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Breaking Bad’s Creator Wrote One Of The Greatest TV Crossovers, 8 Years Before The Show Began

July 12, 2025

AThe X-Files crossover that aired in 2000 remains one of the most ambitious and unexpected genre-bending episodes in TV history. Long before multiverse mashups and shared universes became the norm, The X-Files pulled off something bolder: it seamlessly blended its paranormal procedural format with a real-world reality TV aesthetic. What should have been a bizarre one-off gimmick instead became a perfectly executed experiment in how far boundaries can be pushed. However, the genius of The X-Files crossover wasn’t just in its wild concept – it was in who was behind the script.

While many X-Files episodes were written by series creator Chris Carter or staff writers like Frank Spotnitz, this particular crossover came from Vince Gilligan, who would go on to create Breaking Bad. Eight years before Breaking Bad made Walter White (Bryan Cranston) a household name, Gilligan was already showcasing the type of creative risks, tonal control, and boundary-pushing writing that would later define his career. The X-Files season 7 episode “X-Cops” wasn’t just one of the best TV crossovers ever, but an early glimpse into the skills of one of TV’s most highly regarded creative minds.

“X-Cops” Was A Crossover Between The X-Files And The Reality TV Show Cops

The X-Files Perfectly Fit The Chaotic, Unpredictable Structure Of Cops

Season 7, episode 12 of The X-Files, titled “X-Cops,” is easily one of the strangest and most memorable episodes of the entire series – and one of the most inventive TV crossovers ever seen. Airing in February 2000, the episode sees FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigating a mysterious creature in a Los Angeles neighborhood.

However, instead of unfolding like a traditional X-Files story, the entire episode is presented through the lens of Cops, the long-running reality TV show that followed real-life police officers on patrol. From the moment the familiar “Bad Boys” theme song plays over the cold open, it’s clear this isn’t just another monster-of-the-week episode.

The entire format of The X-Files is temporarily reinvented to match Cops’ shaky cam, natural lighting, and documentary-style perspective. Instead of the cinematic visuals that defined the series, viewers get jumpy handheld shots, spontaneous interviews, and officers looking directly into the camera.

It doesn’t mock Cops, nor does it abandon the core mythology of The X-Files

Mulder and Scully themselves are caught in the crosshairs of this format, with Mulder leaning into the spectacle and Scully clearly resenting the intrusion of the TV crew. This clever structure is more than a gimmick: it allows the episode to explore themes of perception, fear, and public image while still delivering a creepy urban legend-style antagonist.

What makes “X-Cops” so effective as a crossover between The X-Files and Cops is that it respects both shows. It doesn’t mock Cops, nor does it abandon the core mythology of The X-Files. Instead, it commits fully to the format, allowing the absurdity to serve the story.

Even the creature itself – a shapeshifting fear-based entity that ended up being one of The X-Files scariest monsters – fits perfectly within the format, since it thrives on what people are most afraid of, just as the camera captures what people most want to be seen hiding. It’s a brilliant narrative synthesis that manages to parody, homage, and terrify all at once.

The X-Files/Cops Crossover Was Written By Vince Gilligan

Breaking Bad Creator Vince Gilligan Wrote The Episode Years Before Walter White Existed

While “X-Cops” might seem like a bold experiment dreamed up in a writers’ room looking to shake things up, it was actually the brainchild of Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. At the time, Gilligan was a regular contributor to The X-Files. With “X-Cops,” however, Gilligan didn’t just write another case for Mulder and Scully – he completely reinvented how one could be told.

While many TV crossover episodes rely on easy gimmicks or fan service, “X-Cops” proved Gilligan could take a risky concept and turn it into something that genuinely elevated the storytelling. What makes “X-Cops” even more impressive is how well it holds up. With an IMDb score of 8.4, it remains one of the highest-rated episodes of season 7, often appearing on fan-curated lists of the best X-Files episodes ever made.

“X-Cops” feels like a glimpse into Gilligan’s future as a showrunner.

The X-Files crossover with Cops is beloved not just because it’s different, but because it’s clever, surprisingly emotional, and packed with sharp satire about media, fear, and the performance of public duty. Vince Gilligan’s script walks a tonal tightrope – one moment hilarious, the next eerie and intense. That balance would later become his signature on Breaking Bad, which blended black comedy with psychological drama in similarly groundbreaking ways.

In hindsight, “X-Cops” feels like a glimpse into Gilligan’s future as a showrunner. Just as Breaking Bad would later reinvent the antihero drama and Better Call Saul would upend expectations of a spinoff, “X-Cops” showed Gilligan’s talent for genre subversion and narrative innovation.

It’s no surprise he would later bring a similar level of boldness to characters like Walter White and Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). Before Albuquerque and meth labs, he was already reshaping TV – with a camcorder and a monster hiding in the dark.

The “X-Cops” Episode Was The Best X-Files Crossover

The Show Had Other Crossovers, But None Matched The Impact Or Creativity Of “X-Cops”

The X-Files has dabbled in crossovers before and after “X-Cops,” but none have come close to matching its brilliance. Throughout its long run, the series intersected with shows like Millennium, The Lone Gunmen, and even The Simpsons, yet most of these efforts either leaned too hard on lore or felt like side projects rather than meaningful experiments.

For example, the crossover with Millennium in the season 7 episode “Millennium” was more of a send-off for Lance Henriksen’s character Frank Black than a true blending of two series. Similarly, the appearance of characters from The Lone Gunmen in multiple X-Files episodes always felt more like internal spin-off synergy than a bold storytelling risk.

That’s why the “X-Cops” episode of The X-Files stands so far above the rest. It didn’t just include characters or references from another show – it adopted an entirely new structure and tone. The crossover element was inseparable from the narrative. The fact that The X-Files was able to fully morph into Cops for 44 minutes, without losing its identity, is what makes “X-Cops” a true creative triumph. It wasn’t just a crossover; it was a complete transformation.

Every Time X-Files Crossed Over With Another TV Show

As one of the most popular shows of the 1990s, The X-Files ended up crossing over with several other programs, and here’s the full rundown.

What’s even more impressive is how rewatchable it remains. Many experimental episodes of TV lose their charm once the novelty wears off, but “X-Cops” still hits all the right notes – the humor, the social commentary, and the creeping tension. What’s more, while The X-Files has given fans plenty of memorable monsters, none are quite as unique as the fear creature, precisely because it mirrors the episode’s themes so well.

In a show built on paranoia, skepticism, and the unknown, “X-Cops” managed to add a new layer of critique, not just of government and the paranormal, but of the media itself. That’s why The X-Files crossover with Cops remains the gold standard for blending TV shows – a high bar that few others have been able to match since.