S05.E07: Flicker

[Tara Ariano]

Will Drake's renovations uncover a great secret; John undergoes psychiatric evaluation; and the Countess learns the fate of her first love.

[Starchild]

Weird that no one mentioned how Tristan is a dead ringer for Rudolph Valentino.

[GoneGirl]

The countess told him he was, right after she turned Tristan, she told him he looked like the the one who turned her. Her one great love.But he was even more beautiful than you....I think that's what she said.

[ShadowHunter]

"Who's the lucky fellow? I'd like to send him some steaks."   "Just a Hobo"  Mr.March had some great lines.  Evan continues to be a blast to watch.

 

I noticed Miss Evers looked sad when James was getting married to the countess. Confirms more that she was in love with him though I would still like more backstory on her but I guess that might be it.

[Valny]

I wasn't a fan of this ep, it maybe my least favorite ep so far....and thankfully it was just the regular one hour running time.
 So much GaGa/Countess. Just going by the promos I thought it would be a Countess-centric episode, and I wasn't wrong.  Geez, that was a damn long "how I got turned" backstory for her. I think it could have been streamlined a bit,but what do I know. I was distracted by Finn's accent most of the time. Was that supposed to be an Italian accent because, nope. I know Valentino was Italian so it had to be. Sometimes it sounded like something else, I don't know....Russian? Translyvanian?

 

 

During the cold open,I didn't even bat an eye when those two vamps popped up and then ate the construction workers. I can thank the promo for that because I was prepared. 

Oh so that was Valentino and his wife feasting on the realtor and were the people in the cemented room. I really did like that reveal! They did pretty quick cuts if I remember, so I didn't even know that was Finn in the open.

 

Vampire pet peeve time!-  it really grates my cheese whenever you see any vamps bloody faces after they've  feed but their teeth STILL CLEAN!! What, did they do a quick rinse afterwards or something?!   Even the vamps on Vampire Diaries they have inside of their mouths are still bloody.

 

 

Floppy-haired John Lowe!  I liked how they lit him in that scene when he was talking to the little girl. She did a pretty good acting job too. Totally knew when she ran into the street she was going to get him by car on purpose.Well in this case, a big ol' truck.

I said "Oh shit"  when they showed the lady's tongue being nailed to the table. I wasn't prepared for that smash cut.   Bastards!  :)  I kind of wasn't quite paying full attention to John and the little girl scene, what the hell were they talking about that it warranted seeing the nail in the tongue smash cut?

 

Sorry GaGa, you don't get points from me for THAT crying scene(when she was rescued from jumping) That first sound of a cry/sob...that was a bit cringy. Maybe Jessica Lange could give you some pointers.

 

I hate the way they made GaGa eyebrows in the one early scene from 1925 at Valentino's place. They were like, pointed at weird angle downward. Maybe the makeup dept saw a picture or film of that type of eyebrow, I just know I've never seen something like that before, and I've watched a lot of old movies. They did get it right when they had them as the pencil thin brow type.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Valny

[Petunia13]

Weird that no one mentioned how Tristan is a dead ringer for Rudolph Valentino.

I don't see it.

[marsha]

Up until now I thought Gaga added a welcome 'otherworldly' sheen to the Countess and she still does, I suppose.

 

This is really the first episode she's been called on to 'act' and she was pretty bad. I kept thinking that if a really good actress was playing this part it would have been so much better. Also, her make-up in the flashback was terrible as you could see they tried to blot out her real brows but it was still very obvious; she should have borrowed a glue stick from one of the queens from RuPaul's Drag Race. 

 

When Kathy Bates said to her that "I've never seen you scared before" I thought "Thanks for telling us, Kathy, as you sure couldn't tell by her expression or 'acting'."

 

'Dandy' as 'Valentino'? No.

 

This was a very disappointing episode and other than the always welcome scenes with March & Evers ... bleh. 

[Starchild]

The countess told him he was, right after she turned Tristan, she told him he looked like the the one who turned her. Her one great love.But he was even more beautiful than you....I think that's what she said.

I meant that no one ELSE, in LA, mentioned that he looked exactly like a legendary film star. Then again, after nearly a century I would have to google Valentino to see what he looked like, so I guess that's not so weird after all.

 

"Who's the lucky fellow? I'd like to send him some steaks."   "Just a Hobo"  Mr.March had some great lines.  Evan continues to be a blast to watch.

Agreed! This is the most I've ever enjoyed watching him. He's a hoot!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Starchild

[Sakura12]

Gaga is better in small doses, this was her first real acting test and she failed. The Countess turning story took a long time to tell and it was boring. 

 

Even Peters however is delightful as Mr. Marsh. I'd rather we spent more time with Mr. Marsh and the Countess killing people than the silent picture people. Interesting that she still has dinner with him once a month especially when they both don't need to eat food. 

 

John is so the killer and doesn't know it. Although it will probably blow his mind when and if he finds out about the vampires and that his wife and son are vampires. 

Edited November 19, 2015 by Sakura12

[GoneGirl]

I don't see it.

.

I don't think he looks like the real Valentino at all. Agreed on sounding more Russian than Italian at times, but I do enjoy Finn Wittrock. Much more so than Matt Bomer any day, he is too pretty for my taste.

Weird that no one mentioned how Tristan is a dead ringer for Rudolph Valentino.

Oops, sorry, I misunderstood what you meant. You are right though, it is kind of weird because he is such a legend.

[RazzleberryPie]

That was campy and fun. I half expected Sarah Michelle Gellar to bust out with some stakes. I actually prefer that to the gore for gore's sake. Still not a fan of Mr. March. He's just gross and so over the top with that James Cagney impression and goofy grin.

 

So was Finn literally supposed to be Rudolph Valentino, or just some actor named Valentino who played a sheik, etc. His accent? Atrocious. Couldn't tell if he was Italian, Transylvanian, The Terminator, or what, but it was horrible. So were Gaga's Vulcan eyebrows. Her acting wasn't terrible, considering she fit it all in with the campiness of the episode. If it had intentionally been dramatic, she's awful. Over the top Dark Shadows camp, pretty good.

 

At least Finn wasn't being some sort of pouty petulant brat this time. So what happens when Emo Model Ghost Finn runs into Vampire Valentino Finn? They'll probably fall in love.

 

They're really going full on for cable with the orgy scenes and nudity. The actress who played Valentino's wife is stunning. 

 

Deadly detective storyline was angsty boring. 

[Valny]

This is really the first episode she's been called on to 'act' and she was pretty bad. I kept thinking that if a really good actress was playing this part it would have been so much better

 

.

 

The only part I thought she did pretty good was after finding out March had Valentino and his wife in the cemented room and she says:

"That's what was BACK THERE?!!! She starts out soft then screams those last words.  That might be the most believable line from her. Hey, she's not an actress, so I can't totally kill her.

 

I liked 1986 Countess who we saw for a split second. The hair was awesome.

 

The Tango scenes?  Zzzzz... I don't want to see dancing thank you very much. I kept thinking, ok, let's move it, next scene! It went on longer than I expected.

 

I had a feeling the realtor was not gonna make it out alive. By Murder House realtor!

 

So were Gaga's Vulcan eyebrows...

 

Oh, so that's what they reminded me of!  They were distracting for sure.

 

see you in two weeks!

Edited November 19, 2015 by Valny

[ShadowHunter]

Is Angela Bassett being paid bye the minute this season? I also realized I didn't notice we have not seen Sally much the last few episodes until the previews.

 

Marcy from S1 managed to always make it out of the Murder House but gets attacked at the Hotel Cortez.

 

I agree with others Finn and the accent was not very good. At least he had better hair though lol.

 

In a weird way I think March had some kind of feeling for the Countess. He actually looked upset when she told him that she didn't approve of the killings.

[Starchild]

So what happens when Emo Model Ghost Finn runs into Vampire Valentino Finn?

More importantly, what happens when Liz sees him?

[Bruinsfan]

I was distracted by Finn's accent most of the time. Was that supposed to be an Italian accent because, nope. I know Valentino was Italian so it had to be. Sometimes it sounded like something else, I don't know....Russian? Translyvanian?

It sounded Bela Lugosi style Hungarian to me, which I suppose is what passes for Transylvanian in Hollywood.

[Tech Noir]

This episode was sooooo terrible. Besides the bad acting and random use of historical figures (and also the anchronistic use of 1980s music in 1920s period scenes, whihc I realize is my own personal hang-up but it really makes me crazy and IN FACT was the reason I had to bail on Freakshow last year because it was happening every episode) ... besides all that, the exposition! Ugh. "I was on a train and I sensed a presence blah blah FW Murnau blah blah Nosferatu blah blah vampire cakes." STOP. Show me don't tell me, Murphy.

 

Also between this and all the cable shows of the last 5 years I am totally desensitized to orgies, which is kind of depressing.

[RedheadZombie]

This was a very uneven episode, IMO.  Least sympathetic back story - by far.  The love story was beyond bizarre.  She was simply mesmerized by his looks.  Then the wife's all - hello little mouse, let's tango.  Good God - it felt like a Carol Burnett skit.  I was waiting for Scarlett O'Hara to come down the staircase wearing the dress of curtains, with curtain rod intact. 

 

The love triangle was beyond boring.  Does RM think that love is nothing but superficial beauty, tight bodies, menages, and constant orgies?  Don't forget narcissism and a sociopathic lack of empathy.  I didn't see love in that trio, and I certainly didn't see someone who would run to throw herself out a window immediately upon news of his death.  Absolutely nothing tragic about the beautiful couple being trapped together.  They're in love, right?  They had rats to eat.  The only thing they seemed to care about was losing their looks.  I hate these people and their absolute lack of concern of an eternity of killing innocent people.  This is the hardest cast of characters for me to find even an ounce of liking.

 

Another implication that Gaga is somehow "saving" these children.  The little girl seemed all kinds of crazy, and was serving an eternity of guilt as a killer's accomplice.  Even Wren thought her original life couldn't have been as bad.

 

I liked that John was using his mental instability, at least in part, to get closer to the suspect.  Still seems too obvious that he's going to be the killer.

[ddawn23]

"I'd like to send him some steaks." That's quite a stealthy pun, is it not? I can think of no better eff you to the vampire wife you have a grudge against than sending her fiancé a gift of stakes.

[Hollysdower]

I liked this episode, liked the '20s flashback, thought Gaga did fine with the acting. I agree that Finn's accent was bizarre. How do you screw up an Italian accent? That's a pretty easy one.

 

I'm getting really bored with John Lowe's storyline. Hopefully it gets moved along next week, considering the episode title is The Ten Commandments Killer. Something about Wes Bentley just doesn't compute with me...I don't get what others see in him.

[caracas1914]

Lady Gaga heavy lifting acting?

Just no.

[txhorns79]

So what happens when Emo Model Ghost Finn runs into Vampire Valentino Finn?

 

Knowing this show, they will feast on blood together, followed by a sex scene/make out session. 

[ClareWalks]

Agree about the bad Italian accent, and the bad Italian language. He was pronouncing everything soooo slooooowly. It reminded me of my first day in Italian 101, with the professoressa trying to help us understand with the "American tourist in Europe" cadence.

[BeatrixK]

I have no issues with Finn being Valentino and not being a dead wringer:  Hell - I almost defy anyone under 30 to tell me if they'd even heard of Valentino, never mind tell me what he looks like.  He can exist in this story as a plot point - and, given that I don't look to AHS for historical accuracy, I'm fine with it. 

 

Evan is getting the full meat of the season.

 

There was a distinct lack of Matt Bomer in this episode -- and that is just wrong.

[Mistletoe]

Why did 1920's/movie extra Gaga have a valley girl accent? My first thought was... Where is Jimmy Fallon in drag? OMG I love Ew!

Gaga...ew.

[toodywoody]

Did I miss it, who is the father of the Heiress' kid?

[BaseOps]

I LOVE this season. It's not only going back to the horror roots of S1 & S2, but it's just FUN. The cast is great (even Gaga!) and sets and costumes have been incredible. I do wish it was a BIT less jumpy (where the heck do Ramona and Donovan fit into this?) but it's been absolutely great to watch. Mr March, in particular, was fantastic tonight. I'm so happy that they gave Evan a radically different part this year, and I think he's absolutely nailed it. I loved his final scene with Gaga, and the flashback to her finding him with a dead body was great.

 

I'm also so glad they didn't do away with Finn Wittrock - since he's listed as a guest star, I thought he'd be gone after Tristan died. I love that he's back as Rudolph Valentino. I certainly didn't expect that. 

 

I think the 10 Commandments story is lagging, because it's pretty damn obvious that John is the killer. But I think that will be revealed / dealt with in the next episode. I'm eager to see the 'outbreak' or whatever happens because of the kids at the school - they can't possibly leave that hanging, right? I also think with Valentino and his wife out, we're going to see The Countless really start losing control. 

 

All around, great episode. I hope we see more of Donovan and Ramona soon, as well as Sally. They were all missed this week, but it was worth it to get some backsory on The Countess. I hope they have a great ending planned for this season, because it can very easily go down as one of the best of AHS. 

Edited November 19, 2015 by BaseOps

[GoneGirl]

Did I miss it, who is the father of the Heiress' kid?

Good question, is it Rudy's or is it Mr. March's?

Also, who is Wren's dad???? That whole thing has me very confused. It almost seems like it could turn out to be John, but that of course makes no sense.

[obxchick]

Loved Mr. March in this episode! He's one of those deliciously evil, over the top characters that I can't help but like. No wonder Miss Evers has such a thing for him. Her face when he was marrying the can't act Countess was so sad. And speaking of...this episode solidifies the fact that Gaga cannot act. The only thing worse than her line delivery was the makeup department's inability to hide her real eyebrows in that dinner scene with March.

Makeup did a great job in that Hollywood party flashback, though. Did anyone else not recognize the countess at first? Took me a minute to realize it was her...she looked so much better with the shorter, darker hair. And I guess the addition of Valentino, aka NotTristanbutTristan, explains why model boy had to go. Can't wait to see how Liz reacts when she sees him.

Also, that tango scene was kind of ridiculous and looked like something off Dancing with the Stars. And RIP kooky Marcy. She was always fun to watch, so I'm a bit disappointed they killed her off. This is definitely a high casualty season.

Edited November 20, 2015 by obxchick

[Straycat80]

I liked this episode and I didn't think Gaga's acting was that bad. I agree about Finn's Valentino accent. Not so good. I wish they had showed how the Countess got turned, they've shown everyone else. And btw why is she called the Countess?

I wish they had shown some backstory on Wren. Where did she come from? She must be a vampire. When they showed the scene of her in the car with her father they did a close up on her fingernails which were long and pointy. That stuck out to me because kids fingernails don't normally look like that. And then she gets hit by a car on purpose? I was confused by all that.

John is the serial killer I think. Maybe the spirit of Mr. March is possessing him. We have to wait two weeks for the next episode. I don't want to wait that long, I am loving this season.

Edited November 19, 2015 by Straycat80

[BaseOps]

Okay I just need to add... hearing Kathy Bates say "I couldn't pick my butthole out of a lineup" was next-level amazing. 

[Hollysdower]

Also, who is Wren's dad???? That whole thing has me very confused. It almost seems like it could turn out to be John, but that of course makes no sense.

 

Wren's dad was some random pervert who kept telling her he was gonna fuck her as soon as she was old enough. One day, he stopped at the Cortez to drink at the bar, leaving her in the car with the windows rolled up. The Countess broke the window and "saved" Wren, making her a vampire that stayed in a room with Holden, bodily processing blood for the Countess to drink. Wren said her dad died at some point, it's not relevant to our story.

[dolphincorn]

 

Weird that no one mentioned how Tristan is a dead ringer for Rudolph Valentino.

 

Years ago there was a daytime soap named Santa Barbara that had critics raving because of all the campy, ridiculous things the showrunners would do.  For instance, they killed off a character on one episode, gave the actor a haircut and reintroduced him a week later as someone else. Everyone applauded their audacity. A few weeks ago on this forum I mentioned that it's perfectly normal to have a cliffhanger episode on a daytime soap that gets ignored completely for a few days while other plot lines are explored. I get the feeling that the producers of this show grew up watching the same soaps that I did because I don't get worked up when they don't give me exactly what I want exactly when I want it. I've accepted that it is a convention of the ridiculous, campy genre that I've grown to love.

[Petunia13]

Well yes Passions had an entire storyline "Sheridan is Princess Diana's best friend" and the B plot was Tabitha the witch and her possessed doll Timmy stalking Charity.

But that's not something to aspire to.

[SpaghettiTuesdays]

I really liked this episode and was kind of surprised by that. I haven't liked GaGa in this but, even if her acting leaves something to be desired, I liked this foray into her past. I had been thinking, though, that she was a much older vamp. I love love love Evan Peters as James March and I thought every bit of him in this episode was so entertaining.

Wren's story in this was sad but interesting. I was wondering if they were ever going to do the campy kids' back stories but I will settle for one. Whoever that actress was is really good and I hope this opens more parts for her. I also liked John talking about how Wren reminds him of Scarlett. I think that's another clue that he is the killer - he's weirdly trying to bond with her, though the one helping him is actually Wren. I am still on the fence, though, because II originally though it was March, but perhaps it's March leading John.

I enjoyed Finn as Valentino. Ymmv.

Marcy! She was a nice throwback. I really love the intricacies of season one and this one intertwining.

I wonder if we will see Lachlan become a vamp? I assumed those were the friends he was talking about.

All in all, I thought this episode rocked. Maybe not the most well done episode, bug one of the most entertaining.

[caracas1914]

Saying that Ryan Murphy's disdain for continuity/coherence is somehow an homage to soap opera conventions is stretching things a bit.

[peacheslatour]

 

John is the serial killer I think.

Probably.  I also think he's fucking nuts.  I got a real Shutter Island vibe from this ep.

[Chaos Theory]

This was probably my least favorite episode of the season. Not a bad episode I just found it mostly boring. Says something that my favorite part was Lowe and his continuing downward spiral. Then again I am not not a lot and do find it interesting enough. Did like the little girl he was with who was sooooo sitting in gif Charlotte on his psyche.

Most of the Countess stuff was boring. Her back story went on for far too long, I do like her relationship with March but the other stuff really bored me.

[dolphincorn]

 

Saying that Ryan Murphy's disdain for continuity/coherence is somehow an homage to soap opera conventions is stretching things a bit.

 

I don't believe it's an homage, but rather a manner of storytelling that has more in common with those soaps. I read a comment on here that says "But what about this plot? What about this character? Why don't I get exactly what I want when I want it?" Soaps have always been a little more patient with the way they reveal plot points. With the way people binge watch shows today, the audiences are less patient and they have a more difficult time with this sort of serialization. I don't disagree with your assessment of Ryan Murphy because he does go off the rails all the time. I just don't believe that he has on this season of this show. At least not yet. And I do believe that the kind of camp he adores is firmly-rooted in daytime dramas from the Golden Age of soap operas.

[TheGreenKnight]

I personally enjoyed this episode. I didn't think Gaga/Wittrock were that bad; I enjoyed most of the flashbacks. I was expecting Wittrock to re-appear as Tristan's ghost (and I suppose he still could), but I'm wondering what Liz's reaction to Valentino will be. It'll be interesting if Liz ends up killing the Countess's greatest love.

 

I thought for sure they were going to reveal John as the killer because I think most viewers have already guessed it. I liked his story at the beginning, but it's just dragging right now. I mean, what even happens once he knows? He can't become any more deranged than he already is.

 

I'm glad Sally hasn't been in the past few episodes. I love Sarah Paulsen, but this character's just annoying.

[Primetimer]

We're halfway through the AHS season, which means it's time for some brand-new, very important characters, and a story reset.

Read the story

[tom87]

Is it in everyone's contract to make out with Gaga?

 

Was I suppose to be laughing during the tango scene?

Edited November 19, 2015 by tom87

[BananaRama]

This is my favorite episode so far of this season. I don't know why people criticize Lady Gaga's acting? I'm pretty sure she knows that she's not going to be the next Meryl Strep. This show is just one really long Lady Gaga music video - not Sophie's Choice.

[buffy11bnl]

I actually loved Gaga in this - the fact that she's essentially a "fraud" makes all of her acting earlier in the season make more sense.  She's not a Countess, she's the daughter of a plumber from Bensonhurst, "playing" at being a Countess.  Possibly my favorite episode of the season, and 3 cheers to Even Peters for having so much fun as March.

[mercfan3]

Not my favorite episode.

 

Love Lady Gaga (for some personal reasons, and for some talent reasons) and I didn't think she was too bad, but there were certainly cringy moments. 

 

I do think this show shed some light onto why Countess doesn't share.

 

Most importantly, are we seriously just going to forget about the vampire school children? 

Edited November 19, 2015 by mercfan3

[lookitsluke]

Is no one going to address the fact that Ryan Murphy said that all the seasons connect somehow and the estate agent from murder house, got killed in the hotel this episode?!

[ClareWalks]

Is no one going to address the fact that Ryan Murphy said that all the seasons connect somehow and the estate agent from murder house, got killed in the hotel this episode?!

 

IIRC a lot of people pointed out that was the same real estate agent earlier in the season, when she helped Will Drake buy Hotel Cortez.

[End Table]

Years ago there was a daytime soap named Santa Barbara that had critics raving because of all the campy, ridiculous things the showrunners would do.  For instance, they killed off a character on one episode, gave the actor a haircut and reintroduced him a week later as someone else. Everyone applauded their audacity. A few weeks ago on this forum I mentioned that it's perfectly normal to have a cliffhanger episode on a daytime soap that gets ignored completely for a few days while other plot lines are explored. I get the feeling that the producers of this show grew up watching the same soaps that I did because I don't get worked up when they don't give me exactly what I want exactly when I want it. I've accepted that it is a convention of the ridiculous, campy genre that I've grown to love.

I loved Santa Barbara!!

 

I found it odd that people fell so easily in love with Gaga when she wasn't that pretty.  

[caracas1914]

Soap Operas by necessity ignore plots for chunks of time because they would air 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Actors needed a physical "break". Ditto the ridiculous storylines that ignore coherence and could switch 180 degrees on a dime.

When Murphy has only 13 episodes and ignores major plots ( as it appears might happen with the vampire children let loose in LA) it's more lazy half assed storytelling then some love of a genre.

Edited November 19, 2015 by caracas1914

[SteveAC10]

 

Love Lady Gaga (for some personal reasons, and for some talent reasons) and I didn't think she was too bad, but there were certainly cringy moments.

I'll second that. She has screen presence for days - and that's 90% of the battle. Also everything about her character pre-transformation to vamp was clearly differentiated from the countess as she is in 2015. The voice, inflections and body carriage were completely different. For her first crack at acting - she's been pretty successful so far.

Edited November 20, 2015 by SteveAC10

[caracas1914]

Someone upthread summed it up perfectly. When Kathy Bates tells the Countess " I've never seen you scared" I never appreciated a piece of dialogue more because there was no way of deducing that from Gaga's "acting".

Edited November 19, 2015 by caracas1914