Duane Barry

"Duane Barry"
The X-Files episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 5
Directed byChris Carter
Written byChris Carter
Cinematography byJohn Bartley
Production code2X05
Original air dateOctober 14, 1994 (1994-10-14)
Running time45 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Sleepless"
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"Ascension"
The X-Files season 2
List of episodes

"Duane Barry" is the fifth episode of the second season and 29th episode overall of the science fiction television series The X-Files, premiering in the United States and Canada on October 14, 1994. The episode was written and directed by executive producer Chris Carter. "Duane Barry" received a Nielsen rating of 8.9 and was viewed by 8.5 million households. The episode received largely positive reviews from critics.

The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. In the episode, Mulder becomes involved in a hostage situation with an escaped psychiatric patient, named Duane Barry (Steve Railsback), who claims to be terrified of frequent alien abductions.

The episode marked Carter's debut as a director. While never having directed before, he would go on to direct such episodes as "The List", "The Post-Modern Prometheus", "Triangle", and "Improbable", as well as the second feature film, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, and three episodes of the tenth season. The storyline was inspired by the true story of Phineas Gage, a 19th-century medical case.

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