S09.E02: Mr. Jingles

[sashayshante]

I both love and dread this part of AHS,. This is the "we're going to throw all kinds of stuff at you, half of which we're never going to explain" part.

Is this Murder House, but in a camp? I knew the hitch hiker was from the 70's. I'm guessing Trevor is, too, because of how he dresses. Rita, too. The Ramirez/Jingles face-off is inevitable and stupid.

I'm lost but more invested than last week.

Edited September 26, 2019 by sashayshante

[Straycat80]

I liked this episode better than the first one. I’ve decided to just enjoy and not try to figure things out because some things so far are just plain silly. I’m loving all the 80’s references and music. 

I am intrigued by the hitchhiker who apparently is a ghost, I hope he’s  explained eventually. 

[Keywestclubkid]

the counselor/hitchhiker Says no wait I don’t die here when Richard stabs and kills him but tells psycho leader (who apparently killed the counselors) that he didn’t know he was dead. What?? My favorite part after splitting up to get keys the nurse stops and refuses to go in lol what the fuck did you go all the way back to the infirmary for? lol  it’s got the cheesiness and the really bad decisions down I liked this episode a lot more then the first. 

Edited September 26, 2019 by Keywestclubkid

[Redxrum]

I am spitballing here, but perhaps all of them are dead counselors? If you don't know you're dead then that would make sense. But by having Ramirez and all this talk of God and satan, I have to wonder if this is where the Orwellian 1984 theme may come in? Perhaps this is hell? Purgatory? Or perhaps it's an experiment like the Most Dangerous Game? There HAS to be something that ties in to that theme, or Ryan Murphy would not have picked that specific year... Just spitballing. Too soon to tell, but I'm stoked on this season. 

[LoveLeigh]

30 minutes ago, Redxrum said:

I am spitballing here, but perhaps all of them are dead counselors? If you don't know you're dead then that would make sense. But by having Ramirez and all this talk of God and satan, I have to wonder if this is where the Orwellian 1984 theme may come in? Perhaps this is hell? Purgatory? Or perhaps it's an experiment like the Most Dangerous Game? There HAS to be something that ties in to that theme, or Ryan Murphy would not have picked that specific year... Just spitballing. Too soon to tell, but I'm stoked on this season. 

There has to be some twist otherwise what is even new about all of this? It has all been done before. So something will be revealed. Maybe they were killed in the 1970s there? Who knows. 

[marymon]

1 hour ago, DakotaLavender said:

There has to be some twist otherwise what is even new about all of this? It has all been done before. So something will be revealed. Maybe they were killed in the 1970s there? Who knows. 

If they died in the 70's someone gave them new clothes and taught them pop culture.

[Chaos Theory]

Why am I digging  Richard Ramirez and  Margaret Booth.  I still maintain something weird is going on with that chick.

i thought the shower scene was hilarious.

i don’t remember if it’s true of every season but so far I have learned only 1 person’s name.  (Not counting Jingles and Ramirez).  That might be a problem even though I am digging the season.

if anything this season feels like Hotel.  It was structurally weak but also tons of fun.  It is also the only season I have watched more then twice.  

Edited September 26, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[Avaleigh]

8 hours ago, sashayshante said:

Is this Murder House, but in a camp? I knew the hitch hiker was from the 70's. I'm guessing Trevor is, too, because of how he dresses. Rita, too.

I agree that Trevor might be a ghost but if he is, I think he's a new one. He seems current in terms of the 80s references. Knowing the 'Where's the beef?' commercial, being in the 1982 Jane Fonda video, etc. The camp only just opened so there wasn't much time for him to get killed. Maybe he was the first of the new staff to arrive? 

I think everyone else is alive. There aren't really any stakes if everyone is already dead. 

Brooke's wedding story seemed like a lie. IDK, It just came across as unbelievable. Especially when she gave the line about how nobody ever believes her.

[darkestboy]

I liked this a little better than the premiere episode.

Margaret, yeah, there's something off with her in a big way, especially when you watch her scenes with Hopple and Ramirez, both of which were the highlights of the episode btw.

Xavier being involved in gay porn wasn't too shocking and nor was Blake being quickly killed off though.

Brooke's wedding flashback did seem odd, but also a shout out to a similar wedding scenario from Scream Queens not so long ago.

Glad Rita survived her encounter with Jingles. Hopple and Blake of course weren't so lucky.

Montana clearly fancies Brooke and she's the better of the younger characters so far. Ray is fairly decent but Chet is boring as hell. 

Trevor bounces between sleazy and amusing in small doses though.

Good ending scene with the two groups, but I want to see Jingles and Ramirez clash now, 7/10

[sashayshante]

I'm thinking Rita is dead, too. Did they ever determine where the blood on her shirt came from? It didn't look like she was injured.

[qtpye]

10 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I liked this episode better than the first one. I’ve decided to just enjoy and not try to figure things out because some things so far are just plain silly. I’m loving all the 80’s references and music. 

I am intrigued by the hitchhiker who apparently is a ghost, I hope he’s  explained eventually. 

The best part for me is the opening of cheesy 80’s shit set to the AHS music.

[JakeyJokes]

I watched this at a viewing party hosted by a drag queen (and won a Goosebumps book!) During the break, she asked for theories and someone suggested a time loop. Jonas is a ghost that doesn’t know to cross over, but Margaret didn’t seem eager to help him do so. I do like how we are getting some nuance from her, as she seemed completely unafraid of Jonas.

i don’t want to say it’s brave for Gus Kenworthy to play an Olympian guilty of doping, but it kind of is! Maybe he’s fine with it because he is playing a summer athlete. ACTING!

Are the kids even gonna show up?

[tennisgurl]

This was a lot more fun, and it definitely seems like something more than a slasher film is going on. I wondered if the guy they hit was a ghost, is it possible they're all dead, and this is basically summer camp murder house and they dont realize they're ghosts? But we saw Xavier talking to that guy and they all seem pretty up on current events, so probably not. Maybe the non counselor staff is all dead? My favorite idea is that the camp is stuck in a time loop, and thats why one time the ghost counselor said "this isnt how I die" to the Night Stalker, and then later had no idea he was dead. And everyone will be killed, and then start again every time they die, like an 80s slasher version of Happy Death Day or Russian Doll? Or some other time loop thing? Also, is it possible that someone else killed everyone in the cabin in the 70s? Maybe Margaret either has a split personality and killed them and mutilated herself, or she blocked it out of her memory? Why was the scene with her and The Night Stalker so great? Maybe she gets him because she is a killer too? 

So where does Brookes backstory come in? Or did she actually get killed by her fiance and this is purgatory? Or did it just exist as an excuse to play White Wedding? 

I think a lot of times with this show, its for the best just to enjoy the ride and not try to spend too much time figuring out how any of it makes sense. 

54 minutes ago, JakeyJokes said:

I watched this at a viewing party hosted by a drag queen (and won a Goosebumps book!)

That sounds like an awesome party!

[ClareWalks]

I am just enjoying the ride. I refuse to overthink it this season. It's ridiculous and fun and America needs that right now, LOL

[MerBearStare]

51 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Maybe Margaret either has a split personality and killed them and mutilated herself, or she blocked it out of her memory? Why was the scene with her and The Night Stalker so great? Maybe she gets him because she is a killer too? 

When the hitchhiker had the flashback to 1970 and saw Margaret standing up in her cabin, I definitely felt like she was the killer. Maybe by herself or maybe with Mr. Jingles.

And when she said to Richard Ramirez that you can get away with anything as long as you've experienced trauma and do it for God...shudder.

Edited September 26, 2019 by MerBearStare

[Bruinsfan]

That seemed like an extremely cynical thing for Margaret to admit, even if her religious zealotry is all an act and she's self-aware about it. Could she have an ulterior motive in re-opening the camp to draw in a fresh slate of sacrificial victims?

[txhorns79]

13 hours ago, Avaleigh said:

Brooke's wedding story seemed like a lie. IDK, It just came across as unbelievable. Especially when she gave the line about how nobody ever believes her.

I did wonder about that.  Even pre-internet, a story where the groom kills the best man, his future father in law and then himself on his wedding day would likely be big news.   

I just can't with the Richard Ramirez storyline.  It's just too dumb to take a real serial killer and plop him into an 80s slasher film where's he off repeatedly killing ghosts while commiserating with Mary Cherry. 

[ShadowHunter]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I did wonder about that.  Even pre-internet, a story where the groom kills the best man, his future father in law and then himself on his wedding day would likely be big news.   

I just can't with the Richard Ramirez storyline.  It's just too dumb to take a real serial killer and plop him into an 80s slasher film where's he off repeatedly killing ghosts while commiserating with Mary Cherry. 

It is dumb.  It is cool others like it but my unpopular opinion is that so far this has been bad.  I believe in giving a show at least 3 episodes before I bail out but the verdict is not good lol.

[LoveLeigh]

I can't stand the guessing game, the big "reveal" 4/5 into a season. Why not let us know what is going on so we can enjoy the ride? What's with the shockers? Let us know who are ghosts and who is who. I think it would be more fun to watch. The "shocker reveal" shtik is just getting old. 

[Simba122504]

16 hours ago, qtpye said:

The best part for me is the opening of cheesy 80’s shit set to the AHS music.

The only thing that makes a lick of sense so far. And it's only been two episodes. 😅 And is Ryan Murphy infatuated with the Night Stalker? Why he in this? He was already in a previous season. Why put a real life infamous killer in this stupid fictional story? I doubt his real life victims families want to see that shit. A true religious zealot would never be hugged up with his ass anyway. He committed a million and one sins. She would not accept him but hate smoking and premarital sex! And Rita was able to escape with a small cut? How? How? 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Simba122504

[buttercupia]

Maybe when the kids show up for camp, they'll be the forgotten vampire kids from hotel.

Not minding the new Ramirez. He is very easy on the eyes. 

[luna1122]

it's disturbing that the guy playing Ramirez looks so much like him. and even more disturbing that I find him EXTREMELY hot.

[skotnikov]

19 hours ago, Bruinsfan said:

That seemed like an extremely cynical thing for Margaret to admit, even if her religious zealotry is all an act and she's self-aware about it. Could she have an ulterior motive in re-opening the camp to draw in a fresh slate of sacrificial victims?

Oh well, that would be just the remake of "Dead of Summer" then. 

[NaughtyKitty]

On 9/26/2019 at 6:25 AM, sashayshante said:

I'm thinking Rita is dead, too. Did they ever determine where the blood on her shirt came from? It didn't look like she was injured.

They hit her with the van

[Bruinsfan]

They all just need to stay in the van and keep driving around, eventually Mr. Jingles will be roadkill and Ramirez will be too busy picking pieces of grill out of his ass to stalk anyone.

Speaking of Ramirez, do we think that he really was being directed where to follow Brooke by Satan? Last season's plotline established that the Devil is an actual, extant being who sometimes passes on info to minions on Earth. It would explain how a serial killer could miraculously follow a random victim he didn't know despite her decision to go to Camp Crystal lake being last minute with no prior connections. (Though not what he was doing hanging around as a ghost in AHS: Hotel rather than rotting in Hell...)

[Mattipoo]

Didn't last week's episode end with Brooke at the telephone booth and Richard Ramirez appearing behind her saying something like "I'm here"? How is it that in the beginning of this week's episode, she is back in the cabin with the other counsellors chatting?

I am pretty sure Margaret Booth will end up being the actual killer.

Ghosts? Perhaps they are all stuck in some kind of time loop?

Poor psychiatrist lady. We hardly knew ye!

Edited September 28, 2019 by Mattipoo
Added content

[Dobian]

On 9/26/2019 at 3:50 AM, Chaos Theory said:

Why am I digging  Richard Ramirez and  Margaret Booth.  I still maintain something weird is going on with that chick.

I saw this hookup coming a mile away.  Holy Roller woman in desperate need of being laid finds love with a serial killer.  She'll be completely twisted by the end of the season, in typical AHS style.  Throw in Mr. Jingles for a climactic threeway, and AHS will be able to add Bad 80's Porn to its list of pop culture references.

[Chaos Theory]

27 minutes ago, Dobian said:

I saw this hookup coming a mile away.  Holy Roller woman in desperate need of being laid finds love with a serial killer.  She'll be completely twisted by the end of the season, in typical AHS style.  Throw in Mr. Jingles for a climactic threeway, and AHS will be able to add Bad 80's Porn to its list of pop culture references.

And I will much appreciate it.

Don’t judge me.

[AnimeMania]

Every episode claims to have nudity in it, but never the kind that I want to see.

[Ceindreadh]

On 9/27/2019 at 6:06 PM, Mattipoo said:

Didn't last week's episode end with Brooke at the telephone booth and Richard Ramirez appearing behind her saying something like "I'm here"? How is it that in the beginning of this week's episode, she is back in the cabin with the other counsellors chatting?

I am pretty sure Margaret Booth will end up being the actual killer.

Ghosts? Perhaps they are all stuck in some kind of time loop?

Poor psychiatrist lady. We hardly knew ye!

I think RR was watching Brooke from a distance - close enough to hear her but out of sight so she didn't realise he was there. 

[PradaKitty]

The worst part of Brooke’s wedding is that I wore that exact bridesmaid dress in the ‘80s.

[Female83]

My theory is that the hiker is stuck in a time loop. 

[Chaos Theory]

What if the camp works like season 1 murder house?   You get killed their you can never leave.   Hiker is stuck reliving his murder over and over again.

[AnimeMania]

5 hours ago, Female83 said:

My theory is that the hiker is stuck in a time loop. 

Maybe, the camper is alive but every time he dies, his past self from right before he died the first time replaces his current dead body. That might explain why he doesn't have an ear, appears to be a normal human, and why he hasn't aged.

[kokapetl]

On 9/27/2019 at 8:43 PM, luna1122 said:

it's disturbing that the guy playing Ramirez looks so much like him. and even more disturbing that I find him EXTREMELY hot.

 

Nightmarish.

I think the ending will involve something like this 

 

[AnimeMania]

3 hours ago, kokapetl said:

I think the ending will involve something like this 

 

This should have been the opening theme.

[sashayshante]

A few things I noticed:

*The Hitchiker said he wasn't supposed to die there and that Ramirez wasn't supposed to be there. I got the impression he was referring to directions in a script.

*Margaret seemed completely unfazed at seeing a dead guy.

*I don't know if it's supposed to look that way or if Leslie Grossman has just gotten some bad cosmetic surgery but Margaret's face looks like it has prosthetic parts.

Are they going to Roanoke us in episode 5?

[TrininisaScorp]

Man, Ryan Murphy shows can devolve into horror (pun intended), but their music selections are ALWAYS choice.  The Point Sisters cut had me rolling (and I think has replaced Hugh Grant when I hear the song now).  

So far, I'm still in.  The theory I like is some sort of government puppet master thang with time looping.  I'm sure it'll connect back to some current going ons. 

I've never reallly warmed to Billy Lourde, but I'm loving her as Montana this season.  Cody Fern also kills it for me...his whole vibe is peak 80s for me.  Matt Morrison being creepy/sex 'em up/idiot guy is working well for me too.

Like many of you, I was fascinated by the Booth/Ramirez scenes.  Like, she's jumping that, right?  The actor playing Ramirez is quite hot, which makes this all very disturbing to me. LOL.

Brooke's random ass backstory reminded me a little of Kill Bill's The Bride sequence.  

I'm assuming this year's WTF twist happens in the next episode or two?

[luna1122]

22 hours ago, kokapetl said:

 

Nightmarish.

 

Oh, I feel better now. I'd forgotten about Ramirez's crazy teeth. Nightmarish indeed.

[latincoffee]

I'm thinking that Mr. Jingles isn't and won't be the only one killing folks in that camp. Ryan Murphy is giving us glimpses of Murder House moments in this season. Also, Like everyone is saying and I agree, There is something off about this Margaret and also Nurse Rita as well. Hmmmmm. Can't wait to see what brews in Ep 3. 

The actor playing Ramirez looks so much like him. 

Edited September 30, 2019 by latincoffee

[refugee]

On 9/27/2019 at 2:54 PM, AnimeMania said:

Every episode claims to have nudity in it, but never the kind that I want to see.

BBbbbbwaaahahaha!

[novemberjenny]

I’m starting to think that Brooke’s wedding story is fake. 
 

my other theory is that this isn’t the real Ramirez. Maybe a copycat who resembles him. 

[Lady Iris]

On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 2:01 PM, ClareWalks said:

I am just enjoying the ride. I refuse to overthink it this season. It's ridiculous and fun and America needs that right now, LOL

Ayup!

I thought this was a fun episode with everybody running around freaking out. I have no idea where this season is going but I'm determined to enjoy myself and my the soup's delicious!

Not so sad the sleazy porno guy bought the farm nice and quick.

White Wedding is always a welcome musical choice.

[iMonrey]

I didn't even know the new season had started until yesterday. New cable box, my series record options wiped out. FX sure didn't promote this very well. Anyway . . . all caught up now thanks to FX Now.

Had never heard of Richard Ramirez before and had no idea who Gus Kenworthy was either. Forums help!

That being the case my initial impression of this was not so great because I didn't really see the point in it. It's been done to death. But after reading through the various theories I'm a bit more intrigued.

One thing that really caught me by surprise was Billie Lourd's ability to act normal rather than act in a  monotone, emotionless flat effect way like in everything else I've ever seen her in. Although by the time the 2nd episode was over she had pretty much regressed to monotone again. Maybe she just needs better direction.

Definitely the weakest cast of the series, although Matthew Morrison is a welcome addition. 

Honestly, I think the series itself has run out of gas, but I guess FX is happy enough with it to keep it chugging along. Ratings are solid at any rate.

Edited October 1, 2019 by iMonrey

[Ubiquitous]

Quote

"Mr. Jingles".

Darkness descends upon the camp. Although it's lights out, evil has no curfew.

It appears that the SpaceTime continuum is starting to break down or there's an unreliable narrator. I think I'm going to have to watch again, but here are some observations:

• At the end of the previous ep, they were all watching TV and Brooke went outside to answer the payphone everyone was ignoring, whereupon she was attacked by the Nightstalker. The beginning of this ep appears to be a replay of the final scene, except the payphone wasn't ringing and she was watching news of the Nightstalker killing the man at the gas station, but no one else saw it (they saw the middle of a Wendy's commercial)
• When the Hitchhiker first appeared, I initially thought he was referring to a script of some sort.
• Brooke's disastrous wedding story seemed... suspicious. Maybe she died or was the one who shot everyone? I found what the others thought was a "disastrous day" amusing. Oh yeah, White Wedding!
• The camp owner is insane but brave to not let Jingles ruin her dreams of a pure camp.
• I recognized the scene in which Jingle's psychiatrist died.
• For some reason, the camp owner recognized the Hitchhiker as a ghost but didn't find it odd that they were able to hold hands.
• There seemed to be something deeper about the conversation between the camp owner and Nightstalker that I cannot articulate... like between a caretaker of Purgatory and employee?
• Of course, the escape vehicle won't start and then gets wrecked. Escaping on a moped sounds like a REALLY bad idea. 

I am sure some other things will come to mind.

[Black Knight]

On 9/26/2019 at 11:26 PM, Simba122504 said:

And is Ryan Murphy infatuated with the Night Stalker? Why he in this? He was already in a previous season. Why put a real life infamous killer in this stupid fictional story?

I grew up in Orange County in the 80s. The Night Stalker was huge in the region's consciousness. There's no way a horror show can be taking place in the summer of 1984 in southern California and not have Richard Ramirez, particularly if my theory that the title of the season, 1984, is indeed indicative that the season is about the various horrors and nightmares of that era, rather than just a parody of/homage to a summer camp slasher flick.

Welp, I was excited to have Orla Brady and hoped she'd last for a while, and her character gets killed in the first couple of minutes. Thanks, Show. Reminds me of when I was excited to see Dina Meyer in Apocalypse. Clearly, I need to stop getting excited. But I enjoyed this episode a lot, more than the pilot. I see Tim Minear wrote it, and I generally like Minear's stuff.

The hiker turning out to be the ghost of one of the murdered counselors is a nice wrinkle. There were a couple of things in the scene where he talks to Margaret that tingled my spidey senses. First, in his memories, he was seeing her standing up - yes, bloody, but still, standing up, and weirdly calm for someone who was being murdered along with a bunch of others. Second, there was something about the way she was asking him about who was driving the truck that hit him. It was like she wanted to find out what exactly he knows. But if the story of what happened back then is as simple as Mr. Jingles slaughtering a bunch of counselors, she wouldn't need to do that. Her whole claim that she managed not to twitch or make a sound while her ear was being cut off - maybe that's not just '80s horror schlock, maybe it really didn't happen. Maybe she was helping massacre the counselors. Especially considering how she's being cozy with Richard Ramirez now.

I'm not sure what to believe of Brooke's wedding day story, but the sequence was great. Hi Rex! (Steven Culp.) Bye Rex!