The X-Files is a very popular 1990s
television science fiction series. First aired in 1993, it originally featured [David Duchovny]
? and [Gillian Anderson]
? as a pair of
FBI agents, Mulder and Scully, who were tasked with investigating weird and paranormal crimes. With plot lines which spanned alien conspiracy theories and high-level governmental cover-up, falling between the episodic mainstream
science fiction of shows such as [The Outer Limits]
? and [The Twilight Zone]
? and the cult show
Twin Peaks (which also featured Duchovny), the series became a surprise run-away success, with a hardcore following as devout as
Star Trek's.
In 1998 a motion picture was made, but by 2001 many felt the show had lost its way, with first Duchovny and later Anderson leaving, to be replaced by [Robert Patrick]? and [Annabeth Gish]?.
The series spawned the catch-phrase 'The truth is out there'.