The X-Files

Ghost in the Machine - S1-E7

Revealing mistake: While the computer is being infected with the virus, Peterson turns away from the screen to face Scully. Two seconds later, after the shot of Scully, the same shot is shown again but in reverse so that Peterson turns back to the screen. It's more obvious if you look at the weird way his eyes blink in the reversed shot. (00:39:50 - 00:41:32)

darren-c

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.

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)

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.

The X-Files mistake picture

Fresh Bones - S2-E15

Revealing mistake: While Mulder, Scully, and the groundskeeper are walking through Folkstone Municipal Cemetery, there is a partially hidden but still conspicuous sign that reads "Vancouver Cemetery." (00:18:45)

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

Duane Barry (1) - S2-E5

Revealing mistake: At The Beginning of the episode we see Duane being abducted and he begins to scream. Look at the "alien" on the left of the screen near to the top of the bed and you will see him move his head revealing where the suit ends and neck/head begins. (00:02:12)

Jack Vaughan

Conduit - S1-E4

Revealing mistake: At The Beginning of the episode Darlene burns her hand trying to open the door, she then puts on an oven mitt and opens the door. If you look closely though she still uses her other naked hand as well as the covered hand to open the door and her naked hand is completely unhurt.

Jack Vaughan

Dæmonicus - S9-E3

Revealing mistake: At the very beginning of the episode, we see the reflection of the Moon in a puddle. The Moon looks exactly as we see it in the sky. The problem is that in the puddle we should see the mirror image of the Moon. (00:00:05)

Chop Luftmysza

Trust No 1 - S9-E6

Revealing mistake: When Agent Reyes drives up to Agent Dogget's parked car, he looks in his rearview mirror. Its background should be obviously a transparent windshield to which the mirror is fixed. However, when the camera shows the image seen in the rearview mirror, we see in the background something similar in appearance to a solid wall. (00:10:50)

Chop Luftmysza

Duane Barry (1) - S2-E5

Revealing mistake: When Scully makes a purchase at the grocery store, shortly before she scans the metal fragment, the clerk gives her the total of the sale, however, shortly after the camera captures the register, which displays ‘no sale'. (00:41:30)

More mistakes in The X-Files
More quotes from The X-Files
More trivia for The X-Files

Show generally

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.

More questions & answers from The X-Files

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.