The X-Files is finally making its anticipated return on prime time TV for a six-part miniseries that debuts on Sunday, Jan. 24, on Fox, making it the first time FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) have teamed up since the original series ended back in 2002.
As one of the longest-running science fiction series, The X-Files was instantly a hit, and still remains one of the best series of the '90s. The show featured one of TV's most famous dynamic duos, Mulder (a believer) and Scully (a realist) as they investigated unexplained cases involving paranormal activity for the government.
While The X-Files will forever be a staple for any sci-fi loving fan, the '90s featured many other dramas for this genre that captivated audiences. So in celebration for Fox's latest reboot, it's time to take a stroll down memory lane and rewatch — or discover — some of the best series that feature aliens, alternate realities and space adventures of that decade.
Here is the list of classic sci-fi series from the '90s that are available to stream on Netflix.
Roswell (1999-2002)
Creator: Jason Katmis
Stars: Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl
Science fiction fans are probably familiar with this late '90s TV series that aired on The CW when it was still The WB network. Even though this series debuted in 1999 and ran for three season into the '00s, how can we not include Roswell on this list? Based on the young adult book series Roswell High by Melinda Metz, the show features the story of a bunch of high school students in Roswell, N.M. (yes, that Roswell), including Liz Parker (Shiri Appleby) who is fatally shot and comes back to life under suspicious circumstances.
Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)
Creators: Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor
Stars: Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, Roxann Dawson
Star Trek: Voyager is a classic for fans of the franchise. It's the fifth installment in Star Trek series and ran for seven seasons. The series takes place in the 2730s on the far side of the Milky Way, following the story of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, including characters like Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) that gets stranded and must work with Maquis rebels to make a 75-year journey home.
SeaQuest DSV (1993-1996)
Creator: Rocken S. O'Bannon
Stars: Jonathan Brandis, Don Franklin, Red Raimi
Star Trek: Voyager took sci-fans into space, and SeaQuest DSV (renamed to SeaQuest 2032 in its last season) took fans underwater, where mankind colonized the oceans in 2018 after depleting all of Earth's natural resources. The series features the tough Captain Nathan Bridger of the submarine seaQuest DSV who must keep peace, and there is even a dolphin character.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Creator: Joss Whedon
Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan
Way before True Blood took a bite out of HBO fans, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was everyone's favorite vampire series. It features Sarah Michelle Gellar as the lead character, a strong and sexy high school student who fought evil forces like blood suckers and demons — with a little help from her friends.
Sliders (1995-2000)
Creators: Tracy Torme, Robert K. Weiss
Stars: Jerry O'Connell, Sabrina Lloyd, John Rhys-Davies
In all its '90s glory, Sliders was a series about a physics graduate student who creates a wormhole device that allows him and his friends to slide through and enter a parallel universe with the hopes they will return safely back home. However, the vortex they slide through can only open at random, so they learn about the many differences in the alternate Earth and try to set things right.
Farscape (1999-2003)
Creators: Rockne S. O'Bannon
Stars: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe
While this is another series that aired right before the end of the '90s, its a sci-fi fan must-see. Get ready for cheesy alien creatures that only the '90s could pull off in Farscape. The series follows an astronaut who is a stranger in the cosmos, and finds safety abroad a vessel that is home to fugitive aliens.
