Entertainment

‘True Detective’ Meets ‘Supernatural’ in This 33-Year-Old Classic Sci-Fi Thriller Series

Published

2 hours ago

4 August 2026

NewsAdmin

In the streaming age, traditional TV dramas have embraced all genres, with dark, gritty detective shows and supernatural thrillers among the most popular. Since the anthology series’ debut, True Detective has been lauded as one of the best shows of recent years, with the first season starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson being widely regarded as one of the greatest seasons of television ever. Elsewhere, Supernatural, starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, with its 15-season run, embraced the monster-of-the-week formula, building a massive fanbase along the way. While both of these shows are successful in their own right, one popular series that premiered before them and feels like a combination of the two helped pave the way: The X-Files.

Helping to launch the mainstream careers of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, The X-Files brings the moody, noir investigations, philosophical themes, and sense of dread of True Detective and combines them with the paranormal stories of Supernatural and creates something truly memorable. More than 30 years after it first debuted, The X-Files remains one of the most popular and influential series ever made, and the perfect watch for anyone looking to scratch that sci-fi thriller itch. With a reboot from Ryan Coogler on the way, there’s no better time to watch.

‘The X-Files’ Is a Detective Series Before It’s Science Fiction

Despite its sterling reputation as a pillar of science fiction, The X-Files works best as a detective show. With nearly every episode beginning with a mysterious disappearance, murder, or unexplained phenomenon, Mulder and Scully are brought in to investigate after the local authorities cannot crack the case. As members of the FBI’s X-Files division, they investigate cases that seem impossible to explain, which are often supernatural in nature. Much like True Detective, The X-Files tackles not just criminal investigations but also much larger questions about faith and morality. These themes are anchored by a pair of detectives with opposing ideas of right and wrong.

The opposing philosophies of Mulder and Scully help elevate every case, taking it beyond a police procedural. As part of a larger narrative about alien life, Mulder is keen to believe in the extraordinary, while Scully insists every mystery has a logical solution. Some of the more memorable moments of True Detective were the discussions between Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, with their style mirroring Mulder and Scully in many ways. Cohle looks beyond the rational, while Hart is more grounded. The X-Files knew that developing their detective characters and refining how the investigations unfold was of the utmost importance even before showcasing what that week’s villain would be.

‘The X-Files’ Perfected the Monster-of-the-Week Formula

While True Detective took inspiration from Mulder and Scully, Supernatural embraced the Monster-of-the-Week episodic strategy that The X-Files perfected. As a part of The X-Files‘ overarching narrative of government conspiracies and alien invasion, Mulder and Scully would investigate mysterious and paranormal happenings including shape-shifters, parasitic creatures, curses, and ancient legends. Every week brought forth a new nightmare for the audience. It’s easy to see how comparisons to Supernatural became impossible to ignore.

Like Sam and Dean Winchester, Mulder and Scully’s cross-country travels investigating the impossible became part of both shows’ charm. Every town hides a new horror, every abandoned building conceals a mystery, and every episode continues to build on the shows’ rich lore. However, the major difference between the two shows is in the perspective. The X-Files leans heavily on the mystery of the causes, with Mulder believing the weird and Scully remaining cautious. On Supernatural, Sam and Dean know that evil lurks everywhere; they expect to encounter the strange every episode. On the other hand, The X-Files proves that the mystery of what lies in the dark is part of the terror. Not knowing what the reason behind the “monster-of-the-week” only heightens the tension and ups the horror.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that The X-Files has had on modern television. It’s not just True Detective and Supernatural that have taken hints from it, but other series like 24, Fringe, Evil, and numerous others have utilized the roadmap that The X-Files created. It’s especially relevant in the modern TV landscape, given that conspiracy and mythology-heavy narratives on television have become more popular. While this storytelling style didn’t begin with The X-Files, the series showed that horror television could be smart without sacrificing entertainment.

Fans of True Detective will appreciate those haunting investigations and existential themes, and Supernatural fanatics will immediately latch onto the monster-of-the-week narratives. Both series feel like descendants of The X-Files, a show that continues to stand the test of time years since it went off the air.