Ghost in the Machine (29 Oct. 1993)
"The X Files" Ghost in the Machine (original title)

Mulder and Scully are asked by Mulder's old partner Agent Jerry Lamana for help on a case. Benjamin Drake chairman of Eurisko, a major computer company, was electrocuted at the office. The ... See full summary »

Director:

Jerrold Freedman

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator), Alex Gansa,

Stars:

David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Jerry Hardin

Cast

Episode cast overview:
David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
Jerry Hardin	...	Deep Throat
Rob LaBelle	...	Brad Wilczek
Wayne Duvall	...	Agent Jerry Lamana
Blu Mankuma	...	Claude Peterson
Tom Butler	...	Benjamin Drake
Gillian Barber	...	Agent Jane Spiller
Marc Baur	...	Man in Suit
Bill Finck	...	Sandwich Man
Theodore Thomas	...	Clyde

Storyline

Mulder and Scully are asked by Mulder's old partner Agent Jerry Lamana for help on a case. Benjamin Drake chairman of Eurisko, a major computer company, was electrocuted at the office. The dead man was a personal friend of the Attorney General and Jerry doesn't want to mess up on such a high profile case. Computer genius Brad Wilczek co-founded the company with Drake and had a falling out over the direction of the company. Mulder wonders is someone might have hacked into the Eurisko building's elaborate computer system to use it to electrocute Drake. He turns to his new contact, Deep Throat, to try and figure out what is going on.

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Plot Keywords:

video surveillance | electrocution | locked in | water overflowing | journal | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1993 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 2, North Shore Studios, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Ten Thirteen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At approximately 30'35", the book Scully is reading on her bed is, The Obstacle Course, written by J.F. Freedman, who is also known as Jerrold Freedman, the director.

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Goofs

At 13:23 on the DVD version of the episode when Mulder and Scully are questioning Brad Wilczek, he wants to show them the computer system that runs his house. The shot of the computer monitor reveals the behind the scenes crew in the reflection just before Wilczek turns the screen on.

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Connections

References 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

User Reviews

Who cares?

The ultimate rule for me when it comes to judging fiction of any sort is if the material gives me a reason to care. Just anything of interest in the story which is worth my time spent reading or watching it or listening to it. "Ghost in the Machine" features absolutely nothing that makes me want to watch it again; the villain is merely a third rate copy of HAL9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey", there is nothing important to Mulder or Scully in this episode, and even Deep Throat is completely wasted.

The Topps comics X-Files series issue #13 is called "One Player Only" and also deals with artificial intelligence (the story is somewhat similar in several ways, actually), and it's a solid piece of fiction. What absolutely fascinates me about this script by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa is that it completely lacks any inventiveness or originality whatsoever, or even any distinctive dialogue. It's the worst sort of hack job because it's barely ever laughable or corny (dated, sure, but not overly cheesy), but it IS completely boring from start to finish. It's shot quite well, though, and they should have hired the director for a better episode.

Absolute nonsense.

3/10