Salvage is not that good. This episode just does not do it for me. Did the writers just decide to do some Robert Patrick/Terminator 2 tribute episode? That's what it feels like, complete with Doggett's "Metal Man" line, a heavy-handed reference to T2.
If I was supposed to feel sympathy for Ray Pearce, I didn't. If I wasn't, well, I didn't anyway. I could not stand the actress playing his wife, Nora Pearce. She is way too melodramatic. You'd think she was on a daytime soap opera, not The X-Files. Unfortunately, Ray didn't try to kill her. I did feel sympathy for the chick at the halfway house who was only trying to help him. This guy just goes on a killing spree for people he "feels" are responsible for his condition, without any proof. A scene I did like was how Ray was shaving with nail clippers. Cool effect.
I can't remember how often Agent Doggett busts out his knife in the X-Files, but in this episode he uses it twice. It can't be all that often, since I noticed it. Another thing I noticed with my most recent viewing of Salvage is the music. Even in a bad episode, Mark Snow manages to class up the episode with his music.
The story in Salvage wasn't interesting, the characters weren't sympathetic, and there was some poor acting, most notably by the actress playing Nora. However, the effects and make-up were above average which makes Salvage salvageable.