S07.E02: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

[AmandaPanda]

Quote

Ally's paranoia grows after Kai pays her a visit. Meanwhile, a body turns up dead at the Butchery, and the Wiltons move into the Changs' house.

[mamadrama]

Poor Pedro. I saw that coming a mile away. Wonder if Ivy set him up. I still don't trust her.

[Cigale]

The moms get upstairs to check their room, where Ally saw a clown in her bed, and they don't check their son's room...  Come on!

Edited September 13, 2017 by sisterspoon
Oops, Ally, not Lana...

[Last Time Lord]

Saw the ending coming the instant Ivy asked Pedro to bring the stuff over to Ally.

That scene with Ally and Kai at the door was so tense.

[Chaos Theory]

Another good episode.  The Election is being used as a backdrop and a motivation for certain peoples actions and fears and not an overriding plot point.  Of course there are going to be sound bites from both sides used "Bridges not walls"  and such.  But then having Ally completely lose her shit and shoot Pedro with the ultimate Chekhov's gun was a good touch.   Plus there is Winter who is doing something hinky.  Seducing Ally was unexpected and yet not really.  Still for a crazy lady Ally got alot of play this episode.

 

The scene with Ally and Kai was incredibly well done and very tense.   Kai standing outside in his brave new world where anything he wants is possible and Ally turning her home into a fortress trapped inside.  I thought it was a great scene.  I also really like the scene with Ally and the shrink.  

Edited September 13, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[PBGamer89]

Ivy is in on it, convinced.

[Last Time Lord]

2 minutes ago, sisterspoon said:

The moms get upstairs to check their room, where Lana saw a clown in her bed, and they don't check their son's room...  Come on!

This, and Oz locking himself in the bathroom and hiding in the shower really annoyed me. Luckily the Oz part was only a dream so it didn't really happen, but still...

[ShadowHunter]

I don't like Ally she is just so annoying. Maybe I am just tired of watching Sarah scream and cry. I know its Horror but still.  

The scene with Kai and Ally at the door was great though. Need more of Kia.  He was creepy but still said all of the right things.

Don't know to trust the neighbors they caught the attack on Kia right at the exact moment.

Vote for Kia Anderson I laughed.

Still don't like or trust Ivy.

Winter has a Wednesday Addams dress code going I like it.

[peridot]

12 minutes ago, Last Time Lord said:

This, and Oz locking himself in the bathroom and hiding in the shower really annoyed me. Luckily the Oz part was only a dream so it didn't really happen, but still...

I thought that part really happened?  I think the clowns & Winter are gaslighting Ozymandias (love the name) and Ally.  Somehow, the clown came through Ozy's bathroom to stalk Ally.

Kai gives me the creeps.  Of course he would arrange to have the councilman killed and run for his office. 

The new neighbors are creepy too, I'm surprised Ally would reach out to them to get a weapon.  Poor Pedro!

I really hope every episode won't have a Ally meltdown.  I'm surprised her wife stayed with her so long.

[Last Time Lord]

1 minute ago, peridot said:

I thought that part really happened?  I think the clowns & Winter are gaslighting Ozymandias (love the name) and Ally.  Somehow, the clown came through Ozy's bathroom to stalk Ally.

Kai gives me the creeps.  Of course he would arrange to have the councilman killed and run for his office. 

The new neighbors are creepy too, I'm surprised Ally would reach out to them to get a weapon.  Poor Pedro!

I really hope every episode won't have a Ally meltdown.  I'm surprised her wife stayed with her so long.

No, that was a night terror that Oz was having. Ally and Ivy woke him up to calm him down. I think you may be thinking of when the clowns actually were invading, where he wakes up, asks the clown if he's dreaming, the clown says that he is, so Oz goes back to bed.

I'm glad you mentioned that Oz's full name is Ozymandias. In Alan Moore's classic Graphic Novel, Watchmen, Ozymandias is the superhero alias of the story's villain, Adrian Veidt. I wonder if that could be foreshadowing, anything.

[AmandaPanda]

That was seriously the most annoying alarm ever for the restaurant. Also, why wouldn't they just have a silent alarm that notifies the police so Ally doesn't have to haul her crazy, paranoid ass there?

[Last Time Lord]

3 minutes ago, AmandaPanda said:

That was seriously the most annoying alarm ever for the restaurant. Also, why wouldn't they just have a silent alarm that notifies the police so Ally doesn't have to haul her crazy, paranoid ass there?

As one of the restaurant's co-owners, either Ally or Ivy are required to meet the police there. At least, if we're applying real world logic to this, which is iffy at best, I'm aware

[TobinAlbers]

Harrison and Meadow made the episode for me. From their pact to their oversharing, I'm waiting for them to be in on it, amusing cannon fodder for later, or unexpected badass heroes/allies in the end.

If the show wants to play on a supernatural element as well, maybe Ozy could be dreaming his fears into reality and they're controlled/powered up/supersized /influenced/warped by Ally's crippling anxiety. They're in a feedback loop where her anxiety increases his which is manifested in clowns that he dreams into life which her anxiety warps and empowers to terrorize her which freaks her out which Ozy witnesses and the cycle continues.

Having said that there is something hinky about Ivy.

Ah, the nanny seduces the parent scene. The more things change the more things stay the same. Of course when Ivy finds out it'll be the last straw and she'll dump Ally. No way will it just stop with the bathtub. Winter will totally spill at the mos tinopportune moment.

::sigh::  I know Ally is running high on adrenaline but still...girl, you had a locked security door between you and any intruder. No need to fire the gun! Just close the door and find another means of egress! 

Quote

The fact that new neighbor lady "was in pharmaceuticals" pinged my radar, along with new neighbor man waxing poetic about hives. 

They're doing a good job with how many ways Ally's anxiety could be drug induced and/or exacerbated: Winter could've drugged the wine or the bath salts; Harrison and his beeswax candles; The tea Ally was steeping could be drugged by Ivy and the meds the doctor prescribed that she may be rightfully refusing to take. And Meadow who worked in pharma. Nice list of suspects.

Edited September 13, 2017 by TobinAlbers

[SHD]

Did I miss understand?  Ivy's reaction to Ally's phone dying was to ask Pedro to bring over a charger...when she knew the power was out?

[Last Time Lord]

2 minutes ago, SHD said:

Did I miss understand?  Ivy's reaction to Ally's phone dying was to ask Pedro to bring over a charger...when she knew the power was out?

Could have been a car charger

[Valny]

47 minutes ago, PBGamer89 said:

Ivy is in on it, convinced.

Yep, and I'd be surprised if she wasn't. Just the fact she let her high anxiety wife go alone to turn off the restaurant alarm, which may have been a break in.... is not smart... and somewhat suspicious.

When Ally was going around the house with the gun, I was thinking Ivy was the one she might shoot by mistake(but just injure) Boy, would THAT really send her spiraling.... but it wasn't to be.

Ally's new neighbor Meadow said they should come over and watch the Real Housewives... ok she must be evil. :)

It's weird seeing Billy Eichner playing it... well not like the snarky Billy.

Btw- what is with not being able to find an episode description? I looked all over today and nothing, not even on the FX site!

[AmandaPanda]

5 minutes ago, Valny said:

Btw- what is with not being able to find an episode description? I looked all over today and nothing, not even on the FX site!

From what I can tell, they aren't releasing anything more than the title until after the episode has aired. It's super frustrating.

[ZoloftBlob]

I actually thought Ozymandius was a reference to the poem by Shelley (and I thought the character in the Watchmen was a reference back as well)

They also used this bit in Breaking Bad.

"And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away"

Which does make me wonder how the kid will figure in.

[GoneGirl]

His name is Kai. I'm so sorry to get knit picky. I do own a Kia though. Sorry again, I am a grammar fanatic, that being said,  autocorrect doesn't seem to recognize the name Kai ....

Edited September 13, 2017 by GoneGirl

[TVFan17]

1 hour ago, Last Time Lord said:

No, that was a night terror that Oz was having. Ally and Ivy woke him up to calm him down. I think you may be thinking of when the clowns actually were invading, where he wakes up, asks the clown if he's dreaming, the clown says that he is, so Oz goes back to bed.

I'm glad you mentioned that Oz's full name is Ozymandias. In Alan Moore's classic Graphic Novel, Watchmen, Ozymandias is the superhero alias of the story's villain, Adrian Veidt. I wonder if that could be foreshadowing, anything.

 

10 minutes ago, ZoloftBlob said:

I actually thought Ozymandius was a reference to the poem by Shelley (and I thought the character in the Watchmen was a reference back as well)

They also used this bit in Breaking Bad.

"And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away"

Which does make me wonder how the kid will figure in.

 

The first thing I think of when I see or hear the name Ozymandias is, indeed, Breaking Bad.  In fact, the Ozymandias installment of BB is one of the best episodes -- if not the best -- of the entire series..... an excellent, stirring, unsettling, gut-wrenching hour of television!

Edited September 13, 2017 by TVFan17

[novemberjenny]

10 minutes ago, GoneGirl said:

his name is Kai. I'm so sorry to get knit picky but I actually do own a Kia ?. Sorry again, I'm am a grammar fanatic.

"I'm am a grammar fanatic" - sorry had to tease you a bit there ? 

 

Evan Peters is deliciously terrifying. Between him, Cheyenne Jackson, and now Colton Haynes, I'm gonna need a cold shower after every episode ? 

 

Add me into the camp of Ivy is in on it. My best friend and I always watch together and she said after the episode, "wonder how much is in Sarah's head? Which makes me wonder were the cut wires real, was the bathtub scene or even gay neighbor coming over even real? 

 

I'm all in with this season. Let's just hope it doesn't lose steam like Roanoke did. 

[Valny]

Does anyone know what Twisty said to Oz? I didn't have the captions on, and it might not even helped.

[DB in CMH]

Ally is stressing me the fuck out. Does she have to be hysterical all the fucking time? 

 

Cant stick with it.

[novemberjenny]

5 minutes ago, DB in CMH said:

Ally is stressing me the fuck out. Does she have to be hysterical all the fucking time? 

 

Cant stick with it.

Yeah, I'm right there with you. I had to take a deep breath after episode 1 and say to myself, "can I really handle a whole entire season of Sarah Paulson screaming and sobbing and bawling for 1 hour once a week?"  

But, I think it's more effective this season for some reason. For some reason it just doesn't bother me as much as it did last season. 

[ZoloftBlob]

I'm certainly not seeing why Ivy married Ally. Ally is pretty much terrified of everything.

[ShadowHunter]

45 minutes ago, DB in CMH said:

Ally is stressing me the fuck out. Does she have to be hysterical all the fucking time? 

 

Cant stick with it.

Same. I hope she joins Kai and then calms down some. We are not alone I am seeing plenty of other people say they are annoyed with Ally.

Nice to see Adina Porter as the reporter I am sure we will see more of her.

[vb68]

2 hours ago, SHD said:

Did I miss understand?  Ivy's reaction to Ally's phone dying was to ask Pedro to bring over a charger...when she knew the power was out?

And Ally being her super freaked out self. Yeah, I agree.  That was super shady, and it was all too easy seeing that ending coming.

I think Ivy and Winter are in it together. (And I guess Kai through association). Just a hunch.  Winter is such a strange one.

So is that doctor going to have any legal trouble that he didn't say anything about the gun?  I'm sure that will come out somehow.

I've only seen clips of Billy on the Street.  I thought he was pretty good.  He kinda has a buffer and better looking Paul Lynde vibe that I thought he was trying to turn down a notch.  I don't know. I kept thinking of Uncle Arthur for some reason.

[CrazyDog]

Billy impressed me...he was seriously creepy. His wife was so familiar...I have to look up who she is.

I'm loving this season so far because it's suspenseful and creepy, but slightly less gross than past seasons. So far. I'll probably have to take back that statement within two episodes. The show always goes off the rails.

I get why people are annoyed by Ally, but I feel for her. She's a mess but that's what phobias can do. Her fears are oppressive. 

Ivy is definitely in on it. I also like the long list of people around Ally who are suspicious.

Kai's absolute confidence and potential rise to a public position is terrifying, and Winter is fascinating to watch.

Poor Pedro.

ETA: I was so happy to see Zack Ward in the credits, but that didn't last long. I have fond memories of him from the show Titus. He'll always be Dave to me.

Edited September 13, 2017 by CrazyDog

[RedMal]

Oh how I cheered when I saw Leslie Grossmans name in the credits. But I couldn't take her seriously when all I saw was Mary Cherry.

I'm really digging this season. It's not as trashy or desperate for shock value as most of the previous ones. I'm fairly invested on the story and the characters. I loved Billie Lourde on Scream Queens but here her slow and smooth way of talking and moving is way more effective and unsettling.

The neighbors though were way too on the nose creepy. At least cover the blood stain with a carpet, if you want to seem normal.

Would people really still go to that restaurant a week after the murder?

 

1 hour ago, CrazyDog said:

ETA: I was so happy to see Zack Ward in the credits, but that didn't last long. I have fond memories of him from the show Titus. He'll always be Dave to me.

YES! Titus is so underrated and sadly forgotten by now.

Edited September 13, 2017 by RedMal

[mamadrama]

4 hours ago, GoneGirl said:

His name is Kai. I'm so sorry to get knit picky but I actually do own a Kia ?. Sorry again, I am a grammar fanatic.

I don't know about anyone else, but my autocorrect won't recognize Kai as an actual word. Sometimes it takes longer to go back and correct it than it does to type the initial post. 

[Anela]

I've had huge panic attacks like that, so I don't find Ally annoying. Normally, I would like that the spouse is holding to their wedding vows, and not just taking off. This time, I'm half wondering if Ivy voted for trump secretly, knowing he would terrify Ally. 

That clown speaking to Oz was creepy. The one later on. that last bit felt like the movie Halloween, until she shot Pedro. 

i still like it, so far. I hope it doesn't go off the rails. 

[Chaos Theory]

Ally was ok before this.  At least functional.  I think it's funny how one event is sending two people (Kai and Ally) on dangerous courses.  I am really enjoying this season and that it is avoiding the supernatural elements mostly.  I am thinking the clowns are either real or a manifest of Ally and now Oz's fear.  

As for Winter I have no idea what she is up to if anything.  She may just be a gorse for chaos.  

I am not sure if Ivy is in on anything.  I  thinking she is just exasperated with a wife who held it together up until this point but let an election fuck her up so completely.  Then again she might be having her own thing with Winter and they both might be gaslighting Ally.  Both work for me.

[GoneGirl]

2 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I don't know about anyone else, but my autocorrect won't recognize Kai as an actual word. Sometimes it takes longer to go back and correct it than it does to type the initial post. 

You are right. I was just messing around, my auto correct doesn't recognize Kai either.

[luna1122]

Farkus!

I thought Billy Eichner was great. I know he's hilarious, but he also brought some scary factor too.  I saw a critique that the gay man being a gun hording Obama hater was eyeroll worthy, but I found it an interesting twist. I don't really know Leslie Grossman from anything but that Modern Family episode where she turns down a guy's proposal, and a couple other sitcom appearances, but I like her. She looked very Gaga at first, in her big glasses and poncho and big floppy hat.  Only in tv and film have I heard of the 'bargain'....where you agree to marry a friend if--horrors--you're not married by a certain age. Has that EVER happened in real life?

I knew Pedro was gun fodder as soon as Ivy asked him to go to the house too. Poor Pedro.

I'm a little tired of Ally's histrionics too, but, well, she's had some good reasons to scream. I didn't quite see the Winter-seducing-Ally scene coming, but it's not really surprising. Also, that bathroom? Is crazy amazing. Loved the scene between Kai and Ally at the door...very tense. Evan and Sarah play off one another so well.

Yeah, Ozymandias will forever be linked to Breaking Bad for me too.

[ClareWalks]

8 hours ago, GoneGirl said:

His name is Kai. I'm so sorry to get knit picky but I actually do own a Kia ?. Sorry again, I am a grammar fanatic.

Nit-picky ;)

When Ally shot Pedro I said "way to go, dumbass," out loud. It seemed odd to me that Ally even wanted a gun, since at that point she assumed she was probably hallucinating the clowns. Yeah, give the lady who has panic-induced visions an easy way to dispatch threats.

[Chaos Theory]

8 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

Nit-picky ;)

When Ally shot Pedro I said "way to go, dumbass," out loud. It seemed odd to me that Ally even wanted a gun, since at that point she assumed she was probably hallucinating the clowns. Yeah, give the lady who has panic-induced visions an easy way to dispatch threats.

Aren't those the people who buy easy access weapons tho?  The people who are afraid of the murder clowns next door?  

[NYCNJbear06]

If this is going to be a season of Ally screaming and whimpering every episode I’ll either be checking out or muting her. 

I am not sure but I think the psychiatrist ethically had to inform someone about Ally getting a gun and keeping it from her partner.  I know doctor patient confidentiality but I think they are professionally bound to report it if they suspect their patient is either a harm to themselves or others.  Given Ally’s mental history I think that qualifies for at least telling the wife.   I hope Pedro is just wounded and not dead. 

Horror story clichés that irk me.  When Ally went to the restaurant for the alarm first, as she is scared of everything why is she going alone without the police? Second, the door was unlocked, that’s a hint that something shady could be in the restaurant, don’t go in.  Third, when you go in lock the freakin door behind you and turn on the damn lights.   

Bathtub scene – I just can’t.

[GoneGirl]

9 hours ago, AmandaPanda said:

That was seriously the most annoying alarm ever for the restaurant. Also, why wouldn't they just have a silent alarm that notifies the police so Ally doesn't have to haul her crazy, paranoid ass there?

I was thinking the same exact thing. The police should be the first to respond to the alarm. I guess even if the police got there first they would need a key or passcode to get inside though and to make sure there were no intruders.

[Straycat80]

9 hours ago, AmandaPanda said:

That was seriously the most annoying alarm ever for the restaurant. Also, why wouldn't they just have a silent alarm that notifies the police so Ally doesn't have to haul her crazy, paranoid ass there?

I thought the same thing. In the real world you would call the police and have them meet you there. 

So far this season is a cliché of every horror movie I've ever seen, which I am not a fan. I'll watch  for a few more episodes and see if they get some kind of plot going here and I am intrigued by the possibility of Ivy being in on it. 

[Chaos Theory]

Ally screaming doesn't. Bother me at all.  I am actually expecting it considering this season is probably going to be a fair amount of scaring the shit out of her.

As for clichess of course the show uses them.  Hell Kai purposely rattled off a number of them when Ally wouldn't let him in the house.  

Ryan Murphy isn't subtle it's one of the reasons I like him.  But then it's probably one of the reasons some  don't.  

Edited September 13, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[ClareWalks]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

Aren't those the people who buy easy access weapons tho?  The people who are afraid of the murder clowns next door?  

"Right to bear arms against neighborhood murder clowns" is probably what the Founding Fathers meant to write ;)

[GoneGirl]

I seriously laughed out loud that aside from "Ivy did you hear that?, Ivy?"(while Ivy was downstairs btw) Ally's first words out of her mouth in this episode was "THERE IS A CLOWN!" ????

[MadyGirl1987]

Yikes, I knew something was going to happen when she was running through the house at the end with the gun in her hands. At least it wasn't Oz, as I was half expecting him to surprise her by coming to see what was up. 

I know a lot of people are saying Ivy is up to something and playing a part in all this, and I was looking for any clues that was the case, but I don't see it. It is a very common horror trope that the main protagonist will be doubted. I see it as whoever is screwing with Ally wants to make it so that she isn't believed, even by the person she is closest to. Just look how Winter was lying about what she and Oz saw with the murders next door so the moms wouldn't believe him.

[candall]

Fuck nooooooo, you can't go by yourself to "check out the alarm" at the restaurant, Ally.  You're having a psychotic break every five minutes.  Might as well bundle up the kid and get him a Scooby snack right now--911 police interactions are rarely brief.

 

Whoever said last week that gaslighting made for a long tedious plot:  good call.

[walnutqueen]

11 hours ago, GoneGirl said:

His name is Kai. I'm so sorry to get knit picky. I do own a Kia though. Sorry again, I am a grammar fanatic, that being said,  autocorrect doesn't seem to recognize the name Kai ....

My condolences.  ;-)

 

7 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I don't know about anyone else, but my autocorrect won't recognize Kai as an actual word. Sometimes it takes longer to go back and correct it than it does to type the initial post. 

I've never used autocorrect.  Don't want it, don't need it.

 

3 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

Aren't those the people who buy easy access weapons tho?  The people who are afraid of the murder clowns next door?  

Nope.  You'd be surprised at the gun toters out there who have little to actually fear.

 

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

Ryan Murphy isn't subtle it's one of the reasons I like him.  But then it's probably one of the reasons some  don't.  

He's annoyed me for many seasons, but has hit a small chord within me this time.  I think my family history with Nazi Germany, Viceland's "Hate Thy Neighbor", and the climate around me these days has made me realize there are things even more terrifying than murderous clowns.  And clowns freak me the fuck out.

 

1 hour ago, ClareWalks said:

"Right to bear arms against neighborhood murder clowns" is probably what the Founding Fathers meant to write ;)

I'd shoot a fucking clown if I even suspected it could be murderous, and I'm not even a US citizen!!!   I can't even watch with more than my bad eye open, for fear of seeing those creepy clown faces.  :-)

Edited September 13, 2017 by walnutqueen
recent eye surgery & the need for new glasses made that period look EXACTLY like a comma!

[iMonrey]

Quote

I seriously laughed out loud that aside from "Ivy did you hear that?, Ivy?"(while Ivy was downstairs btw) Ally's first words out of her mouth in this episode was "THERE IS A CLOWN!" ????

" . . . in my bed!!!" Seriously. Last week it cracked me up when she said that when she was in the restaurant and I've been dogging that line ever since. Now this episode starts with the same wailing complaint. Hilarious. Unintentional, or intentional comedy? I can't decided.

I totally thought Ivy was in on some kind of plot to gaslight Ally last week, but this week I'm not so sure. When she was talking to the doctor after he'd met with Ally, I was expecting some big reveal that they were colluding but it all seemed like it was on the up and up. 

Quote

Billy impressed me...he was seriously creepy. His wife was so familiar...I have to look up who she is.

Leslie Grossman has had like one appearance on every single show I've ever watched in the past 20 years.

OK - I'm staring to think that Billy Lourd cannot act, at all. She did this exact same flat effect when she was in Scream Queens and while that is admittedly the only other thing I've ever seen her in, I have no reason to think she can talk any other way but in this monotone voice. 

Are there really restaurants where they have dead animal carcasses hanging up in the freezer room? That seems like it would be a huge health violation. This isn't a meat processing plant or even a butcher's shop. 

[GoneGirl]

1 hour ago, walnutqueen said:

My condolences.  ;-)

You're telling me....it's getting traded in real soon :)

I've never used autocorrect.  Don't want it, don't need it.

 

Nope.  You'd be surprised at the gun toters out there who have little to actually fear.

 

He's annoyed me for many seasons, but has hit a small chord within me this time.  I think my family history with Nazi Germany, Viceland's "Hate Thy Neighbor", and the climate around me these days has made me realize there are things even more terrifying than murderous clowns.  And clowns freak me the fuck out.

 

I'd shoot a fucking clown if I even suspected it could be murderous, and I'm not even a US citizen!!!   I can't even watch with more than my bad eye open, for fear of seeing those creepy clown faces.  :-)

[Fusion]

Winter says "People are going to believe what they're going to believe.  The trick is figuring out what they want to believe and then giving it to them." When Oz is scared that the clowns will come back.  She says "They won't come back for you".  

She seems to be more in charge than they are leading us to believe.

[ShadowHunter]

Ally and Ivy really should let Winter go and find someone else. 

I feel Winter is just as bad as Kai. 

[ZoloftBlob]

I think Winter is sufficiently bizarre enough in her behavior that Ivy and Ally have witnessed to have them consider a "this isn't working out" firing.