Movies - TV
The 27 Best X-Files Episodes, Ranked
By JOE GARZA
27. Never Again
When Agent Mulder takes a week off for vacation, Agent Scully tackles their next assignment alone. The assignment turns out to be a dud, so she goes on a date and investigates a man who’s been showing erratic behavior ever since he got a tattoo of a pinup girl on his arm. It’s great to see Scully get the spotlight and see some new aspects of her personality.
26. Humbug
Mulder and Scully head to Gibsonton, Florida to investigate a series of murders that have been occurring there for years. As it turns out, Gibsonton is home to a group of circus freaks and performers, giving this episode a colorful cast of characters who give the episode genuine, whimsical humor while offering a meaningful message about being different.
25. Tithonus
Scully heads to New York City to work with Agent Peyton Ritter to investigate a mysterious man with a camera who appears whenever someone dies. They suspect police photographer Alfred Fellig, who hasn’t aged a day since 1964, and thematically, the episode explores the downsides of living forever in such a poignant way it’s easily Season 6's best.
24. Rm9sbG93ZXJz
Season 11 certainly isn’t the show’s best season, but it did produce a lot of solid episodes like “Rm9sbG93ZXJz,” which follows Scully and Mulder as they contend with smart appliances and drones that have turned against them. Without many references to the cannon, this episode acts as a standalone, freely exploring the dangers of our reliance on technology.
23. all things
Directed and co-written by Gillian Anderson, “all things” follows Mulder as he investigates heart chakra-shaped crop circles and Scully as she reconnects with her past and interviews an expert on new age beliefs. The episode allows Scully to shine, as she’s forced to confront the decisions of her past while having her religious skepticism challenged.