The X-Files: 10 Overlooked Episodes That Are Secretly Classics
Forgotten stories from Mulder and Scully's case files.
A literal gamechanger in the landscape of modern television, The X-Files is one of the medium's most important shows and numerous episodes from its glory days live on within the memories - and nightmares - of the masses.
One need only mention the likes of 'Squeeze', 'Home' or 'Paper Clip', and fans will immediately begin gushing uncontrollably before reeling off their other favourites. But with eleven seasons and a staggering two-hundred-and-eighteen episodes under its belt, it should come as no surprise that many, many episodes tend to get glossed over in favour of the classics.
And whilst there is also no shortage of bad X-Files episodes too, there are also many truly great ones that never get the praise and adoration that they rightfully deserve.
Which just so happens to bring us to the subject of this list.
Featured here today are a selection of some of Mulder and Scully's best cases, but ones that don't often rear their head when the show's best episodes are being discussed.
And whilst they may not be able to stand toe-to-toe with stalwart classics like 'The Erlenmeyer Flask' or 'Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose', they're all fantastic in their own special ways and should be essential repeat viewing for any dedicated fan of the show.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
10. Tooms - Season 1, Episode 21
Despite coming so early in the show's run, 'Squeeze' is often singled out as one of the show's best, and most iconic episodes. And yet, despite how beloved Mulder and Scully's first encounter with Eugene Tooms is by fans and critics alike, its follow-up hardly gets a mention.
Not long after the events of 'Squeeze', this episode sees Tooms released from prison, much to the alarm and chagrin of Mulder and Scully. Wasting no time at all, Tooms begins to single out potential new victims, all the while Mulder attempts to stop him at every turn. Tooms eventually goes so far as to frame Mulder for stalking and assault, which gives him free rein to continue his murder spree uninterrupted.
It's a tense and exciting episode that culminates in a gooey and suspenseful chase through the inner workings of a shopping mall's escalator, that ranks highly amongst the show's best horror sequences.
'Tooms' is every bit as great as 'Squeeze' and helps to further cement Eugene Tooms as one of the duo's best adversaries. One who is capable of being both silently terrifying and deceptively clever all at once.