***The X-Files*** is an American science fiction television series set in Maryland. It ran from its creation in 1993 until 2002, lasting for nine seasons. On January 24, 2016, a new season began airing. The series is about two FBI agents, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Together, they work to find answers to strange cases. Many of these cases have to do with aliens and the paranormal.

*The X-Files* was a very popular show; it is the second longest running science fiction show behind *Stargate SG-1*. It also won awards like the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.

Plot
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The plot of the show has to do with finding the answer to mysteries, or X-Files. Mulder believes that the answers to many of these mysteries have to do with aliens and the paranormal, while Scully believes that the answer can be found using science. Sometimes, there are monsters that are introduced into the show. Episodes with monsters in them are called "Monster-of-the-week" episodes.

There is a plot in the show about Mulder's sister, Samantha Mulder. She was taken by aliens when she was little. Mulder spends a lot of time looking for her. In season seven, Mulder finds out that both the aliens and the government took his sister for experiments. They wanted to make an alien-human hybrid and used Samantha as a test subject.

Mulder and Scully believe that there is a part of the government that is helping the aliens. They find out this is true. The part of the government that helps the aliens is called "The Syndicate." The Syndicate helps the aliens to take over Earth.

Eventually, Mulder is taken by the aliens and is replaced in the series by John Doggett, another FBI agent. Doggett and Scully then work together in season eight. In season nine, Scully is replaced by Monica Reyes.

Cast and characters
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* Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) is an agent assigned to the X-Files. He first worked in the Violent Crimes Unit, but he later opened the X-Files.
* Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson) is Mulder's partner. She joins Mulder a year after he opens the X-Files. She was told to join Mulder to make sure that the way they solved mysteries was scientific.
* Walter Skinner (played by Mitch Peleggi) is Scully, Mulder, Doggett and Reyes' supervisor at the X-Files.
* John Doggett (played by Robert Patrick) joins the show in season eight after Mulder is taken by aliens. He becomes Scully's partner.
* Monica Reyes (played by Annabeth Gish) joins the show in season eight. She takes the place of Scully as Doggett's partner.

Movies
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In 1998, a movie called *The X-Files: Fight The Future* was made. In the plot of the series, it is between seasons five and six. It is mainly about government conspiracy involving aliens. It was directed by Rob Bowman.

Another movie, called *The X-Files: I Want to Believe*, was made in 2008, six years after the season ended. The movie is more like a horror story than a story about aliens. It was directed by Chris Carter. It earned $20,982,478 in the US, earned $47,386,956 in countries outside the US, and in total earned $68,369,434.

Other websites
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* The X-Files retrospective on YouTube