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Episode aired Oct 11, 1996
TV-MA
44m

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

YOUR RATING

Conspiracy Thriller Adventure Crime Drama Mystery Sci-Fi Thriller

The remains of a murdered deformed infant lead the agents to a family of murderous, inbred, animal-like brothers living on a secluded farm in a remote section of Pennsylvania.The remains of a murdered deformed infant lead the agents to a family of murderous, inbred, animal-like brothers living on a secluded farm in a remote section of Pennsylvania.The remains of a murdered deformed infant lead the agents to a family of murderous, inbred, animal-like brothers living on a secluded farm in a remote section of Pennsylvania.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The episode was banned from Fox after its first airing due to its sensitive and somewhat taboo subject matter, but it was rebroadcast once in 1999 as a Halloween special. It is also the only "The X-Files" episode to receive a TV-MA rating in America.

Goofs
The Peacock family have lived in Pennsylvania since the Civil War, yet are depicted as stereotypical inbred rednecks who speak in Southern dialect. One of them makes a disparaging comment about the "War of Northern Aggression," a Confederatism which a Pennsylvanian would be highly unlikely to use. This and other elements, including a running gag based on The Andy Griffith Show (1960), appear to indicate that the story was originally intended to take place in North Carolina.

Quotes
Scully: What about your family?
Fox Mulder: Well, aside from the need for corrective lenses and a tendency to be abducted by extraterrestrials involved in an international governmental conspiracy, the Mulder family passes genetic muster.

Connections
Edited into The X-Files: The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat (2018)

Soundtracks
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Performed by Kenny James

User reviews42

Featured review

8/10

It runs in the family.

A group of young boys discoverer remains of an infant, Mulder and Scully attend the small town, and find a rather strange family.

Wrong Turn vibes somewhat from this episode, I was told when I got into X Files, that this episode was one to watch out for, and I can see why, it really is a standout episode.

It's very bleak, it's creepy, it packs a real horror punch. It's not one for the faint hearted.

I read about the controversy that surrounded this when it was first transmitted, and it doesn't surprise me, the content isn't exactly easy viewing, what I would say is that they very successfully pushed the boundaries here.

Scary, fast paced, bleak and full of shocks and thrills, this one hit hard, 9/10.