Duane Barry
"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.
| "Duane Barry" | |
|---|---|
| The X-Files episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Chris Carter |
| Written by | Chris Carter |
| Cinematography by | John Bartley |
| Production code | 2X05 |
| Original air date | October 14, 1994 |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
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.