I found this episode to be frustrating and unsatisfying, primarily because of the lack of a resolution coming out of the story line. There was really no explanation for the ghostly apparition hanging around Colonel Belt (Ed Lauter), why it attacked him on an earlier space mission, and why it inhabited his body. Was it somehow protecting it's turf in outer space in some way? That didn't even come up for discussion at any point that I can relate to.
There was also the subtext of Belt focusing on the mission of delivering a payload aboard the latest shuttle launch at the expense of the crew aboard when the orbiter ran into trouble. This might have made more sense if Belt never flew an orbital mission himself, but knowing how the lives in the orbiter depended a lot on decisions made on the ground, this aspect didn't come across as credible.
Well, if you've watched enough different series on TV, you'll realize there's always a clunker or two along the way, so chalk up this one for 'The X-Files'. It wasn't even a good outing for Scully and Mulder, as they seemed more like observers here than participants in the action. They usually work better when given a little more space.
There was also the subtext of Belt focusing on the mission of delivering a payload aboard the latest shuttle launch at the expense of the crew aboard when the orbiter ran into trouble. This might have made more sense if Belt never flew an orbital mission himself, but knowing how the lives in the orbiter depended a lot on decisions made on the ground, this aspect didn't come across as credible.
Well, if you've watched enough different series on TV, you'll realize there's always a clunker or two along the way, so chalk up this one for 'The X-Files'. It wasn't even a good outing for Scully and Mulder, as they seemed more like observers here than participants in the action. They usually work better when given a little more space.