The X-Files 30th Anniversary - Every season RANKED

Thirty years ago this week, Special Agent Dana Scully was reassigned to a special section of the FBI, The X-Files.

There, she would meet Special Agent Fox Mulder, nicknamed 'Spooky Mulder' due to his interest in the paranormal and unexplained phenomena.

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The rest...is television history.

The X-Files is one of the most beloved and acclaimed television shows in history and this week we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the pilot episode which premiered on 10 September 1993.

While the show became a critical darling due to its conspiracy theory plots, its 'Monster of the Week' episodes, and the overall writing, it was the chemistry between lead stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny that truly fuelled the success of the show.

Interestingly, the pressure of making the show actually strained the off-screen relationship between the pair during the show's first run between 1993 and 2002. However, they would subsequently reunite for two brand new series in 2016 and 2018.

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It was in Season 2 that X Files began to gather not only a cult following, but a significant mainstream audience, and the show split into two clear plot types; the first being the overarching alien conspiracy involving Mulder and the disappearance of his sister, and also what became known as the aforementioned 'Monster of the Week' episodes which were wrapped up in their own contained stories.

'Fresh Bones' in mid-season became one of the most-watched pieces of episodic TV at the time and set the show on a path to become the world-renowned show it is today.

But it wasn't until Season 3 that the show truly hit its stride from a creative perspective. Standalone episodes such as 'Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose', 2Shy and War of the Coprophages became instant classics in their own right.

And at this stage, the on-running conspiracy angle still made sense and slotted seamlessly into the overall narrative. Season 3 has, pound-for-pound, the highest hit rate of successful episodes in both elements of the show.

By the final Season of the original run, however, Season 9, the show had lost all momentum. Anderson and Duchovny were Hollywood stars in their own right and were effectively bit-part players in their own show.

The reins were handed over to Robert Patrick as Agent Doggett and Annabeth Gish as Monica Reyes, with Mulder and Scully only ever on the periphery of the episodes, if they were there at all. The final conclusion to the show also left fans unsatisfied with what had come before.

The relaunch for Seasons 10 and 11 was more successful than people expected, but in this case it was the 'Monster of the Week' episodes which shone through, with the addition of smart scripts and a few excellent guest star appearances. Highlights include 'The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat' and the distinctly creepy 'Familiar', which is one of the darkest episodes the show has ever produced.

Every season of The X-Files - RANKED

By subscribing to become a member of the MovieMeter community HERE, you can rate all of your favourite TV shows - and some of your least favourite ones. Our community votes have been gathered to identify the greatest season of The X-Files, and number three JUST shades it ahead of number four.