10 More Underhyped Shows That Blew Everyone Away

Taking inspiration from the likes of The Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks, and Night Gallery, The X-Files is one of those shows everyone can recognise from one still image, but it wasn't always seen as the sure-fire success story it would become.

Series creator Chris Carter had an uphill battle with Fox Studios to get the show greenlit, since the executives were unsure about the paranormal themes, but he eventually won them over. Only when he did, he hit another snag, with the studio complaining about the casting of the almost-unknown David Duchovny and theatre actress Gillian Anderson.

Both the actors eventually won Fox over, too, but even so the studio was unsure how the series would appeal to a wide audience.

When the first season aired, it broke numerous records and became an instant fan favourite thanks to relatively new use of Internet chatrooms and social networking sites. It remains one of the most enduring sci-fi series of its time, and Duchovny and Anderson secured countless awards for the work in the iconic lead roles.