Thirty-Two Years Ago, The X-Files Introduced Its Most Beloved Monster

For most of its run, The X-Files was a procedural show built on “monster of the week” episodes, and for nearly three decades fans have looked back on one particular installment as the crown jewel of that format. Thirty-two years ago, during the show’s second season, an episode titled “The Host” introduced the Flukeman, a towering white creature with the gaping mouth of a flukeworm, and critics and viewers alike have since regarded it as the series’ finest monster of the week story. The episode, which aired in the United States as part of the FBI’s paranormal investigations, unfolded in the sewer system of Newark, New Jersey, and it relied on cinema-level practical creature effects to bring its monstrous antagonist to life.

Generally speaking, there are two different kinds of episodes of The X-Files. There are the serialized “Mythology” episodes, which deal with the show’s central, ongoing story about aliens and the government conspiracy surrounding them. These kinds of stories usually get top billing each season as the premiere and finale, with a few more sprinkled in throughout the season. Then there are the procedural “monster of the week” episodes, during which Agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate standalone cases entirely unrelated to aliens. And while mythology episodes would sometimes take on outsized importance in the eyes of fans, the vast majority of The X-Files — like, probably, 75 percent of the show, if not more — were monster of the week stories.

The Sewer That Changed Everything

“The Host” was the second episode of season 2, and it takes place during a period when the X-Files division of the FBI has been shut down. Mulder is sent on a case involving a waterlogged body found in the Newark, NJ sewer system, and he is initially convinced it’s a punishment from his bosses at the FBI. Over the course of the investigation, however, he discovers that this is, indeed, an X-File. When Agent Scully performs an autopsy on the body, she finds a flukeworm in its liver. Soon after, a city sanitation worker is attacked in the sewer system by what he believes to be a python, but the giant bite mark on his back matches the mouth of a flukeworm — although much, much larger. After the sanitation worker dies, Mulder visits the sewage treatment plant, which has accidentally captured a creature that has the size and shape of a man, but with the face and mouth of a flukeworm. Soon after, the Flukeman, as the creature comes to be known, begins attacking workers at the sanitation plant in an effort to escape.

Image: Ken Staniforth/Fox Network/Everett Collection

“The Host” was a tightly-written sci-fi thriller that pushed the boundaries of what the show could do outside its mythology, and the Flukeman remains one of the most original creatures ever to appear on television.

X-Files creator Chris Carter

Why the Flukeman Still Holds Up

There are a number of reasons why the Flukeman is so highly regarded by fans. For one thing, his look is just incredibly original. While there are man-like and sea creature elements that harken back to the classic Creature from the Black Lagoon, the bright white monster and his giant, oval flukeworm mouth made him instantly memorable. The episode was also executed with cinema-level practical creature effects, which were rare on television at that time. “The Host” was also a tightly-written sci-fi thriller by X-Files creator Chris Carter. It also contained a then-timely real-world element, as the Flukeman is suggested to be a product of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine, which occurred less than a decade before this episode ran. The episode also aired during a time when the show was exploding in popularity, and since it was not part of the show’s mythology, it was an easy episode to revisit without having to watch a bunch of other episodes to get caught up first.

A Mascot Beyond a Single Episode

Since then, the Flukeman has become something of an unofficial X-Files mascot for monster of the week episodes overall. Outside of aliens, the monster you’re most likely to find on X-Files merchandise is the Flukeman, which is a bit surprising since he’s only in one episode of the show. For example, when Lego released their official X-Files set earlier this year, it included a bunch of human characters, an alien, and just one other creature: the Flukeman. Lots of interesting monsters would come and go throughout the series, from the liver-eating Eugene Victor Tooms to the terrifying inbred Peacock family, but none would stick in the minds of fans quite like the Flukeman.

Looking Ahead

As the show approaches its third decade, episodes like “The Host” continue to serve as the perfect entry point for newcomers and veterans alike. Because the Flukeman story is self-contained and free of the sprawling mythology that defined the series’ later seasons, it remains one of the most accessible ways to experience The X-Files at its most inventive. For fans revisiting the show, the episode stands as a reminder of why the procedural format was so beloved in the first place — a tight, atmospheric thriller anchored by a creature design that still feels fresh today. Whether viewed for the first time or revisited after years away, “The Host” and its unforgettable Flukeman remain a defining chapter in the show’s legacy.