"The X Files" Ghost in the Machine (1993)

Director:

Jerrold Freedman

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator)
Alex Gansa (written by) ...

TV Series:

"The X Files" (1993)

Original Air Date:

29 October 1993 (Season 1, Episode 6)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

The chairman of Eurisko, a computer corporation, is found electrocuted in an executive bathroom. An old partner of Mulder's asks him to help...

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | FBI | FBI Agent | Alien | X Files

Cast

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 Nancy Spiller
Marc Baur	...	Man in Suit
Bill Finck	...	Sandwich Man
Theodore Thomas	...	Clyde

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The elevator doesn't say "level 13" as it goes up the Eurisko building.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: 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.

Movie Connections:

References 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

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