S04.E11: Magical Thinking

[basil]

I thought he did suffocate her. It seemed that she struggled, and then went limp when she, well...died because she couldn't breathe. I think he pushed her closer to make it harder for her struggle free, but I didn't hear/see a cracked neck. YMMV.

 

 

You don't see Dell make a sudden move, but there is definitely a cracking sound effect and she abruptly goes limp. I agree with the posters above who think museum lady gave up Ma Petite's body because she pretty much knew she'd be in big trouble if she didn't.

 

Fair warning: the link below is of Ma Petite's death.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKQEvW4NSOo

[Starchild]

I didn't hear a clear cracking sound. Besides, a broken neck would be much harder to pass off to the museum as a natural death.

 

When Desiree showed up with a gun we blanked out for a few minutes on why she was so angry with Dell.

Me too!

[LoLo]

I really enjoyed the conversation between fur-coated Dandy & NPH. Both actors knocked it out if the park!

Bye, Del, no one will miss ya!

Next week looks great, also.

For me Dandy's character has stole the show. He does a fantastic job at this part. He's so creepy & believable.

[Avaleigh]

What do people think about the significance of the twins no longer feeling that they need to keep diaries? 

 

Everyone's a murderer, including the ones like Eve that I want to like, so I can't like anyone. I'm sticking out Freak Show, but I doubt I'll be back for whatever comes next.

 

 

I'm blanking--who did Eve murder again?

 

Has Desiree murdered anyone? Paul, Lizard Girl? Dot?

 

Has Elsa murdered anyone apart from Dell and the Kathy Bates character? In the case of the Kathy Bates character it was kill or be killed so that bit didn't bother me at all. Elsa had no idea what sort of psychopath Dandy was. The twins didn't have to go to Dandy they wanted to stay there with him in the beginning especially Bette. Dell was killed because he killed Ma Petite. Obviously it isn't okay for Elsa to have killed Dell the way that she did but as far as feeling morally indignant by Elsa's behavior I don't think she's all that bad especially when I compare her to JL's other characters and to the other characters on Freakshow. I think Elsa is vile for other reasons but I can't really say that I see her as some monstrous murderer who is a menace to society unless there's some murder/torture other horribleness that I'm forgetting about.

 

Back to Paul and Lizard Girl for a moment--

 

Was the line about the contortionist thrown in there to put an end to the was it rape debate? The contortionist and Paul were the main parts of the opium movie/flashbacks so it seems to me that the show is trying to say that Lizard Girl enjoyed being with both men and is happy to continue on with whatever arrangement they seem to have set up between the three of them.

[Nutjob]

 

I'm blanking--who did Eve murder again?

Eve just aided Dell in the murder of two police officers, and also helped Jimmy cover it up when he murdered the first one way back at the beginning of the season. In fact, all of the freaks helped Jimmy cover that murder right on down to helping him chop up the parts.

 

 

I think Elsa is vile for other reasons but I can't really say that I see her as some monstrous murderer who is a menace to society unless there's some murder/torture other horribleness that I'm forgetting about.

Elsa nearly killed Paul on the knife wheel just because he confronted her, and whether they wanted to be there or not, she sold the twins to a complete stranger like they were her property. I find that pretty reprehensible, personally, but YMMV.

 

I believe Desiree is the only one who hasn't killed anyone, but she was fully intent on tarring and feathering Penny's father and cutting his junk off (which probably would've resulted in him bleeding out). Dot tried to kill Bette, which is what landed them in the hospital.

 

For me, nearly none of these characters are all that sympathetic at this point, and it's ruining my ability to enjoy this season.

[Avaleigh]

All fair points and I'd forgotten about a few things including Dot stabbing Bette and herself. With Eve I was stupidly not thinking about this episode--I also didn't think that she'd been involved in the murder of the first cop but I trust your memory is way better than mine considering the things I haven't remembered from this week's episode! 

 

I also admit that Desiree seems capable of murder. That being said I guess we have to judge her on her actions and so far she isn't a murderer. 

 

As far as finding the characters to be sympathetic, I don't personally feel like I need characters to be sympathetic in order to enjoy a show. That being said I still think that Jimmy, Elsa, Eve, Dot, Bette, and a few others are sympathetic to varying degrees. 

Edited January 10, 2015 by Avaleigh

[JellyFishQueen]

I wish Chester was at the start of the series, had a small role and being unotice but had a much larger back story at the end.

[Captanne]

I am not that fond of Neil Patrick Harris.  (I watched the original Doogie Houser, MD, too.)  I think he's fine but he exhausts me.  (So does Hugh Jackman.  My God, stop already.)

 

ANYway, I do like his role in AHS:  Freakshow.  A lot.  But I think it's mainly that I like the actress playing Marjorie and she compliments him well.  They have wonderful chemistry.

 

Otherwise, NPH leaves me freezing cold.

[Happytobehere]

Ryan Murphy, et al. reached back to the late 70s for NPH's plotline. Back then, I remember seeing ads for an Anthony Hopkins film called "Magic," and this seems like it was the movie's general plot. I was too young to see it then, so i never did. I asked Google for the actual plot, and there it was. Pretty similar. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_(1978_film)

I love this film. Anthony Hopkins was fantastic as per usual.

I don't know about anyone else, but I think this has been the worst of the season for AHS. Far too many vile characters and no real hope for anything better. Peppa, Mon Petit, and countless others who have suffered so horribly. Yet Elsa, Dandy and company just continue on.

[Avaleigh]

I don't know about anyone else, but I think this has been the worst of the season for AHS. Far too many vile characters and no real hope for anything better. Peppa, Mon Petit, and countless others who have suffered so horribly. Yet Elsa, Dandy and company just continue on.

 

 

Taking this to the all seasons discussion.

 

ETA: Nevermind, I don't think we have a thread discussing all four seasons.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I don't think this season of AHS has had anymore vile characters than usual. The characters are *usually* unlikable IMO. Unlikable but interesting. I don't think this season is any different. I mean, who were the likable people in Coven? IMO they all basically sucked if we're talking about looking for characters who are moral stand up citizens. It doesn't mean I didn't enjoy watching most of them though. Same thing with Asylum. (Asylum had Kit, not sure who else. Chloe's character was barely in the show.) Murder House isn't as clear for me right now but I don't remember having a bunch of root worthy characters apart from maybe Connie's character. 

Edited January 11, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Happytobehere]

Avaleigh: You might be right about the characters, but there is something about the violence for violence sake. For me, the other seasons had tons of violence, but the violence was integral part of the story. This season it just feels like the writers wanted to ramp up the violence and sacrificed character development for it. For instance, what was the point of Patti LaBelle's and Gabby Sidabey(spelling?) characters other than killing them off. The same could be said for Kathy Bates character and some of the others. Say what you want, but with the possible exception of Jessica Lange's character in Horror House, in all three of the previous seasons, the vile characters all got their comeuppance in some form or another and I just don't see that happening with this season.

[CharmCollector]

Like everyone else I was really pleased that Eve had a bigger part than usual. I miss her little scenes with Ma Petite.

 

I can highly recommend Magic. A tour de force and you can see Anthony Hopkins before he became so closely associated with Hannibal Lector.

 

No one has mentioned the scene between Betty, Dot and the French midget. That was hilarious.

 

I was happy to see more of Paul as well.

Edited January 12, 2015 by CharmCollector

[Captanne]

Paul is fabulous and, for me, stealing the entire series this season.  His best line (and possibly a line that will live longer than AHS in the memory), "With this face, I could have been a movie star."  The delivery of that line was amazingly heartfelt.  Also, don't get me wrong, I disapprove of upstaging but I don't think that is the actor's intent here.  I think he's just. that. neat.

 

I third or fourth the recommendation of the movie, "Magic".  Yikes.  Speaking of memories lasting a long time -- I'll never get over that film.  (It reminds me of Sleuth a little bit.)

[Mattipoo]

The puppet was the scariest thing for me this season. Will have to check out "Magic". Have a feeling I will be having nightmares about talking and moving killer puppets if/when I see it. From previous posts about the movie, for some reason I had automatically assumed it was Anthony Perkins (from "Psycho") who starred in "Magic" rather than "Silence of the Lambs" Anthony Hopkins! I liked NPH too and look forward to a final showdown between his character and Dandy. When is NPH's husband making an appearance?

Edited January 12, 2015 by Mattipoo

[DangerousMinds]

The movie Magic will also stay with me forever! Ryan Murphy is of a similar age, and so he is really right on with lots of his references for me. Horror and music.

[basil]

I didn't hear a clear cracking sound. Besides, a broken neck would be much harder to pass off to the museum as a natural death.

 

 

I have to listen with headphones and I definitely hear it, but it doesn't matter much - either way it's a horrible death and asphyxiation can also be proven.

 

 I don't think the "museum" gives a damn where or how their "curiousities" are procured, anyway. Have we ever heard or seen any discussions on the museum's insistence of provenance? I mean, they have a pair of freshly disembodied lobster boy hands - where did they think they came from? Why don't they wonder where the rest of the body is? Did the technology exist to be able to tell that the hands were removed from a living person? Would they care?

[Blakeston]

I have to listen with headphones and I definitely hear it, but it doesn't matter much - either way it's a horrible death and asphyxiation can also be proven.

 

 I don't think the "museum" gives a damn where or how their "curiousities" are procured, anyway. Have we ever heard or seen any discussions on the museum's insistence of provenance? I mean, they have a pair of freshly disembodied lobster boy hands - where did they think they came from? Why don't they wonder where the rest of the body is? Did the technology exist to be able to tell that the hands were removed from a living person? Would they care?

 

I agree on both counts. There's a distinct neck-snapping sound when Ma Petite dies. And we saw the museum director tell Stanley that she desperately needed attractions for her museum, and she strongly implied that she was fine with him doing anything he had to do to get them.

[RedheadZombie]

I can highly recommend Magic. A tour de force and you can see Anthony Hopkins before he became so closely associated with Hannibal Lector.

 

I will throw in the horror film Audrey Rose as well.  It was during the Hollywood fascination of reincarnation in the 1970s and Anthony Hopkins was great along with the amazing child actor.

 

Chester is a fascinating character and NPH is great playing him. I was a little bored with this season but his appearance has made me excited again. The puppet is the most scary character to me this season, and Jamie Brewer in costume and wig as Marjorie is the most effective frightening thing I have seen in AHS period. Brava for her performance. I am interested in seeing where everything is going. Loved Elsa killing Dell, but I still hope she doesn't make it in Hollywood. Poor Ma Petit. Seeing her body floating in the jar is making me feel sad for her all over again.

 

I'm liking the storyline overall, and enjoy NPH, but a couple of his reaction shots have been pure camp, rather than campy horror.  It made me giggle.  And they are overdoing it with the Twilight Zone/Night Gallery psychedelic music.  It's killing the mood.

 

I miss Kathy Bates.  I caught her yesterday in the horrible movie Failure to Launch - she elevated the material.

[methodwriter85]

Well, Paulson's only half-gay. But of course she's playing both Bette and Dot, so double it up!

 

I think it was a somewhat bland character so I don't ever think she would've been exciting. But Emma Roberts made her a whole lot worse than bland.

 

Sarah Paulson's bisexual? I thought she was a long-time lesbian who was with Cherry Jones for many years before they broke up.

 

I like Jamie Brewer so I'm glad she's back.

 

Can they let Evan Peters play a character who isn't a complete idiot next year? He does manipulative/diabolical so much better.

[gesundheit]

Sarah Paulson's bisexual? I thought she was a long-time lesbian who was with Cherry Jones for many years before they broke up.

Yep! The Cherry Jones part is true, yes, but she's bi. She has complained a few times in interviews that men never ask her out because they assume she's gay as a result of that public(-ish) relationship.