# The X-Files

16 Hacker News commenters recommended The X-Files and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as one of the best network TV shows of its era, with satisfying self-contained episodes and strong early and middle seasons. Critics say it declined after the first few seasons.

## Why people recommend it

- Among the best TV of its era (4 comments): "Best show on network TV at the time (and possibly since then)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47979788)) "Yes it is peak TV. Also sad how young people are." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47985116)) "The X-Files was the right show at the right time" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47978944))
- Loved since childhood, rewatched often (2 comments): "Those are the shows I watched as a kid and I'll love them forever." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47984645)) "I still watch from start to finish every few years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47979091))
- Strong seasons and great sci-fi (3 comments): "I love the X-files. Season 5 & 6 are the best." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47985439)) "it is still the best sci-fi for me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47818781)) "X-files was so great show" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47980659))

## What people warn about

- Quality drops after early seasons (3 comments): "past the first 2-3 seasons it really ain't that great a show" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47980591)) "It did put a deadline on the story, something which the X-Files writers seemed allergic to as the series began aging." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47981362)) "The x-files got real sloppy near the end too." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47057511))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Halt and Catch Fire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/halt-and-catch-fire.md): 166 recommend
- [Babylon 5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/babylon-5.md): 86 recommend
- [Silicon Valley (TV series)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/silicon-valley.md): 52 recommend
- [Andor](https://hackerapproved.com/p/andor.md): 52 recommend
- [The Wire](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wire.md): 39 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The X-Files", https://hackerapproved.com/p/x-files/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).