The X-Files

The X-Files sits where science fiction and the unsettling meet. It is a television drama with horror and thriller in its mix, so it suits anyone who likes their evening entertainment to leave a question hanging in the air. If you want every worry neatly put away before bed, I might choose a different night.

For me, this is the kind of fear that starts with an idea: what if there is more to something than I can explain? How much that bothers you is rather personal. I would call it a middle-of-the-scale scare, one for people who enjoy feeling uneasy without making fear the whole point of the evening. Put it on when you have time to settle in, a comfortable place to sit and no one planning to talk over it.

There is plenty to return to if it catches your interest. After its original run, the series came back for two further seasons, and there are two feature films alongside it. That makes it a choice for a run of dark evenings, not just one. Keep the blanket close. It is useful even when you are being very brave about everything.