The X-Files had some memorable "monster-of-the-week" episodes, and David Duchovny's personal favorite is the show's most terrifying creation.
David Duchovny's favorite X-Files monster-of-the-week just happens to be the show's most terrifying. The X-Files often divided its time between mythology episodes or those that built on the increasingly convoluted conspiracy storyline, or "monster-of-the-week" outings. There's a good reason X-Files led to a revival in horror TV series, because at its best The X-Files monsters were pure nightmare fuel. While fans have their own favorites, some of the most iconic include Eugene Tooms - the mutant who could squeeze into any space - the family from the infamous season 4 episode "Home" or the Stephen King-created doll "Chinga."
The X-Files undeniably lost its golden touch for creating memorable monsters in later seasons, especially as the mythology of the show began tying itself in knots. Still, the best "monster-of-the-week" stories play out as terrifying mini-horror movies in their own right. With Gillian Anderson ruling out any kind of return as Scully, it appears The X-Files - at least in its original form - won't be returning. That said, Anderson and Duchovny appear to have nothing but love for the series that propelled them to fame. Anderson has previously outlined her favorite X-Files episodes, while Duchovny's favorite monster is hard to argue with.
During a Reddit Q&A alongside Anderson, Duchovny answered a user question about what his favorite "monster-of-the-week" was. The actor responded with the Flukeman from season 2 episode "The Host." The latter has become regarded as one of the best standalone X-Files episodes and sees Mulder and Scully encounter a hybrid between a man and a fluke worm. This creature attacks victims from the New Jersey sewer system, and creator Chris Carter revealed the inspiration for the gross creation was having to deal with his dog getting worms.
Fro0m its visual design to its gross method of killing, the Flukeman became an instant hall-of-fame X-Files monster. That's only part of why it's one of Duchovny's favorites. In the same Reddit thread, he revealed the monster was played by Darin Morgan, who became one of the show's best writers. The actor never met Morgan outside his Flukeman costume during production and recalled sometime later being on a plane and being hit by "inane questions" from a stranger. It was only when this stranger handed him a book and asked "Will you sign it to my nemesis?" that Agent Mulder star Duchovny found out he was speaking with Morgan.
The Flukeman seemingly perishes in "The Host" when Mulder cuts it in half - only for the final scenes to reveal the upper half survived. Strangely, The X-Files never brought the monster back, though many easter egg references were made to it in later seasons. The Flukeman finally returned in the comic The X-Files: Season 10, which was later turned into audio drama Cold Cases. This saw Scully and Mulder looking into the case 20 years later, discovering an infestation of Flukemen in the sewers of Martha's Vineyard. They also learn the original mutation was caused when a Chernobyl liquidator became infected by a mutated flukeworm.
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