S04.E01: Monsters Among Us

[Dirtybubble]

Awsome episode!  Loved everything but I must admit it was kinda dumb to hang banners up advertising the twins when the police are looking for them. 

 

The references to Tod Browning's Freaks are lovely =)

[jnymph]

I only watched first 10 mins or so (past my bedtime) but initial thoughts:

The clown attacking the picnicking couple was awesomely scary!

Loved Bette/Dotte & the split screen.

I had a very hard time understanding what Jessica Lange was saying (as well as Ma Petit)

When I do watch in its entirety I will need closed captioning - which really kind of sucks.

[aurora296]

For those unfamiliar with the Bowie video Life on Mars and how much AHS took from it:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--IqqusnNQ

[ehnovelty]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one who thought Jessica Lange's accent was horrible and impossible to distinguish between German and French. So bad.

Bates' accent isn't much better either, some weird mix of Scottish and Irish.

Both are unnecessary and distracting.

Overall, I think Murphy is trying way too hard this season. Subtly is key. We want to believe these people actually exist in the world.

I don't.

 

Life on Mars is one of my favorite songs of all time, so I really enjoyed that scene.

 

Also, I've been trained to keep an eye out for foreshadowing of future season themes, "Life on Mars" + Jupiter, Fl = Space, Sci-Fi, Aliens next season?

 

The clown is the saving grace for me and probably why I will keep watching.

Edited October 9, 2014 by ehnovelty

[Xina]

Boy, I did not need images of Stabby the Clown right before bedtime. I'm not usually clown-phobic, but I can tell this season is going to test that. Yeesh...

[LoneHaranguer]

I take it the budget for this show (maybe minus salaries) is super low. I thought it was a cop out to only have one head of the twin on screen at a time until I noticed how poorly they were doing the two-headed scenes. And, at the end, Elsa removing her legs from plastic stubs? It's obvious from the image on the recap page she's holding the fake stubs in her lap. They should have ditched the CGI in favor of a fake head and claimed homage to cheesy SFX of that era.

[CletusMusashi]

So... a criminal organization that actively recruits the disfigured? Large numbers of them collecting in Florida? Villainous leaders with goofy faux-German accents? Gratuitous David Bowie references? This is obviously meant to take place in the Venture Brothers universe.

[Knittzu]

Overall, I think Murphy is trying way too hard this season. Subtly is key.

 

 

Sadly, I think last night WAS Ryan Murphy's version of subtle.

 

I swore I wasn't going to watch this again after the mess that was last season, but at the least minute I decided to give it another try. There's just too many good actors in it to pass without giving it at least a few weeks. If nothing else, I doubt this season could be as deathly boring as last season was. 

 

It's good to see Evan Peters having a real character again.

[gesundheit]

I loved every second except for the candy striper bit. I'm not really sure what the point of that was -- I could get the "freaks" banding together to protect their family by killing the cop, even, but I failed to see why they're also participating in gang rape. Is Kathy Bates's character the main one not complicit in all this? I know in AHS CrazyTown there's a great deal of moral relativity, but I'm just trying to assess who is... less bad? This season. (So far.)

 

Otherwise, that was just as dark and twisted and ridiculous and over-the-top and scenery-chewing and warped as I'd hoped.

Edited October 9, 2014 by gesundheit

[SoSueMe]

Wow, Kathy Bates. I gotta say, she looked exactly like Gregg Henry's Brigham Young (Hell on Wheels) to me. Or maybe it was just the beard ?

[SPLAIN]

As soon as I saw Lobster's Boy's gloved hands in the diner, I knew what would be coming up. I told my husband to get ready for a sex scene.  It reminded me of this man my husband and I know who happens to be part of a club that my spouse and I belong to. He had a car accident and was left with a disfigured hand. He once mentioned how ladies "love his hand" and made a gesture that made it obvious what he meant by that comment. I cringed, and then I laughed. I did the same thing last night when watching that scene with Lobster Boy and the girl.

 

I have never, ever been afraid of clowns. When I watched the clown come out of the bushes, as I watched this show in the dark, it was pretty darn scary to me. It didn't matter the scene was out in a field with the sun shining. Just watching that clown slowly make his way to the young girl, just gave me a creepy vibe. It made me wonder if this is how people perceive clowns and why they are afraid of them. I also thought, the way the clown was so hideous-looking and menacing, if that was meant to show viewers, like me, who aren't afraid of clowns, how clowns are menacing-looking to those who are afraid of clowns. I think of all the kids I have ever seen as they freak out upon coming face to face with a clown or any costumed-character, do they see the clown and costumed-characters in the way that I saw the clown episode? Just a thought.

[iMonrey]

I'm sort of on the fence at this point. I love the opening title sequence but the music was too loud in too many scenes and made the dialogue almost impossible to hear. They need to fix that. Overall they did a good job setting up the premise so it's kind of hard to tell how it will go. I'm glad to see Evan Peters will have a bigger role this season, since his talent was criminally wasted in Coven. 

 

Clowns are just inherently scary, I don't care what anyone says. 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing what they have planned for Angela Basset, Michael Chiklis and Emma Roberts. 

 

I think it's interesting they aren't using Jamie Brewer this season, probably out of consideration for the fact that she's someone who may have been genuinely considered a freak back in the early 20th century, yet they have Naomi Grossman who is only made up to look like one.

[valandsend]

I thought the clown looked horrible enough with the mask on, let alone with the horror that's been promised when he takes it off. It was Leatherface crossed with Michael Myers. I was surprised the girl at the beginning didn't run away as soon as she got a good look at him. Is that a human scalp on his head?

 

So nice to see Pepper again. Was that her boyfriend with her on stage?

 

Having only one twin's head on screen at a time only felt like a little bit of a copout to me. It was actually less distracting and allowed me to focus on one personality at a time. With two heads on screen, I didn't know where to look.

 

The imagery of the circus and the theme music worked well in creating an atmosphere. Loved the shot of the colored light bulb flickering on the strand. Also, is it intentional to have some of the scenes with super saturated color like a '50s Technicolor film?

 

The part with the mother and son being the only two in the audience didn't make sense to me. Bearded Lady later said they had a full house. Was that a dress rehearsal or something?

Edited October 9, 2014 by valandsend

[Meraji]

The part with the mother and son being the only two in the audience didn't make sense to me. Bearded Lady later said they had a full house. Was that a dress rehearsal or something?

I believe the mother (and son) had bought all the seats in the theater so it ended up being a private show. He mentioned something about how they all were his seats.

 

I haven't watched this show since the first few episodes of season one, but I'll probably give this season a chance. I'm not afraid of clowns at all and didn't realize that was a thing for other people until I was an adult.  I was quite creeped out by this clown, but think that's mostly due to the mask. I didn't even think that it could be covering something worse until I read it here. Yikes!

 

Count me among the people who had to watch this with close captioning. Between the accents and background music I gave up trying to make out the dialogue.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Meraji

[HerLadyship]

I take it the budget for this show (maybe minus salaries) is super low. I thought it was a cop out to only have one head of the twin on screen at a time until I noticed how poorly they were doing the two-headed scenes.

 

I actually thought that one head on screen at a time was an artistic choice to show the twins' individuality. Each is a unique character.  Though, I'm sure that it also saved them from having to do (bad) special effects and probably shorted Sarah Paulson's time in preparation. 

 

At me to those terrified of the frickin' clown.  I am usually a pretty calm TV watcher, but I watch edall of those scenes through my fingers whilst screaming at the characters to get the hell out of there.  Also, what was with the girl who sees scary clown coming out of the bushes and just stands there?  She could have made a break for it.  Boyfriend was in the car already.  Did she seriously think that it was a regular clown that Boyfriend hired?  To quote Chandler, "What kind of scary-ass clowns came to your birthday?"

Edited October 9, 2014 by HerLadyship

[hardy har]

I thought this was really boring and all it made me want to do was re-watch my CARNIVALE dvds and curse HBO for cancelling that show. That being said, I would like to formally thank the show for the batshit insanity that is KB's accent and JL's Bowie routine. I could Not. Stop. Laughing.

 

I don't know what it says about me that I didn't think Crazy Clown was scary, yet am terrified of regular happy clowns, but whatever. I couldn't get over the fact that he apparently traipses around in broad fucking daylight like that and no one as called the police. Oh, and Blonde Girl? You and the little boy are probably the only people I feel bad for so far, but you may be too dumb to live. How does someone see that coming towards them and not immediately run like hell and scream for the person you're with to start the motherfucking car?!?!?!?!? 

 

Actually, I feel  bad for Candy Stripper too. Honey, you were right, you were drugged and raped and it looks like we can add brainwashed and kidnapped to the list of awful things being done to you. Run like the wind! Though knowing Ryan Murphy he will have some fucked up thing happen where she comes to love it and and will fully join Elsa's brood.

 

Sarah Paulson is awesome as always even if the green screen work was kind of shoddy. So, are we taking bets on how long it take befor we get a sex scene with Betty, Dot and Evan Peters? 'Cause that happening and I'd guess sooner rather than later.

 

Elsa, you silly woman, you know the cops are looking for them, so why are you hanging banners up advertising that the twins are at your Freak Show?

 

I thought it was boring too.   I always think AHS starts off strong, and then falls apart and I get really bored mid-season (I still haven't made it all the way through season 2).  It's not a good sign that this season already started off boring.

 

Plus, the sound design.  In every scene, there is a constant stream of background noise, music or something.  I found it pretty annoying after a bit.

 

Are you me?!?! I have to admit Season 1 was the only one I managed to watch all the way through and that was just out of some weird need to finish it out. I made it about 2/3 of the way through ASYLUM and about half way through COVEN. Inevitably the show just seems to become simultaneously boring and ridiculous and I just have to give up. 

[Dandesun]

I'm not a horror aficionado. It's not a genre I like because I am a huge huge weenie when it comes to scary things. Even marginally scary things freak me out. Yet there's a bit of a siren call to it because I love psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. AHS was a show I was never interested in mainly because I have enough trouble sleeping sometimes... why add to it?

 

(Yet I'm totally going to watch Constantine so... whatever. I'm a mixed bag.)

 

I suppose it's that time of year anyway... and it was on so I decided 'Why not?'

 

I think there are interesting aspects going on... the concept of the Freak Show coupled with the rot that hid behind 1950's 'decency' but, let's be honest, there aren't any good guys here. Three different people murdered someone in the opening episode and I would imagine that it's likely to get worse. Plus there is the Stupid Person Horror Trope personified in the girl on the picnic.

 

How on earth do you see Twisty the Clown shambling towards you and just stand there? I mean, she was obviously feeling that disquieting sensation upon his approach but a freaky ass clown with a nightmarish face and his dingy, filthy clothes... there is nothing about his presence that isn't unsettling. But, no, just stand there and accept his flowers and think your boyfriend hired him.

 

Her waking up to Twisty stabbing said boyfriend over and over and over again... yeah, I found that deeply unsettling... along with the Murder Montage where he just quietly melts out from the shadows. 

 

Then of course there's the drugged up gang rape. Again, it's the rot beneath the surface of the pristine 1950's facade and I get that but, here, there's rot and then there's more rot and then there's festering rot. Aren't you supposed to be pulling for someone to survive in a horror situation? This set up seems to be all about hoping that Jupiter winds up ablaze from top to bottom.

 

But then Lange started to sing...

 

Now, I know she was channeling Marlene Dietrich but my head automatically went right towards Lilli Von Schtupp from Blazing Saddles. Hey, Lilli was a parody of Dietrich, too, but for some reason I just wanted Elsa to start singing 'I'm Tired.' Still, the music started and I immediately went 'That is not music from or pre-dating the 50s. That is post psychedelia music.'

 

And then I went 'Holy fuck, it's Bowie!!' 

 

And everything was wonderful.

 

Seriously, Lange as Dietrich doing Bowie's 'Life on Mars' in a circus tent was EVERYTHING.

 

But I still don't see myself lasting too long with this show. Especially after seeing that Ma Petit preview because that was hugely upsetting. Even more so than that terrifying clown.

[Watermelon]

I loved every second except for the candy striper bit. I'm not really sure what the point of that was -- I could get the "freaks" banding together to protect their family by killing the cop, even, but I failed to see why they're also participating in gang rape. 

 

I didn't get that they gang raped her. What I saw was Jimmy having sex with a contortionist, and Peppermint Girl sitting on the chaise high as hell and then her maybe having sex with the tattooed man. So an orgy. But I didn't see her specifically having sex with anybody.

[Avaleigh]

I thought this was really boring and all it made me want to do was re-watch my CARNIVALE dvds and curse HBO for cancelling that show.

 

 

I'm enjoying this show too but it doesn't seem like it'll be nearly as good as Carnivale*. Not that I expected it to be. For me every season of AHS starts of strong and then begins to fizzle somewhere around episode 7 or 8. I don't think this season will  be any different in that sense but I'm enjoying the ride so far. I love the characters and definitely feel like "boring" would be the last way to describe any episode of AHS. There are definitely episodes in the series that I haven't particularly enjoyed but I've never been bored.

 

Especially after seeing that Ma Petit preview because that was hugely upsetting. Even more so than that terrifying clown.

 

 

That was a moment where I actually had to remind myself that the actress is alive and well and is super happy for the opportunity to be a part of this production because seeing that was like seeing someone torturing a baby or a child. (Not that it's any better or more pleasant to see an adult being tortured! Hopefully people get what I mean.) I love Ma Petite and Jessica's character has definitely scored points with me by giving her an occupation and being protective of her.

 

Also regarding Carnivale, I was sort of hoping that one or two of the performers there might end up here but I guess not. IIRC they had a real pair of conjoined twins. I wonder how Dot and Bette would react upon seeing that there are other people who can relate to what they're going through.

 

I didn't get that they gang raped her. What I saw was Jimmy having sex with a contortionist, and Peppermint Girl sitting on the chaise high as hell and then her maybe having sex with the tattooed man. So an orgy. But I didn't see her specifically having sex with anybody.

 

 

I could hardly tell what was going on in that film. Every time they showed the candy striper she was either smiling, laughing, or taking opium. (I'm assuming it's opium that they and Jessica's character later were smoking.) OTOH I'm just remembering that the character told Elsa that she'd been "ravaged" so maybe it was a gang rape? I have a hard time believing that we're supposed to be on the side of a bunch of rapists so I feel like maybe that wasn't what they were going for and it just came out kind of unclear? Honestly there are some shows where I wish that they'd resist the urge to depict rape especially when in a case like this it doesn't seem to have any relevance to the overall plot.

 

ETA:

*Over the spring and summer HBO re-aired most of their old hit shows on their signature channel and Carnivale was of course completely ignored. Definitely the red-headed step child of HBO shows. Too bad another network couldn't have picked it up. Brother Justin was way scarier than Twisty.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Avaleigh

[Arynm]

Damn clowns! So very scary to me. Ma Petit is the best person ever! I love her so much, that I am going to pretend that nothing bad is going to happen to her, even if it does.

My husband, who "doesn't watch this shit" kept asking me if the "freaks" were real, so I spent the entire episode on IMDB trying to explain the infirmities of people, on a show he doesn't watch.

I think he's in.

I spent way too much time figuring out where Lobster Boy was putting his flipper.

Loved seeing Pepper again, it looked like she had a brother or boyfriend with her as well.

 

[SoSueMe]

I didn't get that they gang raped her. What I saw was Jimmy having sex with a contortionist, and Peppermint Girl sitting on the chaise high as hell and then her maybe having sex with the tattooed man. So an orgy. But I didn't see her specifically having sex with anybody.

I agree. But I kept losing focus what with the arty camera work so kind of hard to tell. Plus at one point she says "I liked it". Ryan Murphy has a misogynistic streak a mile wide so who knows.

 

That clown reminds me of the scary rabbit mask in Donnie Darko. I've been trying to track back to when clowns got creepy for me and I think it either started with Poltergeist  or Tim Curry's Pennywise the Clown. It's gone downhill from there :( 

[Brattinella]

Even Pennywise with his needle-teeth didn't bother me as much as this one.  Eesh!

[Kat From Jersey]

I didn't get that they gang raped her. What I saw was Jimmy having sex with a contortionist, and Peppermint Girl sitting on the chaise high as hell and then her maybe having sex with the tattooed man. So an orgy. But I didn't see her specifically having sex with anybody.

 

Honestly, I couldn't really tell what was going on in the movie; it was grainy and faded, and all herky-jerky.  It was hard to tell who was who and what was happening.  And when they showed a montage of Creepy Stab Clown murdering and kidnapping, I got that he kidnapped the boy from his bed, but who was the girl?  It couldn't have been picnic girl, since the radio mentioned she and her husband's bodies were found a week after they were murdered.  I don't like being this confused so very early in the season.

 

Anyway, 50's Florida kitsch Carnivale-y freak-show?  I'm in, despite the scary clown.

[Watermelon]

  And when they showed a montage of Creepy Stab Clown murdering and kidnapping, I got that he kidnapped the boy from his bed, but who was the girl?  It couldn't have been picnic girl, since the radio mentioned she and her husband's bodies were found a week after they were murdered.  I don't like being this confused so very early in the season.

 

Anyway, 50's Florida kitsch Carnivale-y freak-show?  I'm in, despite the scary clown.

It was picnic girl.

 

The woman/husband the authorities found are the little boys parents.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Watermelon

[sally-can-wait]

The scene with the clown and the couple having a picnic was reminiscent of a scene from the movie Zodiac. I was wondering if it was a nod to that film and I looked up the actor playing the clown and lo and behold it is the same actor who played the main suspect in Zodiac! Small things excite me...

Edited October 9, 2014 by mables-child

[gesundheit]

I didn't get that they gang raped her. What I saw was Jimmy having sex with a contortionist, and Peppermint Girl sitting on the chaise high as hell and then her maybe having sex with the tattooed man. So an orgy. But I didn't see her specifically having sex with anybody.

I just took her at her word that they drugged and ravished her. She only "liked" it while under the involuntary influence of whatever opiates she was on, because Jessica Lange's character roofied her. The flick was, of course, confusing to watch, though. But it just seemed like set-up blackmail because there's proof she looked like she was having fun but no proof she was drugged and put into that situation against her will, so she just had to live with it.

 

 

I thought it was pretty clear (compounded by her being obviously traumatized) but maybe I missed something, it wouldn't be the first time.

[Brattinella]

Roofied?  Did I miss something, too?  I thought she was smoking opium and participated in an orgy.

[gesundheit]

Roofied?  Did I miss something, too?  I thought she was smoking opium and participated in an orgy.

Didn't Elsa drug her at the hospital to get access? I thought Penny believed it to be a cigarette.

 

Lord I'm confused.

[Brattinella]

Me too, dammit.   I wasn't paying close enough attention.

[candall]

How on earth do you see Twisty the Clown shambling towards you and just stand there? I mean, she was obviously feeling that disquieting sensation upon his approach [. . .]

There's a book called "The Gift of Fear" which says we have an innate "danger" sense and we ignore it because we don't want to look foolish or appear rude--e.g. facing an elevator containing one person, you suddenly feel the briefest flash of hesitation, but you don't want to insult a total stranger so you brush it off and walk into the elevator.  Lots of victims will later say, "I knew something was wrong. . . "  Don't be like them.  Or Picnic Girl, now Cage Girl. 

 

So much for my PSA.   [Next up:  Oprah's "Don't let yourself be taken to the second place."]

[Broderbits]

The comparisons to "Carnivale" are inevitable and I started out really loving that show. But somewhere along the line it wandered off the tracks and seemed like, even if it had gotten another season, it would never get to the point.  "Freak Show" has an advantage by being contained to a finite number of episodes. It sucks when show runners lose focus.

[JayKay]

I think Elsa explained that the cigarettes ("Lucky Strikes are good for you" my ass) were drugged. Or maybe it was Penny.

Edited October 9, 2014 by JayKay

[rubinia]

 

I thought it was pretty clear (compounded by her being obviously traumatized) but maybe I missed something, it wouldn't be the first time.

I assumed it was a gang-rape too, since she said something about still being able to "feel them inside [of her]." Were the shots of her on the chaise full-body shots? Because I think there might have been something going on below the waist while she was smiling and smoking the opium. And maybe a shot of her inbetween two men? 

Edited October 9, 2014 by rubinia

[Betweenyouandme]

It worries me that this show excited me so much :/ My favorite parts were Twisty in broad daylight and the sex party (?) with the guy who has lobster hands. I guess they're my favorite because everything was so normal and then...very messed up.

[rubinia]

 

I think Elsa explained that the cigarettes ("Lucky Strikes are good for you" my ass) were drugged.

I think they showed a flashback to her taking the cigarette? I think the "Lucky Strikes are good for you" was also a reference to the fact that doctors used to endorse cigarette brands as being healthy for their patients...keeping the viewer in the 1950's mindset.

[TribbleTrouble]

The Jessica does Dietrich doing Bowie was awesomely weird and wonderful, but throwing that into a story that's supposed to be taking place in the 50s pulled me right out of the story.

Unfortunately, you can count me in as another who couldn't understand a word Ma Petite was saying. She has such a lovely face though. I just melted when she smiled and waved from inside the birdcage.

That clown. Shudder. So disturbing. That said, my first thought was "A killer clown? Really? That's been done and done and done." That one may be one cliché too far for my taste. Reserving judgment until I see how it plays out.

The twins. So good. Easily my favorite characters so far. And Sarah Paulson is just the one to pull that off. So much potential there, I hope they don't screw it up.

I think overall this ep may be the most disturbing of the whole series for me. By the time they rolled the closing credits I was exhausted and decidedly "freaked" out. Yikes!

[iMonrey]

I didn't get that the Lucky Strikes were filled with opium. Lucky Strikes is a real brand (or was, anyway), and back in the early 50s plenty of people actually did believe smoking was good for your health.

 

Also, I didn't get that Twisty the Clown was wearing a mask. It appeared that his face had been torn off and some sort of clown make-up or tattoo had been applied to his skull. If you look at his forehead, you can see a definite layer missing just beneath it.

Edited October 9, 2014 by iMonrey

[Brattinella]

I think that Twisty the Clown is wearing someone else's scalp. :(

[Lambie]

JL singing Life on Mars is my everything. The bad eyeshadow. The bad lipstick. The pantsuit. It was so sad and beautiful with the freaks working the props. Oh, yes, Elsa is a horrible person but who can't empathize with a double amputee German immigrant who only wants to feel like a star (I'm only half kidding). Of all the JL characters on AHS so far I like this one the best because she's so clearly damaged. Fiona had great diva lines but she was one-dimensional. Elsa is different. 

 

I thought the premiere was perfect. I only hope this season doesn't suffer the same fate previous seasons had by dragging out too many extraneous story lines and adding too many characters. 

[AlwaysWatching]

Oh wow.  I was actually nervous before this show started. Asylum will always be my favorite, but, darn...Jessica Lange!  I think her German accent is spot on for someone who is not trying to over do a German accent.  I lived in Germany for awhile and a German woman that worked for our company had gotten her American accent close to this level.  When JL sang Life on Mars ( which I have to admit that I didn't immediately recognize ), I thought her accent was perfect. Also, she is not supposed to be a great singer.  Well...I guess that depends on what you consider great singing. And I think the song is perfect for the Freak Show. The words fit right into the storyline. Great choice. That's why I like Murphy and Falchuk's ideas for these series.  It's like they throw everything at the word processor and see what sticks. They don't care when the song was actually written. Neither do I.  Anyway,  I love everything about Jessica Lange. She can do no wrong in my eyes. Check her out in Grey Gardens. You will, uhum, freak.

 

I know Kathy Bates can probably do any accent she wants, but I am also having a hard time figuring out what she's doing.  Did someone say she tweeted it was a Baltimore accent? Hmmm.  It's going to take some getting used to.

 

Sarah Paulson is amazing as usual. And here again, I don't think we are supposed to be blown away by the special effects.  There is always something a little off and a lot of stuff way off.  I live in the land of total suspension of disbelief when I watch AHS.  I will admit that I miss Lily Rabe and I was extremely disappointed when I found out weeks ago that she wouldn't be in this series.  I hope she has success elsewhere, but if not, I hope she can comeback next time and help some of us get through the loss of Jessica Lange.

 

Guess I must comment on good old Twisty.  It makes perfect sense to me that there would be a serial killer running around.  Why?  It's a Ryan Murphy show. I think he really likes to go to horror filled dark places. It's in the title. heh  The scene in the trailer actually frightened me and I couldn't figure out why.  An ugly, psychotic, serial killing clown just banging things around and scaring the crap out of the woman and the little boy literally gave me a nightmare last night.

 

So, I'd say it was a fantastic return of American Horror Story.  Now, the weekly waits.

[shelley1234]

I didn't immediately love this season like I did previous seasons of AHS, but I am definitely going to keep watching. As others have said, I am not sure who I am supposed to be rooting for since almost everyone seems pretty horribke.

Also, clowns are the worst. I have been afraid of clowns for decades and good lord that clown. It can go ahead and fuck off.

[EAG46]

I missed the episode due to an early wake-up time (hope to catch it on rerun--hooray for cable!) but the premise certainly looks interesting. I do recommend Tod Browning's film Freaks for those interested in a more "natural" portrayal of a circus sideshow.

[Brattinella]

I was always impressed in Tod Browning's Freaks the "Raj" guy, I think his name was.  He managed, without arms or legs, to roll and light a cigarette!

[rho]

My own problem with this episode is, I know this is going to be violent and lurid and (purposely) over the top and campy and batshit crazy.  It's supposed to be batshit crazy.  But personally, I need someone to root for as they go through this season's insanity.  In season one I was pulling for Vivien and Violet until the end.  In season two Lana Winters was probably the purest hero this series has had, and she triumphed in the end.  In season three I was with Zoe (until she killed Spaulding;  that was unnecessary) and Cordelia and Misty.  But this season?  Of the major characters (I'm not counting the two Twisty hostages) everyone's already awful.  Bette murdered her mother; Dot helped cover for her sister.  Jimmy killed the police officer who had the nerve to try and arrest Bette for a murder she actually committed, then the entire "freaks" community (except for Elsa) held a mass stabbing of the police officer's corpse.  If Twisty kills all the major characters I think my reaction will be, "Meh."

 

I don't know if I agree with him but I think Ryan is painting Elsa out as the victim this season. She's just the poor paraplegic who is trying to make a life for all the freaks. The Mother Teresa of carnies. It was pretty clear by the last scene that at least she sees herself that way. And Ryan Murphy who isn't one for traditional storytelling threw in a pretty cliched ending with the reveal at the end of the episode. Maybe it's a nod to JL's last season

[Watermelon]

I just took her at her word that they drugged and ravished her. She only "liked" it while under the involuntary influence of whatever opiates she was on, because Jessica Lange's character roofied her. The flick was, of course, confusing to watch, though. But it just seemed like set-up blackmail because there's proof she looked like she was having fun but no proof she was drugged and put into that situation against her will, so she just had to live with it.

 

 

I thought it was pretty clear (compounded by her being obviously traumatized) but maybe I missed something, it wouldn't be the first time.

You may be right.  I didn't assume anything was forced on her because she wasn't very afraid to say, "I'm leaving and of course I'm telling everyone what you did".  Had I been raped by carnie folks, I think I'd just tell Elsa I wanted to leave, then get out and follow through with what I wanted.

 

I can't imagine being held against my will and just telling my captor I'm gonna go home now.  

 

That's why I assumed she chose to go have fun at the carnival, get high on opium and then experiment sexually.

[Neurochick]

I loved this!  Very David Lynch-ish.  But then again, I hated "Coven."

[Tony]

Well... that was boring. Besides the killer clown, was there anything that could be considered as horror? Hope things pick up quickly.

[pandora spocks]

The Jessica does Dietrich doing Bowie was awesomely weird and wonderful, but throwing that into a story that's supposed to be taking place in the 50s pulled me right out of the story.

 

Last night's previews has the Tattler twins singing Fiona Apple's Criminal, another anachronism.  That's the reason I hated Moulin Rouge because of the pop songs used that clashed with the time period.  Like A Virgin, anyone?

[RazzleberryPie]

Did Candy Striper get roofied, or did Elsa just hand her the card to her curiosity tent, and the girl went their willingly, and got in over her head?

[Wickedeve]

All in.

 

Like most of you, I was sorely disappointed by Coven, but I fell for this season the minute all those SISTERS references started up. The split screen and the camera work was all so De Palma-esque! (If you haven't seen SISTERS, OMG. This is a movie that actually approaches AHS levels of weirdness, 70s style. I would even say that this AHS episode, at least, is a crazy mash up of FREAKS and SISTERS. And by the way, Violet and Daisy Hilton, whom Dot and Bette are clearly based on, are in FREAKS. Very cool!)

 

Candall, THE GIFT OF FEAR is one of the most influential books of my lifetime. Good call.