The title is a dual reference to Rube Goldberg's ridiculous machine designs and the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach.
Gillian Anderson said that while the Rube Goldberg devices in the show were very enjoyable, working with them required a lot of patience as they kept malfunctioning.
This is quite a rare instance for an X-Files episode: the first cut came in four minutes short, prompting the need for additional pick-ups.
This is Willie Garson's second appearance in The X-Files (1993). He had previously played a Vietnam vet in the Season 3 episode The Walk (1995).
For the following episode Orison (2000), Gillian Anderson had a more severe haircut than usual. Unfortunately a few pick-up scenes had to be done for this episode, so she had to wear a wig for them.