Pilot (The X-Files)

"Pilot"
The X-Files episode
Mulder and Scully in an autopsy room after exhuming Ray Soammes' body. The episode introduced the principal characters and the series' alien conspiracy.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Directed by	Robert Mandel
Written by	Chris Carter
Production code	1X79
Original air date	September 10, 1993
Running time	48 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Charles Cioffi as Scott Blevins Cliff DeYoung as Dr. Jay Nemman Sarah Koskoff as Theresa Nemman Leon Russom as Detective Miles Zachary Ansley as Billy Miles William B. Davis as The Smoking Man
Episode chronology
← Previous — Next → "Deep Throat"
List of season 1 episodes List of The X-Files episodes

"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode aired on September 10, 1993 on the Fox network in the United States and Canada, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Sky1. The episode was written by series creator Chris Carter, and directed by Robert Mandel. As the pilot, it would set up the mythology storyline for the series. The episode earned a Nielsen rating of 7.9 and was viewed by 7.4 million households and 12.0 million viewers. The episode itself was generally well received by fans and critics alike, which led to a growing cult following for the series before it hit the mainstream.

The pilot introduced the two main characters, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who were portrayed by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson respectively. The episode also featured William B. Davis, Charles Cioffi and Zachary Ansley as the recurring characters of the Smoking Man, Scott Blevins and Billy Miles. The Smoking Man would go on to become the series' signature antagonist, appearing in every season except the eighth. The episode follows FBI Special Agents Mulder and Scully on their first X-File case together, investigating a string of deaths which Mulder believes to be alien experiments.