Welcome to The X-Files Community! Below are a few quick links to help you get started.

Please take a minute to read the communities's rules before posting or commenting. Also, don't forget

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

• Click here for the X-Files Wikipedia page
• Click here for the viewing order of episodes, movies, and revival seasons
• Click here for a list of the mythology-only episode viewing order

Additional useful links will be added over time

Welcome to the show and the community.

We know how big of an undertaking this can be and unfortunately if you didn’t watch it in real time, you might get lost trying to figure out where everything fits. We’ve seen a few times where people assume the movies come after and end up missing important events. Hopefully with this sticky we can help others navigate through this journey. Check it out and welcome!

Seasons 1-5 this is the beginning of your journey The X-Files: Fight the Future (originally just titled The X-Files, later rebranded with its tagline). This movie takes place directly following the Season 5 finale and leads into the Season 6 premiere. If you miss this, you will probably find yourself lost and you’ll have missed out on some major moments and one of the highest points of the entire series. Make sure you watch it in the right place

Seasons 6-9 (the end of the beginning) this is where the original run capped off. The season/series finale of Season 9 was the end of the show for 6 years.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe (the 2nd film) Released 6 years later, this film is more standalone than the first, but still expects some knowledge of the characters and the situation they’re in.

Seasons 10-11 (the event/revival) Another 7 years after the last movie, we have a short miniseries that was marketed as an event, catching up once again on the characters. It was successful enough to get another season, longer than the previous, but the combined length of both is still shorter than any of the original 9 seasons.

OPTIONAL TIE INS

Millennium (3 seasons) Watch prior to Season 7 of The X-Files

A more horror centric series made by the same creator, Millennium focuses on Frank Black, a former FBI agent with the ability to see through the eyes of murderers and serial killers, and in his investigations finds himself dealing with a powerful society rooted in the occult. A much darker show, it was unfortunately cancelled after 3 seasons. When it aired, fans speculated if it existed in the same world as X-Files, but aside from some teases and Easter eggs, the show existed in its own pocket. With the cancellation, the decision was made to use The X-Files to officially close it, confirming its canon existence within the same universe. Millennium’s official series finale takes place on a Season 7 episode of The X-Files, titled “Millennium”.

You do not need to watch this show to understand this episode. It works fine as an X-File and you will get enough information on Frank Black, his work and who he’s been up against in this episode. However, if you do choose to watch it, now you know where and when it ends.

The Lone Gunmen (1 season)

Watch between Seasons 8-9 of The X-Files

Everyone’s favorite side characters got their own spin-off. Unfortunately it didn’t do well. It was a fun, quirky show that was more comedic in nature and didn’t deal with much of the science fiction elements from the main show. It features the trio, a returning antagonist from the main series, and a few new characters. The show ends on a cliffhanger, and is referenced in the first episode of TXF Season 9. Like Millennium, it also gets its closure on an episode of The X-Files, Season 9, Episode 15, titled “Jump the Shark”.

You do not need to watch this show if you don’t want to or can’t

Aside from missing a joke made in the S9 premiere, it’s not required viewing for the main series. The episode that closes it off does a good job summarizing what/who you need to know in the cold open. It’s an enjoyable show, but entirely optional.

There we have it. Veterans, if I’ve missed anything let me know! New viewers, enjoy and I hope this helped guide you!