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In addition to the series-spanning story arc, " monster of the week " episodes made up roughly two-thirds of the series.

In such stand-alone episodes, Mulder and Scully investigated strange crimes which often had no long-term effect on the mythology of the show, though the episodes contributed to the show's background.

The show was a hit for the Fox network ; initially it was considered a cult show, but eventually gained mainstream popularity.

Its characters and slogans, such as " The Truth Is Out There ", " Trust No One ", and " I Want to Believe " became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s.

Seen as a defining series of its era, The X-Files tapped into public mistrust of governments and large institutions, and embraced conspiracy theories and spirituality as it centered on efforts to uncover the existence of extraterrestrial life.

The series spawned a spin-off show, The Lone Gunmen.

A 1998 feature film, The X-Files, has been released.

This was followed in 2008 by a post-series film, The X-Files: I Want to Believe.