10 Scary X-Files Episodes to Binge This Halloween

In 1993, The X-Files truly elevated science fiction on television by bringing together David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in a brilliant mystery series. Over eleven seasons, FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully traveled across America, investigating the paranormal and facing creatures like vampires and werewolves. The show’s central theme-the tension between believing and doubting-captivated audiences for its entire run.

Although the show mainly centered around science fiction, it also featured plenty of excellent horror stories. These ranged from mysteries involving strange creatures to cases that strongly resembled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, making many episodes genuinely frightening. Even 32 years after it first aired, the series is still the best option for anyone wanting to watch some high-quality scary TV this Halloween.

“Ice” Pays Homage to John Carpenter

The episode “Ice” starts with a devastating event: a group of scientists at a remote Alaskan research station in the Arctic Circle die in what appears to be a murder-suicide. To investigate, Mulder and Scully travel to the facility as part of a new expedition, accompanied by three scientists and a pilot. Once there, they slowly uncover the truth: the original research team discovered something frozen within the ice – a mysterious entity with the power to take over and control people.

The film Ice effectively creates the suspense and feeling of unease present in the 1982 horror movie, achieving this in under half the film’s length. Working as both a story about alien imposters and a mystery, the movie challenges viewers to determine who has been infected before the final reveal.

“Squeeze” Features an Iconic Villain

The episode “Squeeze” starts with Eugene Victor Tooms breaking into a room and fatally stabbing a man, then removing his liver. Agent Scully is initially assigned the case with a partner, but she quickly involves Mulder, who believes there’s a connection between this murder and similar ones that happened in 1963 and 1933. After questioning Tooms, Mulder becomes even more convinced of his theory, and the agents seek assistance from a seasoned detective who investigated the 1963 murders.

“Squeeze” is a standout episode, marking both the series’ first truly compelling murder mystery and the introduction of a villain who became iconic. Tooms is the perfect X-Files antagonist: he challenges Scully’s rational worldview and resurfaces details from past, unsolved cases. Seeing him contort his body to commit impossible crimes is genuinely unsettling. This episode is where the show really hit its stride, establishing the format for many of its memorable, self-contained monster stories. It truly began its monster-of-the-week masterpieces.

“Quagmire” Gave X-Files a Creature Feature

The episode “Quagmire” starts with a deadly animal attack on a lake in Georgia, where a marine biologist loses their life. When Scully and Mulder investigate, they discover a local tale about Big Blue, a creature inspired by the legend of the Loch Ness Monster. Mulder is immediately captivated, and the agents quickly venture onto the lake to determine if the death was caused by a crime or by a mysterious creature.

If you enjoy movies like Jaws or Lake Placid, “Quagmire” is arguably the best classic monster episode of the series, and it features a fun nod to the viewers at the end. It’s both an exciting adventure and a thrilling monster story, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you eagerly anticipate seeing what creature is lurking nearby.

“Darkness Falls” Has a Unique Premise

The episode “Darkness Falls” starts with loggers being pursued through the forest by mysterious beings, resulting in their deaths. The FBI initially believes eco-terrorists are responsible. However, Mulder and Scully’s investigation quickly reveals the presence of something not human lurking in the woods. As night falls, swarms of ancient, firefly-like insects appear, possessing the ability to instantly devour people. Armed with only light as protection, the agents desperately search for shelter, fighting to survive until dawn.

“Darkness Falls” features a particularly strong concept for the series, highlighting the risks associated with how humans harm the environment. It taps into the fear and intrigue of being lost in the woods at night, creating a truly frightening scenario – it’s the kind of thing everyone dreads when venturing off familiar paths. The first season contains many memorable episodes, and this one is surprisingly underrated.

“Little Green Men” Delves Into Science Fiction

The story begins after Mulder and Scully are separated, and centers on Mulder when a US Senator tells him that a remote base in Puerto Rico has detected signals from outer space. Knowing a government cover-up is likely, he sends Mulder to the island, instructing him to gather any evidence before it’s hidden or destroyed. Upon arrival, Mulder discovers a local resident who has turned to stone, and quickly understands this person had contact with alien creatures. As a powerful storm hits, the agent finds himself stuck inside while strange events unfold outside.

“Little Green Men” is a standout episode focusing on aliens, creating a truly frightening experience as Mulder simply struggles to survive. It perfectly demonstrates the show’s tendency to keep the full truth elusive, similar to Carl Sagan’s Contact, but presented as a scary, suspenseful tale.

“Unruhe” Is a Harrowing Serial Killer Episode

The story, Unruhe, starts with Mary, a woman from Michigan, going to a pharmacy for a passport photo. Tragically, her boyfriend is murdered and she is kidnapped. The only thing left behind is the photo she took, which captures her terrified expression in a blurred image. Agents Mulder and Scully investigate, discovering Mary was released by the abductor after a failed attempt to perform a lobotomy on her. When another woman disappears, the agents must quickly find the killer before it’s too late.

“Unruhe” is a particularly unsettling episode in the series, masterfully combining psychic powers with a creepy mystery. It doesn’t provide complete answers to everything it introduces, leaving some questions lingering. If you enjoy films like Kiss the Girls, Se7en, and Zodiac, you’ll find this to be a truly excellent piece of television.

“Die Hand Die Verletzt” Is an Occult Mystery

“Die Hand Die Veletzt” takes viewers to a small town in New Hampshire where Satanism is growing, practiced by both adults involved in the occult and local teenagers. After a group of high school students are found dead following their experimentation with black magic, Scully and Mulder arrive to investigate. Their investigation uncovers hidden rituals and claims of abuse. What they don’t realize is that the town is also home to a serial killer with an interest in the occult.

The mysterious and unexplained-the occult-was a key ingredient in making The X-Files so successful, and it arguably reached its peak in the episode “Die Hand Die Verletzt.” The episode strongly resembles a television version of the classic Hammer Horror film The Devil Rides Out, effectively exploring the history and beliefs surrounding Satanism, black magic, and shadowy rituals.

“Shapes” Explores the Werewolf Myth

“Shapes” continues as the agents travel to Montana following a death – a Native American man seemingly murdered. Upon arrival, locals claim a monster committed the killing, prompting Mulder to suspect a werewolf might be responsible. The attacks escalate during their investigation, ultimately leading to a terrifying experience for Scully.

The werewolf legend continues to captivate horror enthusiasts, as seen in films like Underworld, The Howling, and Van Helsing, and was particularly well-done in The X-Files. Certain to delight fans of An American Werewolf in London, this episode expertly builds suspense leading to a fantastic surprise.

“The Host” Is Mutant Horror

The episode “The Host” focuses on a series of bizarre animal attacks, where the victims succumb to a remarkably large parasite. After being separated by the FBI, Mulder and Scully investigate the case independently; Mulder approaches it as a typical X-File, while Scully is consulted for her medical expertise. As they get closer to solving the mystery, they uncover a horrifying, mutated creature that resembles a human.

“The Host” is a particularly memorable monster-of-the-week episode, exploring the consequences of radiation in a world after the Chernobyl disaster. Importantly, it was the case that reunited Mulder and Scully as partners, demonstrating that some mysteries are simply beyond the scope of ordinary law enforcement to investigate.

“Home” Went Full Slasher

The episode “Home” starts with the discovery of a deformed baby-born, and then quickly buried-on a farm in Home, Pennsylvania, found by a group of local boys. This leads to Mulder and Scully being called in to investigate, and they soon uncover that the baby was buried close to the property of the Peacocks-a secluded and frightening family known for practicing incest. As the agents get closer to the truth, the Peacocks violently fight back, leading to a tense standoff on their land.

The episode “Home” was so disturbing that it was actually removed from broadcast – it’s the closest the series ever came to being like a Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you’re looking for a truly terrifying and shocking moment, this story proved the show was willing to explore themes even darker than those found in some R-rated horror movies. Even now, nearly thirty years after it first aired, “Home” remains the X-Files episode that fans discuss the most.

2025-10-05 21:46