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The X-Files
S5.E4
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Detour

  • Episode aired Nov 23, 1997
  • TV-14
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
The X-Files (1993)
AdventureCrimeDramaMysterySci-FiThriller

In the unexplored woods of Florida's Apalachicola National Forest, Mulder and Scully investigate the disappearances of two land surveyors and a boy's claims that he and his father were attac... Read allIn the unexplored woods of Florida's Apalachicola National Forest, Mulder and Scully investigate the disappearances of two land surveyors and a boy's claims that he and his father were attacked by an invisible creature.In the unexplored woods of Florida's Apalachicola National Forest, Mulder and Scully investigate the disappearances of two land surveyors and a boy's claims that he and his father were attacked by an invisible creature.

  • Director
    • Brett Dowler
  • Writers
    • Chris Carter
    • Frank Spotnitz
    • Tim Minear
  • Stars
    • David Duchovny
    • Gillian Anderson
    • Colleen Flynn
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    4.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Brett Dowler
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Frank Spotnitz
      • Tim Minear
    • Stars
      • David Duchovny
      • Gillian Anderson
      • Colleen Flynn
    • 15User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos42

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    Top cast14

    Edit
    David Duchovny
    David Duchovny
    • Fox Mulder
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • Dana Scully
    Colleen Flynn
    Colleen Flynn
    • Michele Fazekas
    J.C. Wendel
    J.C. Wendel
    • Agent Stonecypher
    Scott Burkholder
    Scott Burkholder
    • Agent Kinsley
    Merrilyn Gann
    Merrilyn Gann
    • Mrs. Asekoff
    Anthony Rapp
    Anthony Rapp
    • Jeff Glaser
    Alf Humphreys
    Alf Humphreys
    • Michael Asekoff
    • (as Alfred E. Humphreys)
    Tom Scholte
    • Michael Sloan
    Tyler Thompson
    • Louis Asekoff
    Simon Longmore
    Simon Longmore
    • Marty Fox
    Axl Aartsen
    Axl Aartsen
    • Creature #2
    • (uncredited)
    Ian Brown
    Ian Brown
    • State Trooper
    • (uncredited)
    Nicholas Harrison
    Nicholas Harrison
    • Trooper #2
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Brett Dowler
    • Writers
      • Chris Carter
      • Frank Spotnitz
      • Tim Minear
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    8.14.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10NightmareOnElmStreetFan

    Mulder and Scully are trapped in the wilderness bad-ass horror episode in the fifth season

    Detour feels like a rather conventional and old-fashioned episode, with Mulder and Scully encountering something strange in a rural setting, getting trapped in the wilderness, and encountering a monster threatened by the expansion of civilisation. One of my favorite episodes in the woods in which Mulder and Scully are trapped in the wilderness in Apalachicola National Forest in Leon County, Florida two invisible monsters are hunting and eating people who cross their paths in the woods. Really creepy and spooky episode.

    Detour is the kind of story that The X-Files has always done very well. Sending Mulder and Scully off into a remote location with a cast of expendable supporting characters can be counted on to deliver all the requisite X-Files ingredients.

    On the way to an FBI convention in Florida, Mulder and Scully stop to help in the investigation of the mysterious disappearance of three people in the woods, where a pair of invisible humanoids lurk.

    Detour was broadcast between Unusual Suspects and The Post-Modern Prometheus. This episode is a really good example of the different characterization of Mulder and Scully by different writers. I love Detour to death.
    10i-73992

    Perfect Monster Episode

    This is one of the most genuinely scary episodes of The X-files, but that also balances out with humorous interactions between Mulder and Scully. Top tier episode.
    10angusmadner

    review

    One of the best episodes ever and definitely the scariest so far makes "Home" look like a kids show. much like another one of my other less popular favourite episodes war of the cophophages, it just seems exceptionally goofy and fun, i wouldnt be suprised if they were the same writer, ill check
    9Sleepin_Dragon

    A classic.

    Whilst on their way to a conference, Mulder and Scully get drawn into a bizarre case, several people have vanished in a Florida forest.

    It's bad of me, but I keep on expecting there to be a dip in quality, the recent run has been quite exceptional, it's been one quality episode after another, Detour follows the trend.

    It feels like the first independent episode for some time, no glimpse of a story arc, no prior knowledge was needed here, it's just a cracking, one off story.

    Favourite scene was perhaps the opening moments, where Mulder and Scully bantered with the two officers, it was very funny.

    Did you, as I did perhaps get Predator vibes, there were glimpses, that whole invisible figure was a chilling adversary, those red eyes also upped the horror vibe.

    9/10.
    10Sanpaco13

    Jeremiah was a mothman?

    Great great great episode. I love the scene at the beginning with Mulder and Scully in the car with the other two agents going off to some kind of marriage counseling partner communication seminar thing and Mulder is less than enthusiastic about it.

    KINSLEY: I couldn't believe how hard it was not to use the word "but." MULDER: (In hell) I'm having that same problem right now.

    Haha! I love it. I also really like the idea they use of the mothmen being chameleon like where you can't see them at all. I did think it a little interesting that they used mothmen to explain these creatures however because it didn't seem to fit with anything that I have ever heard about Mothmen at all. I haven't read a lot but what I have read or seen matches closer to what is shown in the movie "The Mothman Prophecies". Great movie by the way. But I still enjoyed this episode despite that fact. It is also one of those that you can share with your friends who are maybe easily grossed out. This is actually the episode that I used to get my father to check out more of the series. I give it a 10/10 for sure.

    Related interests

    Still frame
    Adventure
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Visual effects supervisor Laurie Kallsen-George created the glowing red eyes, digitizing and blending various eyeball images, including shots of her family's dog.
    • Goofs
      In the opening hunting scene, the forest is completely wrong. There are no temperate rain forests in Florida, much less in the Panhandle.
    • Quotes

      Fox Mulder: I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat is to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with somebody else who's already naked.

      Dana Scully: Maybe if it rains sleeping bags, you'll get lucky.

    • Connections
      Features The Invisible Man (1933)
    • Soundtracks
      The X-Files
      Written by Mark Snow

      Performed by John Beal

      [the show's opening theme]

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 23, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Hulu
      • Instagram
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • 2036 Marine Dr, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Ten Thirteen Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 44m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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