Corrected entry: If Tooms can squeeze into a heat register, then why couldn't he slip out of handcuffs?
Phaneron
10th Oct 2023
The X-Files (1993)
4th Dec 2015
The X-Files (1993)
Revealing mistake: The establishing shot of Boston General Hospital at The End of the episode shows the same porte-cochère that was used for the BYU Medical Center in Provo, Utah eight episodes earlier in "Roadrunners." It appears they just digitally inserted this portion of the building over different facades. (00:40:00)
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Suggested correction: These are two different porticos. The columns in the Boston picture show concentric grooves, and the fascia on the front of the roof structure is smooth and rounded. The Provo portico has smooth columns and the front fascia is composed of flat rectangular panels. In both pictures the porticos seem to be well-matched to the building structure and landscaping. It's unlikely that the production would have gone to the considerable expense (in the 1990's!) of a digital enhancement.
I could have worded the entry better, but while it's not the exact same portico, it appears to be the same building, but different entrances. The two structures have the exact same kind of writing on the right side and the overall design of the structures is remarkably similar, with some subtle differences in the columns and fascia, as you pointed out. Seems highly Improbable that a building in Boston and another in Utah that are not supposed to be affiliated with each other would look so alike.
It's also worth pointing out that the shot of the BYU Medical Center from Roadrunners showed the Kansas state flag flying outside the building, suggesting that the crew either had stock footage of the building, or they happened to be in Kansas and filmed the building in question. It's highly unlikely they went to the effort to find stock footage or actually went to a different building with a similar looking portico for the sole purpose of using it as an establishing shot of a different hospital in another episode.
After studying the photos again, I would have to agree that it is probably the same building, probably with an addition added to closely match the original construction. As to the improbability of two hospital architectures being so similar, I would reply that this may be common. I had occasion in the 90s to visit a hospital in East Lansing Michigan and later one in Alexandria Virginia that were virtually identical and owned by different health care systems.
22nd Jun 2020
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: At The End of the episode Scully handcuffs Tooms to the bathtub and Mulder says "he's not gonna get his quota this year" and Tooms seemingly accepts his capture. Given that he can stretch his whole body (and as specifically shown in the episode, his hands/fingers) couldn't Tooms have escaped from the handcuffs?
Correction: He probably could have, but it's not something he can do instantly, and he also has a gun drawn on him. He likely decided it would be better to bide his time and escape later, which he eventually does.
I doubt that's what the filmmakers intended you to think though. It's a slip in the writing.
And how do you know what the filmmakers were thinking? They obviously intended to use the character again since he appears later in the season. If you could slip out of handcuffs, but a federal agent was pointing their gun at you, would you risk death or try to escape at a later time?
Yeh, I'm not gonna pretend that this mistake was solid. Fair enough.
1st Jun 2012
The X-Files (1993)
Plot hole: Agent Spender watches in horror as Alex Krycek stabs the neck of an alien directly in front of him and the usual bubbling green blood spills out. In every other instance of a human being in such close proximity to the green blood, the person has immediately taken a painful reaction to the substance, including severe damage to the eyes. Spender however is completely unaffected, as is Krycek, who was also close enough to feel the effects.
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Suggested correction: The Syndicate is well aware of the effects that the alien blood has on humans and the inherent risk of being exposed to it. They would have inoculated Spender and Krycek in preparation for this.
There was no inoculation ever mentioned to counter the effect of the acidic blood. Also, Spender wouldn't have let someone randomly inject him with something with no explanation, it would be completely out of character, and he was surprised at what happened.
Suggested correction: I think that this is to do with where he is hit. I don't recall anyone suffering the toxic effects when the weak spot at the back of the neck is successfully hit with the spike weapon. When Mulder tried to kill the alien bounty hunter (think it was in Colony?) He missed the weak spot, which is why the blood had an effect on him and the bounty hunter survived.
1st Jun 2012
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: After Mulder storms from the cinema at The End, Scully finds him sitting in the messy, deserted graveyard movie set. However, since the movie was premiering, which happens months after filming is completed, it makes no sense that the set would appear as if it was finished with that same day or that week.
6th Jun 2004
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: In this episode, Mulder and Scully are watching a film about them that was shot sixteen months ago. But that would have been sometime in late 1998, when Mulder and Scully were not on the X-Files. But yet they're in Skinner's office at The Beginning. If they had shot the film in consistency with the current timeline, (2000) then the film would have been shown in late 2001. But in that time, Mulder was missing and Scully had a newborn. if anything, she would have seen the movie with Doggett. Somebody didn't plan ahead... (00:04:05)
Correction: The X-Files were closed at The End of season 5, but Mulder and Scully were still working under A.D. Skinner in the first X-Files movie, which takes place in the summer of 1998. It wasn't until The Beginning of season 6 that they were reassigned to A.D. Kersh. Plus, the case they were working on in this episode wasn't officially an X-File, it was a church bombing, so there's no reason they couldn't have been working on a domestic terrorism case under Skinner. There's no error in the timeline here.
11th Sep 2015
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: Up to this point in the series, Samantha has been shown by the Smoking Man to Fox. In this episode it appears Fox has completely forgotten the fact that he already saw his sister alive on more than one occasion and appears to back on the belief that she's missing and has accepted the fact that she is dead.
17th May 2014
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: Tooms is sneaking into the room through a vent by unscrewing bolts. The problem is that the bolts should be attached directly to the wall and it would be impossible for Tooms to unscrew them. (00:02:00)
28th Aug 2007
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: The worm is supposed to increase production of a violent hormone, making The Host incredibly violent and unable to control it. Yet the infected member of the group manages to hide it perfectly between making their first kill and being discovered by the rest.
Correction: It's explained that The Host becomes violent because of the parasitic worm attacking the hypothalamus gland of the brain. When the infected person is finally discovered, the worm is shown to be making its way back towards their brain, indicating that the worm makes its way around The Host's body, and that The Host can behave normally if the worm is not near the brain.
1st Jun 2012
The X-Files (1993)
Corrected entry: The tv-esque footage of the show is supposed to be being recorded as the investigation goes on, it's not pre-recorded or supposed to be airing as we watch, yet there is a perfectly placed 'blur circle' following the face of the prostitute. That kind of thing is generally done when filming is done and being edited for tv; even if for whatever reason they decided to blur her face during filming, the blur point follows her face perfectly despite her flailing and panicking, which is highly unlikely.
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Correction: Already submitted and corrected. He can't slip out of tight spaces instantly, and when he is arrested, he is surrounded by people with guns who could shoot him on the spot.
Phaneron ★