American Horror Story: Hotel – "Chutes and Ladders” Review. If These Walls Could Talk.

Donovan learns the hard way that there are limits to love

Season 5, Episode 2

Airdate: Wednesday, October 14, 2015, 10:00 pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

After a somewhat desensitizing premiere, American Horror Story: Hotel (AHS: Hotel) adds more context to the mysterious origins of the infamous Hotel Cortez, as well as Elizabeth (Lady Gaga)—better known as The Countess—in “Chutes and Ladders.” Beyond the sensationalized feast of sex and bloodshed running rampant in every episode thus far, “Chutes and Ladders” provides more key insight into the motivations behind the core story lines. This allows viewers to connect with the characters where they may not have been able to before. The premiere episode, “Checking In,” captivated my attention but only during specific moments. There was no consistency in the tone, a major problem that left me wondering whether the rest of the season would be the same. Luckily, “Chutes and Ladders” goes beyond my expectations, resolving some of the problems presented in the premiere, and forging a dark path to a more gruesome web of terror for the remainder of the season.

The Gang is Almost All Here

One of the highlights from the season five premiere is Elizabeth’s story line, and “Chutes and Ladders” continues in the same vein. Once again, Elizabeth’s salacious life is a focal point of the episode, and reminiscent of Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire. It’s fascinating to observe the world through Elizabeth’s eyes, gaining understanding of her personal philosophies. There is a key moment where she talks about her life in the 1970s, and her need for the thrill of an indulgent lifestyle. The more I learn about Elizabeth, the more her character seems to embody the contrasting themes of love and addiction. Episode director Bradley Buecker illustrates Elizabeth’s life as an immortal with dreamy and haunting motion sequences. Tim Minear is the writer in charge, and the way his dialogue pairs with Gaga’s performance is memorable. Minear may not skimp on the gratuitous sex, but at least he accomplishes the feat of creating a more coherent story amid the ever growing number of new characters.

James March is a man with a monstrous vision

Speaking of new characters, Evan Peters makes his appearance as the homicidal creator of the Hotel Cortez, James March. James is another historical reference to a real life serial killer, H.H. Holmes, and the nature of James’ crimes are just as sinister. I really like the way AHS: Hotel moves through various decades in time.

Then there is Finn Wittrock, who makes a memorable debut as Tristan Duff. Viewers will find Wittrock’s portrayal of Tristan different from the way he played Dandy in American Horror Story: Freak Show (AHS: Freak Show), although both Dandy and Tristan share a childish nature. Peters, however, is a different story. The first thing I noticed is the deeper tone in his voice, and how his enunciation is similar to the 1920s era his character lives in. Peters delivers a great performance during James’ brutal murder spree, but the shock value lessens with Bueker’s decision to shoot in black and white.

Down the Rabbit Hole

The other half of “Chutes and Ladders” focuses on Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley) and his pursuit of a serial killer on the loose in Los Angeles. The suspenseful aspect of the murder mystery and its ties to the Hotel Cortez are my favorite parts of the show. It’s one thing to see the origin story of the Hotel Cortez and its bevvy of insane guests, but the murder mystery gives the story lines purpose. It’s through John’s investigation that many of the other story lines converge. For instance, John meeting Iris (Kathy Bates), the truth behind Room 64, and the possible reveal of the identity of the faceless monster in “Checking In.” It is through John’s eyes we are led into the world of AHS: Hotel more so than any other character.

Overall

“Chutes and Ladders” is better than I originally anticipated, and definitely makes me hopeful for a strong season. Sure, AHS has a history of reveling in the violent aspect of human nature, but beyond the gore are complex themes like good versus evil that emphasize the moral grey lines in life. Characters like Sally (Sarah Paulson) show a bit of the heart of the hotel—broken in spirit as well as demented at times. I’m a little disappointed we don’t really get scenes with Sally and Donovan (Matt Bomer) as much. I want to understand more of that dynamic, and see if their characters will work together in the rest of the season.

The major highlights are the performances in the episode, which define and set the tone for what we can expect. Gaga demonstrates a good range of emotion while preserving a very solemn composure as Elizabeth. She even manages to deliver lines such as “Bitch, please” with a sense of conviction that is dramatic and humorous all at once. That said, although Gaga is a great addition to the cast, I still feel the empty space left in the wake of Jessica Lange’s departure from the show. Lange’s talents shine bright in the franchise; she has the special ability to make morally corrupt characters like Elsa Mars likeable. Luckily, Gaga has great screen presence, and even though the material isn’t as in-depth or multifaceted as Bentley’s character John, she remains memorable.

Overall, the story lines remain solid, the production value stunning, and if the character development continues at this trajectory, I have no doubt it will be a wild and fascinating season!

What did you think of “Chutes and Ladders?” Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @conallen.