01 x 10: Fallen Angel

This episode as far as expenses are concerned is slightly above average this season at a budget of approximately $8,152.15 in today’s money. Some money was completely wasted due to onAgent Mulder’s negligence and carelessness. His most costly error in this episode was delaying his and agent Scully’s return flight to DC for a hearing at the Office of Professional Responsibility. This resulted in wasted air fare ($778.46 in the loss of 2 plane tickets). 

The episode opens in Townsend Wisconsin which I decided takes place on 12/5/93 (Sunday). A sheriff’s deputy sees flames in the woods and proceeds to investigate. While in the woods a bright light flashes in his face and he dies. 

Then queue the opening credits.

The next few minutes are presented out of order. But what basically happens is that Mulder meets up with Deep Throat, which I assumed happens at the Lincoln Memorial since we know he has met Mulder in similar locations in the past. This would mean Mulder would have to requisition a government car for 4 miles ($2.03 based on the national government reimbursement rates for mileage in 1993).

Deep Throat informs Mulder there was a UFO crash in Townsend Wisconsin and that if Mulder wants to learn the truth about UFO’s he must go there quickly because it will be cleaned up within 48 hours. 

Next thing we know, Mulder is in Wisconsin. To travel to his hotel in Townsend Wisconsin, Mulder would have taken a taxi ($16) from the FBI headquarters to Ronald Reagan Airport (DCA), then flown from there to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) ($567.34). 

I was able to find a more accurate method for calculating airline prices for 1993 than my previous postings. For this post, I used the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website (https://www.transtats.bts.gov/AverageFare/) which provides historical average ticket prices based on the city of origin for each flight. While in Townsend we see that Mulder stayed at the Budget Rest Motel ($139.90/night).

What’s interesting with Mulder’s trip to Townsend is that the news reports of a chemical spill from a train wreck in Townsend and prompted a massive evacuation. When Mulder. According to Deep Throat, this “chemical spill” is actually the site of a UFO crash. 

Mulder drives out to this location and presumably leaves his car on the road and walks through the woods in an attempt to get photos of what he believes is a crashed UFO. A couple things to note here. Mulder is wearing a backpack (which I assume is his own) packed with an FBI flashlight ($38.95), a camera (Nikon N90 $1811.99 with film $9.98) and binoculars ($136.95). 

The reason I billed him for these items is that they were likely confiscated by the Army. I can commend Mulder for not wasting money on personal protective gear for the falsely reported chemical spill, however had there actually been a spill this would have resulted in numerous unnecessary medical bills. 

While investigating the spill site Mulder is captured by the Army and is detained in a holding cell. We can assume that since he left his car illegally parked that it was in fact towed. Based on the maximum rates legally allowed for towing according to Wisconsin law this would have cost $105. 

When Mulder is detained he drops his camera and the army commander destroys the film in Mulder’s camera. According to the army, Mulder violated US Government Quarantine. Mulder complains during these proceedings that the army knocked out one of his fillings ($399.99). While he’s in his holding cell he meets Max Finneg who is a member of NICAP, a UFO alien conspiracy organization.

The Next morning Scully arrives at Mulder’s cell. This means that she also took a taxi to Reagan International ($16) and flew to Chicago O’hare Airport ($567.34) and rented a car ($169/day) to get to Mulder. I did not charge her for this night at the hotel since she likely slept on the plane to get to Mulder. 

Scully reveals that chemical spill in Townsend is actually a cover story the military spread. In reality a Libyan jet crashed in Townsend that was carrying a nuclear warhead. Mulder believes this is a double cover up story for a UFO.

The Army’s coverup is part of Operation Falcon which has this amazing logo we get a pretty good close up of. I love the idea that the army would have this ultra top secret mission yet commission someone to make a logo for it.

Scully and Mulder travel to the motel where Max Finneg is staying and pick the lock of his hotel room. Mulder wants to question him about the possible UFO crash. 

When they meet up with Max Finneg, he states that he is following Mulder. Apparently he’s able to do so because Mulder’s travel records are public record because of the Freedom of Information Act. If this were true, you wouldn’t be reading this. 

Mulder and Scully drive to Mill Road High School Emergency Evacuation Center and meet up with Sheriff Wright’s wife, the man who died at the beginning of the episode. She just wants to be left alone and doesn’t want any part of Mulder and Scully’s investigation into what really happened to her husband. As far as I can tell this high school doesn’t exist so for the purpose of this blog I guessed where this would likely be locasted.

Meanwhile, at US Microwave Substation B21, (once again, a fictitious place) the Army is trying to capture a runaway pilot from the downed UFO in Townsend. Mulder and Scully are not here yet.

Mulder and Scully then travel to the County Hospital in Townsend Wisconsin to investigate some burn victims who came in with 5^th and 6^th degree burns. While they are here, more burn victims are brought in followed by the army. 

Scully introduces herself as a medical doctor and assists with the victims (no idea how this is legal) .

Mulder meanwhile drives to see Max Finneg who is having a seizure. After Max recovers Mulder observes Max has a scar that is similar to scars on alien abduction victims. Max doesn’t believe he’s been abducted. Mulder drives back to his hotel. 

Scully arrives in the early morning (which is why I am assuming she still has her rental car) and explains she lost all but 2 of the burn victims. She says she and Mulder have plane tickets and must catch a flight back to DC in just over an hour (a 4 hour drive to the airport). This is why I billed the pair for an extra 2 plane tickets since they missed their flight. 

Mulder and Scully go back to Max’s trailer and it’s empty. While in the trailer they hear over a police radio that a UFO has been spotted over some docks by the lake. Mulder leaves and decides to chase down this UFO. 

Mulder breaks into a warehouse and finds Max inside. The army is there too. When Scully arrives they reveal their plan to blow up the warehouse with Max and Mulder inside. Apparently the escaped pilot from earlier is also inside. Is this pilot an alien? We will never know. 

Suddenly there’s a tractor beam and Max hovers in the air in this iconic scene. Then there’s another super bright flash of light and Mulder is thrown backwards and hurts his leg. Max Finneg has disappeared, presumably abducted by aliens. Mulder is then arrested by the army, except not really because the next day he’s a free man.

Mulder and Scully then fly back to DC (4 tickets total cost $2820.36) and take a taxi back to the FBI ($32). 

Mulder and Scully have to face consequences for missing their flight and for Mulder’s breach of conduct by traveling to a potentially hazardous chemical spill and breaching quarantine. They have to attend a hearing at the Office of Professional Responsibility in DC. They must requisition 2 government cars to travel the 2 miles to this building which would cost $2.03.

Mulder is using a pair of crutches ($23.99) and jokes with Scully about having a broken leg, however in next week’s episode his leg is fine so we can assume it’s not broken. 

At the end of the day, we have a case where Mulder breached protocol; put his life in danger by breaching quarantine and flew to Wisconsin. While there he was ordered to fly back to DC for disciplinary action; and he missed his flight! In total he wasted $8,152.15 in taxpayer money and has nothing to show for it. Scully and Mulder solved nothing and pissed off the DOD and the FBI.