S04.E06: Bullseye

[Tara Ariano]

A dangerous new act is unveiled by Elsa. Meanwhile, Stanley pressures Maggie to murder Jimmy; and Paul indulges in a secret romance.

[Dirtybubble]

Paul indulges in a secret romance

Oooh!  Finally some of the other sideshow performers are getting some screen time.  Now how 'bout giving Amazon Eve something to do.

 

If I had to guess, the dangerous new act is the knife throwing routine I've seen in some previews. 

 

[Betweenyouandme]

"Oh, Ma Petite. Je t'aime plus que les autres."

I love you more than the others.

[CPP83]

If they had really killed off Ma Petite...she is truly the most innocent of them all, and her adorable giggles and sweet, overly trusting nature. This is when this show truly touches on the very depths of depravity and the horrific to me, even hinting at the idea one such as her precious self could be harmed, let alone murdered so heartlessly for the most selfish of reasons.

 

Dandy is...wow, just wow. But my word the actor is playing the ever loving hell out of the role, he's been pretty fantastic.

[mustbekarma]

Thank you Baby Jesus that killing Ma Petite was twice a fake-out. It was horrible enough to watch the first time. I am so glad that woman had an attack of conscience. Emma Roberts can stay.

[MarysWetBar]

I love ma petite so much :)

This episode was actually pretty upsetting to me as i was worried about her.

Paul and Elsa..ick...just ick.

IS that opium she is smoking?

Looks that way to me anyway.

She was so cruel in this episode. All my empathy for her went out the window after tonight's show!

[Blakeston]

Everything Frances Conroy does on this show is golden, whether she's offering Dandy condoms, or telling him it's time for a snackey and some RC Cola.

[placate]

Lee Tergesen is Penny's dad!  I was watching Oz earlier today and now Beecher is on AHS!  I really want to know how Elsa keeps her prosthetics on during sex without making it obvious that she has them.

[ShadowHunter]

I really hate Elsa. I felt Paul(seal boy) described almost every character she has ever played on the show.

 

I do not understand where the whole Jimmy/Maggie thing came from. It was so rushed. I do love that Jimmy went for the twins though. 

 

No Angela or Micheal this episode. They have been missing from half this season so far.

 

I am glad Ma Petite is still around.

 

Emma Roberts is terrible. I roll my eyes half the time she is on screen.

Edited November 13, 2014 by ShadowHunter

[Rhetorica]

Not entertaining. No surprises, very predictable, no dark humor. Sorta boring. Thank goodness for the last ten minutes. But that only set us up for next week. 

[Rhetorica]

snip

I really want to know how Elsa keeps her prosthetics on during sex without making it obvious that she has them.

I noticed this too. I was hoping they would show her legs but that would make her vulnerable and I'm not sure we are supposed to feel that yet.

[Valny]

Paul was making the rounds tonight! I was truly surprised seeing him in bed with Elsa and then later finding out about he and Penny.

 

I was thinking the Elsa meltdown might be Lange's Emmy reel if she gets nominated again.

 

Was anyone a little uncomfortable when Elsa holds Ma Petit like a little baby, especially since was in the pink crocheted thing.

 

When the doorbell rang at Gloria's I thought it was going to be Dora's daughter.

 

Alot of things were going on this ep, and it I liked it but maybe not as much as last week.

 

I haven't noticed before but Paul has beautiful blue eyes.  And he really showed his acting chops tonight. Especially in the scene when he was talking about Elsa with Jimmy.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Valny

[SteveAC10]

 

I was thinking the Elsa meltdown might be Lange's Emmy reel if she gets nominated again.

If an Emmy reel comes from this episode it would be Finn Wittrock's. The scene with mom after reading the diary was devastating. The combination of pathos and creepy that is Dandy could never be better illustrated. 

[yourstruly]

It's official-I'm evil.

First, I was annoyed at the show for not killing Ma Petit off-it felt like they were pulling their punches. I was thinking "Just do it! I can handle it."

Second, all I could think as I watched Dandy act all depraved again was "Wow he really is handsome."

 

But this was a great episode. This season is already (IMHO) blowing Coven out of the water.

[Valny]

If an Emmy reel comes from this episode it would be Finn Wittrock's. The scene with mom after reading the diary was devastating. The combination of pathos and creepy that is Dandy could never be better illustrated.

 

  I really thought Dandy was going to say "aaand scene"  and smile after he gave that emotional monologue. 

 

Does anyone know the name of the song Elsa sang? It sounded old timey which I was hoping she'd sing instead of the newer ones. I didn't hear a German accent though.

Now I know what Lange's meltdown reminded me of.  Mommy Dearest.  No wire hangers....EVER!!!!

 

Those knives Elsa was throwing looked fakey McFakerson.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Valny

[Watermelon]

So, Druggie Candy Striper fell in love with Paul. Interesting.

 

I'm so very glad they didn't kill Ma Petite. Her in a jar filled with formaldehyde is what I saw in the previews and I hope they quit playing with emotions when it comes to her.  I heart her.

[Portia]

Ma Petite, I dream to ride a pony, too! She got so many great lines tonight.

Oh, poor Paul. He's my favorite. But what's the deal...did he survive? Either way I fear he's bound for the museum.

Okay, I flippin' love Dandy. I love petulant manbaby Dandy, and I love depraved murderer Dandy, and I love creepy wannabe boyfriend Dandy, too.

[Valny]

Oh, poor Paul. He's my favorite. But what's the deal...did he survive? Either way I fear he's bound for the museum.

.

He was in next week's previews, he looks a lot better.

   I thought he might be bound for the museum tonight.

 

I think Ethel just may carry out her threat of killing Elsa with her own two hands if she finds out she sent Dot and Bette to Gloria's or if something bad happens to them.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Valny

[Blakeston]

Was anyone a little uncomfortable when Elsa holdis Ma Petit like a little baby, especially since was in the pink crocheted thing.

 

You're not the only one.

 

It would be one thing if it was just a way to show us that Elsa sees Ma Petite like a baby rather than a woman. That would be an interesting concept to explore.

 

But now they're depicting her as actually having the maturity of a toddler.

[JayKay]

I really want to know how Elsa keeps her prosthetics on during sex without making it obvious that she has them.

I don't get this either. There are probably a few ways to hide that, but I doubt that any of them are very comfortable.

 

As paternal and macho as Jimmy is supposed to be, Paul is the real deal. He's leading man material. The actor is great and I hope that he'll return to AHS in the future, if not other shows or movies. I loved his conversation with Jimmy.

 

I wish I could believe that Dandy would have had a chance at his own version of normalcy and decency with the twins, but like any honeymoon period, there's no way he could have manintained that level of pleasantry for long. As most failed relationships go, if it hadn't collapsed when it did, it would have eventually anyway. And it's not like he could lop off Dot and just be happy with Bette. His mother was right to call him a fetishist.

 

Elsa doesn't really want to be loved. She is and has been loved. She's just so full of self-loathing that she considers her troupe's devotion to her disfigured as well. They throw her a birthday week for godsakes! Hell, even her Nazi soldier boy loved her. Elsa wanted fame before she lost her legs and she still wants it now. Somewhere in there she'd like to believe that her loving "fairy queen" facade is real, but Paul was probably right. As worried as Stanley and Maggie made me for Ma Petite, Elsa might be the one we really need to watch out for if it comes down to a dead freak in exchange for the limelight.

 

I missed Desiree. Didn't miss Dell. For the first time, I wondered how different Maggie would be as a character if she were played by an actress who didn't default to "sullen and impetuous" as often.

 

I love most of the freaks so much that I wish there could be a spin-off of them just living in an apartment building together without bigots and serial killers constantly popping up. Like Friends or something. It's not fun waiting for horrible things to happen to these people every week.

[Gemma Violet]

 

 

I'm so very glad they didn't kill Ma Petite. Her in a jar filled with formaldehyde is what I saw in the previews and I hope they quit playing with emotions when it comes to her.  I heart her.

 

I agree.  Ma Petit is so sweet and I hate that they taunted us with a gruesome scene that turns out to be "Haha, got cha!"  I'm glad it turned out to not be true, but why taunt us in the first place?  The did the same thing last week with the twins' heads being lopped off and sold to the museum.  Now I'm going to be suspicious of every death.  Did it really happen or not?  

[Beezel]

I'm so very glad they didn't kill Ma Petite. Her in a jar filled with formaldehyde is what I saw in the previews and I hope they quit playing with emotions when it comes to her.  I heart her.

 

 

As bad it was to have to see Ma Petite in that jar twice,  I couldn't helping thinking it cute when after Emma actually put her in there, she appeared to be flapping her arms around like a butterfly. 

 

Ugh.  Beyond uninterested in Elsa. She's so one note and petty and too similar to Jessica's other characters. That being said I did appreciate the freak out scene, especially since she strayed from that terrible German accent. 

 

As paternal and macho as Jimmy is supposed to be, Paul is the real deal. He's leading man material. The actor is great and I hope that he'll return to AHS in the future, if not other shows or movies.

 

 

I'm loving Paul. I *still* haven't exactly warmed up to Jimmy and the boring pairing with Maggie isn't helping. Though, I'm interested to see what else might happen at Dandy's. 

 

Dandy and Gloria are still the best characters. Diary scene got me feeling for Dandy, I'll admit. :/

 

Does anyone know the name of the song Elsa sang? It sounded old timey which I was hoping she'd sing instead of the newer ones. I didn't hear a German accent though.

 

 

"September Song," an old standard. I guess since Elsa is gearing up for her TV show she's trying to adhere to more era-appropriate songs. :)

Edited November 13, 2014 by Beezel

[blaase]

I could definitely hear Langes's regular voice in that freak out.  I love her real voice so it was very noticable.

[jadecorleone]

After seeing this episode, I think Paul (Mat Fraser) just earned himself more acting jobs. He's such fun to watch and so delightfully cheeky

[Avaleigh]

Since it was breakfast time Dandy couldn't have put the caviar on an omelet for the twins?

I find it interesting that of the twins Dandy connected with the one who committed matricide.

I know I shouldn't try to make sense out of the craziness that is Dandy but---

What exactly does he want with the twins? He wants to marry them but he doesn't want to have sex with them? He pays one of them to laugh at his jokes and then gets upset that Dot thinks he's boring? If he has to pay her to laugh at what he says wouldn't that be his first clue that she doesn't really think he's all that funny? Does he really want to connect with them or does he just want somebody around to listen to him babble? The stuff about him being a boy-man--is that truly shocking or the most hurtful thing anyone has said to him? I'm guessing he never went to school with other children. I wonder if this is because of what happened to his father that Gloria decided to have him educated at home. IIRC in a past episode she makes some mention of a governess which wouldn't have been common at this point in history especially for a boy from an old money family.

And then there's Gloria. She seems way more concerned with the idea of having an inbred looking grandchild than she is with the possibility that she might have to clean up another murder of Dandy's. The only way that she's not going to have to help him is if she's his next victim or she decides to give him up to the police and I can't see her ever doing the latter.

I laughed when Dot was going over the pros and cons of living with Dandy and Gloria and she came up with "we hadn't been beaten nor had we been bound by chains".

If the twins do somehow have a surgery performed I'm convinced that Dot won't survive. She's too gungho on making it happen so I expect she'll end up regretting it. Also, if Dandy is the one paying for the surgery there's no way he'd want them to pick Dot over Bette.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Avaleigh

[Snookums]

Paul was making the rounds tonight! I was truly surprised seeing him in bed with Elsa and then later finding out about he and Penny.

 

 

I was thinking he really had stamina for an older man. A very handsome older man.

 

Was anyone a little uncomfortable when Elsa holds Ma Petit like a little baby, especially since was in the pink crocheted thing.

 

 

A little? I was beyond creeped out, especially the way Lange was kissing and cuddling her like a dolly. Ugh. I am glad, though, that they established Ma Petite as the "baby" of the group. She's coddled and adored by everybody, and clearly they play up her cuteness in the show so she probably doesn't get the constant abuse the others do. It highlighted why she trusted Maggie and had no idea of the danger she was in. I do wonder, though, where Elsa "got" her. I can't see her running over to India to pick up a new act.

What exactly does he want with the twins? He wants to marry them but he doesn't want to have sex with them? He pays one of them to laugh at his jokes and then gets upset that Dot thinks he's boring? If he has to pay her to laugh at what he says wouldn't that be his first clue that she doesn't really think he's all that funny? Does he really want to connect with them or does he just want somebody around to listen to him babble? The stuff about him being a boy-man--is that truly shocking or the most hurtful thing anyone has said to him?

 

 

That's the thing about Dandy's kind of crazy--he doesn't know what he wants and has had his existence devoted to blaming everybody else in the world for that fact. His mother's obviously just as looney tunes but her nuttiness comes out in her ridiculous guilt-twisted devotion to/infantilizing of Dandy. She projects all her fears of "men", adult men onto him and is trying to keep him a child so she doesn't have to fear him. 

[JellyFishQueen]

Danny, DC called. You got the part for the Joker for Batman VS superman, mazel tov.

[darkestboy]

Not my favourite episode but it had enough going for it though.

Elsa's mask is slipping and it's nice to see that her freaks are starting to see through her.

Was surprised that Paul was sleeping with both Elsa and Penny but this was a great episode for him. Minus getting stabbed of course.

Will Jimmy get the twins back from Dandy though? Dandy and his scenes with Bette and Dot were interesting. Gloria continues to be just as demented as he is though.

Nice that Maggie didn't go through with killing Ma Petite but I have a feeling Stanley will kill someone by next week though.

Can Ethel deliver on her promise to kill Elsa? I won't hold it against her, 7/10

[Dancingjaneway]

I knew that Maggie wouldn't be able to kill any of the freaks. I'm so glad that Ma Petite wasn't killed. I don't understand why Maggie didn't just suggest that after Paul was hurt they take him and use him for the museum. I laughed so hard at Dandy last night he is just so over the top. God help anyone who gets in his way though because they are as good as dead. Elsa hasn't really done anything for me I have always known she wasn't good and to see her flip out was not surprising. I hate that Ethel is dying because I really like her. I'm not thrilled that we have yet another plotline going on with Penny and her gun toting father. Theres already enough going on we don't need more added in. It also takes away from getting to know some of the other freaks(ie Amazon Eve).

[Avaleigh]

Now I know what Lange's meltdown reminded me of.  Mommy Dearest.  No wire hangers....EVER!!!!

 

Yes!!! That's exactly it. I can so hear too JL saying the line "Bring me the axe!"

 

I didn't really understand the timing of Elsa's freakout. I also don't understand why she didn't just say that the twins decided that they wanted to be with Dandy. At least then she wouldn't be caught in as much of a lie and if they're ever to come back it'll be her word against theirs. 

 

Also, with the exception of Jimmy were Bette and Dot shown to have bonded with any of the other performers? For the most part it seems like carnival workers would be used to people coming and going and the twins weren't there with them for that long. 

 

To me her meltdown would have made more sense if she'd tied it more to her age and then maybe a bad rehearsal or a comment from Stanley about how she doesn't get to be on the TV show without the twins. I felt like there should have been a better reason for her anger than Paul telling her that some of the other performers were suspicious regarding what happened to the twins. 

 

That being said I did appreciate the freak out scene, especially since she strayed from that terrible accident.

 

 

I'm assuming you mean her accent? I noticed it slipping too when she was yelling.

 

I'm guessing that Elsa is going to lose her fabulous tent in the next episode or two.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Avaleigh

[Dirtybubble]

Was anyone a little uncomfortable when Elsa holds Ma Petit like a little baby, especially since was in the pink crocheted thing.

WORD!  That was a bit bothersome and then when Elsa puts Ma Petit in the bed with her and cuddles her like a baby.  WTH?  Just weird.  Although her in the pink onesie was cute this is just embarrassing for the actress playing Ma Petit.  I wonder how she felt about all of this?

 

Wow, Paul was making the rounds last night wasn't he.  While I like that he is getting more screen time I felt the relationship with him and the Peppermint girl was just kinda thrown in there.  Last we saw her she was freaking the F out and didn't want to have anything to do with the freaks and now....IDK, it just seemed shoe horned in. 

[Portia]

I was thinking he really had stamina for an older man. A very handsome older man.

My husband, who's close to Mat Fraser's age, would like me to interject the following comment:  "52 ain't that old."

 

Here's what disturbed me about the treatment of Ma Petite: it appeared she was just bundled up and left in the chair on the other side of the room while Paul and Elsa were having sexytimes. Whaaaa????  

 

I continue to marvel at how great Jessica Lange looks. When she was lying back on the pillows and being photographed from slightly below her chin?  . . . .well, I'm 15 years younger than Lange, and there's no WAY I would let myself be shot at that angle. She still looks like herself, too. If she's had work done, my hat is off to her platic surgeon. And if she hasn't had work done, but has made some sort of deal with the Devil to retain her youthful beauty, well, . . .  sign me up. ;-)

Edited November 13, 2014 by Portia

[Primetimer]

Paul the illustrated seal gets lucky twice and extremely unlucky once when Elsa drags the Wheel O' Death out of storage.

Read the story

[Eliza422]

Two things that struck me last night.

 

1. I had no idea that the Paul was normal height! For some reason all of the shots of him in previous episodes made me think he was shorter than average - not little person size, but 5 feet or so, maybe? Maybe he was always sitting down.

 

2. As some others mentioned before, it does disturb me how much they infantilize Ma Petite. I wonder how much she gets of that in real life? I mean, she does look adorable, and the character seems OK with that kind of treatment, It's disturbing that a grown woman acts like that and is treated like that (in the show, I mean).

Edited November 13, 2014 by Eliza422

[LoneHaranguer]

Stanley could probably make a lot more money if he acted as a real agent, but for Ma Petite, rather than Elsa, especially if he made the contract totally unfair. Maybe start with an appearance on I've Got A Secret for the publicity, before moving on to B movies. When her career is played out, the museum would probably be willing to hire her, with a bonus if they get her body after she dies.

[Avaleigh]

That was a bit bothersome and then when Elsa puts Ma Petit in the bed with her and cuddles her like a baby.  WTH?  Just weird.  Although her in the pink onesie was cute this is just embarrassing for the actress playing Ma Petit.  I wonder how she felt about all of this?

 

 

I have to think the money helps. ;-)

 

I do though recall reading something about the actress not really liking people holding her like a baby. She doesn't mind being held but IIRC specifically said she didn't like being treated as though she were a baby.

 

Here's what disturbed me about the treatment of Ma Petite: it appeared she was just bundled up and left in the chair on the other side of the room while Paul and Elsa were having sexytimes. Whaaaa????

 

 

I thought this was possible the most bizarre part of a scene that was already weird. 

 

Word to the poster who wonders exactly where Elsa picked Ma Petite up. 

 

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to make of the candy striper being with Paul now. Didn't she basically see him as a rapist a few episodes ago? Now she's having a secret affair with him because she came to the conclusion that she "liked it"? Okay.

[rubinia]

I didn't want Ma Petite to die, of course...seeing her do "butterfly hands" in the jar was unbelievably cute. But this is supposed to be a horror story. Her getting drowned in a jar of formaldehyde would be pretty horrific, would it not? And Emma Roberts suddenly having a change of heart is just so...expected.

 

 

I thought this was possible the most bizarre part of a scene that was already weird.

That was bizarre, but I think it just goes to show that Elsa really thinks of Ma Petite as a doll. She even makes a comment about Ma Petite all wrapped up in that pink onesie being her own personal hot water bottle to sleep with.

Edited November 13, 2014 by rubinia

[Snookums]

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to make of the candy striper being with Paul now. Didn't she basically see him as a rapist a few episodes ago? Now she's having a secret affair with him because she came to the conclusion that she "liked it"? Okay.

 

 

Aaaaannnnd Ryan Murphy's extremely problematic relationship with rape and rape storylines continues apace. But hey, he's branching out into troubled, shotgun totin' father/daughter relationships now!

[Straycat80]

I'm glad they didn't kill Ma Petite, to me she's a baby and you don't kill babies.

The actor playing Dandy is playing the hell out of that role. Great acting!

I liked that they gave Paul a storyline. I can't wait to see where they go with it.

Did anyone else get an icky feeling in the bedroom scene between Penny and her Dad?

[Lila82]

Mat Fraser is like ungodly handsome and Chris Messina's blue-eyed twin. I need them performing in something together ASAP.

Of all the horrible things Elsa has done, yelling at Pepper might be the worst.

[TexasGal]

1. I had no idea that the Paul was normal height! For some reason all of the shots of him in previous episodes made me think he was shorter than average - not little person size, but 5 feet or so, maybe? Maybe he was always sitting down.

 

I thought the same - I thought his legs were stunted like his arms until last night.  I think they wanted to make him seem more "freakish" and gave us that impression.

Aaaaannnnd Ryan Murphy's extremely problematic relationship with rape and rape storylines continues apace. But hey, he's branching out into troubled, shotgun totin' father/daughter relationships now!

Am I the only one who thought the way the father was touching her was going to turn into something else?  There was a really inappropriate vibe going on.

Edited November 13, 2014 by TexasGal

[iMonrey]

 

1. I had no idea that the Paul was normal height! For some reason all of the shots of him in previous episodes made me think he was shorter than average - not little person size, but 5 feet or so, maybe? Maybe he was always sitting down.

 

I thought maybe he was on stilts.

 

I don't know how Dot thinks she can be separated from Bette. They've only got one body. If they split them down the middle they'll have one arm and one leg each. Even if they cut Bette's head off she's going to have one weird-ass looking shoulder.

 

Finn Whitrock and Frances Conroy continue to steal the show. I loved Dandy telling the druggist he had a poor selection of hairbrushes, and then responding to his offer to look in back with "Do so at once!" Also loved Mama Dandy bringing up a tray of "snackies." A closeup of the tray showed one of said snackies was a box of Good 'N Plenty.

[Beezel]

Did anyone else get an icky feeling in the bedroom scene between Penny and her Dad?

 

I did. And I'm sure it will turn out that Penny is being sexually abused by her creep of a dad because I guess her story line has to be all about rape all the time, save when she's falling in love with someone she briefly considered one of her rapists. The whole drugging/orgy whatever was a grey area, but it's still weird that her and Paul would be together. I mean where did they even run into each other again? What made her give Paul a chance given the orgy? It doesn't really add up.

 

I'm not thrilled that we have yet another plotline going on with Penny and her gun toting father. Theres already enough going on we don't need more added in. It also takes away from getting to know some of the other freaks(ie Amazon Eve).

 

 

Also, this. I am already so ready for this particular subplot to be over and (though it's wishful thinking) for RM to take at least a break from mishandled rape related stories. In regards to learning more about the freaks, I do wonder if maybe we will learn more about Ma Petite's back story or will she simply remain around for the cute factor? I doubt it would happen, but I do want them to  give the actress something to do and delve more into her feelings being treated like a baby and an object by Elsa. As it's been mentioned, the character seems to not be disturbed by it, but I wonder why and whether her feelings will have changed at all given Elsa's freak out.

Edited November 13, 2014 by Beezel

[gesundheit]

Of all the horrible things Elsa has done, yelling at Pepper might be the worst.

I know! I can't stand it when people are mean to Pepper, to me she's even more of a guileless innocent than Ma Petite (who likely plays up the cutesy factor because it's how she can get things). Pepper!

 

Someone above mentioned they're making Jimmy dull by pairing him with Maggie and I totally agree. That's the blandest imaginable pairing, I hope they don't make a whole thing of it. 

 

Mat Fraser spinoff please.

[JenE4]

And then there's Gloria. She seems way more concerned with the idea of having an inbred looking grandchild than she is with the possibility that she might have to clean up another murder of Dandy's. The only way that she's not going to have to help him is if she's his next victim or she decides to give him up to the police and I can't see her ever doing the latter.

 

 

I kept dozing off last night, so I might have missed something specifically about looks. But, in a previous episode she was all upset because Dandy's father was a murderer, too, and now vagrants can't just go missing as easily as they could back in his father's day... So, I think she's worried about another generation with this "inbred sickness." But, I do agree with you that why is she indulging Dandy instead of getting him help or turning him in? She obviously did the same with Dandy's father!

 

I didn't want Ma Petite to die, of course...seeing her do "butterfly hands" in the jar was unbelievably cute. But this is supposed to be a horror story. Her getting drowned in a jar of formaldehyde would be pretty horrific, would it not? And Emma Roberts suddenly having a change of heart is just so...expected.

 

I fell sound asleep just as "Esmerelda" was carrying Ma into the barn, so I was surprised as hell to read in the recap that she did NOT kill her. I had the exact same reaction as you to this: Where is the HORROR?! Now we get two weeks in a row (was it last week?) where we see this fantasy of them killing Bette and Dot but, ha-ha, they didn't want the cupcakes! And now they don't kill Ma, either?! What is the point of these two characters when they're not adding any ACTUAL horror to the show? I mean, personally, I like this show because I CANNOT watch horror movies and I freak out over horror movie commercials, even, so this show is definitely more my speed. But I'm having a difficult time discerning the HORROR in American HORROR Story. The "freaks" don't make it horror because we live in a progressive society in which we recognize that these are "regular" people who happen to have a birth defect and wouldn't judge them any differently for it. I mean, I guess in context, we understand that 60 years ago they might have been viewed as "less than human." But it's just not as heartwrenching like, say, last season's storylines with how horrifically the slaves were treated, you know? Some store clerk was a little rude to you when you went to buy perfume? Well, you just choose to take your business to Woolworth's and get some ice cream while you're at it. The HORROR!

[Avaleigh]

Someone above mentioned they're making Jimmy dull by pairing him with Maggie and I totally agree. That's the blandest imaginable pairing, I hope they don't make a whole thing of it.

 

 

I don't care whether or not Jimmy and Maggie stay together but I almost want to give them a break on being a bland couple when they're up against pairings like Dandy and the twins, Dell and Desiree or Matt Bomer's character, Paul and the candy striper or Elsa, etc.  

Edited November 13, 2014 by Avaleigh

[Rahul]

The most horrific and disturbing part of the episode was learning that Ma Petit was in the room when Elsa and Seal boy got it on.

 

WORD!  That was a bit bothersome and then when Elsa puts Ma Petit in the bed with her and cuddles her like a baby.  WTH?  Just weird.  Although her in the pink onesie was cute this is just embarrassing for the actress playing Ma Petit.  I wonder how she felt about all of this?

 

Jyoti Amge who plays Ma Petit has gone on record saying she hates being coddled like a baby in a FX interview for AHS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D6dMwIZZJs

 

I know one of Meryl Streep's daughters plays Penny, but I can't for the life of me tell those Gummer sisters apart.

[rubinia]

I think Jyoti Amge the actress would HATE to be carried around like a baby in a pink onesie or used as a human teddy bear, but I feel like Ma Petite's back story is a bit different. Since she *is* so tiny (and really cute, though I feel bad saying that), she has probably always been coddled and treated like a baby or a doll. I'd guess that's why she's so innocent and trusting and acts like a little kid (*butterfly fingers*!). Maybe Ma Petite is so innocent she wouldn't even know/care about sex going on in front of her. Still, it was weird.

 

 

So, I think she's worried about another generation with this "inbred sickness."

 

I definitely think there's that, but I think Gloria made a comment about not wanting future children to have the twins' "freak" genetics, hence the prophylactics.

[LeighAnne]

Gemma Violet said:

 

Ma Petit is so sweet and I hate that they taunted us with a gruesome scene that turns out to be "Haha, got cha!"  I'm glad it turned out to not be true, but why taunt us in the first place?

 

"Ryan Murphy fucks with the audience" is a recurring theme of Ryan Murphy shows (with the exception of The Normal Heart; that was Larry Kramer's property).

 

Slightly off-topic:

 

placate said:

 

Lee Tergesen is Penny's dad!  I was watching Oz earlier today and now Beecher is on AHS!

 

Every time I see the trailer for the movie Whiplash, I think, J.K. Simmons is playing Schillinger again, except he's a non-Nazi music teacher.

[Duke2801]

I didn't want Ma Petite to die, of course...seeing her do "butterfly hands" in the jar was unbelievably cute. But this is supposed to be a horror story. Her getting drowned in a jar of formaldehyde would be pretty horrific, would it not? And Emma Roberts suddenly having a change of heart is just so...expected.

 

 

On one hand, I see your point.  And doing yet another "fakeout" murder scene is a bit ... I don't know.  Lame? 

 

On the OTHER hand...  I am a bona fide horror enthusiast -- movies, books, TV shows, you name it--and I am rarely reticent to watch a murder scene.  But with sweet Ma Petite??  I was legit cringing and kept switching to another channel.  I just did NOT want her to be killed off.  I adore her so much.