If You Love 'The X-Files,' Watch Elizabeth Debicki's Supernatural Sci-Fi Drama Series

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The unexplainable is the main draw of The X-Files, and any fans of the show can likely attest that they have been drawn to the strange and unusual ongoings of the world. The things that others turn a blind eye to, they put under a microscope. The things others call nothing but folklore and ghost stories, they call intrigue. Yes, the series led by David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as agents Mulder and Scully, respectively, has always embraced the world of conspiracy and encouraged audiences to do the same. So, if you've found yourself craving more of the spookiness that The X-Files supplied in plenty, look no further than the Elizabeth Debicki-led series The Kettering Incident.

‘The Kettering Incident’ Follows a Similar Backstory to ‘The X-Files’

Both The Kettering Incident and The X-Files are supernatural mysteries, but that’s not the only thing that makes them such good companion pieces. Anna Macy, the main character in The Kettering Incident, actually has a very similar backstory to Mulder. When she was just 14 years old, her best friend inexplicably disappeared. Her disappearance came soon after the pair saw strange lights in the sky, hinting at a potential alien abduction. Similarly, Mulder was 12 years old when he witnessed his 8-year-old sister Samantha’s extraterrestrial abduction.

As adults, both Anna and Mulder are determined to uncover the secrets behind the respective disappearances. Anna returns to town just as another local girl goes missing, which prompts her to delve headfirst into the mystery that has plagued her for 15 years, as well as uncover the seedy underbelly of the town of Kettering. For Mulder, Samantha’s disappearance kicked off his lifelong obsession with proving extraterrestrial life exists, as well as his general belief in most conspiracies.

Everything Is Not As It Seems in Both 'The X-Files' and 'The Kettering Incident'

One of the most fascinating aspects of The X-Files was how often the show left things just as unexplained as they were at the start. Sure, Scully and Mulder would do some investigation, but sometimes there just wasn’t a conclusion to be found, which just proved Mulder’s theory of the supernatural all the more. The unsolved mystery aspect also plays into Mulder’s history and his sister’s disappearance, as no matter how hard he searches, he never quite uncovers the answers he so desperately craves. The Kettering Incident is similar in this. As previously mentioned, it also begins with an unsolved and unexplained disappearance. But when Anna returns to the town of Kettering, she slowly begins to uncover more unfathomable secrets she must get to the bottom of in order to protect others from a similar unknown fate.

These mysteries and their ever-unravelling spiderweb haunt our respective characters throughout their shows, and the psychological effects follow them throughout. We don’t get nearly as much time with Anna as we do with Mulder, since The Kettering Incident, unfortunately, only had one season. But we do dig deep into her as a character and how her past affects her, as the town’s strange ongoings force her to confront long-suppressed memories. Memories reveal that Anna’s world may not be what it seems after all, leaving her to question what’s real, and who to trust — something that Mulder often found himself struggling with.

Elizabeth Debicki as Anna Macy in the supernatural mystery series The Kettering Incident

If you’re even remotely skeptical about The Kettering Incident, watch it if only for Elizabeth Debicki’s standout performance in it. Her portrayal of Anna Macy is so layered and nuanced that it immediately draws you in. Anna is a deeply wounded character, she’s traumatized by her friend’s seemingly unexplainable disappearance years ago, and there’s so far been no way of finding out what happened to her. We see her grapple with her guilt and grief over the situation, the things she could have done differently, the things she saw, and the things she thinks she saw, all the while trying to stop the very same thing from happening to other people. Debicki makes Anna an easy character to root for and showcases her strength in even her most vulnerable moments, which is never an easy feat.

The X-Files and The Kettering Incident have their differences, of course, but if you’re looking for a series that gives a similar feeling and explores the spooky and strange, then The Kettering Incident is worth the watch. And given that it’s only one season, it’s a quick watch that delivers all of the supernatural thrills you can ask for, complete with top-tier performances and a dark, moody mystery to keep your attention hooked as it slowly unravels.

The Kettering Incident is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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