Young at Heart (The X-Files)

"Young at Heart"
The X-Files episode
John Barnett's hand
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 16
Directed by	Michael Lange
Written by	Chris Carter Scott Kaufer
Production code	1X15
Original air date	February 11, 1994
Running time	45 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Dick Anthony Williams as Reggie Purdue Alan Boyce as Young John Barnett Christine Estabrook as Agent Henderson Graham Jarvis as NIH Doctor David Peterson as Old John Barnett Robin Mossley as Dr. Joe Ridley Gordon Tipple as Joe Crandall Jerry Hardin as Deep Throat William B. Davis as The Smoking Man
Episode chronology
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List of season 1 episodes List of The X-Files episodes

"Young at Heart" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. It premiered on the Fox network on February 11, 1994. It was written by Scott Kaufer and series creator Chris Carter, and directed by Michael Lange. The episode featured guest appearances by Dick Anthony Williams, William B. Davis and Alan Boyce, and saw Jerry Hardin reprise his role as Deep Throat. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. "Young at Heart" earned a Nielsen household rating of 7.2, being watched by 6.8 million households in its initial broadcast; and received mostly negative reviews from critics.

The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. When Mulder and Scully aid a former colleague of Mulder's in an investigation into a series of robberies, it becomes apparent that the culprit is an old nemesis of Mulder's—who had seemingly died in prison several years previously.

"Young at Heart" originated as a script from freelance writer Scott Kaufer, who was a friend of series creator Chris Carter and former employee of California magazine and Warner Bros comedy development department. Chris Carter rewrote the script, which included the addition of Barnett's salamander hand. Director Michael Lange felt the episode offered him excellent scope to try new techniques, noting that the series producers "encourage cinematic stuff". William B. Davis makes his second appearance of the series in this episode, although his role is simply credited as "CIA Agent", rather than the more well-known "Smoking Man".