The X-Files

731 (2) - S3-E10

Revealing mistake: At the very beginning of the scene when the bomb is shown, in the lower part of the screen a moving red spot appears which probably comes from the reflection of the bomb's red diode in the camera. (00:36:50)

Chop Luftmysza

731 (2) - S3-E10

Revealing mistake: When Mulder finds the Japanese doctor dead on the floor of the train bathroom, the man's eyes are open. Just before the shot cuts to the girl and boy at the door, he closes his eyes.

Avatar - S3-E21

Revealing mistake: As Dana Scully is examining the dead woman found in bed with Skinner, she observes a strange luminescent glow on the woman's nose and lips. It's apparent that this glow was added digitally; but the digital effect is "drifting" around the dead woman's face, seemingly out of sync with the video. Similar "drifting" digital effect problems are seen in other X-Files episodes.

Charles Austin Miller

Wetwired - S3-E23

Revealing mistake: In the opening sequence, a man who is hallucinating badly is apprehended by the police. They find a dead blonde woman in the trunk of the man's car. In a close-up of the dead woman, all the dried blood on her face is an added digital effect; however, the dried blood "drifts" around, seemingly out-of-sync with the video. Similar "drifting" digital effect problems are seen in other X-Files episodes.

Charles Austin Miller

Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man - S4-E7

Revealing mistake: As the smoking man sits on a bench after finding out his story was rewritten, there are mountains visible in the background. Atop one of the buildings in the background is a Canadian flag waving in the wind. This show was shot in Vancouver, but is set in Washington D.C. There are no tall mountains that close to D.C.

manthabeat

The X-Files mistake picture

Unrequited - S4-E16

Revealing mistake: The handle and latch next to the supposedly working intercom on the chain-link security gate entrance to the "White Hand" facility is obviously non-functioning - when the gate is opened it can be seen there are no functional operating parts. (00:08:40 - 00:09:15)

Detour - S5-E4

Revealing mistake: When Agent Kinsley finds Mulder and Scully in the hole, you can tell the forest background behind him is a blue screen because he has a white outline around his head, particularly noticeable by his hair, making him look very superimposed. (00:38:40)

Phaneron

Christmas Carol (1) - S5-E6

Revealing mistake: The dead Mrs. Sim is supposed to be nude in the bathtub, but for a brief second, a glimpse of her head and shoulders reveals the very top of a flesh-coloured modesty wrap covering her breasts. This may not be visible in a non-widescreen format release.

Purple_Girl

Bad Blood - S5-E12

Revealing mistake: When the doctor examine Ronnie's "corpse" in the morgue, he pulls out the stake. It is quite obvious that he's struggling with a wooden stake that is placed on the actor's side, not through his chest. Moreover, the camera pans up and you can briefly see Ronnie's unharmed chest.

The Red and the Black (2) - S5-E14

Revealing mistake: It seems that in the first shot the doctor injects something into the vaccine vial rather than extracting from it since the syringe plunger is moving inwards instead of outwards. In the next shot one can see that the syringe is being filled with the vaccine, however the arrangement of doctor's fingers is suitable for injection, which strongly suggests that the scene is played backwards. (00:17:55)

Chop Luftmysza

All Souls - S5-E17

Revealing mistake: During the autopsy, right after Scully has the vision of her daughter, the body of Paula Koklos can be seen to move (watch her hands and neck). (00:24:05)

Dreamland (1) - S6-E4

Revealing mistake: When Mulder - whilst trapped in the body of Morris Fletcher - is doing various poses in front of the mirror, several of his movements and the corresponding movements from the realized reflection of Morris Fletcher are slightly out of sync with each other.

Phaneron

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Trivia: The Cancer Man smokes Morley cigarettes, a fake brand that has appeared in a number of TV shows and movies since the '60s.

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Question: In a vast majority of the episodes, whenever Mulder and Scully investigate some mysterious or paranormal phenomenon, Mulder believes that some unknown force is responsible but Scully always has a rational explanation for what is happening. In other episodes, when Scully herself is caught up in something mysterious, she is the believer but Mulder is the skeptic. In those episodes, why would Mulder be skeptical about an unexplained phenomenon considering that he a was witness to his own sisters abduction and he saw many strange things that defied explanation while working for the F.B.I.?

Answer: As he stated many times throughout the series, Mulder needed Scully to be sober and skeptical. Whenever Scully's skepticism wavered and she started questioning her own rationality, Mulder would try to restore her sense of skepticism, because he needed her to be clear-thinking.

Charles Austin Miller

Answer: A variety of reasons. Just because Scully saw something unusual does not mean that it was. Mulder always needs concrete proof before he'll believe there's some otherworldly explanation for unexplained phenomena. He's too experienced to take a novice's explanation as fact. It is also a plot by device by the writers to switch the tables on the characters to make it more interesting and to let viewers see another side of their relationship.

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