References to The X-Files

This is a list of references to The X-Files in other media.

Television[]

American Dad[]

In the episode, "Office Spaceman", when Roger the Alien is recruited to be an alien hunter at the CIA, he creates a backstory for his persona which includes his sister being abducted followed by his hunt for little green men, which is when Stan points out that his backstory is stolen from Mulder on The X-Files.

The Simpsons[]

Mulder_&_Scully_at_Moe's_Scene-1 — Mulder & Scully at Moe's Scene-1

The tenth episode in the eighth season of The Simpsons television series, 1997's "The Springfield Files", prominently featured both Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, as Scully and Mulder respectively. Homer Simpson claimed to have had a close encounter of the third kind with an alien lifeform while most people were more skeptical.

Family Guy[]

Peter Griffin plays The X-Files theme tune on the piano. His repertoire was limited to television theme music. ("Wasted Talent", Season 2, Episode 20, 2000)

Supernatural[]

A season 6 episode begins with an intro that mimics The X-Files intro. This episode was about alien abductions actually being abductions by fairies from another dimension of reality. ("Clap Your Hands If You Believe...", Season 6, Episode 9, 2010)

The pilot of Supernatural has a scene where Sam and Dean encounter two FBI agents who Dean refers to as Mulder and Scully.

In Episode 11 of Season 3 Deans makes a X-File reference.

Season one episode 12 has Dean meeting with a professor who is the actor that played The Smoking Man.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine[]

SiskoDulmerLucsly — Captain Sisko with Lucsly and Dulmer.

One episode features two agents from the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations named Dulmer and Lucsly interrogate Captain Sisko on the activities of his crew when they traveled back in time. Their names are anagrams of Mulder and Scully. ("Trials and Tribble-ations", Season 5, Episode 6, 1996)

The actor playing Lucsly was Jim Jansen, who played Dr. Heitz Werber on The X-Files.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer[]

Buffy Summers and Rupert Giles discuss Xander Harris — Buffy Summers brings her concerns about Xander to Giles.

Buffy accuses Giles of trying to "Scully her" over his disbelief that anything supernatural was happening. ("The Pack", Season 1, Episode 6, 1997)

Warren and Andrew are commenting on watching Buffy deal with a time loop they have created.

Andrew: "I just hope she figures it out faster than Data did on that ep of TNG where the Enterprise kept blowing up."

Warren: "Or Mulder, when that bank kept exploding?"

Andrew: "Scully wants me so bad."

This reference The X-Files episode "Monday".

("Life Serial", Season 6, Episode 5, 2001)

Buffy: "I know. Xander and Anya are working on it, "Muldering" out what happened."

("Gone", Season 6, Episode 11, 2002)

Angel[]

Detective Kate Lockley at crime scene — Kate Lockley asks about the strange case.

Detective Kate Lockley was accused of being interested in any case with supernatural elements by another detective. The detective called her a "Scully" but Detective Lockley said she was a "Mulder" because Scully is the skeptic and Mulder is the one who believes. ("Sanctuary", Season 1, Episode 19, 2000)

Californication[]

Hank Moody (played by David Duchovny) is on his way to his trial. He is looking at himself in the mirror while wearing a full black suit with tie. Karen says, "You look good." He remarks in reply, "I look like a fucking FBI agent!" ("The Trial", Season 4, Episode 10, 2011)

The looped into video for the title screen of one of the earlier seasons of Californication displays a text conversation between Hank Moody and a female in which one of his replies to the female is "I want to believe ;)"

Absentia

In Season 2 Episode 2 (Madness) the password for the Boston Mercy Hospital is TRUST NO-1

ReBoot[]

Two CGI Agents, Data Nully (voiced by Gillian Anderson) and Fax Modem assist Bob the Guardian in the pursuit of what looks like recurring character Mouse but, according to Fax Modem, is actually a deadly web creature. Bob finds most of Fax Modem's theories to be outlandish as he investigates the disappearances of sprites at the hands of the web creature while accompanied throughout the episode by the two CGI agents. ("Trust No One", Season 2, Episode 9, 1995)

Bones[]

FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth said once to his partner Dr. Temperance Brennan, "We're Scully and Mulder." Brennan didn't know who these names were in reference to. ("Pilot", Season 1, Episode 1, 2005)

A later episode featured an opening sequence similar to a teaser in The X-Files, which ended with someone finding an alien body. The same episode is filled with little references to The X-Files, with the biggest being that Dean Haglund (who played Richard Langly in The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen) appeared in it. ("The X in the File", Season 5, Episode 11, 2010)

The episode "The Monster in the Closet" contains numerous references and tributes to The X-Files episode "Home" (including a cassette tape labeled "Home" found at one crime scene). (Season 11, Episode 13, 2016)

In the final episode of Bones, Agent Booth is telling his wife who she is after she experiences brain trauma and is having difficulty coping. He makes a reference to the first episode of the Bones series where they discussed Scully and Mulder, and says "besides... we're way better than Mulder and Scully.". ("The End in the End", Season 12, Episode 12, 2017)

Castle[]

Castle disagrees with Beckett's theory, saying to her, "Oh, so you don't believe in fate, but your 'gut' has magical properties. That's cool... Scully." ("He's Dead, She's Dead", Season 3, Episode 2, 2010)

Castle says to Beckett, "I'm not asking you to dye your hair red and call me Mulder." He also whistles The X-Files theme tune several times and there is a lightning strike at the end of the episode. Lance Henriksen (who portrayed Frank Black on Millennium and The X-Files) plays a born-again believer and ufologist. Just like in Castle's homage to Grey's Anatomy, wherein they played with creator Shonda Rhimes' name and changed it to Rhonda Chimes, here The X-Files creator Chris Carter is Ted Carter. In the opening sequence of the episode, there is a security guard roving the train yard using one of Mulder and Scully's signature, large-beamed flashlights. Castle refers to Ung Kyu as "Cigarette Smoking Man". Beckett also tells Castle, "Castle, the truth... the real truth is out there." ("Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind", Season 3, Episode 7, 2010)

Criminal Minds[]

In Season 13, Episode 16 episode entitled "Last Gasp ", Dr. Tara Lewis, played by Aisha Tyler, is conducting a therapy session, with two FBI co-workers, who are "in treatment" because of their dysfunctional behavior, that have a resemblance to the protagonists Mulder and Scully. In fact, the ending credits label them "Mulder Lookalike" and "Scully Lookalike". At the end of the episode, when Dr. Lewis does not show up for their session, they consummate their relationship.

Here is a snippet of the dialogue from the session:

Mulder Lookalike: It gets old, you know? 'Cause she never takes me or my theories seriously.

Scully Lookalike: You have to understand that his so-called theories are way outside the box.

Dr. Lewis: For instance?

Scully Lookalike: He believes in the paranormal.

Mulder Lookalike: And yet she's religious, ok? What demands more blind faith than God?

Scully Lookalike: My religious beliefs are none of your damn business.

Dr Lewis: That must make it difficult for both of you to do your jobs.

Scully Lookalike: You have no idea.

Dr Lewis: Ok. Uh, have either of you considered putting in a request for a new partner, because..

Mulder Lookalike: I feel I don't want a new partner.

Scully Lookalike: He's my best friend.

Fringe[]

Although Fringe was heavily inspired by The X-Files, there have been only a few references to The X-Files within Fringe.

In the season 2 premiere, A New Day In The Old Town, after the shape-shifter killed George Reed, the episode Dreamland was being played on Reed's television showing Mulder and Scully holding hands while looking at the strange light in the sky from the beginning of the episode.

Within the same episode, one of the senators, while commenting on Fringe Division's history to Broyles, casually mentions a previous "'X' designation", indicating a possibility of being in the same 'reality' as The X-Files. However, this is unlikely and could just be a regular reference to The X-Files and may not be part of The X-Files/Fringe universe. Mainly because Mulder and Scully appeared on Reed's television indicating he was watching the show and many other historic reasons within the series.

The Big Bang Theory[]

Leonard and FBI Agent — FBI Agent Page speaks with Leonard.

Leonard's lab:

Leonard: So, when Howard said the FBI would be contacting me, I was expecting Mulder. Glad to see I got Scully.

Page: Who?

Leonard: Mulder and Scully. X-Files. The truth is out there. Never mind. Uh, so, what would you like to know?

("The Apology Insufficiency", Season 4, Episode 7, 2010)

Breaking Bad[]

See also References to The X-Files on the Breaking Bad Wiki.

The fourth episode of Breaking Bad's first season is called "Cancer Man", a direct reference (confirmed by Vince Gilligan) to the ominous and elusive main villain of The X-Files series: "Cancer Man", a.k.a. "The Cigarette Smoking Man", a.k.a "C.G.B. Spender".
Vince Gilligan put many inside references to The X-Files much like his mentor, Chris Carter. 1013, Carter's production company and birthdate, is referenced in Season 4, episode 1 of Breaking Bad. When a neighbor calls the police to respond to Gale's murder, a clock in his apartment reads 10:13 PM.
Before casting Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan cast him as Patrick Garland Crump in "Drive".
Aaron Paul, who appeared as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad, also played David Winkle, a.k.a. Sky Commander Winky, in "Lord of the Flies".
Dean Norris played US Marshal Tapia in "F. Emasculata", prior to playing DEA Agent and brother-in-law Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad.
Michael Shamus Wiles played a character referred to as the "Black-Haired Man" in "The End", "En Ami", and The X-Files: Fight the Future. In Breaking Bad, he played ASAC George Merkert, Schrader's boss.
Raymond Cruz played Eladio Buente in "El Mundo Gira". In Breaking Bad, he was insane and homicidal drug lord Tuco Salamanca. When Hank Schrader and Steve Gomez are looking at a bulletin board full of Gustavo Fring's associates in season 5, episode 4 of Breaking Bad, "Fifty-One", the spot where Salamanca's picture should be is labeled "Eladio Buente".
Javier Grajeda played a police desk sergeant in "Tithonus". In Breaking Bad, he played high level Cartel member Juan Bolsa.
Danny Trejo played Cesar Ocampo in "Redrum" ( murder spell backwards). In Breaking Bad, he played DEA informant Tortuga.
Dale Dickey played a game warden in "Existence”. In Breaking Bad, she was Spooge's woman.
Dan Desmond played salvage yard owner Harry Odell in "Salvage". In Breaking Bad, he played Mr. Gardiner.
John Koyama was a stuntman on The X-Files. In Breaking Bad, he played Emilio Koyama.

Jesse and Walt while Walt mentions Erlenmeyer Flask — Walt mentions to Jesse, in the pilot of *Breaking Bad*, that he has an Erlenmeyer flask.

During the pilot of Breaking Bad, Walt shows off supplies he stole from a high school where he works, at that point in the series. He mentions he has an Erlenmeyer flask. This is a reference to the season one finale of The X-Files, "the Erlenmeyer Flask".
Fox Mulder's bank, Cradock Marine, appears as a bank in Say My Name.

Haven[]

FBI Agent Audrey Parker has a conversation with her boss about paranormal activities in the town of Haven. Parker mentions an agent that her boss helped train. This agent believed in UFOs and aliens. Her boss, Agent Howard, said the agent was a genius and what happened to him in the later years was a tragedy. ("The Trial of Audrey Parker", Season 1, Episode 11, 2010)

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3rd Rock from the Sun[]

Tommy, Dick, and Harry are watching The X-Files when the show is interrupted. Dick really doesn't like them talking during The X-Files.

Later, Tommy and Harry decide to write an episode of The X-Files but they fail to finish it. ("Dick and The Single Girl", Season 2, Episode 24)

American Horror Story[]

The character Jack Colquitt is a detective with the LAPD's Missing Persons division. He was investigating the disappearance of Sally Freeman. The name Jack Colquitt comes from The X-Files episode "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man". In that installment, it is said that a novel written by the Cigarette Smoking Man had Jack Colquitt as its central character and was entitled Take a Chance: A Jack Colquitt Adventure. ("Murder House" & "Spooky Little Girl", Season 1, Episodes 3 & 9)

King of the Hill[]

Roger Sack & Hank Hill discuss white peoples asses — In conversation with Roger Sack, Hank Hill urges *The X-Files* to start immediately.

At the end of an episode, Hank Hill (voiced by Mike Judge) and Roger Sack (voiced by Chris Rock) spoke directly to the audience about racial stereotypes, such as white people not having butts. When Roger complemented Hank's ass, Hank said, "I think its time for The X-Files! Now!" By this point, The X-Files regularly appeared on Sundays after King of the Hill. ("Traffic Jam", Season 2, Episode 16)

Wonderfalls[]

Jaye was arrested trying to sneak the family housekeeper into the United States of America. Her sister was there with the police when the arrest was made. Later, Jaye accused her sister, Sharon, of ratting them out, exclaiming, "You ambushed us with the fuzz! You were all backlit and evil-smoking, like that guy on The X-Files!" ("Crime Dog", Season 1, Episode 5)

I Am Number Four[]

One kid said that his life was like an episode of The X-Files. When speaking to the government conspiracy crowd, someone said, "The truth is out there." (I Am Number Four, 2011)

Independence Day[]

When the satellites are being hijacked by the aliens, angry people call to complain about their television shows being off. One man in the background can be heard saying, "Yes, ma'am, I love The X-Files too. I hope you get to see it." (Independence Day, 1996). This is an interesting paradox, in the 1998 X-Files Fight the Future film there is actually a poster for the Independence day film in the ally way where Mulder meets Martin Landau's character Kurtzweil.

Celebrity Death Match[]

Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith fought David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in MTV's Celebrity Death Match. The fake versions of these celebrities put up quite a brutal fight. While Duchovny couldn't put up a fight, Anderson kicked ass. In the end, the Men in Black accidentally killed themselves.

Crusade[]

One of the episodes involved a developing civilization's people who were supposedly being abducted by Humans. It was actually a conspiracy invented by the leaders of this alien civilization to unite their warlike people and give their people a scapegoat. The Captain didn't much like this, since he didn't want this race to, one day, go to war with the Human race over something they hadn't done, so he broke the conspiracy.

The X-Files parallels with this episode were very strong. Two aliens attempting to unravel the conspiracy were a man and a woman who clearly were similar to Mulder and Scully. In addition, there was a chain-smoking alien in charge of keeping his people afraid of Humans.

The aliens had tentacles for hair and the alien woman had red tentacles.

House MD[]

House gets called in by the CIA. At the CIA, the doctor in charge, named Samira Terzi, states, "I'm afraid there are going to be some limitations on his medical history. Just let me know what you need, and I should be able to provide it." House says, "FYI, my malpractice insurance doesn't cover alien autopsies." Terzi answers, "That's fine. X-files are the next wing over." ("Whatever it Takes", season 4, episode 6)

The Nanny[]

Maxwell referring to the chummy conversation between Niles and CC (when the two usually do not get along), "Okay, Scully and Mulder, care to explain this X-file?" ("From Flushing with Love", season 5, episode 10)

The Vampire Diaries[]

In the 15th episode of the first season, A Few Good Men, this happened:

Alaric: Look, this is why I love you, because you believe in all of this stuff. So much so that you're making a degree out of it. You're like Mulder, except hotter and a girl.

Isobel: This is not a joke, Rick. You think that this is cute, but I'm gonna prove it. [She kisses him] And Mulder was right in the end.

Torchwood[]

Mulder reference Jack — The CCTV shot which depicts Jack Harkness, whom Andy cheekily refers to as "Mulder".

The eleventh episode of the second season, "Adrift", begins with Torchwood employee Gwen Cooper being called in to investigate a missing persons case by her former colleague Andy Davidson. He is convinced that she knows more about the case than she is letting on. After watching the CCTV video of the disappearance, it's apparent to the viewer she doesn't know anything he doesn't. Insistent that she knows what happened during the disappearance and is not telling him, however, Andy fast-forwards the footage to forty-five minutes later, when the CCTV screen shows an SUV pulling up and a familiar long coated-figure getting out of the car. Andy asks Gwen, "What's your mate Mulder doing there?" Andy knows that Gwen works as part of Torchwood, a covert agency, hunting alien-related paranormal activity. He has also met and briefly worked alongside Jack Harkness, the man pictured in the CCTV footage. Harkness is the leader of the Torchwood branch Cooper is assigned to, and the only American member of that unit, which is based in Cardiff, Wales.

X-Men Evolution[]

In season 2 episode 27, "Retreat", an archaeologist and his friend are searching for Bigfoot, who happens to be Hank McCoy. Hank is seen jumping from tree to tree and hears what he firstly thinks is a moose, until he sees them. The man is seen blowing a whistle that sounds like a moose. His partner is standing with him and asks, "Where can I get me one of those?" Then the man with the whistle stands close to him and whispers, "The Bigfoot trading post on route five. Ask for Mulder." At that point, the X-Files theme plays in the background.

Tremors: The Series[]

Tyler calls Burt, "Scully", after Burt refuses to believe in aliens. Tyler refers to himself as Mulder and even goes as far as to check him and Burt into a hotel under the aliases Mulder and Scully.

("A Little Paranoia Among Friends," Season 1, Episode 7)

Goosebumps[]

When the Gruel growls and bares its teeth, Carlo says "This is better than the X-Files."

("It Came From Beneath The Sink," Season 1, Episode 14)

Stargate SG-1[]

In 10th season of Stargate SG-1 episode number 8 title Memento Mori which shares the same titles as X-Files episode that air in Season 4. In that episode Vala mentions watching reruns of The X-Files.

Homicide: Life on the Street[]

Detectives John Munch, Tim Bayliss, and Meldrick Lewis stand in their empty bar at its grand opening wondering where all the people are. Lewis and Bayliss figure it is only 9PM and people will start showing up later. Munch says, "Right, it's 9 o'clock. They're probably home watching the X-Files."

("Partners," Season 3, Episode 12)

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien[]

On the Pacific Garbage Vortex, which is composed of islands of floating trash, a couple of government agents named Bryson and Locke, who look like Mulder and Scully, show up to investigate strange ocurrences on the location. Kevin mentions that the appearance and mannerisms of the agents remind him of a television show he watched as a child.

("The Widening Gyre" Season 4, Episode 8)

Ben 10: Omniverse[]

When Ben and Rook visit the Secret Saturday's airship, Zack invite them to his room to learn more about the Cryptids and investigate the Chupacabra incident. On the wall, there are posters and conspiracy theory evidences — as well as Fox, Zack is interested by myths and legends. A specific poster can be seen with a "BELIEVE" message, similar to the "I WANT TO BELIEVE" poster.

("T.G.I.S." Season 4, Episode 1)

Weird Science[]

Once during the run of the Weird Science television series, the boys were investigated by Mulder and Scully dopplegangers, Agents Scolder and Molly.

The second time Scolder and Molly appeared, they had been called in to help deal with some aliens.

("Fly Boy" Season 3 Episode 14 & "Night of the Swingin' Steves" Season 5 Episode 16)

Kuromukuro[]

In season 1, episode 10 "The Arrogant Captive" of the anime Kuromukuro, when an alien surrenders and is taken into custody by the U.N. Special Forces, two special agents are dispatched to interrogate him. They are from the "Extraterrestrial Investigation Unit" and bear striking visual similarity to Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Their names are Heath Kingsley and Carrie Dunham.

Bodies[]

In episode 4 "Right Up the Wazoo" of the limited series Bodies, DCI Barber says "then what am I staring at? A f***ing X-file?" when learning about the identical dead bodies found in the same location in 1890, 1941 and 2023.

Movies[]

Two and a Half Men[]

In episode "Repeated Blows to His Unformed Head", Berta, accompanied by Charlie, visits a house in search of her daughter. A man at the door asks if they were cops and Berta answers, "Yeah, I'm Scully. This is Mulder."

The Fault in Our Stars[]

Hollywood AD's split screened bathtub scene with Mulder and Scully was shown briefly.

Monsters Vs Aliens[]

General Warren R. Monger says, "This place is an X-File, wrapped in a cover-up and deep-fried in paranoid conspiracy!"

Music[]

Band Catalonia[]

Catatonia_-_Mulder_and_Scully — Catatonia - Mulder and Scully

The official music video for "Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia

"Mulder and Scully" is an X-Files Fan Song performed by Welsh music band Catatonia. The song's lyrics are about characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, their relationship with each other and their work in the X-Files unit.

The official music video for "Mulder and Scully" has the band Catatonia singing the song onstage in a private building while Mulder and Scully (played by look-alikes) investigate outside the building and eventually enter the building with flashlights during the performance.

Barenaked Ladies[]

The 1998 song "One Week" by the Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies made references to the X-Files in its lyrics. With the lyric refer to the X-Files "Watching X-Files with no lights on" and "I hope the Smoking Man's in this one"