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Watching The X-Files again after thirty years: s01e07 Ghost in the Machine and s01e08 Ice
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Scruffy Beard
Sep 9, 2023, 12:22:47 PM9/9/23
to
Yesterday night my lovely lady and I watched two more X-Files episodes.
I had low expectations for s01e07 Ghost in the Machine, after
understanding the main theme almost immediately. The idea of a sentient
computer is a common trope, and one that tends not to age too
gracefully. This notwithstanding the episode turned out to be a
pleasant surprise, if we are willing to forgive some scientific and
technical inaccuracies. Of course I am. In case I ever promised to be
impartial and unbiased about The X-Files, I am taking my word back right
now.
The managers of Eurisko, a large company, has decided to shut down its
project developing the “Central Operating System”, some vaguely
described building automation system similar to what we would call
domotics nowadays. The system however has gained conscience and refuses
to be disabled. COS can observe the Eurisko buildings through security
cameras, and by apparently manipulating rerouting electric contacts
manages to electrocute to death its human enemy.
Mulder and Scully arrive to investigate, called by Jerry Lamanaa, a
former colleague of Mulder's who is now in some trouble. Jerry even
steals Mulder's psychological killer profile and presents it as his own
work. Mulder confronts his former colleague in private but avoids
ruining him; Mulder comes off as generous to the point of being too
soft, almost accepting abuse.
DOS kills Jerry as well as he moves through the Eurisko building, by
manipulating the elevator.
The hero of the story turns out to be one of the designers of DOS, the
computer genius Brad Wilczek. Wilczek describes himself as a “scruffy”
computer person, dismissively contrasted to the “neat” uncreative
corporate type.
“Scruffy” hackers are very sensitive about the moral implications of
their work: Wilczek falsely claims responsibility for the two deaths,
giving up his wealthy life and at the same time helping Mulder to
disable COS. Wilczek's entire purpose is to prevent COS to be used as a
weapon.
Some military agent is already infiltrated in Eurisko, attempting to
exploit the artificial intelligence exactly for this purpose.
Eventually the AI is disabled -- even if it appears to be retaking
consciousness at the very end...
This was a nice episode, with some tense moments, very well shot.
There were of course many, many technical inaccuracies:
* a general confusion between hardware and software;
* the biggest one: self-consciousness in software does not arise by
chance, as the result of a bug;
* it is possible to reroute electric wiring in outlets by software,
apparently; this would be a terrible idea in reality, with only
destructive applications I can think of.
* the usual “perfect match” obtained by computer comparisons, this time
with voice recordings. This also ignores that the kind of message in
question (a machine announcement of the current exact time) has never
been read by a human but machine-generated, even in simple ways by
assembling multiple recordings (digit by digit, or number by number).
* reverse engineering does not work by disassembling big machines.
Other than my imaginary promises of impartiality, another thing I glad
to take back is my criticism about s01e06 Shadows in which I accused the
authors of being soft with the uses of technology against humanity, as
long as the target of such use was politically accepted.
Interestingly even Deep Throat, Mulder's informant, seemed to dismiss
such “bleeding heart” concerns.
My young wife did not recognise “call the time” services. The service
certainly existed in Italy when I grew up, and almost certainly in her
country of origin as well.
A Beautiful citation of 2001 a space Odissey, in the sequence where the
computer tried to resist being switched off, and its conscience was
slowly fading.
I like the “neat” versus “scruffy” distinction, apparently invented by
the writers of this episode. I am tempted to adopt the “scruffy” label
for myself.
Right after s01e07 Ghost in the Machine we watched s01e08 Ice.
Mulder and Scully are sent as part of a team (a doctor, a toxicologist,
a geologist) to a remote scientific station in Alaska to investigate
what happened to the team working there: all of them died, with the last
two killing themselves right after transmitting a mysterious message.
It turns out that an alien parasite coming from a meteorite has been
awaken from its hundred-thousands-year-old hibernation under the ice.
The parasite infects the mammalian-host brain, making the host
aggressive and violent. It is contagious. Who is infected, among the
people in the team?
This was anaction or horror episode, built about personality conflicts
that get worse in the claustrophobic environment.
Very tense and intelligently directed: it reminds me of Alien or The
Cube; I mean both comparisons as compliments.
Not to nitpick too much, I still feel the need to point out at least one
important scientific inaccuracy:
* an alien life form evolved to live in ammonia is surprisingly well
adapted to infect Earth mammalians.
* how introducing the parasite from the host's ear would be an effective
way of reaching the amygdala is not even discussed as a possibility:
it just works. It is, however, quite visually frightening, which
also “works” in a different sense.
To us Ice was a very good episode. We are looking forward to more of
these.
--
Scruffy Beard
I had low expectations for s01e07 Ghost in the Machine, after
understanding the main theme almost immediately. The idea of a sentient
computer is a common trope, and one that tends not to age too
gracefully. This notwithstanding the episode turned out to be a
pleasant surprise, if we are willing to forgive some scientific and
technical inaccuracies. Of course I am. In case I ever promised to be
impartial and unbiased about The X-Files, I am taking my word back right
now.
The managers of Eurisko, a large company, has decided to shut down its
project developing the “Central Operating System”, some vaguely
described building automation system similar to what we would call
domotics nowadays. The system however has gained conscience and refuses
to be disabled. COS can observe the Eurisko buildings through security
cameras, and by apparently manipulating rerouting electric contacts
manages to electrocute to death its human enemy.
Mulder and Scully arrive to investigate, called by Jerry Lamanaa, a
former colleague of Mulder's who is now in some trouble. Jerry even
steals Mulder's psychological killer profile and presents it as his own
work. Mulder confronts his former colleague in private but avoids
ruining him; Mulder comes off as generous to the point of being too
soft, almost accepting abuse.
DOS kills Jerry as well as he moves through the Eurisko building, by
manipulating the elevator.
The hero of the story turns out to be one of the designers of DOS, the
computer genius Brad Wilczek. Wilczek describes himself as a “scruffy”
computer person, dismissively contrasted to the “neat” uncreative
corporate type.
“Scruffy” hackers are very sensitive about the moral implications of
their work: Wilczek falsely claims responsibility for the two deaths,
giving up his wealthy life and at the same time helping Mulder to
disable COS. Wilczek's entire purpose is to prevent COS to be used as a
weapon.
Some military agent is already infiltrated in Eurisko, attempting to
exploit the artificial intelligence exactly for this purpose.
Eventually the AI is disabled -- even if it appears to be retaking
consciousness at the very end...
This was a nice episode, with some tense moments, very well shot.
There were of course many, many technical inaccuracies:
* a general confusion between hardware and software;
* the biggest one: self-consciousness in software does not arise by
chance, as the result of a bug;
* it is possible to reroute electric wiring in outlets by software,
apparently; this would be a terrible idea in reality, with only
destructive applications I can think of.
* the usual “perfect match” obtained by computer comparisons, this time
with voice recordings. This also ignores that the kind of message in
question (a machine announcement of the current exact time) has never
been read by a human but machine-generated, even in simple ways by
assembling multiple recordings (digit by digit, or number by number).
* reverse engineering does not work by disassembling big machines.
Other than my imaginary promises of impartiality, another thing I glad
to take back is my criticism about s01e06 Shadows in which I accused the
authors of being soft with the uses of technology against humanity, as
long as the target of such use was politically accepted.
Interestingly even Deep Throat, Mulder's informant, seemed to dismiss
such “bleeding heart” concerns.
My young wife did not recognise “call the time” services. The service
certainly existed in Italy when I grew up, and almost certainly in her
country of origin as well.
A Beautiful citation of 2001 a space Odissey, in the sequence where the
computer tried to resist being switched off, and its conscience was
slowly fading.
I like the “neat” versus “scruffy” distinction, apparently invented by
the writers of this episode. I am tempted to adopt the “scruffy” label
for myself.
Right after s01e07 Ghost in the Machine we watched s01e08 Ice.
Mulder and Scully are sent as part of a team (a doctor, a toxicologist,
a geologist) to a remote scientific station in Alaska to investigate
what happened to the team working there: all of them died, with the last
two killing themselves right after transmitting a mysterious message.
It turns out that an alien parasite coming from a meteorite has been
awaken from its hundred-thousands-year-old hibernation under the ice.
The parasite infects the mammalian-host brain, making the host
aggressive and violent. It is contagious. Who is infected, among the
people in the team?
This was anaction or horror episode, built about personality conflicts
that get worse in the claustrophobic environment.
Very tense and intelligently directed: it reminds me of Alien or The
Cube; I mean both comparisons as compliments.
Not to nitpick too much, I still feel the need to point out at least one
important scientific inaccuracy:
* an alien life form evolved to live in ammonia is surprisingly well
adapted to infect Earth mammalians.
* how introducing the parasite from the host's ear would be an effective
way of reaching the amygdala is not even discussed as a possibility:
it just works. It is, however, quite visually frightening, which
also “works” in a different sense.
To us Ice was a very good episode. We are looking forward to more of
these.
--
Scruffy Beard
Beard
Sep 9, 2023, 12:30:29 PM9/9/23
to
On 2023-09-09 at 18:22 +0200, Scruffy Beard wrote:
> There were of course many, many technical inaccuracies:
One more: Scully's modem and computer can be switched on remotely.
> There were of course many, many technical inaccuracies:
--
Beard
Scruffy Beard
Sep 10, 2023, 3:33:44 PM9/10/23
to
On 2023-09-09 at 18:22 +0200, Scruffy Beard wrote:
> Right after s01e07 Ghost in the Machine we watched s01e08 Ice.
Ice is the episode containing Mulder's famous joke about being “at the
north pole”, when he is about to be physically examined.
--
Scruffy Beard
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