The X-Files In-Jokes List

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X-Files In-Jokes: Season One

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Pilot

  • 1121 - Our very first 11:21 - on Scully's clock at the end of the episode. Everyone say it with me now: 11/21/48 is the birth date of Chris Carter's wife, Dori Pierson.
  • 1013 - I guess the pilot is a good time to mention that the name of Chris Carter's production company, Ten Thirteen productions, is also his very own birth date, 10/13/56.
  • Not as a 10/13, but Chris Carter's birthday does show up -- the time of the autopsy Scully performs is 10:56 (C.C.'s birthday 10/13/56).
  • 'I made this' - The words spoken over the Ten Thirteen company name are spoken by Nathan Couturier, son of the supervising sound editor, Thierry Couturier.
  • The pilot took place in Bellfleur, Oregon. Chris Carter was born in Bellflower, California.
  • I've neglected to put them on this list for a while, but the pilot episode is also a good place to list where Mulder and Scully's names came from. Mulder is Chris Carter's mother's maiden name. Scully is named after sports announcer Vin Scully. The name Fox belonged to one of Chris Carter's childhood friends - and he had always liked the name. Chris Carter's father's name is William, and it is also David Duchovny's middle name (Scully's father's name was William, Mulder's father's name was William, one of Scully's brothers is named William, Mulder's middle name is William). Chris Carter's mother's name is Catherine (Scully's middle name is Katherine).
  • Many of the nameplates on the desks in the FBI bullpen bare the names of X-Files crew members.
    • Pilot Script Differences

    Deep Throat

  • 1013 - The file number for this case is #DF101364
  • The article on Ellens Air Base that Scully reads from microfiche was written by a 'Chris Carter'.
  • 1121 - Colonel Budahas tells Mulder and Scully that his birthday is 11/21/48.
  • 1013 - The license Scully calls in is number CC1356. Chris Carter (CC) was born 10/13/56.
  • The van marked "Abramowitz Plumbing" is actually sound mixer Michael Williamson's sound van.

    • Squeeze

    Squeeze Script Differences

    Conduit

  • Samantha Mulder's file lists her home address as 2790 Vine Street - this is the former address of the X-Files production office in Vancouver.
  • "Tessa" was played by actress Shelly Owens, sister to Chris Owens, who went on to portray young Cancerman in "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" and "Demons", The Great Mutato in "Post-Modern Prometheus", as well as a recurring role as Special Agent Spender.
  • Possible in-joke -- Tessa's doctor appointment was scheduled for August 7th, which is also David Duchovny's birthday.

    • The Jersey Devil

  • In the autopsy report on "Jane Doe", the name of the coroner is K.H.Hawryliw (as clearly seen in "The X-Files, Unrestricted Access"). Ken Hawryliw is the prop master on the show. See the In-Jokes for Season 3's "DPO" & "Pusher", Season 5's "The Unusual Suspects", and Season 6's "Trevor" for other "appearances" by Ken Hawryliw.

    • Shadows

  • The name that is about to get painted over the deceased boss' name on the parking spot is that of Tom Braidwood, the X-Files' first assistant director (as well as the actor who plays Frohike).

    • Ghost in the Machine

  • The name Crystal City is an allusion to Silicon Valley (although there is a real Crystal City in southern Washington D.C./Virginia)
  • The name of the company, Eurisko, is also the name of a famous artificial intelligence program at Stanford -- one which attempts to think like a human. The program also won a war game contest, beating all human opponents.
  • Title - is a phrase coined by the philosopher Descartes as a way to explain consciousness. The ghost is our soul, the machine our bodies.

    • Ice

  • The dog in this episode is Blue's dad (Blue is David Duchovny's dog and constant companion)
  • Character Denny Murphy is a San Diego Chargers fan, and so are Glen Morgan and James Wong, the writers of this episode.
  • Stunt Coordinator Ken Kirzinger plays Richter, one of the men in the standoff at the beginning of the episode.

    • Space

    Fallen Angel

    Eve

  • The names of the little girls, Cindy and Teena, were also the names of the wives of writers/producers Glen Morgan and James Wong.
  • As Mulder and Scully question mother Ellen Reardon, Eve-girl Cindy Reardon watches a few moments of 'Eek the Cat', a cartoon that later went on to depict Mulder and Scully in cartoon form.

    • Fire

  • The first victim, Sir Malcolm Mardsen, shares his name with the X-Files hair stylist.
  • 1121 - Scully says "X-Files number 11214893" -- 11/21/48 is Chris Carter's wife's birthday.

    • Beyond the Sea

  • Max's Cap - you can see Max's NICAP cap (from Fallen Angel ) on the hat rack in the X-Files office.
  • The newspaper article about the gas chamber being readied was written by a G. Morgan (Glen Morgan co-wrote this episode with James Wong).
  • Sheila Larken (the actress who plays Scully's mother) is the wife of co-executive producer R. W. Goodwin.
  • This episode marks the first Moby Dick reference between Scully and her father. She calls her dad 'Ahab' and he calls her 'Starbuck'.
  • When you combine the names of the 2 killers in this episode (Luther Lee Boggs and Lucas Henry), they can form the name Henry Lee Lucas, a real-life serial killer.
    • Beyond the Sea Script Differences

    Genderbender

  • The disco music in the episode was written by Mark Snow. It was his theme music for a TV movie called 'In the Line of Duty, Street War'.
  • The large picture we first see Marty standing next to was painted by artist H.R.Giger, the man who designed the aliens for the blockbuster Alien movies - and more recently the alien for the movie Species.
  • 1013 - According to Detective Horton, the time the victim entered the room with a "woman" was 10:13 (creator Chris Carter's birth month & day)
  • The Kindred lived in Steveson, Massachusetts -- Steveson is also the name of a small community south of Vancouver often used on the show for its diversity of locations.
  • The chant sung by the Kindred was written by co-executive producer Paul Rabwin, and was sung by Paul himself along with 6 other singers.
  • Not an in-joke but -- yes, the "Michael" character in this episode is indeed played by Nick Lea, who is now much more well-known as Alex Krycek!
    • Genderbender Script Differences

    Lazarus

  • Title - the title is a reference to the biblical character Lazarus, who was resurrected by Jesus Christ (which is paralleled by the 'resurrection' of Willis on the operating table).

    • Young at Heart

    E.B.E.

  • Tom Braidwood and Val Stefoff - both first assistant directors (and Tom Braidwood is also Frohike) were names used by Mulder and Scully as aliases to get into the base. (See "Tempus Fugit" for another reference to Val Stefoff)

    • Miracle Man

  • The reverend's license reads 'BHEALD'
  • 1121 - Autopsy time: 11:21 (Chris Carter's wife's birthday)

    • Shapes

    Darkness Falls

  • Jason Beghe, the actor who plays Ranger Larry Moore, is one of David Duchovny's childhood friends, as well as someone who prodded Duchovny to take up acting (everyone thank him now).

    • Tooms

  • The name on the door adjoining Tooms' cell is L. Robbie Maier. Rob Maier is the construction coordinator on the X-Files.

    • Born Again

  • The actress that portrays Detective Sharon Lazard, Maggie Wheeler, appeared in the movie New Year's Day with an un-clothed David Duchovny. The two reportedly dated each other around the time of the movie.
  • The plaque with Charlie Morris' picture also contains the names of quite a few other previous recipients of the reward who actually work on the X-Files production! 1985's recipiant was Ken Hawryliw (the prop-master for the show), 1986 went to Robert Maier (construction coordinator). 1989's winner was Judy Fairly (script coordinator). 1992's recipiant was Jim Pate (assistant prop manager).

    • Roland

    The Erlenmeyer Flask

  • The ending of this episode mirrors the ending of the pilot, Mulder calls Scully at 11:21 (Chris Carter's wife's birth date), and the Smoking Man stores proof of alien existence deep within the Pentagon.
  • 1013 - The room containing the people in tanks is behind door number 1056 - Chris Carter's birth month and year
  • The alien fetus is being kept at the High Containment Facility at Fort Marlene. While there is no real-life Fort Marlene, there is a Fort Dietrich in Maryland -- a site known for its experimentation with biological weapons. Is the X-Files fort an homage to Marlene Dietrich, or a play on the actual Fort Dietrich in Maryland?
  • Tag Line - the familiar "The truth is out there" tag line in the opening credits was changed for the first time in this episode. It was replaced with "Trust no one" - the phrase uttered by Deep Throat to Scully as he died.

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    Laura Witte
    xfiles@lunacynet.com
    The X-Files In-Jokes List © 1996-2003
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