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A baby is found buried alive in shallow ground and appears to have birth defects resulting from generations of inbreeding, leading Mulder and Scully to a reclusive family who have a history of inbred children. Add a recap »

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Writers:: Glen Morgan, James Wong

Director:: Kim Manners

Stars:: David Duchovny (Special Agent Fox Mulder); Gillian Anderson (Special Agent Dana Scully)

Guest Star:: Tucker Smallwood (Sheriff Andy Taylor); Sebastian Spence (Deputy Barney Paster); Chris Norris (Edmund Peacock); John Trottier (George Peacock); Karin Konoval (The Peacock Mother); Judith Maxie (Barbara Taylor); Kenny James (Announcer); Lachlan Murdoch (Right Fielder); Neil Denis (Catcher); Cory Frye (Batter); Douglas Smith (VI) (Pitcher); Adrian Hughes (Sherman Peacock)

This episode marks the first time Samantha Mulder was mentioned in a context other than abduction - at one point, Fox talks about the games he and his sister used to play. edit »
While I realize it added significantly to the plot line, in reality, Mulder and Scully would have simply called in the State Police and officers from neighboring jurisdictions to assist them in arresting the Peacock boys. edit »
Though it's a brilliant and incredibly disturbing counterpoint, the playing of Wonderful Wonderful during the scenes where the sheriff is battered to death is not in any kind of musical timeline. The first line plays as the brothers are leaving the house, then there is a scene with the sheriff looking at his gun and being comforted by his wife, then a shot back to the brothers' car and the second line of the song. Then when the brothers arrive at the sheriff's house, both the sheriff and his wife have got ready for and are in bed, but the song is still only about half way through, and when the brothers get back in their car having killed them, it's still playing. I know I'm being picky, but the song is not Les Miserables. It doesn't last for three hours! edit »
The actual quote in Babe is "Baaah-ram-ewe", not Naah-ram-ewe. All three elements of the magic word are related to sheep. edit »
An editing nit-pick: during Mulder and Scully's first conversation with Sheriff Taylor at the infant-burial site, the exact same reaction shot of Scully is used twice: she makes a facial expression, looks down and to her right, and some strands of her hair blow across the top of her head. edit »

The science advisor to the series, Anne Simon Ph.D., points out in her book The Real Science Behind The X-Files that the genetic deformities Scully observes in the dead infant (Neu-Laxova syndrome, Meckel-Gruber syndrome and extrophy of the cloaca) are quite rare, and that she would have had to have been well-versed in genetic abnormalities to have recognized all of these conditions without consulting outside experts. Dr. Simon mentions a standard reference book, Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation, as something Scully may have had the opportunity to consult before this case, thus familiarizing herself with the information. edit »
A scene was cut in which Mulder and Scully jostle each other suggestively in the tight confines of Sheriff Taylor's supply closet/morgue. edit »
Glen Morgan named the Peacock family after some former neighbors of his parents. edit »
This episode features the song "Wonderful Wonderful" by Johnny Mathis. edit »
Having spent a year away from The X-Files to create their own show Space: Above and Beyond, writers Morgan and Wong return here for the first time since season 2's "Die Hand Die Verletzt." The title of their first episode back may also have a double meaning; aside from being the name of the town featured, it could be their way of saying that they are back "home". edit »

Scully: The way I think it goes here is that Edmund is the brother and the father of the other two.
Mulder: Which means that when Edmund was a kid, he could ground the other two for playing with his things? edit »
Scully: You still planning on making a home here?
Mulder: Not if I can't get the Knicks game.
Scully: Well, just as long as a brutal infanticide doesn't weigh into your decision. Good night, Mulder. edit »
Sherrif: We don't have a lab or a morgue, but I do have a room down here might be a bit cleaner.. By the way, this is my deputy Barney..
Mulder: Fife?!
Deputy: Pastor! edit »
Scully: But he also implied that they practice inbreeding. Now we all have a natural instinct to propagate...
Mulder: Do we? edit »
Scully: Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you�d lapse into catatonic schizophrenia. edit »

Mulder: Fife?

It's hard to even call this a reference, since Mulder and Scully are aware of the many ironies in the obvious parallels. Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Paster are clear references to The Andy Griffith Show, where Sheriff Andy Taylor and his Deputy Barney Fife watch over a small North Carolina mountain town. Though Deputy Paster wouldn't admit it, they also both resemble their namesakes: both Andies are calm, laid-back and content with their small-town ways, and both Barneys are more nervous and fond of weapons. edit »
Scully: He watches Babe 15 times a day!

In the movie Babe, the secret phrase "Baah-ram-ewe" is a code word to sheep that they should do what the speaker says. edit »

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saturday93
member since: Nov 27, 2006
Home
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
This has been advertised to me as "one of the most disturbing X-Files episodes ever." Yes, it is. ...Continue »
This episode takes the urban legend of the creepy middle American family to a really terrifying place. The live burial of a deformed newborn is only the beginning, literally. While slowly revealing the extent of the Peacock family creepiness, this episode also manages to connect ideas of home and family to both Scully and Mulder, revealing their ideas of motherhood and memories of childhood with quick interactions and reactions. And whether by great acting or great writing, even the short lived Sheriff requires our sympathy before his end.

Perhaps the most disturbing question of all is whether the mother of the Peacock family is there by choice or not. She says she is - she seems to be - and yet she's also tied and unable to move in any case. Who's really calling the shots there?

Many levels, much horror, and some humour. A classic episode and definitely a good example of why I watched this show.
09/24/08 01:35pm | report abuse
10
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Saintevie
member since: Mar 6, 2008
Home
The Bottom Line: "Series classic"
A baby is found buried alive in shallow ground and appears to have birth defects resulting from generations of inbreeding, leading Mulder and Scully to a reclusive family who have a history of inbred children. ...Continue »
This was one of the best X files episodes ever. It aired over 12 years ago and were still talking about it. When our weekly group of X filers got together on Oct. 11, 1996. We did not expect HOME to be, what it turned out to be. After it was over, we were still sitting in the sames spots as we started, stunned and I must say a little disturbed. It took us a few moments until we were able to discuss what we all just witnessed. We knew then that this was a classic episode and that it belongs in the elite X Files.
03/06/08 07:41am | report abuse
9.5
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OuroborosSnyder
member since: Jul 1, 2006
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The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
Home is not always the place you want to be... ...Continue »
I find this episode to be amazing! The more I watch it, the more I love it. I know some people say that it scared or scares them, but it never scared me. It was more revealing than anything. I found it intersting and the thought that I know that worst things happen than this in real life, is the exact reason why it doesn't bother me.

So...I thought there was a bit of character development in here as well. Scully seemed...I don't want to say emotionally attached to the dead baby, but she definitely felt something. I guess, who wouldn't under the circumstances. It's just, like her mother instincts kicked in. I loved the seen when her and Mulder were sitting on the bench outside talking about it. The "Obber Scully's." I believe Mulder refered it as. LOL Asking about family genetics in general was development for both of them.

I liked when Mulder and Scully went into the house. Creepy with all sorts of traps...and OMG, the mother! Wow! Pretty nasty looking, eh? LOL I always loved the song that plays in this episode...I'm slipping at the name right now but ya all know the episode and know what I'm talking about =)

All around, awesome!

~Snyder~
02/23/08 06:41am | report abuse
9
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faerielights
member since: Jan 30, 2007
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The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
This episode scared me to death. One of the most frightening and best written X-files ...Continue »
Ever since I first day this episode, It scared the hell out of me. What can I say? I was young at the time, but even to this day I cannot sit and watch Home. Oh dear sweet lord, I have to move, distract myself from everything. If you like having nightmares and if you love the feeling of the hair raising on the back of your neck, this is the X-Files epidode for you. Home clearly took X-Files to a new level in terror, being grotesque and touching on subjects most television shows wouldn't dare go near with a ten foot pole.
01/28/08 06:50pm | report abuse
10
10
Rooney815
member since: Nov 18, 2007
Home
The Bottom Line: "Series classic"
This episode scared the hell out of me... ...Continue »
This episode scared the hell out of me! ive never been so freaked out by a television episode as much as this. I remember back when i was about 5 or 6 and my Sister was a serious X-Files fan. I remember being in the living room and she knew what was going to happen and she would say watch this part! and i would flip out! i covered my eyes but had to watch because the x files is so interesting and cool (i remember leaving the movie theater with my sister after seeing the movie and wearing a hooded jacket like mulder did when he rescued scully and i was pretending to be mulder :) ). The mom freaks me out, the guys freak me out, the story freaks me out, hell even the song wonderful wonderful freaks me out. This is a great episode haha
11/24/07 08:40pm | report abuse