When thinking about conspiracy and counterterrorism, it’s hard to find two more popular shows than The X-Files and24, respectively. Whether it’s Mulder and Scully investigating UFO activity and getting to the bottom of Mulder’s sister’s mysterious abduction, or watching Jack Bauer and his team prevent domestic terrorism in a riveting ticking clock scenario, these two powerhouse series made before the binge-watching streaming era ranked among the most definitive series of their respective decades and genres.

​