The Goldberg Variation

Episode aired Dec 12, 1999
TV-14
44m

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

3.9K

YOUR RATING

Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in The X-Files (1993)

Conspiracy Thriller Dark Comedy Adventure Crime Drama Mystery Sci-Fi Thriller

A man is tossed off the top of a 29 story building by gangsters. Amazingly, he gets up and walks away unscathed. Mulder and Scully investigate when Mulder suspects this man may have paranorm... Read allA man is tossed off the top of a 29 story building by gangsters. Amazingly, he gets up and walks away unscathed. Mulder and Scully investigate when Mulder suspects this man may have paranormal abilities. The man in question may just be the luckiest man on Earth.A man is tossed off the top of a 29 story building by gangsters. Amazingly, he gets up and walks away unscathed. Mulder and Scully investigate when Mulder suspects this man may have paranormal abilities. The man in question may just be the luckiest man on Earth.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.2/10

3.9K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Gillian Anderson said that while the Rube Goldberg devices in the show were very enjoyable, working with them required a lot of patience as they kept malfunctioning.

Goofs
When Mulder and Scully enter the basement about seven and a half minutes in, Mulder says the line: "No technically falling 300 hundred feet and surviving isn't a crime", and his mouth is clearly seen closed, not moving.

Quotes
Scully: You OK, Mulder?
Mulder: Yeah, it's alright. My ass broke the fall.

Connections
References The Sting (1973)

Soundtracks
The X-Files
Written by Mark Snow
Performed by John Beal

User reviews6

Featured review

9/10

An excellent, original storyline.

Having beaten some mobsters at poker, Henry Weems is tossed off the top of a 29 story building, as he hits the deck, he gets up and walks away.

I loved it, this was another excellent episode, it's full of shocks and surprises, it's definitely something of a curiosity, no cannon, not exactly a monster of the week story, but it has a lot to offer.

Once again we the episode from the point of view of the central character, this time in the form of Weems, and it feels like a case of David taking on Goliath. Mulder and Scully once again seem like onlookers.

A few touches of humour throughout once again, I did enjoy the scene with the scratchcards, how novel to see someone winning on one.

It certainly grabs your attention, it's a very dramatic opening, it's curious, it's intriguing, you'll have lots of questions. It doesn't stick to any of the conventional rules.

Willie Garson is excellent as Weems, you can't help but like him, and warm to the reasons he had, for doing what he did.

The Mobsters are good fun, even though they're perhaps a little stereotypical, Ramy Zada and Shia LaBeouf were both great value. Once again the casting team did an awesome job.

9/10.