I think since the first 3 seasons were filmed in the early 90’s they may be a bit outdated by today’s standards. But there’s something I like about those old shows, they seem to interest me more than modern tv. I just can’t seem to find much on tv to interest me these days.
There were a few great X-files episodes, strewn among a lot of mediocre ones. The first episode is probably still my favorite one; the story was great and there was just something very charming and refreshing about it. Talitha Cumi was excellent as well. There were probably about a dozen episodes in the first 6 seasons that really entertain.
I don't think that the standard 22-episode seasons are a good idea: better to make 8-10 episodes per season and make them really excellent. Lots of shows are hitting home runs with that model, though the last couple of short seasons of X-files somehow managed to be almost completely awful.
There are some good shows out there - here's a list of ones that I've enjoyed in recent years:
*
Westworld (Season 1 was excellent)
*
Stranger Things 1 & 2
*
Black Mirror (Usually 1-2 real gems in every season, among some modestly interesting episodes)
*
Counterpart (a bit slow but lots of neat cloak-and-dagger stuff, and some great performances)
*
Sherlock (A bit uneven but frequently charming as hell, largely thanks to Martin Freeman's brilliant performance)
*
Dark (a German show with a cool time travel angle - about as good as a show can be without any likable characters)
*
Legion - (Season 1 was incredibly refreshing, and beautifully shot, and Season 2 managed to remain interesting)
*
The OA (Only 1 season so far - but one of the weirdest things I've ever seen, so of course I enjoyed it)
*
The Man in the High Castle (Slow start but a cool premise, and really hit its stride with the 3rd season)
*
Ripper Street (Not in the paranormal vein at all, but a great show with great writing and actors, which feels like time travelling to the late 19th Century)
And here are some older shows and guilty pleasures:
*
Buffy the Vampyre Slayer (Season 2 was especially excellent - the first three seasons were brilliantly written)
*
12 Monkeys (a fun and campy albeit flawed time-travel story, with an odd endearing quality about it)
*
Supernatural (the first five seasons just kept getting better and better, overall, and the Season 5 finale was a masterpiece)
*
Black Orphan (Sort of a sci-fi soap opera where all the main characters are played by one actor, Tatiana Maslany, who does a miraculous job)
*
The Lost Room (A miniseries that combines the paranormal with a gum-shoe detective kind of storyline, campy but cool and lots of fun)
*
True Detective (I've only seen Season 1, but it was brilliant, and I got to sculpt the sacrificial altar for the finale)
*
The Fall (Season 1 was probably the scariest thing I've ever seen - it's about a serial killer - amazing work, but the next two seasons were forgettable)