patpatterson

DPO is another episode that I remember seeing way back in the 90s and recently had the chance to watch again.I still enjoyed it a lot and it brought back memories of that particular time in my life. DPO stands for Darin Peter Oswald and as the title suggests the episode is all about him.Hes a small town slacker who works as a mechanic and spends his spare time hanging around the arcades with his friend "Zero",and longing after his schoolteacher,Sharon Kiveat.However he also possesses a special gift,having the ability to apparently channel electricity through his person and focus it on who/whatever is unlucky to get in his way.This is where M&S come in after the number of electricity related deaths in Darin's small town attract their attention.Despite the skepticisms of the local police chief they soon realize Darin had something to do with the deaths.Can they manage to rein him in before his frustration at being rejected in love and his feelings of inadequacy send him spiraling out of control? A Couple of other things to note: The episode featured 2 then relatively unknown actors who would subsequently rise to greater fame:Giovanni Ribisi in the title role and funnyman Jack Black as his friend "Zero".Ribisi is especially good here and he really has the moody teenager persona down to a tee. The opening sequence is tense and exciting and the music(Ring the Bells by James)and action combine very well and peak together in a dramatic climax.The scenes where DPO uses his gift and "strikes" are also handled well and some of these scenes are quite spectacular looking. So to sum up my feelings DPO is a pretty solid X-file.I would put it in the same category as "Pusher",as it features a human character with an extraordinary gift.Its probably not one of my absolute fave eps but its not too far off either.I give it 8.5/10.

Home is a landmark episode in the history of the X-Files.Its about as hardcore as it gets for the series.It deals with incest,brutal murder and features close-ups of horribly disfigured individuals and a deformed dead human foetus.Indeed it seems as if the writers had put the regular extra-terrestrial themes to one side,and just concentrated on giving their audience a right good scare.That said this episode is a damn good watch and deserves its high rating.Its plot its linear and straightforward which is rare for the X-Files.M&S travel to the town of Home,Pennsylvania,where the body of a dead baby has been dug up exhibiting all kinds of deformities.Suspicion falls on a local family,the Peacocks,who through years of inbreeding and isolation from normal people,have been moving steadily back down the evolutionary ladder.They are deeply suspicious of strangers and violently resistant to any kind of change to their environment.When M&S search their house and are overheard talking about issuing arrest warrants for the Peacock brothers,it sets in motion a deadly chain of events ultimately leading to a battle for survival for our two heroes,after they forcefully storm the Peacock house with the help of a local police officer. So overall Home is a great episode to watch,especially around Halloween,but definitely not for the faint of heart.I give it 9/10.