It was one of those things that went viral in the early-to-mid 1990s just as the internet was becoming a widespread thing that more people were gaining access to. The first Internet Fandom Wave was X Files and Highlander and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; the second wave started with the Lord Of The Rings films and Harry Potter, and so on. It was part of an experience that is inextricably linked to that time period - and if they weren't a part of that whole zeitgeist, I'm not sure it would hold as much meaning to anyone just discovering it and getting into it now. I mean, someone could discover X Files now and like it, but from 1994 to the end of 1999, it was a thing. (Chris Carter really should have voluntarily ended it at on a high note at the end of the 7th season, IMHO. Also, ending it before seasons 8-9 would mean no Adam Baldwin, which would have been a win for everyone!)

However, it's problematic for all the reasons I described, and I really think it ended up doing more harm than good.