I remember watching this for the first time (in Australia) after hearing that it had been banned from being shown again in the US and thinking, well, it can’t be *that* bad. …it was pretty bad.
The best part may well be how Shaenon continues to have a great appetite while watching this ep… I loved how she actually takes food – oatmeal? – from Andrew’s bowl! And of course, great facial expressions all around.
As a Scot, I’d say that if your porridge (oatmeal, if you must) is thick enough to form mounds that rise above the bowl’s rim, you’ve probably made it wrong.
Panel 10: Calling for backup wouldn’t have saved him. All TV cops are carefully trained to call for backup but then go in alone and get killed anyway. They’re professionals.
The question of how far the state police would be likely to have to come to get to Home to provide backup led me to look Home, Pennsylvania up on Google Maps. Turns out it’s actually pretty close to Punxutawney and even closer to Indiana, PA, also known as Jimmy Stewart’s home town!
I watched Groundhog Day with a friend of mine who had never seen it before and who grew up in Indiana, PA, and that movie made him freak out a bit — he said it captured the feel of rural Pennsylvania really well (as well as, and this is my own interpretation based on seeing his reaction, the feeling that once you’re there you can NEVER LEAVE.)
So now I kind of want to watch ‘Home’ with him — and he’s coming to town for a visit tomorrow. Hmmm….
Bill Murray did an Ask Me Anything live chat, and he said, seriously, if you ever have the chance to go to Punxatawney, take it, because it’s a really cool place. Home, I’m not so sure.
This is one of 3 XF episodes that I have to watch in broad daylight, with someone else, or with every light in the house on (preferably all three), and I’m glad you went with this light hearted depiction; torturing your husband by making him watch it was just golden.
I think what is so freaky about this one is the way they did the murder of the Sheriff and his wife. It looks like the format of all my nightmares, excluding the ones where I’m stuck in high school with grad school level assignments and run around proclaiming, “But I Have a Master’s Degree!” to no avail…
On another note, I know a lot of x-Philes find that Via Negativa is more violent and creepy than this. I really don’t see how you could get more violent and creepy than this. Hannibal isn’t even as violent and creepy as this.
Honestly, I’ve never found this episode creepy. Violent and gross, oh heck yes, but compared to an episode like “Irresistible” or “Ice,” it’s not scary at all.
Well, the general level of gore in Via Negativa is worse than this one, but it’s creepy in a different way. Like, this is creepy because you don’t want to run into this family or accidentally remember that they exist, but Via Negativa is creepy because you’re afraid to fall asleep. Or afraid that you HAVE fallen asleep but you just don’t know it, which is even worse . . .
I only started watching Hannibal because my mom told me Gillian was in it, and now I’m addicted. I came for the Gillian and stayed for the blatant homoerotic overtones.
I wrote this filk when Shaenon first announced Monster of the Week, just waiting for this week, then last week my computer crashed. I recreated what I could from memory, but anyone else is welcome to try the next verse.
tune: “Wonderful! Wonderful!” by Sherman Edwards and Ben Raleigh. Popularized by Johnny Mathis, 1956. Ruined for all time by this episode, 1996.
We hillbillies
Do whatever we please
And we keep mama under the bed
We shtup our ma
So our bros are our pa
Little wonder our offspring end up dead
And we’re deformed because of
Inbreeding inbreeding
It’s an old stereotype
I watched quite a few X-Files episodes, but I don’t remember most of them. When I think of the show, though, this episode immediately comes to mind. Ick. Ick, ick, ick!
I’ve always wondered if the “Countrycide” episode of Torchwood was a sort of homage to this one.
I remember ever-so-clearly when this episode first aired on television, mainly because it had an unusual “viewer discretion advised” card at the beginning. I was confused at first, thinking that I was watching COPS or something, then relieved when it was confirmed that I was actually watching the X-Files as intended. The relief went away pretty quickly.
Also I am going to use this moment to ask to the lovely Shaenon if she remembers that weird crossover between the X Files and Strange Luck. Because no one remembers Strange Luck and I remember it being SO GOOD.
This was a really creepy episode.
I remember watching this for the first time (in Australia) after hearing that it had been banned from being shown again in the US and thinking, well, it can’t be *that* bad. …it was pretty bad.
I just rewatched this last Saturday, then spent the week shuddering at the thought of this being your next installment.
This was a really good time to deploy the indirect-approach to the strip, I’d say.
Yeah, I was wondering how she’d do this ep because it would be hard to make it funny! Good job 🙂
I watched this with some online folks last week. Looking at our comments, I see that that the Sheriff lived on Sweetum Lane in the town of Home.
We kind of liked it when the deputy went all final third of ‘Hot Fuzz’ on everything and were sad when he got impaled.
“Just CHUDs with a car” 😀
The best part may well be how Shaenon continues to have a great appetite while watching this ep… I loved how she actually takes food – oatmeal? – from Andrew’s bowl! And of course, great facial expressions all around.
I agree, that’s an excellent thing! I interpreted the stuff in the bowl as ice cream, for what that’s worth.
I agree with Jacob, I think that’s ice cream.
As a Scot, I’d say that if your porridge (oatmeal, if you must) is thick enough to form mounds that rise above the bowl’s rim, you’ve probably made it wrong.
Panel 10: Calling for backup wouldn’t have saved him. All TV cops are carefully trained to call for backup but then go in alone and get killed anyway. They’re professionals.
The question of how far the state police would be likely to have to come to get to Home to provide backup led me to look Home, Pennsylvania up on Google Maps. Turns out it’s actually pretty close to Punxutawney and even closer to Indiana, PA, also known as Jimmy Stewart’s home town!
I watched Groundhog Day with a friend of mine who had never seen it before and who grew up in Indiana, PA, and that movie made him freak out a bit — he said it captured the feel of rural Pennsylvania really well (as well as, and this is my own interpretation based on seeing his reaction, the feeling that once you’re there you can NEVER LEAVE.)
So now I kind of want to watch ‘Home’ with him — and he’s coming to town for a visit tomorrow. Hmmm….
My advice: Make up a tiny corner for him in advance.
Bill Murray did an Ask Me Anything live chat, and he said, seriously, if you ever have the chance to go to Punxatawney, take it, because it’s a really cool place. Home, I’m not so sure.
This is one of 3 XF episodes that I have to watch in broad daylight, with someone else, or with every light in the house on (preferably all three), and I’m glad you went with this light hearted depiction; torturing your husband by making him watch it was just golden.
I think what is so freaky about this one is the way they did the murder of the Sheriff and his wife. It looks like the format of all my nightmares, excluding the ones where I’m stuck in high school with grad school level assignments and run around proclaiming, “But I Have a Master’s Degree!” to no avail…
Holy crap, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who has those “I have a college degree, why am I in high school” dreams.
On another note, I know a lot of x-Philes find that Via Negativa is more violent and creepy than this. I really don’t see how you could get more violent and creepy than this. Hannibal isn’t even as violent and creepy as this.
Honestly, I’ve never found this episode creepy. Violent and gross, oh heck yes, but compared to an episode like “Irresistible” or “Ice,” it’s not scary at all.
Yeah. I can never hear that song again without thinking of deformed hillbillies having incest in the trunk of a car. CRIBBINS!
Well, the general level of gore in Via Negativa is worse than this one, but it’s creepy in a different way. Like, this is creepy because you don’t want to run into this family or accidentally remember that they exist, but Via Negativa is creepy because you’re afraid to fall asleep. Or afraid that you HAVE fallen asleep but you just don’t know it, which is even worse . . .
Did Mrs. Peacock have a lead pipe in the conservatory by any chance?
I’m not a big fan of the “watching The X-Files” type strips… but yeah, okay. Fair enough in this case.
I will say that this episode is NOWHERE near as bad as Hannibal though… eeeeuuughghghgh…
I only started watching Hannibal because my mom told me Gillian was in it, and now I’m addicted. I came for the Gillian and stayed for the blatant homoerotic overtones.
And that’s when I stopped watching X Files forever.
I wrote this filk when Shaenon first announced Monster of the Week, just waiting for this week, then last week my computer crashed. I recreated what I could from memory, but anyone else is welcome to try the next verse.
tune: “Wonderful! Wonderful!” by Sherman Edwards and Ben Raleigh. Popularized by Johnny Mathis, 1956. Ruined for all time by this episode, 1996.
We hillbillies
Do whatever we please
And we keep mama under the bed
We shtup our ma
So our bros are our pa
Little wonder our offspring end up dead
And we’re deformed because of
Inbreeding inbreeding
It’s an old stereotype
I watched quite a few X-Files episodes, but I don’t remember most of them. When I think of the show, though, this episode immediately comes to mind. Ick. Ick, ick, ick!
I’ve always wondered if the “Countrycide” episode of Torchwood was a sort of homage to this one.
The way you draw yourself in this strip is adorable!
I remember ever-so-clearly when this episode first aired on television, mainly because it had an unusual “viewer discretion advised” card at the beginning. I was confused at first, thinking that I was watching COPS or something, then relieved when it was confirmed that I was actually watching the X-Files as intended. The relief went away pretty quickly.
Also I am going to use this moment to ask to the lovely Shaenon if she remembers that weird crossover between the X Files and Strange Luck. Because no one remembers Strange Luck and I remember it being SO GOOD.