The X-Files The Complete First Season on DVD: Follow Mulder and Scully's Earliest Investigations

Debuting in the fall of 1993, The X-Files started out as creator Chris Carter's tribute to the '70s cult-classic series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, but it became a genuine television phenomenon during the course of its impressive nine-year run. The first season finds the show surprisingly well formed, with FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), encountering paranormal activity that ranges from alien abduction to supernatural murder. While steeped in all of the strangeness, Mulder and Scully - "the believer" and "the skeptic," respectively - develop a fascinatingly complex relationship, that, even at this early stage, reveals itself as disarmingly deep and surprisingly playful.

Although the increasingly complex mythology that begins here would become one of the show's attributes, with legions of devoted fans carefully tracking the labyrinthine alien/cloning story arc, it also became a burden. This initial season, however, largely consists of stand-alone tales of suspense that are rooted in old-fashioned, something-lurking-in-shadows horror. Among these are the creature-driven episodes "The Jersey Devil," in which Mulder desperately searches for the legendary pines-dwelling monster while catching flak from the local constabulary (a blatant nod to the aforementioned Kolchak), and "Shapes," a creepy tale featuring a werewolf-like Native American being known as a Manitou.

To its credit, the season ventures into even quirkier territory with bizarre stories such as "Squeeze," which involves a malleable, liver-eating mutant named Tooms (who would appear again in a self-titled episode) and "Ice," a chilling and claustrophobic homage to John Carpenter's The Thing that features then-unknown actors Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives, Transamerica) and Xander Berkeley (24). (Other recognizable names from this season include Seth Green, Donal Logue, and Brad Dourif, the latter chewing much scenery as an incarcerated serial killer in "Beyond the Sea.") With their ominous atmospheres and odd premises, these episodes made The X-Files the clear heir to Twin Peaks (which had been cancelled in '91), while also placing it in a lineage with The Twilight Zone.

In addition to Mulder and Scully, the season introduces viewers to Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), the duo's stern superior, and the Cigarette-Smoking Man (William B. Davis), the enigmatic villain of the series, both of who would become increasingly important characters in subsequent years. The geeky, conspiracy-loving Lone Gunmen (Tom Braidwood, Dean Haglund, and Bruce Harwood) also make their first appearance here, along with the mysterious informant Deep Throat (Jerry Hardin).

The fun of watching these initial X-Files episodes on DVD, aside from the obvious perk of avoiding commercials, is that viewers can immerse themselves in the series, and proceed at their own pace as the dynamic and consistently inventive qualities of the show become apparent. Even for those who saw the series when it first aired, most of the stories hold up to repeated viewings. (The only real drawback of the set is that it was originally released in 2000, when DVDs were still in their relative infancy, so the menu screens and special features are decent, but slightly lacking by later standards.)

By the thrilling season conclusion, "The Erlenmeyer Flask," most watchers will be hooked and ready to take on the second season, which is even more rewarding, and helped to secure the sterling reputation of The X-Files, making it one of most beloved TV shows of all time.