Home (The X-Files): Difference between revisions
Quiddity99 (talk | contribs) plot |
|||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
==Plot overview == |
==Plot overview == |
||
A woman, later identified as Mrs. Peacock gives birth to a deformed baby, and her three sons bury the baby alive during a rain storm. Agents [[Fox Mulder]] ([[David Duchovny]]) and [[Dana Scully]] ([[Gillian Anderson]]) are sent to investigate the discovery of the deformed baby's corpse, which was found by children during an informal baseball game. While talking to the town sheriff, Andy Taylor, Mulder asks whether or not the Peacocks, the inhabitants of the house nearest to the scene had been questioned about the baby. Taylor tells them that that the house dates back to the American Civil War and is still without electricity, running water, or heat. He also insinuates that the family has been inbreeding since the war: "[they] raise and breed their own stock... if you get what I mean." All the while, the Peacock family sullenly watches from their front porch. |
|||
| ⚫ | During an autopsy, the agents discover that the baby suffocated by inhaling dirt. Mulder and Scully later talk outside the town's police station; Mulder suggests that their case is nothing more than kids disposing of an unwanted birth. Scully, however declares the child is not a result of a freak accident in mating and must have been inbred just like the Sheriff suggested. Later, the Peacocks brutally murder Sheriff Taylor and his wife. The agents find a shaken Deputy Paster smoking a cigarette. The agents and deputy decide to stage an assault on the Peacock residence and arrest the Peacocks. At the house, the family members are nowhere to be seen. When Paster tries to break down the front door, he is decapitated by a boobytrap. The Peacocks come out of hiding and tear him apart in animalistic fashion. Scully and Mulder decide to lure the Peacocks out by releasing their pigs, and sneak into the house while the boys chase them down. |
||
While talking to the town sheriff, Mulder asks whether or not the inhabitants of the house nearest to the scene had been questioned about the baby. The Sheriff, Andy Taylor, tells them that that the house dates back to the American Civil War and is still without electricity, running water, or heat. He also insinuates that the family has been inbreeding since the war: "[they] raise and breed their own stock... if you get what I mean." All the while, the Peacock family sullenly watches from their front porch. |
|||
| ⚫ | Inside, the agents find Mrs. Peacock, who is a multiple amputee, and has been guiding the actions of her sons. It is implied that she has been breeding with her sons for years. The Peacock boys soon realize Mulder and Scully are inside and attack. The two youngest sons survive several gunshots before they are killed, one of them impaled on yet another boobytrap. Afterwards, the agents discover that Mrs. Peacock and her oldest son are gone. The two of them flee in their car, planning to start a new family and find a new home.<ref name="plot">{{cite book | year=1998 | author=Meisler,Andy | title=I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 3|page=39-46|publisher=Harper Prism }} </ref> |
||
During an autopsy, the agents discover that the baby suffocated by inhaling dirt. Mulder and Scully later talk outside the town's police station; Scully seems distressed by the abandonment of this child and over the defects presented. They sit down on a bench and Mulder flirts with her, suggesting that she find a man with a spotless genetic makeup and a high tolerance for being second-guessed to pump out "über-Scullys." She inquires about his family, and Mulder claims that other than the need for corrective lenses and a tendency towards being abducted by aliens, the Mulder family passes genetic muster. He suggests that their case is nothing more than kids disposing of an unwanted birth. Scully, however declares the child is not a result of a freak accident in mating and must have been inbred just like the Sheriff suggested. |
|||
| ⚫ | Later, the Peacocks brutally murder Sheriff Taylor and his wife. The agents find a shaken |
||
| ⚫ | |||
==Production== |
==Production== |
||
Revision as of 18:19, 29 June 2010
| "Home (The X-Files)" |
|---|
"Home" is the 75th episode and the second episode of the fourth season of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on October 11, 1996 on the FOX Network, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producers Glen Morgan and James Wong, and directed by Kim Manners.
"Home" follows the two agents in a small, otherwise peaceful town, the agents investigate the death of an infant with disturbing birth defects, and the trail leads to a clan of inbred, genetic mutants. The episode received a high Nielsen household and syndication rating compared to other episodes of the season, it was generally positively received by fans and critics alike.
Plot overview
A woman, later identified as Mrs. Peacock gives birth to a deformed baby, and her three sons bury the baby alive during a rain storm. Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are sent to investigate the discovery of the deformed baby's corpse, which was found by children during an informal baseball game. While talking to the town sheriff, Andy Taylor, Mulder asks whether or not the Peacocks, the inhabitants of the house nearest to the scene had been questioned about the baby. Taylor tells them that that the house dates back to the American Civil War and is still without electricity, running water, or heat. He also insinuates that the family has been inbreeding since the war: "[they] raise and breed their own stock... if you get what I mean." All the while, the Peacock family sullenly watches from their front porch.
During an autopsy, the agents discover that the baby suffocated by inhaling dirt. Mulder and Scully later talk outside the town's police station; Mulder suggests that their case is nothing more than kids disposing of an unwanted birth. Scully, however declares the child is not a result of a freak accident in mating and must have been inbred just like the Sheriff suggested. Later, the Peacocks brutally murder Sheriff Taylor and his wife. The agents find a shaken Deputy Paster smoking a cigarette. The agents and deputy decide to stage an assault on the Peacock residence and arrest the Peacocks. At the house, the family members are nowhere to be seen. When Paster tries to break down the front door, he is decapitated by a boobytrap. The Peacocks come out of hiding and tear him apart in animalistic fashion. Scully and Mulder decide to lure the Peacocks out by releasing their pigs, and sneak into the house while the boys chase them down.
Inside, the agents find Mrs. Peacock, who is a multiple amputee, and has been guiding the actions of her sons. It is implied that she has been breeding with her sons for years. The Peacock boys soon realize Mulder and Scully are inside and attack. The two youngest sons survive several gunshots before they are killed, one of them impaled on yet another boobytrap. Afterwards, the agents discover that Mrs. Peacock and her oldest son are gone. The two of them flee in their car, planning to start a new family and find a new home.[1]
Production
"Home" was inspired by a tale in Charlie Chaplin's autobiography, about the time he stayed at a tenement home while touring in a British musical theatre. After dinner, the family took him upstairs to meet their son - and pulled him out from under a bed. The son had no arms and legs and flopped around while they sang and danced. Glen Morgan read the story and decided to use the incident. James Wong came up with the idea to change the son to a mother. "Home" was first submitted to the censors with the teaser featuring audio of the baby being buried alive. Ten Thirteen Productions was asked to alter the audio so that the baby would be dead during the burial.[2]
When Kim Manners read the script "Home", he said to himself "this is as classic a horror script I'm ever going to see as a director." When the script for "Home" was sent up to Vancouver, Canada, the producers felt the show had "gone too far," calling it tasteless. Re-recording Mixer David West was told by Standard of Practices that the kid couldn't make a sound, because of the horrifying adult imagery.[3]
Manners said he approached filming of the episode as a "classic horror piece." Being mostly positive of the outcome, he said "I loved 'Home.' 'Home' I think is my favorite episode of [The X-Files]." David Duchovny agreed with Manners's response to the episode, saying, "I really like that one.. [although] it didn't scare me." He said it "touched [him] because of its theme to live and to propagate.[4]"
Reception
"Home" earned a Nielsen rating of 11.9, with a 21 share. It was viewed by 18.85 million people.[5] According to Carter, "Home" is one of the most popular episodes ever created for The X-Files. An unknown writer from the Vancouver Sun listed "Home" at their list of best stand alone episodes of the show, saying that story was "truly horrific".[6] In 2009, TV.com's Richard Lawson ranked "Home" as number one on The Five Scariest Episodes in TV History.[7] "Home" also became the first of two episodes to get a viewer discretion warning for graphic content, the second being the season eight episode, "Via Negativa."[8]
References
- ^ Meisler,Andy (1998). I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 3. Harper Prism. p. 39-46.
- ^ Wong, James (2002). "Home": Interview with James Wong (DVD). FOX Home Entertainment.
- ^ Rabwin, Paul, Manners, Kim, West, David, Carter, Chris, Gilligan, Vince, Rabwin, Paul, Spotnitz, Frank and Pileggi, Mitch (2002). The Truth Behind Season 4 (DVD). FOX Home Entertainment.
- ^ Manners, Kim and Duchovny, David (2002). FX Behind the Truth Spots: "Home" (DVD). FOX Home Entertainment.
- ^ Meisler, Andy (1998). I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 3. Harper Prism. p. 298.
- ^ "A look back on some of the best stand-alone episodes from the X-Files series". Vancouver Sun. September 12, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Richard Lawson (October 26, 2009). "The Five Scariest Episodes in TV History". TV.com. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ^ Spelling, Ian. (February, 2002) "Doggett's Pursuit". The X-Files Magazine. Retrieved on October 1, 2009.
External links
