.gif)
Homecoming (Masters of Horror episode)
Encyclopedia
Homecoming is the sixth episode of the first season of Masters of Horror
. It originally aired in North America
on December 2, 2005. It is loosely based on the 2002 short story "Death & Suffrage" by Dale Bailey.
and whose voice is modeled after George W. Bush
) is running for reelection during a divisive war, and one of his speech writers, David Murch (Jon Tenney (The Stepfather, Legion)), goes on TV to speak with talk show host Marty Clark (Terry David Mulligan
) and strident right-wing sexpot (and Ann Coulter
-like) Jane Cleaver (Thea Gill
). Another guest is Janet Hofstader (Beverly Breuer), the Cindy Sheehan
-like mother of a dead soldier, who demands to know what her son died for. Murch gets a bit teary-eyed and explains that he lost his older brother Philip (Ryan McDonnell) in Vietnam.
"Believe me," he tells the grieving mom, "if I had one wish, I would wish for your son to come back, because I know he would tell us how important this struggle is." Cleaver is so impressed with Murch's handling of the situation that she takes him out for a drink later, picks his brain, and eventually seduces him. The Karl Rove
-like Kurt Rand (Dante regular Robert Picardo
) interrupts their tryst, calling to let Murch know that the president plans to make his line part of his stump speech.
Soon, the soldiers killed in Iraq do start returning from the dead, and it doesn't go the way Murch predicted. They are not back to feast on the living, but unhappily for the president and his supporters, they just want a chance to vote in the upcoming election. "We'll vote for anyone who ends this war," one explains. The spin machine goes into overdrive, but the dead are determined to make their voice heard even going as far as one soldier killing Kurt Rand by acting out the zombie stereotype (gouging his eye and slamming his head into the table) when Rand tried to force him to sign an unwanted document by threatening the soldier's mother.
While voting results are being counted during the election, people within the current administration decide to skew the results so the current administration remains in power. After the election results are broadcast, more soldiers begin to return from the dead - but not just ones from Iraq: Soldiers begin to return from World War I and II, the Vietnam War, the Civil War, and etc. Eventually all of the people who died during war time to protect the United States of America have returned from the dead.
The progress of the movie also reveals a shadowy mistake from Murch's past. He believed that his brother Philip was murdered in the Vietnam War
only to discover that it was he who unintentionally killed him long ago with a gun in a game of "friend or foe". After Cleaver attacks the soldiers with her shotgun, Murch kills her, but fails to kill himself. Murch is countered by a soldier that asks him to join them, saying "We're looking for a few good men." Philip is among those returning from the grave, saying he forgives Murch for killing him, and then snaps Murch's neck.
Now one of the zombies, Murch announces that he will show anyone who sends their brothers and sisters to die for a lie the true face of hell.
on July 18, 2006. The episode was the sixth episode and the seventh to be released on DVD. The episode appears on the fourth volume of the Blu-ray compilation of the series.
Village Voice described the film as "easily one of the most important political films of the Bush II era." a sentiment echoed by The New Yorker
, who said that it was "[t]he best political film of 2005."
Masters of Horror
Masters of Horror is an informal social group of international film writers and directors specializing in horror movies and an American television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network.- Origin :...
. It originally aired in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on December 2, 2005. It is loosely based on the 2002 short story "Death & Suffrage" by Dale Bailey.
Plot
An unnamed president (whose appearance is modeled after Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and whose voice is modeled after George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
) is running for reelection during a divisive war, and one of his speech writers, David Murch (Jon Tenney (The Stepfather, Legion)), goes on TV to speak with talk show host Marty Clark (Terry David Mulligan
Terry David Mulligan
Terry David Mulligan is a Canadian actor and radio and television personality based in Vancouver, British Columbia.Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Mulligan's first career was as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in Olds, Alberta and Red Deer, Alberta from 1960 through 1964...
) and strident right-wing sexpot (and Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter
Ann Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
-like) Jane Cleaver (Thea Gill
Thea Gill
Thea Louise Gill is a Canadian actress best known for her starring role as Lindsay Peterson in the Showtime television series Queer as Folk.-Early life:...
). Another guest is Janet Hofstader (Beverly Breuer), the Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
-like mother of a dead soldier, who demands to know what her son died for. Murch gets a bit teary-eyed and explains that he lost his older brother Philip (Ryan McDonnell) in Vietnam.
"Believe me," he tells the grieving mom, "if I had one wish, I would wish for your son to come back, because I know he would tell us how important this struggle is." Cleaver is so impressed with Murch's handling of the situation that she takes him out for a drink later, picks his brain, and eventually seduces him. The Karl Rove
Karl Rove
Karl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until Rove's resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
-like Kurt Rand (Dante regular Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo
Robert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
) interrupts their tryst, calling to let Murch know that the president plans to make his line part of his stump speech.
While voting results are being counted during the election, people within the current administration decide to skew the results so the current administration remains in power. After the election results are broadcast, more soldiers begin to return from the dead - but not just ones from Iraq: Soldiers begin to return from World War I and II, the Vietnam War, the Civil War, and etc. Eventually all of the people who died during war time to protect the United States of America have returned from the dead.
The progress of the movie also reveals a shadowy mistake from Murch's past. He believed that his brother Philip was murdered in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
only to discover that it was he who unintentionally killed him long ago with a gun in a game of "friend or foe". After Cleaver attacks the soldiers with her shotgun, Murch kills her, but fails to kill himself. Murch is countered by a soldier that asks him to join them, saying "We're looking for a few good men." Philip is among those returning from the grave, saying he forgives Murch for killing him, and then snaps Murch's neck.
Now one of the zombies, Murch announces that he will show anyone who sends their brothers and sisters to die for a lie the true face of hell.
Cast
- Jon Tenney as David Murch
- Thea GillThea GillThea Louise Gill is a Canadian actress best known for her starring role as Lindsay Peterson in the Showtime television series Queer as Folk.-Early life:...
as Jane Cleaver - Wanda Cannon as Kathy Hobart
- Terry David MulliganTerry David MulliganTerry David Mulligan is a Canadian actor and radio and television personality based in Vancouver, British Columbia.Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Mulligan's first career was as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in Olds, Alberta and Red Deer, Alberta from 1960 through 1964...
as Marty Clark - Robert PicardoRobert PicardoRobert Picardo is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of Dr. Dick Richards on ABC's China Beach, the Emergency Medical Hologram , also known as The Doctor, on UPN's Star Trek: Voyager, The Cowboy in Innerspace, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years , Ben Wheeler in Wagons East, and as...
as Kurt Rand
DVD and Blu-ray
The DVD was released by Anchor Bay EntertainmentAnchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a U.S. based home entertainment and production company and is a division of Starz Media, which is a unit of Starz, LLC. It was previously owned by IDT Entertainment until 2006 when IDT was purchased by Starz Media. Anchor Bay markets and sells feature films, series,...
on July 18, 2006. The episode was the sixth episode and the seventh to be released on DVD. The episode appears on the fourth volume of the Blu-ray compilation of the series.
Reception
The episode received generally favorably reviews.Village Voice described the film as "easily one of the most important political films of the Bush II era." a sentiment echoed by The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, who said that it was "[t]he best political film of 2005."
External links
- Review for Homecoming episode and Homecoming DVD at Dread Central