Giving new meaning to the phrase "hot dog"
VERDICT A slightly disappointing resolution to the two-parter. It becomes rather frustrating that Tate’s victims don’t cut to the chase and confront him with his crimes, choosing instead to skirt around the issue three times. And Hayden’s terrorisation of Vivien should be a tense, nerve-wracking business, but the thing is: we had a home invasion storyline only three episodes ago. We've kinda been there, done that. On the other hand (and excuse me for a moment while I dumb down): HOLY SHIT, DOG EXPLODING IN A MICROWAVE!* AWESOME!
My favourite moments of the episode were the quieter ones: the sight of Constance applying make-up to her dead daughter was rather touching, and there was something wonderfully eerie about the sight of so many of the house’s dead former residents calmly converging on it together.
A MOMENT OF SMUGNESS In a previous review I speculated that Tate might be Constance’s son. Go me! Looks like I was a few years out when I suggested that he was from the grunge era, though.
NITPICK Given that Addy was killed by a hit and run driver, why don't we see any police presence?
REFERENCES Tate’s killings have obvious similarities to 1999’s Columbine High School Massacre . On a lighter note: lovely callout to The Breakfast Club by Violet. It’s good to see that the youth of today are still watching John Hughes movies.
BERNARD HERRMANN The Psycho composer's theme from “Twisted Nerve” makes a reappearance towards the end of the episode, as the dead kids confront Tate (again).
CLICHÉ ALERT Ooh, scary flickering light in the morgue! Oh, do give over.
IT’S WOSSISNAME… AND WOSSERNAME! A couple of the Westfield High kids might look familiar. Alessandra Torresani (the goth girl) was Zoe Graystone in Caprica , and Brando Eaton was Jonah Mitchell (the son of John Lithgow’s Trinity) in Dexter .
SPECULATION Luke (the security patrol guy) and Vivien are definitely gonna get jiggy in the very near future, right? Right.
BEST LINE Hayden: “He said my skin was soft like a baby, and between my thighs I tasted like raspberries and cream.”
* (Well, sort of.)
Read all our American Horror Story season one reviews .
American Horror Story airs in the UK on FX, on Monday nights at 10.00pm.
