David LaChapelle

TV | Pop Culture | 90s

Forgotten 'X-Files' Photoshoot Is Literally The Most '90s Thing You'll Ever See

David LaChapelle

Don't get me wrong, the '90s were an incredible decade (the best decade, let's be real), and we were so lucky to get to experience it. But it was also, hands down, the weirdest time to be alive.

What more needs to be said, really?Mercury/Polygram

While 2017 was pretty wild, and 2018 only promises to be worse, there's no way that anything happening now could ever hold a candle to some of the things the '90s threw our way.

Given the decade's obsession with all things bizarre and strange, it makes perfect sense that a show about all things weird and creepy like The X-Files would become so popular. Every week we'd tune in to see what paranormal mystery would have to be solved by TV's most iconic duo, Mulder and Scully.

Name a more iconic duo. I'll wait.20th Century Fox

Over the past 25 years, the show has given us nine seasons, two movies, and one (soon to be two) ten-episode "return" seasons to try and satisfy our need to believe that "the truth is out there."

But in that time the show has also given us some truly, awe-inspiringly bizarre promotional photos. I mean, just look at some of the photos Mark Seliger took for US Magazine in 1997.

Or this photoshoot they did for a 1996 issue of Rolling Stone that had them cuddling in bed with David Duchovny's dog, Blue (cute!), and also X-Files creator Chris Carter (...um).

Then last week, an Imgur user became the hero 2018 needed by reminding us of the existence of what can only be described as "the most '90s photoshoot to ever exist."

We can all thank spacemike21 for helping bring back these photos taken by renowned photographer David LaChapelle, which honestly look like what happens when you combine The X-Files, the '90s as a decade, and just a little too much acid.

I mean, look at these photos and tell me they're not absolutely incredible.

What is even happening here?David LaChapelle
Whatever it is she looks like she's over it now.David LaChapelle
I don't remember this from any of the episodes....David LaChapelle
The 'X-Files' and 'Man in the Iron Mask' crossover you never knew you wanted.David LaChapelle
I just have so many questions.David LaChapelle
So, so many questions.David LaChapelle
It says a lot that this is the most normal picture from this entire shoot.David LaChapelle
"Eye" just can't look away...David LaChapelle
Real talk, where can I find some leggings like that?David LaChapelle
You know what, I'm done. There are no answers here, only more questions.David LaChapelle

Whether or not you're an X-Files fan, there's no denying that these pictures are practically a time machine back to the perfect weirdness that defined the '90s.

h/t: spacemike21, Bloody Disgusting