"Young at Heart" is the sixteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files, premiering on the Fox network on February 11, 1994.
The show centers on FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files.
When they 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 Carter and former employee of the comedy development department at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Director Michael Lange felt the episode offered him excellent scope to try new techniques, noting that the series producers "encourage cinematic stuff".
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".
Inside, he discovers the prison's doctor, Joe Ridley, amputating the hand of fellow inmate John Barnett.
Despite the efforts of doctors and a mysterious CIA agent to resuscitate Barnett, he dies, and takes the secrets of Ridley's research to the grave.
[1][2] This episode originated as a script from freelance writer Scott Kaufer, who was an acquaintance of series creator Chris Carter and former employee of the comedy development department at Warner Bros. Pictures.
[5] Director Michael Lange felt the episode offered him excellent scope to try new techniques, noting that the series producers "encourage cinematic stuff".
Club, described it as "sloppy, poorly edited" and "thoroughly unexciting", pointing out the "forced" nature of the supporting characters' past involvement with Fox Mulder.
[14] "Young at Heart" has been cited, along with the fourth season episode "Paper Hearts", as representing "the supreme irony and the hidden agenda of the series"—in both cases, Mulder, directly through his work on the X-Files, puts information permanently beyond reach by killing those who hold it, showing that "despite the fact that Mulder drives the car, he frequently ends up—and goes—nowhere".