S1 E7: Ghost in the Machine
The C.O.S. (Central Operating System), a super computer located at the headquarters of a software company begins a murderous rampage in the name of self-preservation after concerns of its ability begin within the company. It's up to the agents to destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands.
Let's take a trip back to 1993. The anxieties about technology chronicled in shows like Black Mirror are much, much different than what was being presented in an era before smartphones and widespread access to the internet. Technology changes in the blink of an eye. As a result plenty of beloved films and TV shows become time capsules of a bygone era. X-Files is no exception here with Ghost in the Machine.
Invasive technology as a concept is as relevant as ever. However the writers of this episode admit they weren't the most tech savvy so the concept is half-baked at best. The episode has far too many threads that don't pay off in any meaningful way. Mulder and Scully are brought onto the case by Jerry Lamana, Mulder's old partner on Violent Crimes. While this conflict was done in Squeeze with Scully rejecting her former-colleague-turned-ambitious-jerk to show that Scully is dedicated to working on the X-Files, this time we don't learn anything new about Mulder.
On top of Mulder's ex-partner being introduced to SPOILERS *die* SPOILERS, the Department of Defense is trying to get their hands on the COS and it's prodigal creator and Eurisko founder, Brad Wilczek. There are some heavy-handed political messages here, including Wilczek drawing comparisons to Robert Oppenheimer's regrets about developing the atomic bomb. What if technology...bad? Deep Throat's appearance here felt so out of place as well.
In conclusion this episode tries to be a cautionary tale about ambition, greed, and technology but fails to really pay off on any of those themes. Sure, there's a price that comes with innovation and how that technology is ultimately used but that's never fully addressed or demonstrated throughout the episode. I don't fault the show for trying; this is 1993 we're talking about. Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey with HAL are still unnerving to this day so it's possible to effectively blend sci-fi and horror but unfortunately this X-Files episode falls into the category of media that's aged poorly.
Episode Rating: 1/5
Let's take a trip back to 1993. The anxieties about technology chronicled in shows like Black Mirror are much, much different than what was being presented in an era before smartphones and widespread access to the internet. Technology changes in the blink of an eye. As a result plenty of beloved films and TV shows become time capsules of a bygone era. X-Files is no exception here with Ghost in the Machine.
Invasive technology as a concept is as relevant as ever. However the writers of this episode admit they weren't the most tech savvy so the concept is half-baked at best. The episode has far too many threads that don't pay off in any meaningful way. Mulder and Scully are brought onto the case by Jerry Lamana, Mulder's old partner on Violent Crimes. While this conflict was done in Squeeze with Scully rejecting her former-colleague-turned-ambitious-jerk to show that Scully is dedicated to working on the X-Files, this time we don't learn anything new about Mulder.
On top of Mulder's ex-partner being introduced to SPOILERS *die* SPOILERS, the Department of Defense is trying to get their hands on the COS and it's prodigal creator and Eurisko founder, Brad Wilczek. There are some heavy-handed political messages here, including Wilczek drawing comparisons to Robert Oppenheimer's regrets about developing the atomic bomb. What if technology...bad? Deep Throat's appearance here felt so out of place as well.
In conclusion this episode tries to be a cautionary tale about ambition, greed, and technology but fails to really pay off on any of those themes. Sure, there's a price that comes with innovation and how that technology is ultimately used but that's never fully addressed or demonstrated throughout the episode. I don't fault the show for trying; this is 1993 we're talking about. Movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey with HAL are still unnerving to this day so it's possible to effectively blend sci-fi and horror but unfortunately this X-Files episode falls into the category of media that's aged poorly.
Episode Rating: 1/5
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