files kill switch eleventh episode fifth season science fiction television series files premiered united_states fox network february written directed episode monster week story unconnected series wider mythology kill switch earned nielsen household rating watched million people initial broadcast episode received positive reviews television critics complimenting mulder virtual experience centers fbi special agents fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson work cases linked paranormal called files mulder believer paranormal skeptical scully assigned debunk work episode mulder scully targets rogue capable worst kind torture investigating strange circumstances death computer genius rumored researching artificial intelligence kill switch written pioneers eventually wrote episode season seven person shooter kill switch written gibson approached series offering write episode reminiscent dark visions filmmaker episode contained obvious high end academic addition kill switch contained scenes featuring elaborate explosives digital effects including computer animated scully fights nurses virtual hospital kill switch deals themes including paranoia artificial intelligence transferring consciousness plot washington man tries access files computer repeatedly denied drug dealers receive anonymous phone calls whereabouts competitors told receive similar phone escaped prisoner drug dealers arrive pairs man attempts gain access files appear order floor causing shootout fox_mulder david_duchovny dana_scully gillian_anderson arrive identify bodies drug dealers mulder identifies man folk hero create artificial intelligence mulder takes finds inside puts car stereo plays twilight time agents lone gunmen discover disc contains large quantity data trio unable scully suggestion access mail account find message sent named saying named david missing message contains code shipping container mulder scully locate approach woman attempts flee captured scully container turns state art computer equipment woman looking warns agents laser armed satellite location quickly leave area container destroyed real turns tells agents succeeded creating artificial intelligence reveals enemy destroys satellite according creating kill switch virus destroy learned plans killed drug dealers police way destroy find computer stored turns david friend worked mulder uses government source find secret line virginia uses access internet finds trailer connected line forces scully drive david house find house destroyed admits david planning transfer consciousness enter thought idea dangerous admits david love having affair mulder finds computer hardware inside trailer finds dead body virtual reality helmet head suddenly mulder constrained moving cables wires experiences strange vision hospital nurses threaten limbs reveals location scully driving near swing bridge trapped bridge drawing mechanism causing scully persuade throw water hits water destroyed defense satellite laser strike scully find trailer mulder trapped reveals kill switch stored scully puts drive releases mulder gets trailer stays inside uses satellite locate trailer position causing missile destroy trailer killing mulder tells scully consciousness probably joined later lone gunmen strange message computer reading bite credits trailer nebraska similar lived automatic security cameras monitoring boy approaches trailer retrieve football production writing episode written acclaimed novelist fellow science fiction author authors long time friends discussed collaborations approached production company offer write episode result kill switch aired february episode frequent appearances success encouraged gibson continue working television resulting writing second episode person shooter collaboration aired fox years later february kill switch deals themes paranoia survive technology evolution artificial intelligence virtual reality transferring consciousness author later compared episode themes gibson books notably novels virtual light kill switch written outside series standalone story gibson intended reminiscent dark visions filmmaker contain obvious high end academic gibson initial idea episode eventually evolved episode final act later combined idea deserted house windows surrounded chain link fence episode involved merging human artificial intelligence world wide web concept floating futuristic circles time episode revision process took significant time year episode completed priorities series creator chris_carter frank_spotnitz finally available revisions script including attitude mulder scully reactions scene involving scully trying fake nose ring deleted script gibson originally started watching series suggestion daughter years old time filming gibson spent majority time set daughter insisted filming effects according executive producer frank_spotnitz kill switch single expensive episode filmed vancouver addition episode took total days film episode bridge scenes filmed island bridge spans british_columbia location discovered carter technical survey prior fifth season episode bridge sole means access farming community area filming heavily restricted logistical issues bridge restrictions people stand bridge time posed troubles filming permission film scene throws river subsequently laser strike weapons platform satellite required thirty days obtain abandoned house mulder discovers filmed historical landmark known locally read house episode contained scenes featuring elaborate explosives scene featuring missile destroying shipping container originally scheduled filmed vancouver waterfront facilities permission explosive cleared city port rescinded permission claiming shot best interests special effects crew x-files decided ship containers recycling center adjacent city filming went destruction trailer filmed adjacent explosion series received complaints people living far miles away ground zero complaining explosion robot attacked mulder inspired nasa mars battery powered cost create operate producers contracted spot french owned commercial satellite surveillance company obtain satellite photos area episode freelance computer artist created image scully scene fighting nurses virtual hospital gillian_anderson pleased scene later noted happened good shape time sic taking half naked nurses david_duchovny showed script directed impressed scully skills responded arms lost arms care scully later called sequence great fight scenes reception ratings kill switch premiered fox network february episode earned nielsen rating share meaning roughly percent television equipped households percent households watching television tuned episode viewed million viewers reviews kill switch received largely positive reviews critics positive episode calling excellent critical myth gave episode wrote overall episode puts genre credibility good use taking standard concepts applying series note minor characterization issues concepts pulled tightly points concluded solid enjoyable robert_shearman lars_pearson book wanting believe critical guide lone gunmen rated episode stars wrote themes fresh new plot real heart todd_vanderwerff gave episode wrote wouldn necessarily best fit files episode benefits lack staff oversight noted featured elements plot rare example files episode works despite fact tries vanderwerff complimentary story called particularly praise worthy fact scully featured heavily episode cited scene virtual scully kicks group nurses best shots episode called moment love squad stated favorite episode x-files considering great story describing tough beat paula_vitaris cinefantastique gave episode positive review awarded stars vitaris praised episode directing noted entry great improvement x-files earlier episode season ghost machine vitaris cited mulder virtual experience highlight episode awards kill switch earned
Kill Switch (The X-Files)