‘Your scientific illiteracy makes me shudder!’ on The X-Files: Jose Chung’s From Outer Space

The X-Files is an American television series created by Chris Carter. It was originally aired in the 90s but enjoyed a brief revival in late 2000s. The series follows FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in their investigations of the "X-Files" (unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena). Both Mulder and Scully are effective agents but Mulder believes in the existence of the paranormal, whereas Scully is a medical doctor and skeptic who has been assigned to scientifically analyze Mulder's case files. The episode we are looking at in today’s discussion is called 'Jose Chungs From Outer Space' and was Episode 20 of Season 3.

In an attempt to analyse and recount the plot of this episode of The X-Files we spiral out into many different zones: Carl Jung on flying saucers, alien abduction experiences revealed through hypnosis, reconstructed memories, rebirthing & breathwork, EMDR, CIA brainwashing programs, and so on…

If you enjoy this episode then, this time next week, check out the 'X-Files Addendum' (Altered Mates -- Bonus Episode #13) wherein we will unleash upon the Altered Mates Patreon and Substack, another hour's worth of content from this discussion.

References

• The X Files: Jose Chungs From Outer Space — Season 3, Episode 20 (1996)
• J.F. Martel — Reality is Analog: Philosophizing with Stranger Things / Part One
• J.B.S. Haldane — Possible Worlds and Other Essays (“Now, my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose”)
• C.G. Jung — Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Sky (1959)
• Leonard S. Newman and Roy F. Baumeister — Toward an Explanation of the UFO Abduction Phenomenon: Hypnotic Elaboration, Extraterrestrial Sadomasochism, and Spurious Memories (1996)
• Frank Herbert — Dune (1960)
• X-Files — Eugene Tooms
• Alanis Morissette — All I Really Want — Jagged Little Pill (1995)
• Radiohead — Subterranean Homesick Alien — OK Computer (1997)
• Tool — Rosetta Stoned — 10,000 Days (2006)

Links

Altered Mates Website

Altered Mates Instagram

Altered Mates Substack

Altered Mates Patreon

Music for the show by Si Mulumby

A Glimpse of Eternity by Alejandro Tuama

• Purchase the novel here (hard copy, ebook and audiobook).
• Listen to the free serialised audiobook here.