This month marks the 20th anniversary of
The X-Files, an American television show that aired for nine seasons on the FOX network, beginning in 1993 and finally coming to a conclusion in May 2002. Chronicling the adventures of FBI agents assigned to the X-Files--a unit devoted to the investigations of unexplained, paranormal, or even extraterrestrial phenomena--the show ran for 202 episodes, inspired a spinoff, and spawned two Hollywood movies. With such a lengthy run and a rather clunky first season, the best way to begin and want to stick with a series such as
The X-Files is to pick episodes that are ideal for introduction. And it's a show that is definitely worth watching. The two stars have amazing chemistry. Characters defy stereotypes. You'll be exposed to the hilarious hair, fashion, and technology of the early 90s. You'll be able to use words like "Golconda" and "syzygy" in sentences. You'll recognize very young guest stars who would go on to become famous in their own right (Mark Sheppard, Ryan Reynolds, Jack Black, etc). With the right first episodes, viewers today can become just as addicted to the show now as did the masses in the 1990s. In honor of this month's two-decade benchmark (and the show's availability streaming on Netflix), here are 20 of those episodes. Note: this will be a (mostly) spoiler-free list and safe for newbies.