The Post-Modern Prometheus (30 Nov. 1997)
"The X Files" The Post-Modern Prometheus (original title)

Mulder and Scully travel to a small town after Mulder receives a letter asking for his help in solving a mystery. The townsfolk believe there is a Frankenstein-type monster living in the ... See full summary »

Director:

Chris Carter

Writers:

Chris Carter (creator), Chris Carter

Stars:

David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, John O'Hurley

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
David Duchovny	...	Fox Mulder
Gillian Anderson	...	Dana Scully
John O'Hurley	...	Dr. Pollidori
Pattie Tierce	...	Shaineh Berkowitz
Stewart Gale	...	Izzy Berkowitz
Chris Giacoletti	...	Booger
Chris Owens	...	Mutato
Dana Grahame	...	Reporter
Jean-Yves Hammel	...	Goat Boy
Tracey Bell	...	Cher
Lloyd Berry	...	Old Man Pollidori
Miriam Smith	...	Elizabeth Pollidori
Xantha Radley	...	Waitress
C. Ernst Harth	...	Huge Man
Jerry Springer	...	Himself

Storyline

Mulder and Scully travel to a small town after Mulder receives a letter asking for his help in solving a mystery. The townsfolk believe there is a Frankenstein-type monster living in the woods and many claim to have seen him. One of the locals has even created a comic book on the creature, which he's called the Great Mutato. Scully of course thinks it's all nonsense but soon changes her mind when they see what appears to be a hideously deformed man in the woods. The episode is filmed in black and white.

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Plot Keywords:

comic book | fruit fly | arson | mob | backfire | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 November 1997 (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:

60 min

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the end of this episode (during the famous dance scene) the song playing is "Walking in Memphis" and sung by Cher.

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Quotes

Dana Scully: Why are you humoring them Mulder?
Fox Mulder: I'm not humoring them, Scully. This is a very serious crime.
Dana Scully: So is perjury. So is calling out F.B.I. agents under false pretenses.
Fox Mulder: For the purpose of what?
Dana Scully: Isn't it obvious? I think what we're seeing here is an example of a culture for whom daytime talk shows and tabloid headlines have become a reality against which they measure their lives. A culture so obsessed by the media and a chance for self-dramatization that they'll do anything in order to gain a ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Almost every episode ends with a fade to black and the words "Executive Producer Chris Carter." At the end of the episode "D.P.O.," a character is flipping through channels on television, and stops on one showing Carter's credit. At the end of the episode "Post-Modern Prometheus", the final shot of Mulder and Scully turns into a comic-book frame, and a hand flips the comic book shut to reveal the book end cover with Carter's credit.

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Connections

Featured in FOX 25th Anniversary Special (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)
written by: Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio
Performed by: Cher

User Reviews

Cher is a moron...

This is one of the better Chris Carter episodes. After this one it seems like he tries to recreate it. The main things I love about this episode are the scenes with the monster dancing to cher, all the animal people, and the mad scientist. The casting is very interesting on this episode. Originally Chris wanted to have Rosanne Bar play the mom and Cher play herself. Can't remember why Rosanne couldn't be in it but I watched some of the Season 9 Special Features discs recently and on one disc there is a guest star retrospective documentary where they talk to a number of the guest stars. Interestingly they interview Cher even though she declined appearing in the episode of "The Post-Modern Prometheus" and she basically says that she didn't do it because she thought the script seemed corny and she wasn't thrilled about playing herself rather than acting but after she saw it she regretted it and wishes she had done it. That's what you get I say. You don't turn down an opportunity to be on the X-Files unless you are a total moron. Anyway the other interesting thing about casting is how many extras they have in this episode playing the animal people. I would love to be on an episode of X-Files. Anyway, I like this episode and I give it 9/10.