The Erlenmeyer Flask
Encyclopedia
"The Erlenmeyer Flask" is the 24th episode and the first season finale
of the science fiction
television series The X-Files
. "The Erlenmeyer Flask" introduced several new plot elements which would continue in later seasons and featured the death of recurring character
, "Deep Throat" (Jerry Hardin
). The episode involved FBI Special agents Fox Mulder
(David Duchovny
) and Dana Scully
(Gillian Anderson
) discovering evidence of a secret government experimentation
with alien DNA
, but the evidence and everyone who has seen it is quickly being eliminated.
Written by executive producer Chris Carter
, and directed by R. W. Goodwin
, the episode continues with the mythology
story arc
which started with "Pilot". The episode first aired in the United States on May 13, 1994 on the Fox network
. With 8.8 million households turning in during its initial broadcast, the episode was the most-viewed episode of the show's first season. The episode received an Edgar Award
nomination in the Best Episode in a TV Series category, and has, since broadcast, received positive responses from both critics and crew members.
Soon afterwards, "Deep Throat" (Jerry Hardin
) brings to Agent Mulder's attention a case involving Secare, saying he is of major importance to reveal the truth. When investigating the case, Mulder and Agent Scully visit Dr. Terrance Berube (Ken Kramer), a scientist working in Gaithersburg, Maryland
whose car was involved in the Secare incident. That night, "Deep Throat" meets a second time with Mulder, and insists he continue on the case, despite Mulder's uncertainty on what he's supposed to be looking for.
That night, Dr. Berube is met by the "Crew Cut Man" (Lindsey Ginter), who kills him and makes the death look like a suicide
. While investigating the crime scene, Mulder finds an erlenmeyer flask
labeled "Purity Control", which he gives to Scully. Scully takes the flask to Georgetown University
, where she meets Dr. Anne Carpenter (Anne De Salvo), who examines the contents. Meanwhile, Mulder heads to Berube's house and finds keys for a storage facility. Dr. Secare calls Dr. Berube's office, but Mulder answers the phone feigning to be Berube. Secare tells him about the secret government project which Mulder wants to reveal to the public. In the meantime, the "Crew Cut Man" eavesdrops
on the conversation. Secare collapses during the phone call. A bystander calls an ambulance
. A poisonous gas emits from Secare's body when the paramedics perform a needle decompression. Secare gets up and flees from the ambulance.
Mulder arrives at the storage facility and finds five men suspended in tanks, as well as a sixth empty tank. Dr. Carpenter reveals that the "Purity Control" flask contains a sample of bacteria
that doesn't exist in anywhere in nature and can only be described as extraterrestrial
. Meanwhile, Mulder is pursued when he leaves the storage facility but escapes. He returns the next day with Scully. By then, however, the room is completely empty. "Deep Throat" arrives, revealing that Berube was experimenting on humans with extraterrestrial viruses. Six terminally ill volunteers were experimented on, and all had begun recovering. When it was ordered that they be destroyed, Berube helped Secare escape.
Scully returns to Georgetown University, only to find out that Dr. Carpenter and her entire family have been killed in an automobile accident. Mulder returns to Berube's house and finds Secare in the attic, and tries to convince him to leave, but Secare is then shot to death by the "Crew Cut Man". Mulder passes out from exposure to the gas escaping from Secare's wound,
and is captured. "Deep Throat" meets Scully outside of Mulder's apartment and says that he may be able to make a deal with the people who captured Mulder. He gives Scully the credentials necessary to enter the High Containment Facility at Fort Marlene, where Scully finds an alien fetus
contained within liquid nitrogen
. Scully meets "Deep Throat" on a bridge. He refuses to let her be the one to make the deal, so he presents the fetus to the "Crew Cut Man", who shoots him seconds later. Mulder is released from the "Crew Cut Man's" van as he drives off. Scully tends to Deep Throat, who utters his last words
before dying: "Trust no one".
Several weeks later, a despondent Mulder calls Scully to inform her that the X-Files have been shut down. Meanwhile, in a scene mirroring the conclusion to the pilot, the Smoking Man
stores the alien fetus in the massive evidence room within the Pentagon
.
wrote the story for the episode; the scene where poisonous fumes were emitted by Dr. Secare was inspired by the case of Gloria Ramirez
, which occurred in California in February 1994, and Carter remembered. The writers killed off the recurring character "Deep Throat" in order to establish that anyone outside of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were expendable. The decision of closing down the X-Files was done to separate Mulder and Scully such that the producers could work around Gillian Anderson
's pregnancy. Fox
fought the idea, fearing that closing down the X-Files
would cause viewers to believe that the show had been cancelled. The ending of this episode mirrors that of the "Pilot", including Mulder calling Scully at 11:21 pm and the "Cigarette Smoking Man" putting away evidence in The Pentagon
. The tagline for this episode is "Trust No One", replacing the usual phrase "The Truth is Out There."
. The opening piece, the car chase was shot by crew member J.P. Finn who was the lone producer and directed much of the second unit. It was shot at an abandoned shipyard
in North Vancouver known as Versatal Shipyard. Goodwin went so far as saying that the location "was perfect" for them to shoot in. The scene with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully visiting Doctor Berube (Ken Kramer) was a "big challenge", being that in this scene they had monkey
s. Goodwin wanted the monkeys to act "crazy" at the same time on cue when filming. When looking back, he said they did a "pretty good job".
This was the first episode of the show to feature a tagline other than "The Truth is Out There". The scene with Dr. Secare resurfacing out of the water was created by the visual effects
unit. Actor Simon Webb was moving through to a crane under the water, which had been levered to that he could "actually" be raised out of the bay. But according to Goodwin, the timing was not right, but he said that it "worked" and claimed it to be a "fascinated shot". The scene was later re-shot. When filming the episode the production crew did not know that Webb had a phobia
towards water.
nominated "The Erlenmeyer Flask" for an Edgar Award
in the Best Episode in a TV Series category; the eventual recipient of the award was the episode "Simone Says" of NYPD Blue
. Critical Myth gave the episode 9 out of 10, saying it was "the perfect ending to the first season" and a good introduction to The X-Files mythology
. Manuel Medoza from Dallas News said the episode was able to blend "absolutely chilling" moments with "completely silly" moments "at the same time". Entertainment Weekly
writer Bruce Fretts concluded that the death of "Deep Throat" made the character "very real".
Crew members have also reacted positively towards the episode. Carter said of the episode "The Erlenmeyer Flask brings back nothing but good memories. It just has terrific images in it; it really brought the series in its first year full circle. It was successful in doing what we wanted to do, which was to close down the X-Files. It shocked a lot of people". Goodwin commented "Everything about that episode is absolutely first class. The acting, the art direction, the camera work. There's nothing in it that isn't the best you can get, and that's really a credit to a lot of very talented people". The episode introduced many concepts and themes that would appear in the mythology episodes for the show throughout the years including genetic experiments, alien-human hybrids, toxic alien blood, government conspiracies, alien fetuses and deadly assassins.
The X-Files (season 1)
The first season of the science fiction television series The X-Files commenced airing on the Fox network in the United States on September 10, 1993 and concluded on the same channel on May 13, 1994 after airing all 24 episodes....
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. "The Erlenmeyer Flask" introduced several new plot elements which would continue in later seasons and featured the death of recurring character
Recurring character
A recurring character is a fictional character, usually in a prime time TV series, who appears from time to time during the series' run. Recurring characters often play major roles in an episode, sometimes being the main focus...
, "Deep Throat" (Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin is an American actor who has made many television and film appearances. He played illegitimate heir, Wild Bill Westchester, in the failed 1982 television series Filthy Rich. One of his most recognizable roles was that of the character Deep Throat in the series The X-Files...
). The episode involved FBI Special agents Fox Mulder
Fox Mulder
FBI Special Agent Fox William Mulder is a fictional character and protagonist in the American Fox television shows The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen, two science fiction shows about a government conspiracy to hide or deny the truth of Alien existence. Mulder's peers consider his theories on...
(David Duchovny
David Duchovny
David William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
) and Dana Scully
Dana Scully
FBI Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully, M.D. is a fictional character and protagonist on the Fox television series The X-Files , played by Gillian Anderson. She also appeared in two theatrical films based on the series...
(Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
) discovering evidence of a secret government experimentation
Syndicate (The X-Files)
The Syndicate is a fictional "shadow government" group featured in The X-Files television show and feature film created by Chris Carter. They were also known as The Elders, The Consortium, and The Group...
with alien DNA
Colonist (The X-Files)
The Colonists are an extraterrestrial species in the science fiction television show, The X-Files, as well as the first X-Files feature film. The mystery revolving around their identity and purpose is revealed across the course of the series...
, but the evidence and everyone who has seen it is quickly being eliminated.
Written by executive producer Chris Carter
Chris Carter (screenwriter)
Christopher Carl Carter is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is the creator of The X-Files and Millennium.- Ten Thirteen Productions :...
, and directed by R. W. Goodwin
R. W. Goodwin
Robert W. "Bob" Goodwin, billed as R. W. Goodwin, is an American television producer and director best known for his work as senior executive producer of The X-Files...
, the episode continues with the mythology
Mythology of The X-Files
The mythology of The X-Files, sometimes referred to as its mytharc by the show's staff and fans, follows the quest of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder , a believer in supernatural phenomena, and Dana Scully , his skeptical partner. Their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner was also often...
story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
which started with "Pilot". The episode first aired in the United States on May 13, 1994 on the Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. With 8.8 million households turning in during its initial broadcast, the episode was the most-viewed episode of the show's first season. The episode received an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
nomination in the Best Episode in a TV Series category, and has, since broadcast, received positive responses from both critics and crew members.
Plot
In Ardis, Maryland, a high-speed police chase unfolds at a waterfront. The driver of the car is Dr. William Secare. Although he is shot, Secare escapes into the water, and the police find green blood on the spot where he was shot.Soon afterwards, "Deep Throat" (Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin
Jerry Hardin is an American actor who has made many television and film appearances. He played illegitimate heir, Wild Bill Westchester, in the failed 1982 television series Filthy Rich. One of his most recognizable roles was that of the character Deep Throat in the series The X-Files...
) brings to Agent Mulder's attention a case involving Secare, saying he is of major importance to reveal the truth. When investigating the case, Mulder and Agent Scully visit Dr. Terrance Berube (Ken Kramer), a scientist working in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
whose car was involved in the Secare incident. That night, "Deep Throat" meets a second time with Mulder, and insists he continue on the case, despite Mulder's uncertainty on what he's supposed to be looking for.
That night, Dr. Berube is met by the "Crew Cut Man" (Lindsey Ginter), who kills him and makes the death look like a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. While investigating the crime scene, Mulder finds an erlenmeyer flask
Erlenmeyer flask
An Erlenmeyer flask, also known as a conical flask, is a widely used type of laboratory flask which features a flat bottom, a conical body, and a cylindrical neck. It is named after the German chemist Emil Erlenmeyer, who created it in 1861...
labeled "Purity Control", which he gives to Scully. Scully takes the flask to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, where she meets Dr. Anne Carpenter (Anne De Salvo), who examines the contents. Meanwhile, Mulder heads to Berube's house and finds keys for a storage facility. Dr. Secare calls Dr. Berube's office, but Mulder answers the phone feigning to be Berube. Secare tells him about the secret government project which Mulder wants to reveal to the public. In the meantime, the "Crew Cut Man" eavesdrops
Eavesdropping
Eavesdropping is the act of secretly listening to the private conversation of others without their consent, as defined by Black's Law Dictionary...
on the conversation. Secare collapses during the phone call. A bystander calls an ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
. A poisonous gas emits from Secare's body when the paramedics perform a needle decompression. Secare gets up and flees from the ambulance.
Mulder arrives at the storage facility and finds five men suspended in tanks, as well as a sixth empty tank. Dr. Carpenter reveals that the "Purity Control" flask contains a sample of bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
that doesn't exist in anywhere in nature and can only be described as extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
. Meanwhile, Mulder is pursued when he leaves the storage facility but escapes. He returns the next day with Scully. By then, however, the room is completely empty. "Deep Throat" arrives, revealing that Berube was experimenting on humans with extraterrestrial viruses. Six terminally ill volunteers were experimented on, and all had begun recovering. When it was ordered that they be destroyed, Berube helped Secare escape.
Scully returns to Georgetown University, only to find out that Dr. Carpenter and her entire family have been killed in an automobile accident. Mulder returns to Berube's house and finds Secare in the attic, and tries to convince him to leave, but Secare is then shot to death by the "Crew Cut Man". Mulder passes out from exposure to the gas escaping from Secare's wound,
and is captured. "Deep Throat" meets Scully outside of Mulder's apartment and says that he may be able to make a deal with the people who captured Mulder. He gives Scully the credentials necessary to enter the High Containment Facility at Fort Marlene, where Scully finds an alien fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
contained within liquid nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen is nitrogen in a liquid state at a very low temperature. It is produced industrially by fractional distillation of liquid air. Liquid nitrogen is a colourless clear liquid with density of 0.807 g/mL at its boiling point and a dielectric constant of 1.4...
. Scully meets "Deep Throat" on a bridge. He refuses to let her be the one to make the deal, so he presents the fetus to the "Crew Cut Man", who shoots him seconds later. Mulder is released from the "Crew Cut Man's" van as he drives off. Scully tends to Deep Throat, who utters his last words
Last words
Last words are a person's final words spoken before death.Last Words may also refer to:* Last Words , an Australian punk band* Last Words , a memoir by George Carlin* Last Words , a 1968 short film directed by Werner Herzog...
before dying: "Trust no one".
Several weeks later, a despondent Mulder calls Scully to inform her that the X-Files have been shut down. Meanwhile, in a scene mirroring the conclusion to the pilot, the Smoking Man
Cigarette Smoking Man
The Smoking Man is a fictional character and the antagonist on the American science fiction television series The X-Files. He serves as the arch-nemesis of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder. Although his name is revealed to purportedly be C.G.B...
stores the alien fetus in the massive evidence room within the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
.
Development
Chris CarterChris Carter (screenwriter)
Christopher Carl Carter is an American screenwriter, film director and producer. He is the creator of The X-Files and Millennium.- Ten Thirteen Productions :...
wrote the story for the episode; the scene where poisonous fumes were emitted by Dr. Secare was inspired by the case of Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez
Gloria Ramirez was a Riverside, California, woman dubbed "the toxic lady" by the media when several Riverside General Hospital workers became ill after exposure to her body and blood...
, which occurred in California in February 1994, and Carter remembered. The writers killed off the recurring character "Deep Throat" in order to establish that anyone outside of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were expendable. The decision of closing down the X-Files was done to separate Mulder and Scully such that the producers could work around Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
's pregnancy. Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
fought the idea, fearing that closing down the X-Files
X-file
On the television series The X-Files, an X-File is a fictional case that has been deemed unsolvable by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The files constitute an unassigned project outside the Bureau mainstream that is more or less concerned with unexplained phenomena. -First X-Files:The very...
would cause viewers to believe that the show had been cancelled. The ending of this episode mirrors that of the "Pilot", including Mulder calling Scully at 11:21 pm and the "Cigarette Smoking Man" putting away evidence in The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. The tagline for this episode is "Trust No One", replacing the usual phrase "The Truth is Out There."
Filming and effects
This episode marked R. W. Goodwin's directorial debut on The X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. The opening piece, the car chase was shot by crew member J.P. Finn who was the lone producer and directed much of the second unit. It was shot at an abandoned shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
in North Vancouver known as Versatal Shipyard. Goodwin went so far as saying that the location "was perfect" for them to shoot in. The scene with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully visiting Doctor Berube (Ken Kramer) was a "big challenge", being that in this scene they had monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s. Goodwin wanted the monkeys to act "crazy" at the same time on cue when filming. When looking back, he said they did a "pretty good job".
This was the first episode of the show to feature a tagline other than "The Truth is Out There". The scene with Dr. Secare resurfacing out of the water was created by the visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
unit. Actor Simon Webb was moving through to a crane under the water, which had been levered to that he could "actually" be raised out of the bay. But according to Goodwin, the timing was not right, but he said that it "worked" and claimed it to be a "fascinated shot". The scene was later re-shot. When filming the episode the production crew did not know that Webb had a phobia
Phobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...
towards water.
Reception
This episode earned a Nielsen rating of 8.8, with a 16 share. It was viewed by 8.8 million households, making it the most viewed episode of the first season. The Mystery Writers of AmericaMystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
nominated "The Erlenmeyer Flask" for an Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
in the Best Episode in a TV Series category; the eventual recipient of the award was the episode "Simone Says" of NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
. Critical Myth gave the episode 9 out of 10, saying it was "the perfect ending to the first season" and a good introduction to The X-Files mythology
Mythology of The X-Files
The mythology of The X-Files, sometimes referred to as its mytharc by the show's staff and fans, follows the quest of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder , a believer in supernatural phenomena, and Dana Scully , his skeptical partner. Their boss, FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner was also often...
. Manuel Medoza from Dallas News said the episode was able to blend "absolutely chilling" moments with "completely silly" moments "at the same time". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
writer Bruce Fretts concluded that the death of "Deep Throat" made the character "very real".
Crew members have also reacted positively towards the episode. Carter said of the episode "The Erlenmeyer Flask brings back nothing but good memories. It just has terrific images in it; it really brought the series in its first year full circle. It was successful in doing what we wanted to do, which was to close down the X-Files. It shocked a lot of people". Goodwin commented "Everything about that episode is absolutely first class. The acting, the art direction, the camera work. There's nothing in it that isn't the best you can get, and that's really a credit to a lot of very talented people". The episode introduced many concepts and themes that would appear in the mythology episodes for the show throughout the years including genetic experiments, alien-human hybrids, toxic alien blood, government conspiracies, alien fetuses and deadly assassins.