 " Our Town " was written by future executive producer Frank Spotnitz and directed by Rob Bowman . The episode was Spotnitz 's first stand @-@ alone episode for the show . He had wanted to do an episode about cannibalism occurring at a chicken processing plant , thinking it was one of the most despicable and vile things he could imagine . Spotnitz was inspired by the Spencer Tracy movie Bad Day at Black Rock , which is about a town holding a terrible secret . He was also inspired by an article he read at UCLA about salamanders getting sick from eating other salamanders ; Spotnitz 's brother later suggested him to include the theme in the episode . 
