“Ghost in the Machine” – Season 1 Ep. 7

 

Scully: “How come you two went your separate ways?”

Mulder: “I’m a pain in the ass to work with.”

Scully: “Seriously.”

Mulder: “I’m not a pain in the ass? We had different career goals. Jerry wanted the fifth floor.”

Scully: “And you?”

Mulder: “I was gunning for a basement office with no heat or windows.”

Written by: Alex Gansa & Howard Gordon

Directed by: Jerrold Freedman

 

Original Air Date: October 29th, 1993

 

Episode Setting: Crystal City, Virginia

Quick Synopsis:

Before there was The Matrix, “Ghost in the Machine” rages on to the pop culture scene, giving us its best mimic of Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey. We are introduced to Brad Wilczek, the “scruffy mind” as he calls himself, that designed the computer program COS (Central Operating System). It’s basically an advanced computer system that controls the building’s security and daily functions–so we think. We find that COS can think on it’s on by electrifying the senior executive after a heated argument with Wilczek.

Mulder’s old partner makes an introduction, Agent Jerry Lamana (Wayne Duvall), who persuades Mulder to help him solve this mysterious murder. Jerry is crafty and ends up stealing Mulder’s case analysis to impress the bureau. As, the agents learn more from Wilczek about COS, they determine he is smart enough to design this advanced program, but not out to hurt anyone.

After an unfortunante death of Agent Lamana, as COS takes over the elevator and he plunges to his demise, the feds get involved and cut all access to the building or Wilczek’s house. Mulder decides to break into Eurisko (why do all shady companies start with an ‘E’?). They get locked out of a door, and Scully bravely climbs into the air duct, harkening back to Die Hard, but things go wrong as the air fan kicks on and she nearly gets sucked into it. She manages to nearly escape, and save Mulder as he is being held hostage by the crazy security manager. Scully must make a choice between keeping the advanced “A.I.” machine alive or install a virus to kill it. She tells Mulder to destroy the program, and it dies a slow, annoying, beeping and high pitched death. Or is it only pretending to be destroyed?

Personal Commentary:

This is another rather weak episode in Season 1. The story goes in so many directions, with one tangent focusing on Mulder and his old partner’s relationship, another on Wilczek’s philosophy on “A.I.” machines, and thirdly the government trying to keep it all hush hush.

The second appearance by Deep Throat (Jerry Hardin) feels a bit wasted, in him telling Mulder what he already knows and explaining the government doesn’t want this A.I. getting into the wrong hands.

The best part is Scully saving the day, seeing her with very big hair and a greasy face from her near death air vent excursion, as she holds her gun at the security manager demanding they destroy the machine.

Episode Grade: C

Favorite Scene: 

Don’t really have a favorite scene in this one, so here’s the very outdated and cheesy TV promo from ’93.

Fun Facts:

• Dana Scully says her FBI ID# is ‘2317-616’. 616 is the area code for Grand Rapids, Michigan, where ‘Gillian Anderson’ went to High School.
• The first time on the show in which Scully fires her gun.
• An elevated train is seen in some background shots in Crystal City, VA. There is no elevated train in Crystal City or the rest of Arlington. The train shown is actually the Vancouver SkyTrain.

Faces You May Recognize:

• Jerry Hardin (Deep Throat) is known for being in The Firm and Big Trouble in Little China. Although, my personal favorite is him playing Gary Tucker and Professor Cooper in The Golden Girls.