Medusa (The X-Files)

"Medusa"
The X-Files episode
Officer Philbrick's body, after being exposed to the medusas.
Episode no.	Season 8 Episode 12
Directed by	Richard Compton
Written by	Frank Spotnitz
Production code	8ABX13
Original air date	February 11, 2001
Running time	44 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Ken Jenkins as Deputy Chief Karras Penny Johnson as Dr. Hellura Lyle Adam Lieberman as Officer Philbrick Vyto Ruginis as Lt. Bianco Judith Scott as Dr. Kai Bowe Brent Sexton as Steven Melnick Bill Jacobson as Thug Mary Kathleen Gordon as Woman Christopher Graves as Kid Kevin Graves as Kid
Episode chronology
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List of The X-Files episodes

"Medusa" is the twelfth episode of the eighth season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on February 11, 2001. The episode was written by Frank Spotnitz and directed by Richard Compton. "Medusa" is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. The episode received a Nielsen rating of 8.2 and was viewed by 13.8 million viewers. Overall, the episode received mixed reviews from critics.

The series centers on FBI special agents Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and her new partner John Doggett (Robert Patrick)—following the alien abduction of her former partner, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny)—who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. In this episode, a string of bizarre deaths in the tunnels of the Boston subway system sees Doggett join a team of professionals underground to investigate. Meanwhile, Scully has to defy the train authorities above ground, who are determined to get the trains up and running within hours.

"Medusa" was allotted a "huge budget", due mostly to the fact that a replica of the Boston subway had to be recreated. Robert Patrick later called the eventual set "the biggest damned thing I'd seen in my life." Cheri Montesanto-Medcalf and Matthew Mungle, the show's make-up effect producers, used several unorthodox ingredients to create the effect of melted flesh; in addition to the use of normal prosthetic make-up, the two also used a combination of figs and Fruit Roll-Ups.