on television thanks to his long-running role on The X-Files as Fox Mulder, although he went on to star in Showtime's Californication in a role that was definitely different from Mulder. Now, Duchovny is slated to return to Showtime for a new project, and it is high time that somebody get Duchovny's X-Files screen partner Gillian Anderson to appear in a project with him again after the X-Files revival ended on Fox in 2018.

The project bringing David Duchovny back to Showtime is potential series adaptation of the novel Truly Like Lightning, which Duchovny wrote and was published back in February 2021. Deadline reports that the potential Truly Like Lightning show has already received a script order in the development process, with Duchovny attached to play the leading man, write the adaptation, and executive produce if the script order results in a series order. Also on board are Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, who wrote and directed The Peanut Butter Falcon. They would direct and executive produce the series.

So, what does that have to do with Gillian Anderson? Well, the plot of Truly Like Lightning could provide some potential characters for Anderson, and her roles ranging from The X-Files to Sex Education to play a sex therapist to The Crown prove that she has the range to do more than just play the skeptic to David Duchovny's believer during their time on the Fox series. The plot centers on Bronson Powers, to be played by Duchovny, who is a former Hollywood stuntman with three wives and ten children who has embraced a life off the grid and unplugged in the desert of Joshua Tree.

Bronson's life is turned upside down when a real estate developer attempts to ruthlessly force him off his desert land, which could result in his family being exposed to the temptations of modern 21st century America, which Bronson had tried to leave behind. The book is described as "a heartbreaking meditation on family, religion, sex, greed, human nature, and the vanishing environment of an ancient desert," and the real estate developer in the novel is a female character.

Between the three wives and the real estate developer, there are four characters right there that Gillian Anderson could play for an adaptation! With David Duchovny so heavily involved with the potential project plus preexisting ties with Showtime, it's not unimaginable that he could bring Anderson in if she was so inclined and had the time.

Admittedly, there is the point that at least some viewers might focus more on the X-Files reunion than anything happening in the new show, but Duchovny and Anderson are skilled enough actors that working opposite each other on such a different project could totally work, right? As a veteran X-Files fan, I have to say that I'd rather see Anderson as a separate and more distinct character than one of three wives. Although it would be fun to actually get to see them play love interests on screen for once after the Mulder/Scully situation!

For his part, David Duchovny has said that he's "so excited to be heading back home to Showtime" and that he "can't wait to begin" the new collaboration for Truly Like Lightning. There is no guarantee at this point that Truly Like Lightning will get a series order, but with the writer of the book so heavily involved and formerly starring and executive producing a hit for the network, I can definitely see David Duchovny getting his project off the ground and adapted into a TV show, with or without Gillian Anderson for another X-Files reunion.

If you want to relive David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson's days together as Mulder and Scully, you can find the full run of The X-Files (including the divisive pair of revival seasons) streaming on Hulu now.

Bryan Cranston is currently one of the most well-known and respected actors of the 21st Century. He is an actor who effortlessly plays both serious and comedic roles. He has won six Emmy awards and been nominated 15 times. He won most of those Emmy awards for his portrayal as Walter White on Breaking Bad.

Bryan Cranston is an actor who is constantly taking on new projects and reinventing himself. He’s such a big name in Hollywood now that it’s hard to picture those days when the name Cranston didn’t strike awe and amazement in the heart of movie and TV fans. Well, let’s look back at some of those early roles (and some recent ones that you may have missed).

Gus Grissom - That Thing You Do

That Thing You Do is a 1996 comedy movie written and directed by Tom Hanks. It depicts the rise and fall of a one-hit-wonder pop group in the 1960s. It stars Tom Hanks, Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, and Ethan Embry.

Bryan Cranston only has a brief appearance in That Thing You Do. It’s almost a blink-and-you’ll-miss it moment as he portrays real-life astronaut Gus Grissom. He appears on a scene where the band is on a variety show called The Hollywood Television Showcase. He appears before The Wonders. Cranston had been acting since the '80s, so this was far from his first role, but it was still before his name became so recognizable.

Dr. Tim Whatley - Seinfeld

Seinfeld was one of the most popular series of the '90s. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and starred Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jason Alexander. The NBC comedy ran for nine seasons and is considered one of the best sitcoms of all-time.

Cranston played the recurring role of Dr. Tim Whatley from 1994 to 1997. He appeared in five episodes total. Tim was the dentist of Jerry and several other characters. He also had a brief romance with Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Like many Seinfeld characters, he becomes kookier with each appearance. Before Seinfeld, Cranston was the main character on the short-lived series Raising Miranda and an original cast member on the soap Loving, but Seinfeld was still one of his early recurring character roles.

Colonel I.W. Bryce - Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a World War II movie directed by Steven Spielberg. It stars Tom Hanks as a man who goes on a mission to track down Private First Class James Ryan (Matt Damon) and send him home. Saving Private Ryan’s cast also includes Giovanni Ribisi, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, and Adam Goldberg.

Bryan Cranston only appears in a few early scenes of Saving Private Ryan. He plays Colonel I.W. Bryce. He’s one of the first leaders informed that the other Ryan brothers have died. He basically sets off the quest to find and retrieve Ryan, so at least one of the Ryan children can make it back home. Saving Private Ryan came a few years before Cranston landed his breakout role on Malcolm in the Middle.

Patrick Crump - The X-Files

The X-Files was a science fiction series that began in 1993 and ran until 2002. It had a revival in 2016. It starred David Duchovny as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. They are two FBI special agents who investigate unusual cases, usually involving paranormal activity and extraterrestrials.

Bryan Cranston appeared in The X-Files Season 6, Episode 2, “Drive.” This episode happened to be directed by Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The episode revolves around Patrick kidnapping Mulder and forcing him to drive him around to keep himself from exploding. Crump is not the most compassionate character as he’s full of bigoted views, but Cranston is able to make him a character that you come to care about and want to survive. Cranston appeared on X-Files in 1998, when his career was starting to pick up with him appearing in well-known shows and movies, like Seinfeld.

Lightbringer - Fallen

Fallen was an ABC Family miniseries that aired in 2006 and 2007. It had three episodes and was based on The Fallen novels by Thomas Sniegoski. My favorite actor who played a teen vampire, Paul Wesley, stars in Fallen as Aaron Corbett. The events of the film start with Aaron discovering that he’s half-human and half-angel. He also learns that he’s been burdened with the duty of saving the world with his powers, which are to send fallen angels back to heaven by redeeming them.

Bryan Cranston plays the Lightbringer, a mysterious figure who is trying to ensure that Aaron fulfills his destiny and prophecy. This is another role where Cranston effortlessly toes the line between good and evil. Fallen aired in 2006, after Malcolm in the Middle ended, so by this time, Cranston had become well-known as lovable quirky dad Hal.

Nick Wrigley - ’Twas the Night

‘Twas the Night is a Disney Channel Original Movie that aired in 2001. It was a Christmas themed movie that aired during the holidays. Shady Uncle Nick (Bryan Cranston) decides to visit his brother and his family for the holidays -- also to escape consequences for his crimes. This excites his 14-year-old nephew Danny (Josh Zuckerman) who idolizes Nick. On Christmas Eve, while trying to deliver presents, Santa makes a mistake and Nick knocks him out.

Nick and Danny decide to borrow Santa’s sleigh to deliver the gifts for Santa, but Nick is really stealing from the houses. This is a fun Holiday movie that allows Cranston to embrace his goofier side, while also creating a complex character for a movie geared towards little children. ‘Twas the Night aired a year after Cranston began working on Malcolm in the Middle, so he was just gaining name recognition at the time.

Vince Lonigan - Sneaky Pete

Sneaky Pete is a series starring Giovanni Ribisi as a con artist named Marius who, once he is released from prison, steals his cellmate, Pete (Ethan Embry)’s identity to hide from Vince (Bryan Cranston), a man he and his brother owe a lot of money.

Sneaky Peter was executive produced and co-created by Bryan Cranston. Sneaky Pete was an underrated series that left too soon. Cranston’s character only appeared in the first season. Sneaky Peak’s first season was released on Amazon Prime in 2017, so by then, Cranston was a big name and a multiple Emmy winner. However, Sneaky Pete is one of those series that many may have missed, and it’s a show worth checking out if you’re a Cranston fan or just a fan of con artist series.

Cranston has built a diverse body of work since he started acting, so it’s nice to look back at some of his earlier or lesser-known projects to see the evolution of Mr. “I am the danger.” This summer, Cranston teamed up with Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, and others for Disney’s The One and Only Ivan. You can currently stream The One and Only Ivan on Disney+. Stream it here.

The stars and crew behind The X-Files have gotten together for a great cause, collaborating on a hilarious video in the process. Have you ever wondered what The X-Files theme song would be like with lyrics? Mark Snow’s iconic ditty has now gotten some, thanks to the winners of a contest which was run months ago.

Jennifer Large and Rebecca MacDonald’s lyrics won the contest, and the cast and crew of The X-Files came together to perform them. As was the case with the cast of Smallville’s reunion earlier this year, it is all part of raising money for World Central Kitchen. Check out the video below, and make sure you stay tuned until the very end of it!

Did you wait until all the way until the very end? If so, then you saw the upcoming star of The Crown, Gillian Anderson, make a quick cameo as she asked, “Wait, what are we doing?” The answer would be everyone giving their all to singing the, previously un-singable, X-Files theme song.

“Unsolved mysteries” are mentioned in the freshly lyricized X-Files theme song, but shouldn't be confused with the mysteries which got people talking earlier this summer. Now, some thoughts on the video. Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner) is ready for this sing-along in a way that makes me respect him even more.

Mitch Pileggi is heading for the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot, and this video should get fans even more pumped to see what he gets up to in it. Pileggi is not the only one enthusiastic about singing the newly lyrical X-Files theme song, either, as it is evident that Fox Mulder himself, David Duchovny, wanted to get his performance right.

Duchovny even mentions the project’s parallels to a musical. Props to Michael McKean (Morris Fletcher) at the 2:50 mark for making me literally laugh out loud. Also, Laurie Holden (Marita Covarrubias) has pipes, and yes, that is Grey’s Anatomy’s James Pickens Jr. (Alvin Kersh) and The Princess Bride’s Cary Elwes (Brad Follmer) singing along, among many others. Love it!

For the record, the only lyrics in the full version of the original song are, “do you really want to know?” If you really wanted to know what it would be like for the cast and crew of The X-Files to sing the sci-fi series’ theme song, that mystery has been solved. While it is not another season of the cult-favorite, it is certainly something for fans to enjoy.

The X-Files thrilled fans by returning for two more seasons fifteen years after it originally ended back in 2001. Gillian Anderson had a comeback for any critics when it was announced that Season 12 would not happen for The X-Files, which is a development that occurred well after Fox had indicated it wanted more of the show after its first revival season in 2016.

While Season 11 followed two years later, in 2018, Gillian Anderson shared that that season would be the last for her. For now, fans can enjoy this rendition of the theme song to help salve any wounds about it. The cast and crew went above and beyond for this, and it shows.

The X-Files is well over 25-years-old now, but you can still watch all 11 seasons streaming on Hulu. X-Files star Gillian Anderson will be starring in the upcoming season of The Crown, which will be one of this fall’s premieres, and bow on November 15.

Sometimes, all you need to do to make a great escape is put on one of the best sci-fi movies of all time for a glimpse at a whole different kind of world. But, if you are wishing for an extended stay in these far off galaxies, futuristic societies of a utopian or dystopian nature, or even ordinary, modern places encountering extraordinary phenomena, we recommend some of the small screen’s most beloved contributions to the genre. Allow us to point you in the direction of where the most die-hard sci-fi fans have gone before with our following guide to the best sci-fi TV shows now streaming.

Doctor Who (1963-Present)

The last member of an immortal, human-looking alien species with regenerative abilities travels to different times, dimensions, and planets, often with a companion at their side.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: One of the small screen’s longest-running, most influential franchises of all time is Doctor Who, which stars a frequently changing rotation of actors – from Tom Baker to David Tenant to Jodie Whitaker and more – as the titular Time Lord.

Stream Doctor Who on Max.
Stream Doctor Who on Tubi.

Severance (2022-Present)

A group of office workers (played by Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Christopher Walken and more) start to develop suspicions about the true nature of their company, which keeps its employees' personal and professional memories separate.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: From creator Dan Erickson and executive producer Ben Stiller, Severance is one of the most inventively bizarre, absorbing, and simply best TV shows on Apple TV+, let alone in recent memory, and has a highly anticipated second season in the works.

Stream Severance on Apple TV+.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)

The chronicles of the vicious war between the Republic (as aided by the Jedi) and the oppressive Separatist army in a galaxy far, far away.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Taking place between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith on the Star Wars timeline, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one of the most widely beloved installments of the franchise as a whole.

Stream Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Disney+.

Cowboy Bebop (1998-1999)

The adventures of a crew of bounty hunters in space in the distant future.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: As far as Japanese anime TV shows go, Cowboy Bebop – which was later adapted for live-action by Netflix – is an essential for its dazzling blend of cosmic action with noir-inspired tonal elements.

Stream Cowboy Bebop on Hulu.
Stream Cowboy Bebop on Crunchyroll.

Quantum Leap (1989-1993)

A freak accident sends a brilliant scientist (Scott Bakula) on a journey inhabiting the bodies of strangers from different time periods to right wrongs of the past.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Later rebooted for modern audiences with Raymond Lee in the lead, Quantum Leap is one of the most unique stories about time travel ever conceived, and only made greater by the wonderful chemistry between Bakula and the late Dean Stockwell as his holographic guide, Al.

Stream Quantum Leap on Peacock.
Stream Quantum Leap on The Roku Channel.

Silo (2023-Present)

A woman (Rebecca Ferguson) from a community of people driven to live underground questions what she has been told about the uninhabitable environment above.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Showrunner Graham Yost’s adaptation of Hugh  Howey’s bestselling book series is a wonderfully suspenseful dystopian treat, especially with killer performances by the Silo cast, which also includes Common, Tim Robbins, Rashida Jones, and more.

Stream Silo on Apple TV+.

Andor (2022-Present)

A man (Diego Luna) becomes part of a secret movement to overthrow the oppressive imperial authority over his and other planets.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: One of the most beloved Star Wars spin-off TV shows, Andor – which has a second season in the works – serves as a prequel to one of the franchise’s most acclaimed prequels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Stream Andor on Disney+.

Black Mirror (2011-Present)

The best Black Mirror episodes so far include futuristic cautionary tales, morality dramas, and even bizarre supernatural fantasies.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: This list is meant to highlight science-fiction shows, but most stories featured in Charlie Brooker’s Netflix exclusive, technophobic horror anthology series, Black Mirror, feel almost too frighteningly plausible to be considered “fiction.”

Stream Black Mirror on Netflix.

Firefly (2002-2003)

Centuries after mankind left Earth to colonize the rest of the galaxy, a ragtag crew of smugglers and fugitives led by a rebellious ship’s captain (Nathan Fillion) offer their services to those in need while on the run from the government.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Oddly enough, most sci-fi series with the most devoted fan bases are the kind of shows that were cancelled too soon, like Firefly –  a groundbreaking of space operas with the Western, which later spawned a feature-length follow-up called Serenity.

Stream Firefly on Hulu.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-Present)

The sole human aboard an interstellar satellite is forced by his captors to watch cinema’s worst with his sarcastic robot companions.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: No series pokes fun at low-tier B-movies better than Mystery Science Theater 3000, which has gone through various hosts and distributors and even spawned a theatrical movie in 1996. 

Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Peacock.
Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Pluto TV.
Stream Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Netflix.

Rick And Morty (2013-Present)

A dysfunctional grandfather-grandson duo embark on increasingly dangerous and potentially cataclysmic adventures – including planet-hopping, reality-swapping, and even just trying to impress a classroom crush.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Despite being a crude, blatant send-up of Back to the Future at its surface, co-creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland (who formerly voiced to title characters) made Adult Swim’s Ricky and Morty into something special that many consider to be one of the best animated TV shows of all time.

Stream Rick and Morty on Max.
Stream Rick and Morty on Hulu.

Stranger Things (2016-Present)

Ordinary children and adults take on extraordinary matters (such as telepathic beings and interdimensional beasts) happening in their small Midwestern town in the 1980s.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Heavily inspired by classic ‘80s movies like E.T. or The Goonies, the magnificent Stranger Things cast and creators Matt and Ross Duffer have pushed this blockbuster-level Netflix hit beyond just another fun piece of nostalgia

Stream Stranger Things on Netflix.

The Mandalorian (2019-Present)

An interstellar bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) becomes a fugitive after he takes it upon himself to be the protector of his own bounty: an innocent child of extraordinary ability. 

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: From creator Jon Favreau, the Emmy-winning Disney+ exclusive series, The Mandalorian, is unique to previous stories to come from a galaxy far, far away for its western-style tone, moving, character-driven plot, and, above all, the cutest alien baby you have ever seen.

Stream The Mandalorian on Disney+.

The X-Files (1993-2018)

Two FBI agents (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) investigate cases a little stranger than your typical homicide – such as alien abductions, interspecies mutation, or extra sensory perception, among other things.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Originally lasting nine seasons before its two-season revival in 2016, creator Chris Carter’s Emmy-winning hit The X-Files has the tone of a crime procedural and pulse of an eerie midnight movie, resulting in one of the genre’s most exquisitely constructed and phenomenally original creations. 

Stream The X-Files on Hulu.
Stream The X-Files on Freevee through Amazon.

Twin Peaks (1990-2017)

A special agent of the FBI (Kyle McLachlan) is sent to investigate the death of a young woman in a small Washington town, which proves to be the site of an even stranger variety of mysteries.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 1991, creators David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks became a touchstone of addictive episodic television in only two seasons before its short 2017 revival on Showtime for its unprecedented idiosyncrasies and delicious surrealism.

Stream Twin Peaks on Paramount+.
Stream Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime through Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D continues Starfleet’s exploration of uncharted areas of space.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Widely considered to be a spin-off as good as the original – or even the strongest iteration of Gene Roddenberry’s iconic franchise overall – is the multi-Emmy-winning Star Trek: The Next Generation, especially with Sir Patrick Stewart as Enterprise captain Jean-Luc Picard.

Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on Paramount+.
Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation on Pluto TV.

The Expanse (2015-2022)

In an entirely colonized and seemingly peaceful solar system, a space freighter crew makes a dark discovery that gives them a reason to rebel and become heroes.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: Based on James S.A. Corey’s celebrated novels, The Expanse is lauded by critics and audiences alike as one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Amazon Prime and one of the genre’s smartest shows of its time in general.

Stream The Expanse on Amazon Prime.

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

A collection of fantastic, mind-bending character studies that are often reflective of the pressing matters from the era.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: While it would later inspire multiple reboots, most would agree that nothing beats Rod Serling’s original classic anthology series, The Twilight Zone, in terms of its outstanding depth and imagination.

Stream The Twilight Zone on Paramount+.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Freevee through Amazon.
Stream The Twilight Zone on Pluto TV.

The Jetsons (1962-1987)

An average family gets themselves into bizarre situations in a futuristic utopia.

Why it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows: After receiving (probably inaccurate) lessons about the Stone Age from Hanna-Barbera, children could also indulge in the animation studio’s vision of the future with The Jetsons – one of the most beloved marriages with the traditional sitcom structure with the sci-fi genre.

Stream The Jetsons on Max.
Stream The Jetsons on Tubi.

What do you think? Are these the best sci-fi TV shows of all time (that are available for streaming) or do you find our lack of your favorite series disturbing?

The 2018-2019 television season has been a whirlwind of maddening cancellations and miraculous renewals. While each of the broadcast networks have done a pretty solid job of laying out a bulk of their series' futures, it's always inevitable that some on-the-bubble projects fall through the cracks without a resolution. Here are all the network shows that have yet to hear anything about the future in one way or another, as well as a reason or two why these shows may not have gotten an answer yet:

Timeless - NBC

NBC must like to torture Timeless fans, as it still has yet to make a decision on whether Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke's time-traveling drama will return for Season 3. The series remains on the bubble, with viewership numbers in Season 2 faring even worse than when the show was cancelled the first time around. While viewership has fallen, reviews for Season 2 are much more positive than they were for the inaugural season. NBC played hero earlier this season when it saved Brooklyn Nine-Nine from cancellation at Fox, and with Timeless pulling in better viewership numbers than that show was getting, it doesn't seem so crazy Lucy Preston & Co. will face more hijinks in Season 3.

Ghosted - Fox

Adam Scott and Craig Robinson's Ghosted had the potential to become the next big live-action comedy at Fox. Then, in a somewhat ironic twist, the show itself disappeared midseason. Robinson and Fox have since confirmed the rest of Season 1 will air on the network sometime this summer, which leaves executives a bigger window to make a decision regarding the show's fate. It's worth mentioning Ghosted reruns have aired on its FXX, which might mean the network is testing the waters to see if the series would fare any better over there. We can only speculate for now, and will hopefully learn for sure what will come of this comedic paranormal series when those final episodes air this summer.

Code Black - CBS

Code Black fans may not hear news about the CBS medical drama anytime soon, as Season 3 just kicked things off not that long ago. Led by Marcia Gray Harden and Rob Lowe, Code Black is experiencing a 26% dip in the demo ratings compared to last season, although viewership appears to be having only a slightly less significant dip at 9%. Neither is good news, unfortunately, and that rating drop is more meaningful, considering casting changes were made in an effort to get the 18-49 demographic rating up for Season 2, which doesn't appear to be helping this season. Of course, there are still plenty of episodes to turn things around, so fans shouldn't worry about Code Black flatlining yet.

The X-Files - Fox

Despite Gillian Anderson's public exit from the series, Fox will never be quite ready to say The X-Files is cancelled. The same mostly goes for series creator Chris Carter, although he has yet to explain exactly how the series could continue without one of the leads who helped make the series iconic. There's also the fact that Season 11 had some pretty awful ratings and viewership numbers compared to past seasons and other networks' programming, which Anderson has pointed to when her absence is blamed for the show's probable end. Even so, the death knell technically hasn't rung for the show quite yet, so fans can only wait and see if something crazy happens that'll bring the show back for Season 12.

Champions - NBC

Champions is Mindy Kaling's follow-up creation after The Mindy Project, and it's Anders Holm's follow-up to Workaholics, but it hasn't won over audiences the way either of those other shows did, which may mean Champions' chances of renewal at NBC aren't good. As of this writing, the series still has yet to air its Season 1 finale, and it's possible NBC held off on making any official announcements regarding the comedy's status until after having announced its fall schedule. NBC has been the network to surprise audiences recently with its scheduling decisions, so could a Season 2 renewal for Champions be another shocker?

The Toy Box - ABC

The Toy Box has survived on its "Shark Tank for kids" premise for two seasons, but the ABC reality television series may have gone under. If that's the case, The Toy Box's cancellation might not even be the fault of the series itself, but rather the collapse of Toys R' Us, which is in the liquidation stages in the U.S. and U.K. The series featured children trying out the toys of inventors, with each season's winner getting a Mattel contract and Toys R' Us store distribution. With the stores closing up shop, the network will either have to find another major retailer to partner with, or it'll let the series die out alongside one of the biggest toy chains in America.

Ransom - CBS

CBS gave Ransom another chance at life when the drama's cancellation was reversed following Season 1, although the stats for Season 2 don't appear to have done much to overly justify that decision. Viewership has been lower in the new season, which is currently at the halfway point, but it's hard to say how much of an issue that is, considering Ransom is the rarely seen scripted show airing new episodes on Saturday nights. Eric Beaumont (played by Luke Roberts) and his hostage negotiation team could indeed see another season, provided CBS is happy with the series holding steady just below the 3-million mark for viewership.

LA To Vegas - Fox

Fox's irreverent airplane comedy LA To Vegas has its devoted fans, although it's unknown if that fanbase is enough to avoid a cancellation at Fox. The Will Ferrell and Adam McKay produced comedy got a solid show of support from the network early in its Season 1 run with an additional episode order, but the ribald show's viewership has slowly dwindled ever since. A season finale with an audience of 1.70 million viewers doesn't instill confidence that Dylan McDermott is guaranteed to pilot LA to Vegas for Season 2, but nothing is ever certain. For example, whoever thought a series about a discount airline flight's staff would ever make it to television to begin with?

Law & Order True Crime - NBC

NBC has confirmed Law & Order True Crime will not return in the fall season, but it doesn't seem like the network is altogether ruling out an eventual return for the spinoff series. After all, an anthology about real court cases doesn't necessarily grow stale with age, and should Dick Wolf and his creative team come up with another interesting case to dramatize, why not keep things going down the road? True crime shows are hot right now, and the Law & Order franchise has been beloved by television audiences for a long time, so it appears the only thing holding this series back from renewal is a fresh idea to wow fans with.

Be sure to keep it here with CinemaBlend as we will inevitably learn the fates of all these shows at some point. In the meantime, be sure to check out our summer premiere guide and see what new stuff is headed to television!

This poll is no longer available.

The X-Files was one of the first shows in the recent wave of revivals and reboots when it returned to Fox back in 2016 for Season 10, and Season 11 aired early this year. While Season 11 didn't end on a cliffhanger quite like Season 10, fans have naturally been wondering if the show will return, especially after leading lady Gillian Anderson revealed that she's not looking to come back as Scully. Fox CEO Gary Newman has revealed that there are no plans for another season of The X-Files at this point, and some folks online have called Anderson out as the cause for the show ending. Well, Anderson had a response, and it was pretty hilarious. Check it out!

Gillian Anderson added a pretty hilarious comment after she retweeted an article that connected the lack of an order for Season 12 to her decision to exit the series. According to Anderson, the drop in viewership for The X-Files in Season 11 was the real reason that the show won't be back for another round, at least any time soon. Sure, longtime fans might have a hard time imagining a Season 12 without Anderson as Scully, but would Fox really hold back from more if the ratings and viewership were killing the competition?

Besides, The X-Files creator Chris Carter revealed back in February that he could see the show continuing with or without Gillian Anderson, despite earlier comments to the contrary. Carter believed that there are more stories to tell in The X-Files universe; he might have been on board for a Season 12 even if Gillian Anderson remained firm in her determination not to reprise the role of Scully beyond the Season 11 finale.

Unfortunately for any viewers who would have been interested in a Scully-less Season 12, the ratings and viewership simply weren't there to justify another season. The X-Files revival was a smash hit when it first hit the airwaves in 2016, but it just wasn't as successful when it returned in 2018. The absence of a killer cliffhanger in the finale may mean that it's better for The X-Files to end now rather than continue to stretch the search for the truth even further. After all, the finale ended with a whole bunch of WTF twists, not the least of which was that Scully -- who is not supposed to have any ova left in her body -- is pregnant.

Quite aside from the fact that The X-Files would have to try and find a way to explain Scully's pregnancy since there's no way the Cigarette-Smoking Man could have creepily impregnated her against her will this time around, a Season 12 would have had to deal with impending parenthood for the dynamic duo. Even if Season 12 was just Mulder soldiering along while a pregnant Scully was in hiding in a reverse of Season 9, the baby bombshell from the finale might have overshadowed everything. Yes, at this point, it may be best to remember The X-Files as it was rather than try to find ways to bring it back yet again.

Even if The X-Files won't be back for Season 12, you can relive the first 11 seasons streaming on Hulu now. For more of what you'll be able to watch in the not-too-distant future, take a look at our summer TV premiere guide. Be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for the latest in TV renewals and cancellations, and don't forget to swing by our list of big network TV shows that have already been cancelled.

The 2017-2018 TV season is winding down, which means the time has come for viewers to start worrying about their favorite shows' chances for renewal. Fans of series like The Big Bang Theory and This Is Us haven't had cause for concern, but fans of other series aren't quite so lucky. A number of shows have already gotten the axe this season, and we can be sure that there are many more to come. So, without further ado, read on for a rundown of shows in serious danger of cancellation!

The Last Man on Earth - Fox

To say that no other show on TV is like The Last Man on Earth is to understate things, though we're kind of glad that there is only one Tandy Miller in primetime. In any case, not enough people are watching Will Forte & Co.'s offbeat approach to post-apocalyptic relationships and hair, despite the stellar ensemble and the delightful mix of morbid humor and quirky mysteries. Season 4 has dipped to the lowest numbers yet, and it's getting harder than ever for Fox to justify renewing the silliness for another year. And knowing how the show likes to go out, we shouldn't expect the finale to wrap things up neatly.

Blindspot - NBC

When Blindspot first hit NBC, its tattoo-covered central mystery won over audiences, and it was one of the more popular new dramas that year. Two seasons later, many of those initial viewers have left the series behind, and its totals aren't the kind that generally draw massive renewal interest from networks. No episodes in Season 3 have earned higher than a 0.9 key demo rating, which is never a good sign, and the most recent episode hit a series-low 2.93 million people in Live+Same Day numbers. With just a few episodes left in Season 3, Blindspot would need to bring in a shocking number of new and returning viewers to have a good shot at Season 4.

Champions - NBC

NBC's Champions serves as Mindy Kaling's first TV creation after The Mindy Project, and the first network leading role for Workaholics vet Anders Holm. It's a sweet and amusing family comedy that seens Holm as a gym owner suddenly taking on the duties of fathering a 15-year-old gay teenager, as excellently portrayed by newcomer J.J. Totah. But for all the goodwill and good press Champions has gotten since premiering in March, it hasn't really maintained the relatively small audience that showed up for the premiere. (2.70 million viewers, compared to the most recent episode's 1.68 million viewers.) So while it could possibly sneak its way into a Season 2 renewal, its chances aren't Champions-able.

9JKL - CBS

Starring Mark Feuerstein, and partially based on his own life, CBS' sitcom 9JKL started its existence getting railed on for its uncatchy name, and then it became one of the worst-reviewed new shows of the fall season. Thankfully for all involved on the show, the audience turned up at first, and after its large early dip, 9JKL settled some fairly consistent viewership totals. However, its totals didn't stick up anywhere close to those of other popular CBS comedies, and the network never ended up ordering a full 22-episode season, holding 9JKL's first season run to just 16 episodes. The overwhelming silence over the show's fate since then is as good a sign as any that it's done for.

The Brave - NBC

TV was all about military dramas in 2017, and while CBS' David Boreanaz-starring Seal Team already earned itself a second season, NBC's The Brave is far less likely to experience the same fortune. Had The Brave managed to maintain its audience totals, which were largely in the 4-5 million range, it might have lasted a little longer. But those numbers dipped below 3 million people at one point later in the season, and NBC never ended up ordering up more than the 13 episodes that the network first asked for. Perhaps NBC chose the 13-episode lineup to keep things cheaper, though, and Mike Vogel & Co. might brave the long hiatus on the way to a second season. But...probably not.

Ghosted - Fox

On paper, The Office's Craig Robinson and Parks and Rec's Adam Scott would make for a stellar comedic duo. And it actually holds true in live-action as well, as seen on Fox's supernatural comedy Ghosted. Unfortunately, the show around them hasn't stood quite as tall in viewers' minds, and Ghosted got yanked from Fox's schedule after nine installments, with a sole episode airing in January following the winter hiatus, which came after Fox had ordered more episodes. And it was the most-watched of the bunch, too, though 3.89 million people wasn't enough to convince Fox to stick with it. The remaining episodes have yet to get any kind of airdate, and I don't imagine it stands a ghost of a chance for a second season.

Great News - NBC

Considering what this list is, there are too many jokes to make about this show's name, but this is no joking matter for fans. After premiering on a platform of Tina Fey being an executive producer, Great News did a decent job of winning over audiences with its silly and star-studded look at the world of TV news. And its second season also brought in an impressive number of viewers. Unfortunately, both the first and second season took little time in taking a ratings dive, and its January finale brought in just 2.15 million people. When more people are watching the actual news than your primetime show about the news, it's probably a bad omen.

For The People - ABC

TV's latest primetime legal drama debuted back in March on ABC with For the People. In some ways, For the People had an recipe for success. Legal dramas can be big hits, and Shonda Rhimes was on board as an executive producer for an ABC project. ABC has every reason to have great faith in Shonda Rhimes thanks to shows like Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and the recently-ended Scandal. Unfortunately, For the People hasn't established itself as must-see TV, and ABC doesn't necessarily have the motivation to keep it going. Maybe if it was set in the same universe as one of Rhimes' other shows, but as things stand, we shouldn't count on more For The People.

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World - ABC

Actor Jason Ritter seemingly always has a TV show going, and ABC's Kevin (Probably) Saves the World could have been his latest big hit. Unfortunately, the new project from Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters had less of a prayer than Kevin himself, and it's looking like its 16-episode first season will be the only one. One of two new network comedies tethered to religious topics -- the other, Living Biblically, was cancelled before it could make this list -- Kevin (Probably) Saves the World only reached a 1.0 demo rating with its season premiere, and at one point near the end of its run, just 1.55 million people were watching the live airing. We'll see Jason Ritter elsewhere soon.

Taken - NBC

Turning hit movies into TV shows definitely isn't a new process, but instead of an outright reboot, NBC's Taken took the prequel route and looked back into Bryan Mills' past. Taken didn't win audiences or critics over in Season 1, but it still earned a renewal, and a trip to the Friday night lineup. Season 2 overhauled much of the story and characters, and audiences apparently haven't turned out in droves to follow along. NBC pulled Taken from the schedule, with the remaining episodes set to air on Saturdays starting in late May. If there are clearer signs of an impending cancellation, not even Bryan Mills could track them down.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Fox

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been eking along for years now without solid enough numbers to guarantee a renewal. What Brooklyn Nine-Nine has in its favor is that it can boast such a killer cast that it's practically crime that nobody has won an Emmy yet. Also, a renewal would push the show into its sixth season, and Fox may want a live-action sitcom with some history to it once New Girl comes to an end. That said, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has already hit the magic 100 episode number that could lead to long-term syndication, and Fox may not see much of a reason to keep the show going much longer. But surely the show can't end right after Jake and Amy's wedding, right?

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. - ABC

It's no secret that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been on the chopping block at ABC in the past, and Disney reportedly stepped in to stop ABC from cancelling S.H.I.E.L.D. after Season 4 failed to hold on to a sizable audience. Its move to the "Friday night death slot" for Season 5 seemed to indicate that the end was night for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and the cancellation of its lead-in Once Upon a Time doesn't exactly bode well. Still, S.H.I.E.L.D. is the final live-action Marvel series on one of the major broadcast networks after Inhumans flopped. Its connection to the larger MCU may be enough to save it again, but we shouldn't count on a Season 6 at this point.

The X-Files - Fox

The first revival season of The X-Files was a huge hit in the ratings for Fox, and the cliffhanger ending meant that there would be a lot of furious fans if the show didn't return for Season 11. Well, fans got their Season 11, but the ratings weren't on the level with those for the first season, and the last episode was just about the most WTF finale ever. It also ended on a definitive enough note that Fox has some good reasons to give the show the axe for the second time. Throw in the fact that leading lady Gillian Anderson has said she's done, and The X-Files is a pretty safe bet for cancellation.

The Exorcist - Fox

No, The Exorcist has not already been cancelled. The TV take on the famous horror movie of the same name isn't exactly the most well-known show ever to hit primetime, and both seasons have aired in a Friday night death slot. Even the showrunner has said that he's not convinced that The Exorcist will score a renewal for Season 3 in the wake of the landmark Fox/Disney merger. The good news is that Fox may not have anything else it wants to move into the unenviable Friday night slot; the bad news is that The Exorcist didn't win the ratings that could guarantee a future on the network. Anything can really happen with this one.

Check out our rundown of TV renewals and cancellations to discover which network shows have already had their fates decided. For the shows that you'll be able to watch in the not-too-distant future, check out our summer TV premiere guide.

GIGANTIC SPOILERS ahead for the Season 11 finale of The X-Files, called "My Struggle IV." If you haven't had the chance to watch yet, feel free to check out some of our spoiler-free articles until you get to tune in.

Season 11 of The X-Files was a wild ride that pitted Mulder and Scully against some classic Monsters of the Week as well as forced them to face off against new shadowy agents with dark agendas of their own. Some of the episodes felt positively plucked from the series' original run in the '90s while some felt as though they belonged to another series entirely. The season finale -- and possibly series finale -- has finally aired, and it was pretty much the most WTF episode ever. Mulder and Scully were in action, William was in the mix, the Cigarette-Smoking Man came back, the Skinman was still in the middle of everything... basically, it was a wild hour of television. Read on for a rundown of the why the finale was so incredibly WTF:

William Is Immortal?

The Season 11 finale brought back William in a big way and revealed that his powers go a lot farther than simply manipulating what people can see. He can also use his mind to literally explode the bodies of other people, which he did to take out a bunch of bad guys (including Barbara Hershey's character) who were about to kill Mulder and abduct him. Mulder, Scully, and Skinner raced to try and track William down, but the Cigarette-Smoking Man and Monica Reyes were on the chase as well. Although William used his powers to take on the guise of Mulder and fool Scully, his plan backfired when he was cornered by CSM. Believing that William was Mulder, CSM just went ahead and shot him between the eyes, knocking him off a ledge into the water, apparently deceased. William certainly seemed to be super dead... until the episode revealed him bobbing up to the surface, perfect alive. Either one of William's powers is surviving shots to the head or William inherited his mom's likely (although unconfirmed) immortality.

Scully Is Pregnant

Yes, Scully has a bun in the oven. Mulder broke the terrible news that the Cigarette-Smoking Man had killed William (or so they thought), and she wasn't quite as distraught as fans might have expected. She stated that William was created in a lab and she was never really his mother. Mulder was more upset than she was, devastated that he wasn't a father anymore! Scully broke the news that he is kind of still a father because she's pregnant, which understandably confused Mulder. Sure, the two totally hooked up at least once while on the road for one of the Monster of the Week cases of Season 11, but Scully conceiving a child is supposed to be impossible. The poor woman had all of her ova harvested, so technically there wasn't any way for her to conceive. At least Season 8 floated the possibility of IVF as how William came to be. Given that Cancer Man didn't abduct and drug Scully in Season 11, we can only assume that Baby #2 is a miracle.

It Was A Total Bloodbath

"My Struggle IV" was a total bloodbath. Mr. Y (A.C.Peterson) was shot in the face by Mulder early in the episode, and Erika Price (Barbara Hershey) was exploded by William along with some henchmen in a motel room. Monica Reyes was shot to death by Skinner, who seemed positively sick of anything and everything to do with the Cigarette-Smoking Man. Her death was so quick and unceremonious that she might as well have been another random crony rather than one of the leads of Season 9. Luckily, Old Smoky got himself killed as well when Mulder flipped out after watching CSM gun down William. The only characters who weren't glorified extras who weren't shot and/or exploded were Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Kersh, and Tad O'Malley. Skinner's fate is currently unknown after possibly being run down by CSM's out-of-control car, but I'm choosing to believe that the Skinman lives on.

Mulder Didn't Decapitate And Burn CSM's Body

The Cigarette-Smoking Man was shot multiple times in the chest by Mulder in the finale before falling into water. His body seemed to float lifelessly away, and he appeared dead for all intents and purposes. But this is the Cigarette-Smoking Man we're talking about! In the original run of the series alone, the man survived so much blood loss that he should have been half drained, was not killed by lung cancer despite or a brain disease, lived through being shoved down a flight of stairs in a wheelchair, and then was not killed after being literally blown up and his fleshless skull shown on camera. Mulder of all people should know to make sure that CSM is dead. I'm choosing to believe that after Mulder recovered from the news of Scully's pregnancy, he chased down CSM's body and made sure that he's really, truly, totally, 100% DEAD this time around.

Cliffhangers Aplenty

Any fans hoping that the Season 11 finale would tie up all the loose ends were probably disappointed by the cliffhangers in "My Struggle IV." On top of William surviving a gunshot wound to the head and Scully conceiving a child despite a lack of ova, we have Kersh wanting to shut down the X-Files, Skinner going rogue to help Scully, Tad O'Malley claiming Mulder as a source for a crackpot conspiracy theory that actually came from Scully, and all the leftover questions from the previous nine episodes of Season 11. Granted, these smaller cliffhangers are less infuriating than the Season 10 cliffhanger, but still! This could have been the final episode ever. A little more closure would have made the hour much less WTF.

Mulder And Scully Were Barely Together

The dynamic duo of Mulder and Scully spent most of the season (and possibly series!) finale separate. Mulder was in the thick of the action and even got to meet his son face-to-face while Scully was mostly either on the phone or in the car. They reunited at the end before immediately heading off in different directions to try and find William. The reveal of Scully's pregnancy might have felt a lot more poignant and less WTF if we got to see them sharing more moments in the episode, especially since Gillian Anderson has said that she's not interested in reprising the role beyond Season 11. I love Scully's dynamic with Skinner as much as anybody, and Mulder's interactions with and desperation to find William were compelling, but this was possible the final episode of The X-Files, and The X-Files is Mulder and Scully.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for news of the future (or lack thereof) of The X-Files. If you're in the mood to relive some of the glory days of Mulder and Scully's adventures, you can find all eleven seasons streaming on Hulu. For what you can watch now that The X-Files has come to an end, check out our midseason TV premiere guide. If you're not up on the shows that have gotten the axe in the 2017-2018 TV season so far, be sure to swing by our rundown of TV renewals and cancellations.