Review: American Horror Story, Season 1, Ep. 5 “Halloween, Pt. 2”
Air Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 10PM E/P on FX.
Rating:
New security guard Luke (guest star Morris Chestnut) saves the day...well, at least for a little while
As we continue with “Halloween Pt. 2,” it seems Ben’s (Dylan McDermott) mistress Hayden (Kate Mara) has arisen from her “gazebo” grave to enact her revenge against him, or better yet, Vivien (Connie Britton). Of course, Hayden’s been toying with Vivien on the second half of this most distressed Halloween night and is hell bent on getting Ben to reveal the truth about their affair. “I’m not some silly school girl; I’m a woman and I matter!” It all comes as a chaotically crushing blow to Vivien when she learns the truth about Ben’s visit to Boston. As much I want these two to work it out, Ben continues to violate the trust factor in their marriage. How can Vivien ever trust him again? Enter the new security guard Luke (guest star Morris Chestnut) who swoops in, guns blazing, as Hayden holds a piece of glass to Vivien’s stomach to cut her baby out. Yeah, she’s crazy! I’m still curious what was on the sonogram at the emergency room that made the nurse faint so dramatically? Is Vivien more than eight weeks along? Hayden seems to be totally off kilter in her delusions of grandeur, but I’m very interested how Luke’s character will interact with Vivien now that she’s kicked Ben out of the house. You know Luke will be back to see Vivien very soon, especially since Hayden mysteriously disappears from the back of his security vehicle.
Larry (Denis O' Hare) follows Ben to the basement but instead of helping, he knocks him in the head with a shovel
I have one complaint with “Halloween Pt. 2,” the obvious being Hayden’s return from the dead. It spurs some incredulity and conflict, in my opinion. Ben doesn’t know that dying on the house’s property will bring someone back, so how can he actually believe Hayden is alive after Larry (Denis O’Hare) hit her with a shovel, then Ben himself buries her under the new gazebo in his back yard? Even if she didn’t die from the shovel to the head she surely would have suffocated from being buried. Ben believing Hayden is alive and well strains a bit of credulity but I’m going along with it because the rest of us know how she’s able to come back. However, I don’t know why Ben is so easily persuaded into accepting her being alive. I know he’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown—which perhaps is diluting his thought processes—but seriously, I think the writers need to give us a bit more credit with piecing this together.
Ben (Dylan McDermott) goes to the basement to look for Hayden
The creepy basement seems to be the beating black heart of the house. Of course, who saves a hog-tied Ben – none other than the former first lady of the house Nora (Lily Rabe), who insists she won’t have another failure in the house. But her motives are definitely self-serving as she whispers to a dazed Ben, “Save the baby.” As I mentioned in my review for “Halloween Pt. 1,” I believe the latex man is Nora’s husband Charles (Matt Ross) who may be the real father of Vivien’s unborn child.
The interesting part of the evening lies with Tate (Evan Peters) and Violet (Taissa Farmiga). They finally go on a real date and just when you think things are leading to something more intimate than kissing and heavy petting, Tate pulls back when Violet insists she’s ready to go to the next level with him. While Tate makes up an excuse for his lack of arousal, I think the real reason is because he’s a ghost. It’s obvious there is something amiss with him and after being accosted by a group of gnarly and bloodied looking teenagers who claim Tate killed them nearly 17 years ago, it’s not too difficult to put the pieces together. I really like Tate’s character. Peters does an excellent job of portraying a troubled boy who’s falling in love. His mother, Constance (Jessica Lange) explains to Violet, Tate has, “the soul of a poet but none of the grit or steel that acts as a bulwark…” It’s for this reason she begs Violet not to tell Tate about his sister Adelaide’s (Jamie Brewer) death. “He doesn’t react well to certain things.” Tate is drawn to Violet’s strength I think because he has some psychological problems (obviously), but moreover I think those problems trigger his psychosis. He mentions a recurring dream where he’s painted like a skeleton, walking the halls of Westfield High School and attacking his classmates in a session with Ben. What he thinks is a terrible dream is actually his own memories resurfacing.
Despite the minor inconsistencies in the plot, I love American Horror Story and wait anxiously each week for the next episode! I want to know more about Tate’s troubled past; I need to know what is on that sonogram; Will Vivien entertain a new lover while nursing her broken heart? So many questions and I’m desperate for answers!
Observation – Fun Moments:
Chad (guest star Zachary Quinto) has another brilliant hissy fit just before Vivien is visited by Hayden. He’s smashing pumpkins on the lawn and speaks his mind to Vivien. I love Quinto’s portrayal of a Queen cut down in his prime having to walk eternally with an adulterous lover, never to have his proper Halloween night.
When Larry asks Ben for the $1,000 dollars, I’m reminded of the little kid on the bike asking Lane Meyer (played by John Cusack) in Better Off Dead for his $2.00 dollars. It’s hysterical!
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Judy Manning
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