‘The X-Files’ Scariest Episode “Home” Sequel Shut Down by Fox

When it comes to The X-Files, there’s no shortage of disturbing episodes to send chills down viewers’ spines. Still, there often isn’t much debate over which episode is the most controversial in the series, with many even considering it the scariest. The infamous Season 4 episode “Home” first aired in 1996, pushing television to the limits of what could be shown. The episode also aired before the creation of the parental guidance rating system that remains in place to this day.

“Home” was quick not to pull punches, as when audiences tuned in, they saw the discovery of a deceased, malformed baby bring Mulder and Scully into a case involving the Peacock family. The episode takes place in a small Pennsylvania town where an inbred, deformed family of murderers resides, led by a limbless matriarch and her sons. “Home” juxtaposes disturbing visuals with idyllic small-town life, with the subject matter at hand proving too much for many viewers. Not only was the episode effectively banned from airing again, but a proposed sequel episode was even killed due to the reception of the notorious X-Files story.

It Took 3 Years Before “Home” Aired Again

“Home” was written by notable X-Files scribes Glen Morgan and James Wong, who penned some of the show’s most beloved early episodes, including “Squeeze” and “Tooms.” Their disturbing Season 4 episode was quick to raise the ire of executives, who were more than displeased with the content on display in the envelope-pushing monster-of-the-week story. In a New York Times article reprinted in 2015, Wong spoke about a phone call they received, stating:

“The people who responded first were the executives. I remember getting a call from a producer. He goes, ‘You guys are sick!'”

The idea that generations of inbreeding turned the Peacock family into subhuman monsters is already a disturbing concept that delves into grim territory, even for The X-Files. Because of the uproar that “Home” caused, it didn’t air again until 1999. By that time, the TV ratings system had been implemented, with a content advisory warning alongside an unmissable TV-MA rating. Even then, it was only aired on Halloween, with the show’s marketing leaning into the controversy surrounding the episode. Despite the ruffled feathers “Home” caused, there were actually plans in motion to bring the Peacock family back for a sequel episode. The interesting caveat being that it wasn’t going to be in an episode of The X-Files.

‘Millennium’ Is a Sister Series to ‘The X-Files’

After creating The X-Files, Chris Carter went on to produce several other shows, including Millennium, which ran for three seasons from 1996 to 1999. Lance Henriksen starred as former FBI forensic profiler Frank Black, who has a unique ability to see through the eyes of serial killers and murderers. When he begins working for the Millennium Group, Frank finds himself drawn into cases akin to The X-Files, investigating conspiracies and the supernatural amid the group’s belief that the year 2000 will bring about the apocalypse.

Millennium was styled like The X-Files, but the shows were not initially connected. When Carter created the new series, it was not envisioned as a spin-off, but the shows did eventually have a crossover. Following the end of Millennium’s third season, the show was canceled. While this was frustrating for fans, who were just shy of the actual millennium the show was building toward, it was equally upsetting for Carter and his team. The X-Files Season 7, Episode 4, “Millennium” gave the short-lived series a proper send-off, with Henriksen reprising his role as Frank Black, working alongside Mulder and Scully to finally wrap up the story with the Millennium Group.

The Peacock Family Almost Found a “Home” on ‘Millennium’

20th Century Fox/courtesy Everett Collection

Morgan and Wong also worked on Millennium, even becoming the showrunners for its second season. During their tenure on the sister series, the duo pitched a sequel to the infamous X-Files episode. “Home” ends with the surviving members of the murderous Peacock family driving off into the night. A voice-over from the matriarch promises that it won’t be the end of them. As with any good horror villain, there’s always the possibility of more. Mrs. Peacock states:

“You can’t keep a Peacock down. There’ll be more. One day, there’ll be more. Now we have to move on, start a new family, one we’ll be proud of. Find a new place to call ours; a new home, a brand new home.”

With the Peacock family still out and about in the world, Morgan and Wong were eager to revisit the inbred family on Millennium. The move would have built a connective tissue between the shows before the “Millennium” episode of The X-Files, with Henriksen’s Frank Black getting to have his own run-in with the family of malformed killers. It would also have presented a new avenue for exploring the Peacock family’s mentality and motivations, thanks to Frank’s unique ability.

Admittedly, the idea was sparked by Millennium’s low ratings, with the Peacock family the perfect bit of controversy to drive viewership up. Everyone initially thought the pitch was a winner, until Fox crushed their hopes in no uncertain terms, telling the duo that “Those characters never appear on television again.” Morgan explained:

“The next year Jim [Wong] and I ran the show Millennium, which Chris Carter also created, and the ratings were low on that show and we thought, ‘Hey, what if Lance Henriksen finds the surviving members of the Peacock family?’ Everybody thought that was a great idea. And we were all set to do a sequel to ‘Home’ and then we got a call from Fox that was: ‘Those characters never appear on television again.’ So we dumped it.”

Ultimately, the Peacock family never appeared again on The X-Files or Millennium. Even 30 years after “Home” first graced the air, it’s still disturbing people to this day. While the content is tame compared to much of what ends up on TV today, the infamously horrifying episode will always have a controversial place in X-Files history. Now, the only hope for another visit from the Peacock family is Ryan Coogler’s reboot series, if he thinks fans are ready to go “Home” again.