Home (The X-Files)
"Home" | |
---|---|
James Wong | |
Production code | 4X03[1] |
Original air date | October 11, 1996 |
Running time | 44 minutes[2] |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"Home" is the second episode of the
The series centers on
"Home" marks the return of writers Morgan and Wong, who left the show following its
Plot
In the small town of
During an autopsy, the agents discover that the baby suffocated by inhaling dirt—meaning that it was buried alive. Scully suggests that the baby's defects could have been caused by inbreeding. Mulder insists that this would be impossible since the Peacocks seem to live in an all-male household. Suspecting that the Peacocks have kidnapped and raped a woman, Mulder and Scully investigate their now-abandoned residence and discover blood, scissors, and a shovel on a table. In retaliation, the Peacocks enter Sheriff Taylor's house during the night and murder him and his wife, Barbara (Judith Maxie).
Laboratory tests indicate that the baby's parents were members of the Peacock family. Believing that the three Peacock brothers must be holding the dead baby's mother hostage, the agents and Deputy Barney Paster (
Production
Background
"Home" marked the return of writers
Many actors from Space: Above and Beyond appeared in the fourth season; the first was Tucker Smallwood, who portrays Sheriff Andy Taylor in "Home".[3][12][13] When Morgan first pitched the episode to Chris Carter, he specifically described three actors from the show—James Morrison, Rodney Rowland and Morgan Weisser—as the trio of "big freak brothers".[11] The episode contained references to popular television, such as the use of the names Andy Taylor and Barney, and referring to Mayberry, which are references to characters and fictional town from The Andy Griffith Show.[14]
Writing
Sources consulted by the writers included Brother's Keeper (1992), a documentary film depicting the story of the Wards, four "barely literate" brothers who lived on a farm that had been passed on through their family for generations.[11][15][16] The brothers drew international attention following the alleged murder of William Ward by his brother Delbert.[16] With an estimated IQ of 68, Delbert escaped prosecution by claiming that the police had tricked him during interrogation.[17] Wong chose to base the Peacock family on the Wards, incorporating their lifestyles into the script.[11] The name "Peacock" came from the former neighbors of Morgan's parents.[3]
Further inspiration came from a story in
It took some time for the concepts to come together into a story;[21][22] elements first appeared in the second season episode "Humbug", written by Morgan's brother Darin and featuring a cast of circus sideshow performers. The episode incorporated several themes that had an influence on "Home", including the use of a "benign soul trapped in the body of a monster".[5][23]
When director
Filming and post-production
Like the rest of the fourth season, "Home" was filmed in British Columbia.[3][26] Most of the scenes depicting buildings were shot in the town of Surrey, British Columbia, with the exterior of the Langley Community Hall in Fort Langley doubling as Home's sheriff's station. As the town's architecture comprised both old and new styles, careful reverse angles were employed to preserve the impression of "small-town America".[27] The building used as the Peacock house had been previously utilized in the season two episode "Aubrey". At that time, the producers noted that the house had been "untouched for years" and was "so good" they had to return to film it again.[3][28][29] The car that the Peacock family drives in the episode was found on a farm outside Vancouver. It was rented and restored for use in the episode. Cadillac later sent the producers a letter thanking them for including one of their cars in the show.[3]
After the episode aired, Tucker Smallwood recalled that the filming was an unpleasant experience.[30] He entered production of the episode with little knowledge of the nature of The X-Files, and was surprised when he received the screenplay. During his first day on set, he asked other cast members if the series was always so violent. An unidentified crew member said, "this is awful even for us", and commented that it was probably the most gruesome episode of the series run.[11] During the sheriff's death scene Smallwood insisted on performing his own stunts, until he hit his head attempting a dive. Another uncomfortable moment for the actor involved lying face down in a pool of fake blood for more than 90 minutes.[11]
The episode incorporates the song "Wonderful! Wonderful!" by musician Johnny Mathis.[31][32] Having read the screenplay Mathis refused to allow his version to be used, owing to the episode's graphic content, and a cover version had to be created. Producer David Nutter, who had a background as a singer, intended to record the vocals but at the last minute another singer who sounded more like Mathis was hired. Manners explained that he wanted to use the song because "certain songs [like 'Wonderful! Wonderful!'] have a creepy, icky quality that none of us have really openly acknowledged".[33]
"Home" was first submitted to the censors featuring audio of the baby screaming while being buried alive. Fox executives asked Ten Thirteen Productions to alter the audio so that the baby would sound sick; they noted that the audio change was needed to show the child was diseased and that the Peacocks were not simply killing an innocent child.[33] Manners called the shot, shown from the child's perspective, of the baby's burial as "the most awful shot of my career".[33] He said that he approached filming as seriously as he could because he felt the script was a classic. When production was finished, Manners declared that it was one of his favorites. Duchovny agreed with Manners, saying, "I really like that one. Although it didn't scare me."[34] He explained that it "touched" him with its themes concerning the desire to "live and to propagate."[34]
Themes
Just as silence can bind family members in a net of conspiracy and oppression, so are the inarticulate and grotesque Peacock brothers of "Home" entangled in a hopeless web of silence, ignorance, and depravity.
—Writer Sarah Stegall on the Peacock family's depiction.[5]
"Home" presents a satirical view of traditional
The concept of motherhood is also explored in the episode. According to Elyce Rae Helford, in her book Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television, Mrs. Peacock functions as a being who has been reduced "to all female functions" by her sons. She is "the grotesquely willing mother who has lost any sense of individual purpose" other than to do anything for her children.
Emily St. James of Vox writes that the episode "perfectly reflected its particular moment in time" as regards technology entering the backwoods:
America was changing, becoming much more interconnected. There wasn't much room left for obscure, local urban legends. It's perhaps no mistake, then, that The X-Files debuted in 1993, shortly before the internet became a major part of everyday life, and ended in 2002, after it had completely revamped and reworked everything we once knew. Mulder and Scully's frequent use of cellphones was seen as a bit of a novelty in early seasons, but by the end the technology was ubiquitous. ... There's perhaps no better example of this than The X-Files' deeply scary season four classic "Home." A spooky old house on the edge of a small Pennsylvania town proves to be the center of a breeding experiment decades in the making... Yet in the '90s, the three brothers' crimes will be investigated by Mulder and Scully, modern America coming to flush them out."[44]
The use of the up-tempo "Wonderful! Wonderful!" during a violent murder sequence attracted attention for its contrasting presentation.[45][35] Jan Delasara in X-Files Confidential called the murder of Sheriff Taylor and his wife the most "chilling moment in the series' run", highlighted by the use of a bouncy, classic pop song.[32][45] It further establishes the episode's subversion of nostalgia, by using a well-known pop song during a death scene.[11]
Broadcast and reception
Initial ratings and reception
"Home" originally aired on the Fox network on October 11, 1996.
Upon its first broadcast, "Home" received several positive reviews from critics, although some were critical of its violence. Entertainment Weekly gave the episode an "A", describing it as "one of TV's most disturbing hours" and as "a cinematic feast for the eyes, packed with audacious wit".[50] Sarah Stegall awarded the episode three stars out of five, comparing it positively to the more gruesome work of directors David Lynch and Tobe Hooper.[5] Stegall praised the atmosphere and commented that Morgan and Wong's "long-awaited return" to the series was "definitely disturbing, thought-provoking, and nasty."[5]
Among less favorable reviews, author Phil Farrand called "Home" his least-favorite episode of the first four seasons of the show in his book The Nitpicker's Guide to the X-Files, writing that he "just [did not] get this episode" because "Mulder and Scully seem reckless" and the Peacock brothers "are better suited for comic books".[51] Paul Cornell, Keith Topping, and Martin Day, in their book X-Treme Possibilities, were critical of the violent content of the episode. Topping called the episode "sick", Cornell felt that Mulder and Scully's wisecracks made them come off as cruel, and Day felt that the violence went overboard.[14] Day, however, offered a few complimentary observations, noting that "Home" did, indeed, have merit, and that the juxtaposition of "Wonderful! Wonderful!" with the violent antics of the Peacocks was something "David Lynch would be proud of".[14]
Later reception
"Home" has continued to receive positive reviews. In a 2011 review, Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" rating and wrote that it would be difficult to write an episode like "Home" today, since small towns are no longer as isolated as they used to be, thanks to modern communications technology.[52] She praised the depiction of urban sensibilities and the frightening Peacock family, observing that it represented a "sad farewell to a weird America that was rapidly smoothing itself out."[52] Author Dean A. Kowalski, in The Philosophy of The X-Files, cited "Home", "Squeeze", and "The Host" as the most notable "monster-of-the-week" episodes.[53]
"Home" has often been cited as one of the best X-Files episodes.
Critics have also named "Home" one of the scariest installments of the series. Novelist
Footnotes
- ^ Delasara (2000), p. 81.
- ^ "The X-Files, Season 4". iTunes Store. Apple. 10 September 1993. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Meisler (1998), pp. 39–46
- AllRovi. Archivedfrom the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stegall, Sarah (1996). "Family Plot". The Munchkyn Zone. Archived from the original on 2013-08-24. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
- ^ Kellner (2003), p. 158.
- ^ Short (2011), p. 60.
- ^ "X Cyclopedia: The Ultimate Episode Guide, Season 1". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. November 29, 1996. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
- ^ Johnson-Smith (2005), p. 134.
- ^ Fox.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Vitaris, Paula (October 1997). "X-Files: Behind the Scenes of Morgan and Wong's Controversial Episode". Cinefantastique. 29 (4/5): 60.
- ^ Booker (2002), p. 126.
- ^ Smallwood (2007), p. 45.
- ^ a b c d Cornell et al (1998), pp. 284–288
- ^ Merritt (1999), p. 394.
- ^ a b Niemi (2006), p. 421.
- ^ "Lyman Ward, 85, Last of 4 Brothers, Dies". The New York Times. August 18, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
- ^ Fox Home Entertainment.
- ^ Green, Anna (October 15, 2015). "How Charlie Chaplin Influenced the Most Disturbing Episode of 'The X-Files'". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ^ Waddell (2006), p. 113
- ^ Booker (2002), p. 129.
- ^ Kirby, Jonathan (October 29, 2007). "Not Just a Fluke: How Darin Morgan Saved The X-Files". PopMatters. PopMatters Media. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
- Fox Home Entertainment.
- ^ Fox Home Entertainment.
- ^ a b c Davis (2011), p. 129.
- ^ Vitaris, Paula (October 1998). "X-Files: A Mixed Bag of Episodes and a Feature Film Pave the Way for Season Six". Cinefantastique. 30 (7/8): 27.
- ^ Gradnitzer and Pittson (1999) p. 122.
- ^ Lowry (1995), pp. 188–189
- ^ Gradnitzer and Pittson (1999) p. 70.
- ^ The X-Files Fan Retrospective (December 17, 2023). "The X-Files Retrospective: Tucker Smallwood Interview". Retrieved December 18, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Cornell et al (1998), p. 286.
- ^ a b c Delasara (2000), p. 125.
- ^ a b c d e Hurwitz & Knowles (2008), pp. 91–92
- ^ Fox Home Entertainment.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-39198-9.
- ^ Booker (2002), p. 210.
- ^ Booker (2002), p. 209.
- ^ Helford (2000), p. 82.
- ^ Nowalk, Brandon; et al. (October 17, 2013). "The X-Files Goes After Incest and Genetic Mutation, Way Before it Was Cool". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
- ^ Bain, Grant (2012). "Poor Southern Whites as the Other in The X-Files and Other Recent Works of Popular Culture (Vol 2)". In Booker, M. Keith (ed.). Blue-Collar Pop Culture: from NASCAR to Jersey Shore. Praeger. p. 91.
- ^ Helford (2000), p. 83.
- ^ Helford (2000), pp. 83–84.
- ^ Waddell (2006), pp. 112–113.
- ^ St. James, Emily (Jan 24, 2016). "The X-Files, Xplained". Vox. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Kessenich (2002), p. 219.
- ^ Soter (2001), p. 125.
- ^ Meisler (1998), p. 298.
- ^ a b Vitaris, Paula (October 1997). "Episode Guide". Cinefantastique. 29 (4/5): 35–62.
- ^ Spelling, Ian. (5 February 2002) "Doggett's Pursuit". The X-Files Magazine. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ "X Cyclopedia: The Ultimate Episode Guide, Season 4". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. November 29, 1996. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ Farrand (1997), pp. 222, 271.
- ^ a b VanDerWerff, Emily (October 2, 2010). "'Home'/'Gehenna'". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
- ^ Kowalski 2007, p. 77.
- ^ Francis, Jack (September 10, 2023). "'The X-Files': Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (July 20, 2012). "10 Must-See Episodes of The X-Files". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
- The Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network Inc. September 12, 2009. Archived from the originalon January 18, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ Sordi, Nina (September 22, 2009). "Top 10 X-Files Episodes". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 27, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ Payne, Andrew (July 25, 2008). "'X-Files' 10 Best Episodes". Starpulse. Starpulse.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
- ^ Ogle, Connie (September 29, 2009). "The X-Factor: A Look Back at 'The X-Files' Greatest Monsters". PopMatters. PopMatters Media. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
- ^ Hughes, Kat (2022-05-31). "The X-Files | Why 'Home' is Still the Show's Most Terrifying Episode". The Companion. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
- ^ Heim (2008), p. 327.
- ^ Heim (2008), p. 330.
- Vulture.com. Archivedfrom the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
Bibliography
- Booker, M. Keith (2002). Strange TV: Innovative Television Series From The Twilight Zone To The X-Files. ISBN 978-0-313-32373-7.
- Booker, M. Keith (2012). Blue-Collar Pop Culture. ISBN 978-0-313-39198-9.
- Cornell, Paul; Day, Martin; Topping, Keith (1998). X-Treme Possibilities: A Comprehensively Expanded Rummage Through Five Years of the X-Files. Virgin Publications, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7535-0228-0.
- D'Imperio, Chuck (2006). Great Graves of Upstate New York!. ISBN 978-1-4208-9676-3.
- Davis, William B. (2011). Where There's Smoke: Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, a Memoir. ISBN 978-1-77041-052-7.
- Delasara, Jan (2000). PopLit, PopCult and The X-Files: A Critical Exploration. ISBN 978-0-7864-0789-7.
- Farrand, Phil (1997). The Nitpicker's Guide for X-Philes. ISBN 978-0-440-50808-3.
- Gradnitzer, Louisa (2002). X Marks the Spot: On Location With The X-Files. ISBN 978-1-55152-066-7.
- Heim, Scott (2008). Wallace, Amy (ed.). The Book of Lists: Horror. ISBN 978-0-06-153726-4.
- Helford, Elyce Rae (2000). Fantasy Girls: Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television. ISBN 978-0-8476-9835-6.
- Hurwitz, Matt; Knowles, Chris (2008). The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series the Myths and the Movies. Insight Editions. ISBN 978-1-933784-72-4.
- Johnson-Smith, Jan (2005). American Science Fiction TV: Star Trek, Stargate, and Beyond. Wesleyan. ISBN 978-0-7864-4315-4.
- ISBN 978-0-415-26829-5.
- Kessenich, Tom (2002). Examinations: An Unauthorized Look at Seasons 6-9 of the X-Files. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1553698126.
- Lowry, Brian (1995). The Truth is Out There: The Official Guide to the X-Files. ISBN 978-0-06-105330-6.
- Meisler, Andy (1998). I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to the X-Files, Vol. 3. ISBN 978-0-06-105386-3.
- Merritt, Greg (1999). Celluloid Mavericks: A History of American Independent Film Making. ISBN 978-1-56025-232-0.
- Niemi, Robert (2006). History in the Media: Film and Television. ISBN 978-1-57607-952-2.
- Peterson, Mark C. E.; Flannery, Richard; Louzecky, David (2007). Kowalski, Dean A. (ed.). The Philosophy of The X-Files. ISBN 978-0-8131-9227-7.
- Short, Sue (2011). Cult Telefantasy Series. ISBN 978-0-7864-4315-4.
- Smallwood, Tucker (2006). Return To Eden. ISBN 978-1-84728-169-2.
- Soter, Tom (2001). Investigating Couples: A Critical Analysis of the Thin Man, the Avengers and The X-Files. ISBN 978-0-7864-1123-8.
- Waddell, Terrie (2006). Mis/takes: Archetype, Myth and Identity in Screen Fiction. ISBN 978-1-58391-721-3.
- Wallace, Amy; Howison, Del; ISBN 978-0-06-153726-4.
External links
- "Home" at IMDb