Millennials get a lot of flak for being overly nostalgic, but I don’t think that’s fair. When the modern-day world has nothing to offer us but AI slop, shrinkflation and a sad acceptance that we can’t be bothered to do anything about global warming. It’s easy to see why we yearn for the days of Pogs, the Backstreet Boys, and Saved by the Bell.
One area that we definitely had it good in the 90s was sci-fi, when legendary shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stargate SG-1, and — of course — The X-Files ruled our TV screens long before the age of streaming services. You can relive those glory days of alien conspiracies, spooky happenings and cell phones the size of a brick with the Lego Ideas The X-Files set.
This 1478 piece set is essentially two dioramas crammed into a single display piece. The top of the model depicts a spinning UFO floating above one of those iconic coniferous forests that dominated 90s sci-fi. Why? Because — thanks to some generous tax credits — it was cheaper to shoot in Vancouver, so that’s where they all flocked.
Beneath the woodland scene, though, is the real star of the show: Mulder’s office, squirrelled away in the basement of the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. This dingy little office is where Scully meets “Spooky Mulder”, kicking off a glorious sci-fi odyssey that would last for eleven seasons (and two movies).
Mulder’s dingy little base of operations has been stunningly recreated here, with both overt references and subtle nods that X-Files fans will appreciate. The iconic “I want to believe” poster adorns the wall, alongside photographs of crop circles and a newspaper clipping from a paper called “The Lone Brickman” — a nice nod to “The Lone Gunmen“. There’s even an actual X-File sitting on the desk, and a cute Lego spoof of the “Face on Mars”, with a photo on the wall that shows a Lego head on the moon.
(Image credit: Future (Ian Stokes))
It’s been a hot minute since I watched The X-Files (that DVD box set beside my TV is calling to me), but even so, I had a blast building my way down memory lane, remembering episodes as I assembled the diorama. I love the little touches, like the display cabinets filled with artifacts, the VHS tapes scattered around the office and the black oil spillage on the floor.
As with most Lego sets, the minifigures are half the joy. You get Mulder and Scully, obviously, with the dynamic duo of FBI agents both rocking flashlights (no smartphones with built-in lights back in the 90s). Mulder is wearing dark blue, while Scully is rocking an orangey brown suit, with both of them sporting an FBI badge.
Outside of the principal pair, you also get Skinner, Mr X, and the Cigarette Smoking Man. Mulder’s partner-turned-nemesis Alex Krycek also gets a suitably devious-looking minifig. It’s the gloves, they just make him look like a bad man (which, to be fair, he is). Finally, to ramp up the paranormal scale, we also get a pair of monster minifigs: a grey alien and Flukeman minifigures. The grey alien was a must-have, especially given the UFO floating atop this display piece, but the one-off monster of the week, Flukeman, felt like a weird choice.
(Image credit: Future (Ian Stokes))
Also, this John Doggett erasure will not stand. Sure, he could never replace Mulder, but Robert Patrick’s seasons eight and nine run was excellent and he deserved a spot here.
And while I’m voicing minor gripes, the usual Lego FOMO tricks were in force with this set; if you pre-ordered, you got an exclusive gift set — Scully’s Lab — free of charge. This extra little diorama isn’t necessary, but it does feel like the collection is incomplete without it and it’s not for sale separately, so you’ll have to try your luck with eBay scalpers if you want it.
Speaking of Scully, Gillian Anderson has stated that after season 11 wrapped in 2018, she was done with the role. That wasn’t entirely accurate, though, as she donned the lab gloves one more time for the Lego X-Files set advert. It’s a short bit of fan service, but a nice touch, and, once again, it sparks those 90s neurons.
All these delicious Member Berries come at a price, though, and that’s the price. This blast from the past will set you back $199 (£179 in the UK). That’s no small chunk of change. But then again, anyone who wants this set is in their thirties or forties and can probably afford that outlay for the nostalgia trip. And look at it this way: when The X-Files debuted back in 1993, the price would only have been about $86.
I had a great time building the Lego X-Files set and if you’re a fan of the series, you will too. Nostalgia often feels like a cheat code to our hearts, but there’s nothing wrong with that. We deserve to remember the good times and the truth is that The X-Files was about as good as it ever got for sci-fi fans.
You can buy the Lego X-Files set now, available for $199/£179 from the Lego store.