Ep 6. Homecoming - Joe Dante

In Masters of Horror season 1 episode 6, titled "Homecoming," renowned director Joe Dante tells a story that is both a political satire and a gruesome horror tale. The episode begins on Election Day, with a controversial presidential candidate named Bower (played by Robert Picardo) in a tight race against the incumbent president. Meanwhile, all across America, the corpses of soldiers who died in the Iraq War are rising from their graves and marching home.

The undead soldiers are not mindless zombies; they are fully aware of who they were and what happened to them. They are also extremely angry, and their rage is directed at the government that sent them to fight a war without clear justification or strategy. Their ghostly leader, a soldier named David Murch (played by Jon Tenney), becomes a media sensation when he appears on national television and delivers a fiery speech calling for the United States to withdraw from Iraq and bring the troops home for good.

As the election results come in and Bower is declared the winner, the zombie soldiers gather in Washington D.C. to stage a protest. They are initially peaceful, but soon clashes break out with the police and the National Guard. The government responds by sending in the army to contain the situation, which only inflames the undead soldiers even more. They do not hesitate to use their supernatural strength and abilities to fight back, and the scene soon becomes a horrific bloodbath.

Amidst the chaos, a young woman named Peggy (played by Thea Gill) is desperately trying to find her boyfriend, who is a soldier currently deployed in Iraq. She becomes caught up in the violence between the living and the dead, and must fight to survive the night while searching for her loved one.

"Homecoming" is a thought-provoking episode that uses horror elements to comment on contemporary politics and war. It is not a typical zombie story, as the undead soldiers are not driven by a desire for brains or flesh, but by a desire for justice and recognition. Their frustration and anger are palpable, and the episode asks important questions about the cost of war and the treatment of veterans.

The performances in "Homecoming" are excellent, particularly Jon Tenney as the charismatic and angry David Murch. The special effects are also top-notch, with some truly gruesome and creative kills. Joe Dante's direction is effective in creating a sense of tension and chaos, and the script by Sam Hamm is sharp and well-written.

Overall, "Homecoming" is a standout episode in the first season of Masters of Horror, and a must-see for fans of political horror and satire. It is a powerful and disturbing story that lingers in the mind long after it is over.