Hey there, it's Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to History of the 90s

early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime. From the very first time TV viewers heard

this music, and we're told, the truth is out there. It was clear that the X-Files was not going to be your typical TV drama.

But no one could have predicted that the show about a couple of FBI agents investigating

supernatural and unexplained phenomena would become one of the defining TV shows of the 90s.

Influencing the TV landscape for decades to come.

Kickstarting internet fandom and influencing scores of women

to take up careers in science and technology.

Never mind making it cool to talk about UFOs, aliens, and government conspiracies.

I'm Kathy Kinsora, and on this episode of History of the 90s, we're going to dive into

the mysterious world of the X-Files.

When the X-Files debuted in 1993, it was nothing like the other one-hour TV shows that were on the air.

Most were workplace ensembles, like ER, NYPD Blue, and Law & Order.

X-Files was more of a 70s cop show with a strange twist.

The criminals were aliens and other supernatural creatures.

It starred two no-name actors with little acting cred, and it was in the overlooked Friday

night slot on the Fox network, which was only eight years old, and was still trying to find

its place among the other big three networks.

So not exactly a sure thing.

Despite everything stacked up against it,

the X-Files became a massive hit,

with a cult following and a legacy that continues more than 25 years later.

...