Robert Patrick's character comments that "Ray Pierce has become some kind of metal man. Because that only happens in the movies, Agent Scully." Scully smirks with a response, "Does it, Agent Doggett?" Patrick played the liquid-metal Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).
Loosely based on Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989), a 1989 Japanese cyberpunk film by cult-film director Shin'ya Tsukamoto. X-Files staff writer Jeffrey Bell wrote this episode before Robert Patrick was cast in the show.
The three scientists featured in the episode - Chamber, Clifton and Pugovel - were all named after friends of writer Jeffrey Bell.
Jeffrey Bell's final The X-Files (1993) episode. He would join the writing team for Angel (1999) the following year.
When Larina tries to help him, Pearce tells her twice to "get out", a recurring line from the Terminator movies. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Robert Patrick spoke the line.