9. Its Continued Influence
The influence The X-Files has had on television is undeniable. Several shows, specifically science fiction dramas, have followed its stellar storytelling format even over ten years after its end. Lost, for example, developed its own complex mythology and plot based off of X-Files. Supernatural involves two brothers hunting monsters and demons, each season providing an overarching storyline and several monster-of-the week episodes. Cult hit Fringe similarly based itself off X-Files with FBI agents and specialists solving scientific and paranormal mysteries which also developed a rich mythology. Its influence has reached beyond science fiction dramas as well. Regular mystery dramas, such as Elementary, Bones or Castle, often use a male and female investigator as their lead characters, weaving in case-of-the-week episodes with a central storyline that expands over the course of a season or the entire series. X-Files set the foundation for these shows and they've kept building on top of it ever since.