American Horror Story Asylum- Final Thoughts

 **This post contains spoilers**

So I’ll start with the big mystery first…..aliens! Aliens played a big part in AHS Asylum’s story, and I’ve always had mixed feelings about it. There’s a lot of ambiguity surrounding the extraterrestrial presence here. We never get to actually see too much of the aliens. All we have to go on for the aliens appearances are Grace’s drawings, the brief reflection of the aliens in Kit’s eyes before they took him in the season finale, and the one quick shot of an alien during the nor’easter storm. I did appreciate the less is more approach, because it helped maintain a lot of mystique surrounding the aliens.

Still, there’s always a part of me that felt involving aliens in this season was unnecessary. At times, the aliens just feel out of place. This season had an impeccable cast, and a good story with strong social commentary. Do the aliens completely ruin AHS Asylum? Of course not, but as the story progresses, it just becomes more and more apparent that a supernatural element wasn’t need in season two.

AHS Asylum features one of the strongest casts for the entire series. Evan Peters’ Kit Walker is one of the more memorable and genuinely wholesome protagonists in the series. Lizzie Brochere brought an enigmatic and charismatic presence to Grace. Sarah Paulson suffered as Lana Winters, and Paulson absolutely nailed all the heartaches and hopeless moments of desperation. Lily Rabe and Jessica Lange flawlessly pulled off difficult tasks, with two large character shifts. Sister Jude starts off as this cold and overbearing disciplinarian, but towards the end of the season, you’re actually rooting for Jude to have a happy ending. That’s how good Jessica Lange is. 

Sister Mary Eunice was a sweet and innocent person in the beginning, but evil corrupted her to the point, where she became a vile and menacing threat. Lily Rabe was able to convey the shocking change in personality, where you couldn’t believe you were witnessing this angelic human turning into a vulgar and nasty demonic monster. 

James Cromwell, Zachary Quinto, Ian Mcshane, and Dylan McDermott all brought a terrifying presence as villains in their own unique way. Joesph Fiennes Monsignor/Cardinal Howard wasn’t outwardly evil, but he still wasn’t a good person. Howard was a pompous and phony man, who would do anything to advance his own career. He had his dirty laundry, and Howard didn’t hesitate to silence and destroy Jude, when he thought she might get in his way.

AHS Asylum doesn’t shy away from a lot of issues with a strong thread of social commentary. Kit had to keep things quiet with Alma. Interracial relationships were heavily frowned upon during that era, and to make matters worse, Kit had to keep a close eye on Billy and his gang of loser friends. 

Women fighting against sexism and the patriarchy is a big one here, especially in the 1960s and beyond. Jude lost her battle against Dr. Arden and Monsignor Howard. Mother Superior Claudia was banished to Puerto Rico after she helped Lana, and Shelley lost her life. In the end, Lana was the only true survivor and success story in the pack. Sure, you can raise a lot of questions for how she got to the mountain top. You could say she lost her way, but it doesn’t erase the fact that she made it.

Sexism and misogyny are big issues in AHS Asylum, and Lana’s struggles to live as a gay woman. She had to keep her relationship with Wendy a secret to avoid risking both of their careers. And Wendy was bullied by Sister Jude into helping keep Lana locked away at Briarcliff.

AHS Asylum is near the top of my list for one of the more darker AHS seasons. Asylum has an undeniable nightmarish feel to it, and a dreary and hopeless mood that rarely lets up. I’d have to go back and watch AHS 1984, but Asylum has always been one of my picks for the top three best AHS seasons. And who could forget Dominique, the persistent anthem for the common room? Seriously, it’s basically a guarantee Dominique will be stuck in your head after you watch the entire season of AHS Asylum.

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 13- Madness Ends

 **This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In the present, Lana, now in a relationship with a woman named Marian (Joan Serverance), prepares for a big interview with April Mayfield (Camille Chen) before she’s set to be honored at the Kennedy Center. Unbeknownst to Lana, Johnny Morgan has infiltrated the film crew, so he can carry out his plan of murdering Lana.

Kit tries to move on after the deaths of Grace and Alma, and Jude might actually have one more chance at a peaceful life after Briarcliff.

My Thoughts- If we’re talking about enduring ups and downs, and going to hell and back during this season, you have to put Kit Walker at the top, or at least near the top of that list. So many highs and lows, including becoming a father, luckily being able to spend time with two women he loved dearly, and unfortunately losing both of them. 

So what did Kit do in attempt to find peace and move on after everything he went through? Kit bonded with Jude by visiting her at Briarcliff, but he didn’t stop there. Kit also decided to take Jude home to live with him and his kids.

Seeing Jude live a normal life was surreal. After she got through the detox phase of her recovery at Kit’s house, Jude was able to just be happy for a while. She enjoyed life, and Jude became a grandmother figure for Kit’s children, something both of them desperately needed. 

There’s a heartwarming scene where Jude has a mental breakdown, reverting back to Sister Jude, as she destroys parts of Kit’s house with a broom, while also trying to harshly discipline the children. Instead of running away in fear, Julia and Thomas go to comfort Jude, leading her into the woods for a walk. It’s a big moment, because maybe THIS is what Jude needed all along to curb all of that anger and resentment inside of her. A simple gesture of care and love, and someone who would be there to genuinely look after her.

Jude’s death scene was executed wonderfully here. This particular visit from the Angel Of Death felt bigger than the other visits. Jude said her farewells to Julia and Thomas, and before the kiss of death, the entire background fades to black. Jude was finally at peace with her decision to let go. She found a family, enjoyed herself, taught Kit and the kids how to swing dance, and she was finally ready to move on.

And what about Cardinal Howard? Well, as Lana put it, Howard’s guilty conscience finally got the best of him. Through flashbacks it’s revealed Lana pressured Cardinal Howard for answers in a parking garage before she released her report on Dr. Arden’s crimes. Howard eventually slit his wrists in a bathtub with a straight edge razor, killing himself quietly. Lana’s explanation for what type of man Howard was hit the nail on the head. He was a delusional and pompous liar, who only cared about advancing his career. 

Dying by suicide all alone, and that grisly image of Howard’s corpse sitting in a bathtub full of blood was truly something else. Still, it’s hard to feel sympathy for Howard, especially when you consider how he turned his back on Jude, the one person who was willing to go to hell and back for him.

Kit’s story was filled with so many twists and turns, and high moments of happiness and devastating lows. While other seasons of AHS gave Evan Peters a chance to really show off his acting chops, Kit Walker was still one of his best performances. Kai Anderson from AHS Cult was a more layered character. But Kit was more straightforward and a truly earnest and admirable human being. 

Think about everything Kit had to go through. Grace was brutally murdered in front of him twice, he lost Alma, he was falsely accused and imprisoned, and for a long period, he had to take the fall as Bloody Face. But Kit never once made the decision to turn to the dark side. Kit Walker stayed true to who he was until the very end. He always made sure to do the right thing, and to do right by other people, even if they didn’t necessarily deserve kindness. Out of everyone in the cast, Kit had every reason to succumb to evil temptations, but he always chose happiness instead. Kit got remarried, helped Jude, and he raised his children. Kit was dying of pancreatic cancer, and he refused Julia and Thomas’ offers to care for him, because he wanted them to live their lives.

Grace’s prediction came true, as Kit’s story ends with the aliens coming to take him away for good (presumably) this time. Kit sacrificed so much to help others. You’re lead to believe he’s awaiting bigger plans, and it was nice to see him receive a peaceful and mysterious ending. 

The big confrontation between Johnny Morgan and Lana did not disappoint. It was tense, emotional, and heartbreaking in the end. The flashback showing Lana meeting Johnny as a child and protecting him from bullies at school showed Lana actually did have feelings for him. Johnny revealing he’d always hoped for Lana to return one day to raise him and be his mother was a gut punching moment, because you could tell this is one of the many big setbacks that led him down a dark path.

The back and forth verbal sparring between Lana and Johnny was done well here. There’s a point where Lana tries to tell Johnny she had to give him up, so he could have some kind of a life, but Johnny is quick to call her out on all the lies. Johnny tells Lana she gave him up for selfish reasons, so she could chase her dreams without any problems. And to be honest, it’s hard to disagree with Johnny. As the story progresses and Lana ages, you can see her becoming more and more narcissistic and pretentious. Similar to Monsignor/Cardinal Howard, you can kind of see that relentless urge she has to do whatever it takes to advance her own career.

Did Lana finally expose and shutdown Briarcliff with her documentary? Yes she did, but it’s hard to ignore that one of her motivations to do so was just to put another notch on her belt of accolades. She didn’t solely do it out of the kindness of her heart. Also, remember Lana surprised Kit at his house with a camera crew, because she wanted to document Jude’s life after Briarcliff. But Kit would only speak to her as a friend off camera.

Johnny had Lana right where he wanted her. Alone with no one to help her, and a gun in his hand. Johnny was prepared to kill Lana, but Lana disarmed him. Without using physical force, Lana was able to get Johnny to lower his guard with a mother’s touch and a mother’s love. After all, this is what Johnny was craving for so many years. He just wanted someone, anyone to love him. Lana actually took responsibility for Johnny’s broken life before shooting him in the head and killing him. Lana told Johnny everything was her fault. 

I do believe Lana had to kill Johnny. It wasn’t just a it’s him or me scenario. Johnny definitely had Thredson’s DNA in him, and Lana couldn’t take the chance of letting him go, so he could return to finish what he started, or hurt someone close to Lana. It’s an ironic ending for Morgan, because he died the same way his father did: a gunshot to the head from Lana. Dylan McDermott was fantastic as Johnny Morgan throughout the season. McDermott’s committed performance gave you the impression that Morgan was a deeply disturbed and dangerous man, who you shouldn’t mess around with. 

AHS Asylum ends with a flashback to Lana’s first visit to Briarcliff. Sister Jude gives Lana an ominous warning, when she tells her “if you look in the face of evil, evil’s going to look right back at you.” You can look at and interpret Jude’s warning a lot of different ways. I’ve always thought Jude was simply trying to warn Lana, that she’s too ambitious for her own good. 

And as far as the staring or looking in the face of evil part of the quote goes, think about Lana’s horrible ordeal with Bloody Face/ Thredson. She desperately wanted to report on an “evil” man, because she believed Bloody Face would take her career to the next level. It did happen. Eventually, Lana reached so many high points of success, but look at what she had to go through to get there. Two big examples that stick out are Lana murdering Thredson and her own son, who Lana considered to be a dirty secret for years.

Anyway, I’ve always loved the final moments of AHS Asylum. Lana walks away, unaware of the struggles she’s about to face, and Jude looks at the Virgin Mary statue with admiration as Dominique plays in the background. The scene gives off a strong simpler times vibe, because both women have no idea what’s coming next, nor could they have possibly prepared for it.

With AHS’ anthology style, Madness Ends feels more like a series finale than a season finale, but it’s still a satisfying finale. With the exception of Kit’s mysterious whereabouts, the loose ends are tied up here, and Madness Ends delivers a strong emotional punch. Jude’s path to redemption is one of the big highlights here, and the teased confrontation with Johnny Morgan and Lana finally crossing paths delivered on every level.

Rating-10/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 12- Continuum

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Kit, Alma, and Grace struggle to adjust to life as a family under one roof, while raising their children Julia and Thomas.

Jude is still stuck at Briarcliff under the alias Betty Drake in an attempt to hide her identity. Monsignor Howard, now preparing to leave for his new position as the Cardinal of New York, promises Jude he will work towards her release. 

While promoting her book, Maniac: One Woman’s Story Of Survival, Lana runs into Kit, but the happy reunion takes an unexpected turn.

My Thoughts- It’s sad, but you can tell early on the polygamous family was never going to work. Too much tension between Grace and Alma, as Grace continues to obsess over the aliens. Grace was constantly drawing pictures from what she remembered from the abductions, and Alma was growing increasingly frustrated with Grace romanticizing what she considered to be a traumatic experience.

On top of that, the trio had to deal with racism, and an attempt to burn their house down, with Billy as the prime suspect. Kit also couldn’t count on help from the police, as the officer scolded him for an illegal polygamous relationship. I mean, the episode starts out with a traumatized Kit covered in blood, while holding an axe. 

It’s soon revealed that Alma, still suffering from PTSD from the abduction, snapped and brutally murdered Grace with the axe. Alma believed she had to protect the children from Grace, who couldn’t let go of the idea of encouraging the aliens return. Alma is sent to Briarcliff for Grace’s murder. Kit does his best to cheer Alma up with visits and stories about the kids, but Alma suddenly dies one day, when her heart stops.

It’s a dismal ending for both Grace and Alma. Alma dies alone at Briarcliff, and Grace ironically suffers the same brutal ending she carried out against her family. And to make matters worse, Kit is all alone again after experiencing a brief period of happiness and peace.

Jude’s problems continue to pile up in this episode. Considering his recent underhanded tactics, it’s no surprise Monsignor/Cardinal Howard lied to Jude about working to secure her release from Briarcliff. Howard left Jude to rot at Briarcliff, and two and a half years passed since the day of his “promise.” And Briarcliff turns into more of a hellhole than it was before, after its donated to the state to help relieve the overflow problem with local prisons.

You can see Jude’s mental state deteriorating in this episode. It’s revealed by Dr. Miranda Crump (Robin Bartlett) that Jude has been hallucinating many things. She hallucinated the majority of her friendship with Pepper, who died a long time ago. Jude also attacked five of her roommates, believing they were all the Angel Of Death, who was coming to take her life. 

Jessica Lange continues to consistently deliver great performances in this season. That scene, where she’s sitting in her old and empty office, while Dr. Crump explains everything to her was a tough one to watch. The frizzled hair, that lost and empty look on her face, and Lange did a great job of showing Jude’s deep descent into madness. 

The biggest surprise here, but not too big, because you could pick up on the little clues in the previous episode, was the change in Lana’s personality. A victim? Yes, of course. There’s no denying Lana suffered through hell, but the selfishness and her desire to become a big time celebrity takes over here. 

You can really see it, when Lana is confronted by the ghosts of Dr. Thredson and Wendy at a book signing. To put all the attention on herself, Lana lied about Thredson in her book, and she also reduced her relationship with Wendy to nothing more than the two being roommates, completely ignoring the romantic side of things.

Lana also shows a snobbish side of herself by scolding her assistant for not having ice for her soda, and instead of fulfilling her promise to shutdown Briarcliff and rescue Jude, Lana is more concerned with the actress who’ll portray her in the movie adaptation of her book. Also, Lana is way too excited to write a book about Leigh Emerson’s escape from Briarcliff, his murders, and the manhunt surrounding him. Kit scolds her for turning her back on her promises, but Lana shows little to no remorse for Jude.

It’s true that Jude wasn’t a good person for a long time. But Lana IS in a position to help, and Jude did make sure to help get Lana out of Briarcliff. Maybe this is finally it for Jude? Kit seems to be the only person, who can help her now. Kit saw Jude with his own eyes, and it’s clear Lana won’t lift a finger to help her.

We see the big jolt to end this episode, when Johnny Morgan bullies a bookstore owner into giving him her mother’s signed copy of Lana’s book. Dylan McDermott delivers a powerful and chilling performance at the end here. His speech to the bookstore owner, where he promises to murder Lana and complete his father’s work was an outstanding cliffhanger. It’s a direct and blunt warning, and we’re lead to believe Lana has no idea what’s coming.

With one episode to go, Continuum closes more chapters, specifically ending Grace and Alma’s stories. We’re now down to three with Kit, Lana, Jude, and who knows how things will end up for Cardinal Howard. Johnny Morgan confronting Lana is the big story going into the season finale. Johnny’s hatred for Lana is so strong, so you can’t rule out the possibility of Johnny doing something completely horrific to complete Thredson’s “work.”

Rating- 6/10

American Horror Asylum- Episode 11- Spilt Milk

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Kit, Grace, and Lana try to adjust to life after Briarcliff. Kit and Grace come home to shocking a surprise, and Lana has one final confrontation with Dr. Thredson. 

Meanwhile, Johnny Morgan snaps again during an unusual session with a prostitute named Pandora (Jill Marie Jones).

My Thoughts- The execution for everything that went into pulling off Lana’s escape from Briarcliff was perfect. Keeping her word to Sister Jude, Mother Superior Claudia helped sneak Lana out of Briarcliff in a disguise. A lot of genuinely tense moments, when Lana is going down the staircase, and Kit is doing everything he can to keep Thredson’s attention on him, so he doesn’t notice Lana walking right behind him. The shot of Lana holding up the confession tape and flipping off Thredson, as she speeds away in the taxi was truly the icing on the cake.

Now a free woman, Lana has plans to release a book exposing the horrors at Briarcliff, finally saying goodbye to Wendy, moving to New York, and rescuing Jude from Briarcliff. But the first important order of business is taking care of Dr. Thredson.

With the police en route, Lana surprises Thredson at his home with a gun. Thredson is exposed and the secret of his identity as Bloody Face has gone public. But to no surprise, Thredson remains defiant, as he arrogantly drinks his last martini. Thredson reminds Lana he probably won’t receive the death penalty. On top of that, Thredson makes sure to taunt Lana with a horrifying story about engaging in necrophilia with Wendy’s corpse, and dismembering her body afterwards. Lana, fed up with Thredson’s games and not wanting to take any chances, shoots him dead before he can grab his gun.

Thredson put Lana through hell so many times. Yes, Thredson was a slimy piece of garbage, but Lana realized he was smart enough to possibly weasel his way out of the death penalty by pleading insanity. She felt she had a responsibility to be “the one” to finally stop him.

During Lana and Thredson’s showdown, we also get to see Johnny Morgan’s strange visit from Pandora in Dr. Thredson’s old apartment, as both stories weave back and forth between the future and the present. Morgan, wanting to feel what it would’ve been like to be breastfed and nurtured by his mother, goes berserk and attacks Pandora, when she mentions his obvious abandonment issues. It’s a creepy scene on Morgan’s side, especially when you consider Pandora put emphasis on the fact that she just gave birth. And if things couldn’t possibly get any stranger, Pandora also told him she refused to breastfeed her own baby, just so Morgan could receive the full experience he was paying for.

With the truth out in the open for Thredson being the real Bloody Face, Kit finally signs his release papers from Briarcliff to be a free man. But Kit has some business to handle with Monsignor Howard first. After Dr. Thredson used his position at Briarcliff to have Kit and Grace’s child taken away from them, Kit demands Howard use his influence to return the child to their rightful parents. He also wants Grace’s release, using the death certificate signed by Dr. Arden as evidence to keep things quiet. Kit’s asking price? Silence and secrecy. Kit won’t expose the wrongdoings to the press, and fearing a full blown disaster, Howard agrees to his terms.

Kit and Grace prepare to live a peaceful life together as a family, but they’re surprised by Alma waiting at home, with Kit’s second child. Alma still being alive wasn’t a huge shock for me. It was the same pattern with Grace, but there were more than enough clues to suggest Alma was still alive. And the attempted swerve with Grace supposedly seeing a dead Alma, while she was still being held captive by the aliens just wasn’t convincing.

The walls are closing in on Monsignor Howard. The newspaper headlines and Lana exposing the truth are too big to ignore. And with Arden and Mary Eunice dead, he can’t really look to anyone else to take the blame. Things get worse for Howard, when Jude confronts him for all of his lies and being a phony. Jessica Lange did a fantastic job here showing genuine anger and rage, as Jude scolded a man who she deeply believed in and loved. You could really feel Jude’s disappointment and heartbreak in this scene, and of course Howard’s response was to have Jude locked away in solitary confinement.

Lana didn’t want to bring Thredson’s baby into the world, but at the last possible second, she refuses to go through with a planned abortion. The PTSD flashbacks reminded Lana of everything she went through, and she had enough of all the killing and death in her life. Lana chooses to give the baby boy up for adoption instead after giving birth. There’s an emotionally tense scene here, where Lana is angered at seeing the baby, because she doesn’t want to acknowledge his existence. But when the baby won’t stop crying, she agrees to hold it. You can see the conflict in Sarah Paulson’s face, because on one hand, she would love to be a mother, but the child will always be a living, breathing reminder of Dr. Thredson.

Staying true to her promise, Lana goes to Detective Byers ( Matthew John Armstrong) and Detective Connors (Joel McKinnon Miller) to help rescue Jude from Briarcliff. The detectives are reluctant to help at first, but Lana pushes hard, because Jude’s list of allies are running thin. Mother Superior Claudia was forced to transfer to Puerto Rico, and she knows Monsignor Howard is not someone who can be trusted. On a side note, there’s a moment here, when Detective Byers tells Lana she’s a tough cookie, and Lana strongly responds “I’m tough, but I’m no cookie.” Paulson really did a good job of showing poise and delivering that line without flinching.

With a court order in hand, Lana and the detectives go to Briarcliff to get Jude, but Monsignor Howard insists Jude is dead after hanging herself. Lana is quick to dismiss this news as a lie from the Monsignor to cover up his secrets, and her suspicions are proven true, as a broken Jude is shown in solitary confinement in the closing shot.

Split Milk closes Dr. Thredson’s chapter, and a lot of questions still remain as the strong push towards the end of the season continues. How will Kit, Grace, and Alma coexist under the same roof with two children from different mothers? Will jealousy be a problem, or is the situation too unpredictable to sustain? Is Jude truly done for? With Mother Superior Claudia gone, Kit and Lana are the only two people who can help her. You also have to wonder how much more dirt will Monsignor Howard be able to sweep under the rug. A united front from Kit, Lana, and a coherent Jude would be the final nail in his coffin.

Rating- 7/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 10- The Name Game

 

** This post contains spoilers**

The Story- After Dr. Arden lies to Kit about the aliens not showing up, Kit loses hope for his future. Unbeknownst to Kit, Grace is pregnant with his child, while Pepper, assigned to Grace as a protector by the aliens, watches over her.

Mary Eunice’s devious ways continue, as she torments and punishes Jude. Dr. Arden is about to crack, but he attempts to make one more desperate plea to bring back the real Mary Eunice.

Meanwhile, Thredson believes he’s in the clear, but Lana has other plans.

My Thoughts- Who would’ve thought Pepper would join the list of people to verbally annihilate Dr. Arden? With the aliens giving Pepper an upgrade for intelligence and a more sharp sense of confidence, Pepper wasted no time in tearing into Arden. Mocking him for his failed experiments, Pepper told Arden the aliens think he’s a fool and a complete joke. 

Pepper knocking Arden off of his own pedestal was a great way to start the episode. Arden is such a pompous and arrogant blowhard, and he didn’t take being humbled too well. Depressed and distraught, Arden decides to end his experiments by killing all the creatures. Another sign that Arden is completely defeated in this episode? He refused Mary Eunice’s request to do a lobotomy on Sister Jude. Think about that for a second, Arden hates Jude. He has a golden opportunity to make her miserable, and he refuses.

Dr. Thredson weasels his way back into Briarcliff. Not only did Mary Eunice help him escape, but she also gave him a full time position at Briarcliff. Of course, Lana and Kit are his two primary targets. As Grace gives birth to her and Kit’s son, Thredson tries to use the baby as leverage, so Kit will give up his confession tapes. 

Kit agrees to give Thredson the tapes, but a “plucky” Lana was smart enough to hide them again and keep them for herself. It’s Lana’s only insurance policy at this point, and Thredson is once again up that famous creek without a paddle. 

Sister Jude hits a rough patch here. After Mary Eunice finds a cucumber in her room, Jude dares Mary Eunice to punish her, and unfortunately she takes her up on that offer. Mary Eunice intentionally cranks the juice up way too high during Jude’s shock treatment therapy. The end result? Jude becomes a mumbling and incoherent mess. 

Jude is down, but there’s a scene in the common room, where she has a hallucination, dancing and singing the song The Name Game by Shirley Ellis on the common room’s new jukebox. Although it was just a hallucination, it was nice to see Jude happy and having fun for once after all she’s been through. This scene also genuinely felt like a happy and positive breath of fresh air, especially when you consider the constant dreary and depressing atmosphere at Briarcliff. 

Monsignor Howard is truly put to the test here. There’s a manhunt for an escaped Leigh Emerson, but he’s got bigger problems to worry about. Howard seemed ready to die, but The Angel Of Death told him his work is not done, and he has an important task to accomplish: drive the devil out of Mary Eunice. After a failed surprise exorcism, Mary Eunice rapes Monsignor Howard. 

Mary Eunice basically tries to bully Howard into being at his side, as his rises through the ranks, while also tempting him with possibility of being the next Pope. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Mary Eunice wants to steal the same “dream” Jude had envisioned with Howard. 

Feeling hopeless with his failed attempts to save Mary Eunice, Howard turns to a broken Jude for help and advice. Jude’s suggestion? Kill Mary Eunice. For a moment, the real Mary Eunice surfaced, pleading with Howard. She was tired of fighting the evil inside of her. Howard was able to get Mary Eunice to lower her guard, and he used this opportunity to throw her off the top of the stairs, killing her. 

A sad ending for Mary Eunice, but maybe it was the only way? You could definitely say Mary Eunice was too far gone at this point. Arden’s constant pleas were ignored and mocked by her, Jude failed (although Arden played a big part in that), and Monsignor Howard’s exorcism attempt was easily thwarted. So maybe this was the only way to defeat the devil and finally set Mary Eunice free. There’s a somber and poignant moment before the Angel Of Death kisses Mary Eunice. The real Mary Eunice is ready to go, and the Angel Of Death simply replies “I’ll take both of you.”

While preparing Mary Eunice’s body for cremation, Dr. Arden decides to get on top of her body. He willingly chooses to burn himself alive in the crematorium with Mary Eunice’s body. I guess you could say after his experiments failed and after he failed to save his precious Mary Eunice, Dr. Arden believed he had nothing left to live for. I mean, Arden was literally on his knees begging Mary Eunice to show pity for him, but that didn’t work.

Arden was such a cold, twisted, and evil person, so it’s hard to feel sympathy for him. Earlier in the season, Arden paid a prostitute to dress up like a nun. You could probably guess his twisted fantasy was to have sex with a woman who resembled Mary Eunice, because he would never actually have sex with Mary Eunice, someone who he considered to be pure and sacred. Also, seeing Mary Eunice on top of Monsignor Howard probably sent him over the edge. Still, the closing moments of this episode with Arden and Mary Eunice’s corpse going into the crematorium was a chilling and dark ending. The flames rising, and hearing Arden’s screams, as he burns to death is more than enough to make you squirm.

Jude’s guilt about imprisoning Lana prompts her to ask for a big favor from Mother Superior Claudia. She wants Claudia to help get Lana out of Briarcliff for good. This was an emotional scene. You could see the heartbreak on Claudia’s face, as she watches Jude slur her words and ramble on about her dream with Monsignor Howard, and how Mary Eunice needed to die.

The Name Game is loaded with exceptional performances from top to bottom. Lily Rabe was great this season. Starting out as the sweet, nervous, and jittery nun. But she also effortlessly transitioned into the cruel and vindictive possessed menace, who made early season Sister Jude look like a saint by comparison. This episode definitely has a big time feel to it, with two major character deaths, and you get the sense everything is building to the big finale. 

A lot of big questions to build anticipation for the next episode, including what will Dr. Thredson do now? Lana spoiled his plans again, and he doesn’t have the tapes. What’s going to happen to Kit and Grace’s baby? A baby is not fit for the horrors at Briarcliff, and the public still believes Kit is Bloody Face.

Rating- 9/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 9- The Coat Hanger

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In the present, a man named Johnny Morgan (Dylan McDermott) visits a therapist to talk about his compulsive disorder. But Morgan soon reveals his true dark nature as a killer, who skins woman alive. Morgan, the son of Dr. Thredson and Lana, is the modern day Bloody Face.

Back at Briarcliff, Jude struggles to adjust to life as a patient. Lana and Kit continue to work as a team to expose Dr. Thredson, but Sister Mary Eunice has other plans.

Meanwhile, Dr. Arden has a bizarre plan that involves Kit to summon the aliens once again.

My Thoughts- Sister Jude’s downfall continues. After one last desperate plea for Monsignor Howard’s help, reality finally sets in: she’s stuck in an impossible situation with too many enemies against her. A few of the nuns at Briarcliff were happy to see Jude in shambles, because her strict reign of terror is over. Mother Superior Claudia (Barbara Tarbuck) was probably Jude’s last ally, but her statement, along with everyone else’s statements, didn’t exactly paint a flattering picture of Jude. The perception of Jude being this unhinged woman is out there, and there’s just too much evidence to dismiss it. Jude finally expresses anger at Monsignor Howard during that scene, where Monsignor Howard pulls away from Jude, as she begs for his help. It’s a big moment, because hopefully Jude finally realizes Howard is not the bright light she thought he was for so long.

With Monsignor Howard stripping Jude of all her powers, and taking the fall for Frank’s murder, there’s seemingly no way out for her. On top of all that, Jude was basically forced to listen to a phony apology from a wounded Leigh Emerson. 

We also see a truly surreal moment, when Jude enters the common room for the first time as a patient. She looks raggedy, broken, and tired. Jude hopes to make things right with Lana. Of course, Lana is hesitant to trust Jude for obvious reasons, but Jude vows to help with Lana’s freedom. There’s also a funny moment here, when Jude breaks the record with the Dominique song, which is basically the common room’s anthem. 

Lana successfully goads Thredson into a confession, while Kit records it. But Lana also discovers a bigger problem: she’s pregnant with Thredson’s child. Disgusted at the thought of giving birth to Thredson’s child, Lana believes she successfully performed an abortion on herself with a coat hanger. But Mary Eunice is quick to shoot down her hopes. The child inside her is alive, and it’s a baby boy. 

Arden has a plan to see the aliens again, and it involves bringing Kit to “the brink of death” to accomplish it. With Kit temporarily incapacitated, the aliens return with a pregnant and seemingly healthy Grace. Pepper promises to take care of Grace. A stunned Dr. Arden agrees, and he also assists in Grace’s rehabilitation and monitoring her pregnancy.

Monsignor Howard’s plan to baptize a supposedly reformed Leigh backfires, when Leigh almost drowns him and he literally nails Howard to a cross. With Howard bleeding and losing hope, he receives a visit from the Angel Of Death.

Grace still being alive was a nice and happy moment in this episode, but it wasn’t a huge surprise. They dropped too many hints that Grace wasn’t actually dead, and you can look back at the situation with Alma and the aliens to have an idea that there was still a realistic chance of hope for her.

And speaking of spoiling surprises, it wasn’t a big shock that Lana’s attempt to kill her baby failed, when the episode opened up with Johnny Morgan revealing his true identity. 

Dylan McDermott was barely in this episode, but he did a good job of establishing Morgan as the modern day Bloody Face. You get the feeling Morgan is a sadistic and deeply disturbed man, as he talks about bouncing around foster homes and skinning animals as a child. He’s a sicko. Morgan was seemingly disappointed that he wasn’t as precise and careful as his father was with killing his victims. The flashbacks to Morgan killing Theresa shows how frustrated he was with the process. Morgan is a serious threat, and with the way things were going in his session with Dr. Gardner, it’s no surprise he killed her. 

It’s kind of hard to feel any sympathy for Monsignor Howard’s fate. It’s obvious he was more concerned with advancing his own career over actually helping Leigh, and Emerson took advantage of just how gullible and arrogant he was. The cliffhanger with Shachath visiting Howard, as he bleeds out was perfect. Does Monsignor Howard want to let go, or does he still have the will to live?

The Coat Hanger features some truly gruesome images, with Lana’s bloody abortion attempt, and Monsignor Howard nailed to a cross. A couple of good cliffhangers to end this episode. More than enough intriguing questions to carry over to the next episode, and Lana and Kit’s problems may have actually gotten worse. Mary Eunice released Dr. Thredson, spoiling Lana’s plans to kill him. Zachary Quinto’s acting in this episode was superb. The irony of seeing Thredson, who’s such a horrible person, beg for mercy, when Lana tells him she’s going to kill the baby was a big highlight here. He coldly murdered women, but now Thredson was powerless and vulnerable, the best possible example of him receiving a taste of his own medicine.

Now, Thredson is free again, and who knows what his next move will be, or when he’ll strike again. And Kit managed to hide the confession tapes from Dr. Thredson under a battub before Dr. Arden spotted him, but are the tapes really safe there? Arden gave a curious look towards the tub, and by now, it’s known that he’s smart enough to uncover a scheme, when he sees one.

Rating- 6/10

American Horror Story Asylum - Episode 8- Unholy Night

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In 1962, days before Christmas, Leigh Emerson (Ian Mcshane) murders a Salvation Army Santa Claus outside of a grocery store. Starting with a little girl’s family, Emerson goes on a killing spree dressed as Santa Claus to deliver his twisted version of justice. Emerson is sent to Briarcliff for his crimes, where Sister Jude forces him into solitary confinement and brutal cane beatings.

In the present, Lana and Kit team up to help each other out. Lana vows to clear Kit’s name after discovering the truth about Bloody Face, but a returning Dr. Thredson complicates her plans.

My Thoughts- Ian McShane delivers a great performance in this episode. Leigh Emerson is a genuinely sadistic and disturbed man. McShane brings dark charisma to this character, portraying a man who’s vicious, but he also revels in his misdeeds.

But we do get to see some moments of vulnerability from Leigh. When Sister Mary Eunice tells the story of how Leigh was imprisoned for stealing bread and how he was raped in jail by five men. You can see the sadness on his face, when he’s reminded of this, and it’s easy to point to this as the moment where Emerson broke mentally. 

Sister’s Jude’s plan to save Mary Eunice from her possession horribly backfires. She was escorted off the property at Briarcliff as a trespasser for the first time. Her second mistake? She was gullible enough to trust Dr. Arden’s fake pleas for help.

Arden pulling a bait and switch on Jude by locking her in her old office with a vindictive Leigh Emerson wasn’t a big surprise. They tried to throw a curveball with the perception that Arden secretly went to ask for Jude’s help without telling Mary Eunice, but it’s already been established that while Arden is a stubborn and arrogant narcissist, he knows possessed Mary Eunice is too powerful to betray.

Jude actually managed to stab Leigh in the throat, but what happens now? Arden and Mary Eunice already have their plans set in place. Monsignor Howard has turned his back on Jude, so when you consider all that, Jude has no support system. And to make matters worse, she’s locked in a room with a bloody man that she stabbed.

The bond between Mary Eunice and Dr. Arden seemingly grows stronger in this episode. Arden proved his loyalty to Mary Eunice by playing a big part in setting the trap for Sister Jude. But things also continue to be shaky between the two, because Arden still wants the pure and sweet version of Mary Eunice back. Arden gives Mary Eunice a pair of ruby red earrings he took from a Jewish woman at a concentration camp, after the woman’s failed attempts to hide the earrings by swallowing them.

Arden was disgusted Mary Eunice didn’t refuse the earrings. He knows the real Mary Eunice would’ve been horrified at the thought of taking “s*** stained earrings” that Arden had to retrieve by searching the woman’s feces. Mary Eunice mocked and scolded Dr. Arden for being pathetic, and she once again reminded him who’s truly in charge. 

Kit and Lana teaming up to expose Dr. Thredson is a big development in this episode. Kit has always been a forgiving man, so he didn’t have to think twice about trusting Lana. Lana was ready to kill Thredson, but Kit put a stop to it. A confession from Thredson is the last chance Kit has to avoid the death penalty, so they both agree to keep Thredson bound and gagged and hidden until they can figure out the next steps.

There’s also a somber dream sequence from Kit in this episode. Kit imagines he’s home safely, celebrating Christmas with a pregnant Alma and Grace. It shows you what could’ve been, if all the madness never happened, and it’s a dream sequence that does a good job building sympathy for Kit.

The big takeaway from this episode is, Jude has probably hit the point of no return. It’s going to look like she broke into Briarcliff and attacked a patient. To make matters worse, Sister Mary Eunice received Monsignor Howard’s full endorsement for her leadership, and her attempts to reform Leigh (although that was short lived. Very short lived). 

Mary Eunice also continued her relentless efforts to tie up any loose ends by killing Frank. A sad ending for Frank, because he wanted to come clean after accidentally killing Grace, but he hesitated after a warning about doing the right thing from Dr. Arden.

Another big question from this episode is, you have to wonder if we’ve seen the last of  Grace? The aliens took her body before Dr. Arden had the chance to dump her in the woods, so the creatures could eat the evidence. 

How long will Kit and Lana be able to keep holding Dr. Thredson as a hostage a secret? Will a confession do anything for either of them? Yes, Lana and Kit put a stop to Thredson’s second run as Bloody Face and his plans to claim Lana as his new victim. But Thredson revealed to Lana that he already cleared his home of any evidence tying him to Bloody Face, and Kit is already the prime suspect. 

Unholy Night is definitely an AHS style Christmas episode. Everything from the Christmas tree in the common room being decorated with personal items from the patients, including dentures and ribbons of freshly cut hair, to Ian McShane’s portrayal of a demented killer Santa Claus. It’s one of the best AHS guest star appearances, definitely a memorable performance. The only setback is Leigh Emerson is such a deeply layered character that he would’ve needed an entire season to be truly fleshed out. McShane knocked it out of the park here, but it’s the type of character, where it’s hard to predict the true potential for in the middle of the season, and possibly being limited to only a couple of episodes.

Rating- 10/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 7- Dark Cousin

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- A patient named Miles (Tongayi Chirisa) is struggling to fight the voices in his head. Cracking under the pressure, Miles attempts to take his own life. After the failed attempt, Miles comes face to face with The Angel Of Death (Frances Conroy). Miles, feeling hopeless and unwilling to fight his demons, accepts the angel’s kiss of death.

Sister Jude is lost with no hope left to clear her name after Sam Goodman’s murder, and Sister Mary Eunice is about to make things worse. 

Lana begins to lose hope for escaping a vile Dr. Thredson. Meanwhile, upon learning about Grace’s failing health, Kit makes a risky decision to return to Briarcliff. 

My Thoughts- Frances Conroy’s arrival as The Angel Of Death perfectly fits with the direction the story is going in. Grace, Lana, and Jude are all broken. Each one of them is stuck in a nearly impossible dead end situation. They’ve lost all hope, especially Grace. Grace was the only one to not outright refuse or second guess accepting the kiss of death.

Conroy does a good as the angel. She’s not some scary or intimidating figure. The Angel Of Death is a soothing presence. She puts emphasis on not judging whoever calls her, because she wants to provide comfort in their final moments. The Angel’s black wings spreading wide before she delivers the kiss is an amazing visual. Yes, death can be a somber experience, but the way it’s done with the angel, you get the impression it’s a peaceful release for someone, who can’t fight through the suffering anymore.

Dr. Thredson continued to sink to new lows. After raping Lana, Thredson basically decides to end their one sided arrangement. He gives Lana the choice of dying by slitting her throat, or strangulation. Luckily, Lana manages to fight off and finally escape Thredson after a struggle.

But Lana’s triumph is short lived once she finally reaches the outside world. Lana thinks she’s finally been rescued by a man who happened to be driving, when she reached the road. But the man is bitter about a divorce from his wife of ten years, and he hates all women, and he scolds Lana for burdening him with her rescue. The driver shoots himself, and as he dies, the car crashes, knocking Lana unconscious.

Lana leaves one nightmare to return to another one, when she wakes up imprisoned in Briarcliff again. Lana pleads with Sister Mary Eunice to listen to the truth about Thredson’s true identity as Bloody Face, but unbeknownst to Lana, Mary Eunice is not someone who she can trust. 

Mary Eunice finally reveals to Jude that she was the one who killed Goodman. And to add to her devious plan, Mary Eunice intends to frame Jude for Goodman’s murder, leaving the news article about the girl she hit in Goodman’s hotel room. To make matters worse, Mary Eunice coldly offers Jude a way out in the forms of a knife and Kentucky bourbon.

Jude finally gets some much needed positivity in her life. The girl she hit on her bike is actually alive. Not only is she alive, but she’s a mother and working a job as a nurse. The setup for this scene was perfect. You have Jude ready to give this teary eyed apology to her parents, but the girl shows up healthy and alive. The apology and trying to lift that burden of guilt was supposed to be Jude’s final task in life before she accepted the Angel Of Death’s kiss.

Grace suffered a lot in this episode, and it would only get worse. Dr. Arden agreed to fix the damage done by the aliens, but honestly, Arden didn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart. He was trying to cover his own butt. 

The reunion with a returning Kit was short lived, as Grace sacrificed herself to save Kit from a gunshot from Frank. Grace had practically been begging to be put out of her misery, so she finally accepted the Angel’s kiss.

Dark Cousin is a somber episode. Grace and Kit finally thought they had a second chance to escape, but now Grace is dead and Kit is stuck in Briarcliff again. 

Another big takeaway is Sister Mary Eunice is clearly holding all the cards now. Using her powers, Mary Eunice was quick to remind Dr. Arden who’s really in charge after he slapped her. It’s also going to be interesting to see how things play out between Mary Eunice and The Angel Of Death or Shachath. For a moment, Shachath almost brought out the real kind hearted Mary Eunice, and you know they will cross paths again.

They’re clearly making an effort to build sympathy for Jude here. The flashback from 1949 showing how she was kicked out of the band for being an unreliable mess was a downer. But in a weird twist of fate, she happened to crash her car outside of a church surrounded by nuns. Jude had found her calling, but does someone who was so cruel and power hungry really deserve redemption?

Rating-8/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 6- The Origins Of Monstrosity

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- In 2012, the imposter BloodyFace killers are brutally slaughtered by an unknown assailant. A mysterious man calls in to report the murders, while Teresa is nowhere to be found.

Back at Briarcliff, a distraught mother brings her daughter Jenny (Nikki Hahn) to Sister Jude. Jenny is accused of murdering her best friend Josie, but Jude has bigger problems to worry about. Dr. Arden is a shark that smells blood in the water, seeing a chance to finally get rid of his nemesis. Unbeknownst to Jude, Sister Mary Eunice has her backed into a corner, and Jude is about to lose Monsignor Howard as her only ally.

Meanwhile, Dr. Thredson explains his past to Lana.

My Thoughts-  Getting an in depth look at Thredson’s dark past provides the creepy and unsettling moments in this episode. It’s not just his underground torture chamber, but the flashbacks showing what led him to become BloodyFace. We learn that Thredson was abandoned by his mother at an early age, and he’s been looking to fill that void for years. Thredson was transfixed with the corpse of a woman at med school, he had an unusual obsession with skin that played a part in making his mask, and Thredson believed Lana was “the one” he’s been looking for all these years.

Thredson, being a devious and cerebral villain, carefully and meticulously planned everything out. From stalking Lana before their encounter at Briarcliff, to tricking Kit into confessing to the murders, including Alma, to take the heat off him as Bloody Face. This is a sick and twisted individual, and Zachary Quinto does a great job of showing his dark side here. He’s cold, ruthless, and calculating. And you get to see just how distributed Thredson is, when he catches Lana secretly working on her escape by cutting her chains. 

Paulson is phenomenal in this episode. Lana is still traumatized over Wendy’s death and learning about Thredson’s true identity. Paulson also did a great job of showing emotion and a soft side, when Lana is trying to pander to Thredson’s need for a mother figure, so he can hopefully lower his guard and trust her.

It looks like Sister Jude is just about done here. Arden has leverage over her after being shot by Anne Frank, and on top of that, Monsignor Howard is choosing to save his own butt. It’s weird. Seeing those flashbacks with Arden and Howard, when Arden was the director of the tuberculosis ward at Briarcliff. You got the sense Howard might’ve truly been a good man. But his unholy alliance with Dr. Arden came back to bite him.

Howard basically gave a deformed Shelley a mercy killing by strangling her with his rosary. But he really didn’t do it to put Shelley out of her misery. No, no real compassion was there when he murdered her. It was to help Arden get rid of his dirty laundry, and to protect himself from getting caught in the crossfire. It’s a sad ending to Shelley’s story. She could never catch a break, and you really have to wonder, if she would still be alive if she hadn’t run into Dr.Arden on the night of the storm.

With Arden threatening to take Monsignor Howard down with him, if he followed through with his plans to expose him, Howard decided to send Jude away to be the director of a home for wayward girls. 

To make matters worse, Jude’s plan to get Arden’s fingerprints for Sam Goodman backfires, when Sister Mary Eunice double crosses her. Mary Eunice murders Goodman, Jude’s last ally, to protect Arden.

On one hand, I kind of wanted to feel bad for Jude in this episode. Not only did she put Monsignor Howard on the highest of pedestals, she genuinely loved and respected the man. He turned his back on her to protect himself and a sick freak like Dr. Arden. And she still doesn’t know about Mary Eunice plotting against her. 

But can you really feel sympathy for Jude? She was always such a cruel and cold person, a dictator who took pride in showing no mercy. So maybe you start getting the feeling karma has finally come to collect after everything she’s done.

Lily Rabe continues to excel with her performances as the possessed Mary Eunice. Not only is Mary Eunice becoming more devious, but you can tell she’s settled into her new dark persona. Dancing to You Don’t Own Me, and celebrating in Jude’s lingerie really shows the old Mary Eunice is gone. She had no remorse whatsoever for what she did. She also made sure to keep some of the evidence proving Arden was a Nazi war criminal, just incase Arden had second thoughts about trusting her.

You also get to see a glimpse of what led to her bitterness about trying to fit in and being a good person. The robe prank from college, where Mary Eunice was the only in the nude after everyone else was supposed to be naked was truly cruel.

Jenny’s story seemingly concludes with her killing her family with scissors. The same story about blaming it on a man with a beard and a coat. Makes you wonder if it’s a demon and if that’s Mary Eunice had such a close connection with her?

The mystery of the modern day Bloody Face continues, as Leo is dead and Teresa is held captive by Bloody Face. The voice on the mysterious phone call to the police is clearly not Thredson’s voice, so there’s another mystery for who’s behind the mask.

The tide strongly turns in favor of the bad guys in this episode, and that includes Monsignor Howard. Spivey was Arden’s latest victim for his experiments, so you have to believe he’s done for. 

Grace is completely broken after the procedure and she has her first encounter with aliens. Lana’s life could end at any moment as Thredson’s prisoner, and Kit is stuck in a hopeless predicament in prison after Thredson’s betrayal. The only small sign of hope is Alma might be alive. Grace was able to see her with her own eyes, so Kit still has a reason to fight. A lot of intriguing cliffhangers to think about, and the acting from everyone was superb in this episode.

Rating- 8/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 5- I Am Anne Frank Part 2

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story: Continuing her quest to expose Dr. Arden, Sister Jude enlists the help of Sam Goodman, a Nazi hunter and a holocaust survivor, who dedicates his life to tracking down Nazis. Refusing to take any money for the investigation, Goodman emphasizes the importance of secrecy, and he warns Jude about the dangers of openly confronting Arden.

Meanwhile, Anne Frank holds a wounded Arden at gunpoint in Jude’s office, but Frank steps in to stop Frank. Frank is sedated, when her husband, Jim Brown (David Chisum) arrives at Briarcliff. Brown tells Jude Frank’s real name is Charlotte Brown, and together, they have a sick baby. The illness was too much to handle for Charlotte, so she obsessed over Anne Frank’s story to escape from reality.

Charlotte is released from Briarcliff, and she returns home with Jim, but Charlotte can’t adjust to a normal life. After she tries to smother their child, Jim readmits Charlotte at Briarcliff. Looking for a solution, Jim agrees to try Dr. Arden’s suggested lobotomy. Unaware of Dr. Arden’s true intentions, Jim returns home with a calmer and more subdued Charlotte.

Dr. Arden tells Sister Jude he will press charges against Jude for Frank’s shooting, and Arden has plans to talk to Monsignor Howard about removing her from Briarcliff. Jude is distraught at the thought of being forced out of Briarcliff, and she doesn’t know about Mary Eunice secretly removing a deformed Shelley from Arden’s office to protect him.

Dr. Thredson finally coerces Kit into confessing for the killings as Bloody Face, and Kit’s sterilization procedure is cancelled, but Grace is not so lucky. Sister Mary Eunice informs Grace her procedure will go on as planned, but Grace receives a visit from the aliens first. Eventually, Kit is arrested by Detective Connors and Detective Byers for the murders.

Dr. Thredson follows through on his promise to free Lana from Briarcliff. Thredson brings Lana to his home, but Lana slowly realizes something is off. To protect the secrecy of his actions, Thredson doesn’t allow Lana to make any phone calls. A panicky Lana wanders through Therdson’s house, and Lana learns the truth about Wendy and Thredson’s strange behavior, when he reveals himself as Bloody Face.

Review: The ground is shrinking beneath Sister Jude’s feet, and she knows it. Arden finally has something concrete to use against Jude, he doesn’t have to worry about Charlotte anymore, and it’s clear Monsignor Howard is not in Jude’s corner. Lange shows a more vulnerable and emotional side of Jude, when Jude tells Frank about her past, including Jude having a squirrel as a kid to fill the void in her empty house, her mother being an alcoholic, and God answering prayers.

It’s getting to a point, where Jude is backed into a corner, and the deck is stacked too high against her. Mary Eunice is trying to destroy Jude, Monsignor Howard doesn’t trust her anymore, and Arden is close to driving the final nail into Jude’s coffin.  Jude is slipping (i.e. the one night stand with the random guy at the bar), and using Goodman to expose Dr. Arden is Jude’s last shot at putting an end to Arden and keeping her job. Mary Eunice continues to prove her loyalty to Dr. Arden. Dumping Shelley at the bottom of the stairs leading to the school playground (a deformed and weakened Shelley crawling up the stairs, with the children watching and screaming is truly a horrifying and uneasy scene to watch here) proves Mary Eunice is willing to risk everything to protect Arden.

Grace’s run-in with the aliens, and a sighting of a pregnant Alma raises a lot of questions, and now we know Alma is still alive. Grace and Alma’s futures are uncertain,  and barring a miracle, Kit’s fate is sealed. Thredson is using Kit as fall guy, and there’s no reason for the police to continue their search for Bloody Face.

The set up for Thredson’s reveal as Bloody Face and the execution towards the build is flawless. After a while, you realize something is not right at Thredson’s house, and Thredson’s subtle taunts towards Lana adds to the tense series of events at his house. He’s showing Lana a candy dish that’s made out of a skull, and a lampshade made of skin, because he knows he has Lana right where he wants her, and it’s only a matter of time before he kills or takes Lana as his prisoner. The little slow burn build to Thredson’s reveal doesn’t work without Sarah Paulson’s unnerving facial expressions and her body language, and that horrified look on Lana’s face, when she realizes Dr. Thredson is not her knight in shinning armor really pulls everything together. Wendy’s corpse laying next to Lana is a creepy sight (Thredson used her teeth for his mask…yikes), and Lana is trapped in a place that’s worse than Briarcliff now.

In the closing moments, they show a picture of a young Hans Gruper standing behind Adolf Hitler, confirming Jude’s suspicions about Gruper’s fake identity. I know he didn’t care anymore, because he was focused on other plans, and this is just a theory on my part, but if you stop and think about it, Thredson could’ve saved Charlotte from the lobotomy and a life as a robotic personality. Remember, Jim asked for Thredson’s opinion and his help, when he returned to Briarcliff, and Frank did his best to convince Thredson to listen.

I Am Anne Frank Pt. 2 delivers a memorable shocker with the big Bloody Face reveal, and I can’t forget about the flashbacks for Charlotte and Jim’s life before Briarcliff. You’re basically watching an unconventional 1960’s sitcom about a married couple with the TV screen POV, and the irony here is, the picturesque lifestyle of a happy married becomes a reality, when Charlotte returns to her house after the lobotomy.

Rating: 10/10
 

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 4- I Am Anne Frank Part 1

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story: Grace finally opens up to Kit about the murders. Apparently, Grace’s stepsister, Patsy and her boyfriend, Red were in cahoots, and together, they came up with a plan to kill Grace’s father and her stepmother. Red used an axe to murder Grace’s father and her stepmother, and Patsy fingered Grace for the killings. Grace and Kit have sex after Grace’s confession, but Frank catches them in the act.

Sister Jude demands separation for Kit and Grace, and Jude issues orders to sterilize Kit and Grace. They’re determined to stick together, but Sister Mary Eunice gives Kit something to think about, when she gives Kit Grace’s file. Kit demands the truth after reading Grace’s file. Reluctantly, Grace finally tells the real story: Grace murdered her father after years of sexual abuse. Grace went to her stepmother for help, but she just gave Grace candy to stay quiet, so Grace murdered her.

Dr. Thredson rattles Kit with a new theory: Kit is Bloody Face, because mentally, he couldn’t handle living with the secret of being married to a black woman, so he snapped. Kit murdered Alma, and Kit invented the story with the aliens, because he couldn’t accept the truth.

In a last-ditch effort to leave Briarcliff, Lana agrees to aversion therapy with Dr. Thredson. Lana can’t withstand the session, but Dr. Thredson promises to rescue Lana from Briarcliff before he leaves, and he gives Lana a picture of Wendy for safe-keeping. 

Meanwhile, a woman (Franka Potente) claiming to be Anne Frank is sent to Briarcliff after a scuffle at a bar. Naturally, Sister Jude has trouble buying into her story. But Frank insists she had to hide herself from the public eye, allowing Anne Frank to become martyr. Frank was reduced to living a life in the shadows, but her self imposed exile was necessary to help shed light on the atrocities during The Holocaust.

The validity of Frank’s story raises a lot of questions, and things take an odd turn, when Frank recognizes Dr. Arden in the common room. Frank claims Arden is working under a false identity, and according to Frank, Arden’s real name is Dr. Hans Gruper, a Nazi war criminal, who tortured women during cruel experiments. Arden dismisses Frank’s claims, but Frank is certain she remembers Gruper. Meanwhile, Arden continues his experiments on a deformed Shelley, and Arden tries to force Kit into a confession for possibly infiltrating Briarcliff as a spy with physical abuse.

Detective Connors (Joel McKinnon Miller)  and Detective Byers (Matthew John Armstrong) arrive at Briarcliff to question Arden about the prostitute, who escaped from his home. The Detectives are also interested in Kit, but Jude sees a golden opportunity to finally get rid of Arden. Jude pleads her case to Monsignor Howard, but The Monsignor refuses to believe Anne Frank’s story. To make matters worse, Monsignor Howard doubts Jude’s stability after he learns the truth about Jude’s drunken calamity during movie night. Unbeknownst to Jude, Monsignor Howard calls Dr. Arden, urging him to get rid of any dirty laundry.

Eventually, Arden confronts Frank about the accusations. Arden locks Frank inside his lab, but Frank turns the tables on Arden, when she reveals a gun. Frank becomes suspicious, when she hears noises coming from Arden’s locked closet. Arden tries to attack, but Frank shoots him. A wounded Arden reluctantly gives Frank the keys to the closet, where Frank discovers a mutilated Shelley…..

Review: Is it possible? Did Kit imagine the aliens and the invasion, because he just couldn’t handle and accept hiding an interracial relationship, and living in secrecy? American Horror Story is known for pulling switcheroos throughout the years, so there’s a chance Dr. Thredson is telling the truth, and now we’re back to the possibility of Kit being Bloody Face.

After a few failed attempts, Lana leaving or escaping Briarcliff is probably a lost cause at this point, but it looks like Lana finally found a trustworthy ally. It’s clear Dr. Thredson is willing to risk it all to free Lana, but what’s going to happen, if someone else catches Lana during another botched escape attempt?

Lana’s future is uncertain, but one thing’s for sure, Kit and Grace have an unbreakable bond with unquestionable trust and loyalty. Kit could’ve ended his relationship with Grace after he learned the truth about the murders, and Kit tries to push Grace away during the early stages here, but we’re looking at two people, who realize they need each other. Grace was there for Kit, when the walls of Briarcliff were starting to close in on him, and when he needed a friend. And Grace found a soul mate after everything she went through with her family.

Sister Jude is faced with a troubling dilemma. She despises Dr. Arden, but will she go against Monsignor Howard? Jude basically idolizes and worships The Monsignor, but she’ll have to choose between doing the right the ring or defying Monsignor Howard. After all, Jude believed she had a partner in Monsignor Howard, but he’s secretly protecting Dr. Arden.

“Anne Frank” is a strange case. Lana tried to give her some friendly advice about the dangers of writing, but she received the cold shoulder. You know Dr. Arden is hiding something, but at the same time, you can understand why anyone else is having a hard time buying into Frank’s claims and her story.

I Am Anne Frank Pt. 1 features some unnerving and gruesome moments and images, including Lana’s aversion therapy sessions, and Grace’s stepmother’s bloody and mangled corpse stuffed into the pantry, and the dreary and dark black-and-white flashback during Frank’s story about Hans Gruper really works. AHS Asylum packs another episode with thought-provoking storylines, intriguing questions, and another good cliffhanger. Arden is wounded. He can’t run or hide, and she’s probably not the most credible source, but someone else knows the truth about Shelley now.
 
Rating: 8/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 3- Nor'easter

**This review contains spoilers**


The Story: In 2012, Bloody Face closes in on Teresa, but Leo throws his body into Bloody Face to save her. Teresa uses the opportunity to repeatedly stab Bloody Face. Teresa and Leo take another shot an escape, but two more men dressed as Bloody Face show up, revealing all three men were working together. One of the Bloody Faces shoots Teresa and Leo, but a fourth man, working alone and dressed as Bloody Face also, arrives.

In 1964, a fierce storm is approaching Briarcliff, and Sister Jude receives an unpleasant surprise in the mail. Dated June 28, 1949, Jude is shocked to see a newspaper featuring a story about the little girl she hit with her car, while driving drunk. Meanwhile, a possessed Mary Eunice intimidates and forces one of the patients to pray with her in her room. The patient (or “The Mexican”) knows Mary Eunice is possessed by the demon, and after they finish praying together, Mary Eunice uses a pair of scissors to murder her. After the murder, Mary Eunice dumps The Mexican’s body in the woods to feed to the creatures (or The Raspers). Under Sister Jude’s orders, Mary Eunice announces a special movie night during the storm, featuring a showing of The Sign Of The Cross.

Lana is desperate to contact Wendy, so she reaches out to and confides in Dr. Thredson. Lana urges Thredson to give Wendy a note, and Thredson quietly agrees.

Dr. Arden continues his experiments on Kit, and Dr. Arden suspects something fishy. Arden accuses Kit of being a spy. Kit denies the accusations, but Arden uses his surgical instruments to search Kit’s neck.

Mary Eunice tries to seduce Dr. Arden, but a disgusted Dr. Arden slaps her, and he rejects her advances. Continuing the string of odd behavior and her uncharacteristic habits, Mary Eunice offers Sister Jude communion wine after suspecting suspicious activity. Sister Jude rejects the offer, and she notices Mary Eunice wearing red lipstick. Jude wants answers, and Mary Eunice claims the red lipstick (or “Ravish Me Red”) was a gift from Dr. Arden. Jude confronts Arden about the lipstick and the newspaper, but Arden points the finger at Jude for slipping, and the possibility of Shelley getting inside Mary Eunice’s head. Jude returns to her office, and she receives a phone call from the girl she hit with her car many years ago. After the phone call, a distraught Jude starts drinking the communion wine.

During the storm, a drunken Sister Jude stumbles into the common room to start movie night after an awkward introduction. During the movie, Dr. Thredson informs Lana Wendy was nowhere to be found, when he visited her home. To make matters worse, Thredson found a bloodstain on the carpet, and other findings around the house suggests Wendy is Bloody Face’s latest victim.

Seizing the opportunity for another escape, Kit and Grace quietly leave the common room with Shelley. Fearing the worst for Wendy, Lana joins Kit, Grace, and Shelley. Grace is against giving Lana another chance to ruin their plans, but Kit allows Lana to join the group. Carl is patrolling the hallways, but Shelley distracts him long enough for Kit, Grace, and Lana to make it to the tunnel. Shelley eventually breaks away from Carl, but Dr. Arden blocks her path.

Outside, Grace, Kit, and Lana bask in the glory of a successful escape. Lana is desperate to find Wendy, and she knows how to get to the main road. But Grace doesn’t trust Lana, so Grace insists Lana will be on her own, when the trio reaches the main road. But the group has bigger problems to worry about, when they run into The Raspers. With a limited number of options in front of them, the group runs back to Briarcliff for safety.

Dr. Arden locks Shelley in his laboratory, he tries to rape her, and Shelley laughs at the size of Arden’s penis during the struggle. An enraged Dr. Arden knocks Shelley unconscious, and Shelley awakes to two amputated legs……

Review: Well, one thing’s for sure, Sister Mary Eunice is not a pure and innocent shining beacon of light anymore. You can add murder to her list of ill deeds, and it’s clear she’s trying to stir the pot between Sister Jude and Dr. Arden. Who’s side is she on? Or, is Mary Eunice carefully moving the pieces of the puzzle into place for something else? Maybe she wants Jude and Arden to take each other out, leaving room for her to control Briarcliff with no real restrictions? Lily Rabe really deserves credit for pulling off a complete one-eighty for a more devious and sadistic Mary Eunice, with a snide sense of humor.

Is Sister Jude starting to crack? Seeing a broken and vulnerable Sister Jude is more than enough to raise a lot of questions, and Jessica Lange nailed Sister Jude’s fragile state of mind before The Sign Of The Cross.

We didn’t need more proof to show Dr. Arden has one too many loose screws, but you can tell the guy is really loosing it, when he uses the tube of lipstick to deface The Virgin Mary statue. Also, after his paranoid suspicions about the possibility of Kit being a spy, it’s clear Arden is hiding more secrets.

Kit, Grace, and Lana’s bad luck streak for escape attempts continues. Think about something for a second. After everything they’ve been through at Briarcliff, Kit, Lana, and Grace would rather return to Briarcliff for SAFETY, because they didn’t want to take a chance with The Raspers. The Raspers are a serious threat, and you finally get a chance to see a more up close view of the grotesque and hideous creatures here.

Grace doesn’t trust Lana, and with the way things are going, Dr. Thredson is the only person she can trust 100% at Briarcliff. But Wendy’s mysterious disappearance could put a damper on Lana possibly leaving or escaping Briarcliff. Remember, the last time we saw Wendy, she was cornered by Bloody Face in her own home, and any chance of Kit being Bloody Face is pretty much gone now.

Shelley is stuck in an impossible situation. Arden amputated both of her legs, and on top of that, Shelley is taking the blame for being the ring leader for another failed escape attempt. Shelley is stuck in a place, where no one can hear her screams, so she’ll basically need a miracle, if she plans to escape, because Dr. Arden is too smart to make any careless mistakes, right?

Sister Jude unknowingly following the alien in the hallways works as a tense sequence, and the alien’s presence at Briarcliff sparks more questions. What are they waiting for? Do they have a plan for Kit? Are they targeting someone else?

And the Bloody Face conundrum takes another bizarre turn here. First, we’re lead to believe it’s just the one guy in 2012, but two more Bloody Faces pop up, and one guy is working alone? The guessing game for “Who is the real Bloody Face?” is not so easy now, and Teresa and Leo are stuck in the middle.

Nor’easter is a loaded episode, packed with a number of thought-provoking storylines, featuring two top notch performances from Lily Rabe and Jessica Lange. You have to wonder how far evil Sister Mary Eunice will go to get what she wants, and what’s the ultimate goal for her master plan? Sister’s Jude’s stability is another big question mark. Will she pull everything together, or is it only a matter of time before she cracks? Nor’easter has a few unnerving moments, including Dr. Arden’s attempted rape, but you also have a few eye-catching and memorable AHS images in this episode. Dr. Arden breaking The Virgin Mary statue stands out, and Kit, Lana, and Grace losing themselves in the moment, while dancing in the storm, because they believed they were finally free.

Rating: 7/10
 

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 2- Tricks & Treats

**This review contains spoilers**


The Story- Teresa struggles to drag an incapacitated and bleeding Leo to safety inside Briarcliff in 2012, but Bloody Face snatches Leo away from her, so Teresa barricades herself inside the same room, where Bloody Face cut off Leo’s arm for protection. Leo pleads for mercy, but Bloody Face continuously stabs him, while a helpless Teresa watches from inside the room.

In 1964, it’s the night before Halloween, and a distraught Wendy regrets her decision to sign the papers admitting Lana to Briarcliff. Wendy vows to free Lana from Briarcliff, but Bloody Face attacks Wendy at her home.

Meanwhile, Dr. Oliver Thredson (Zachary Quinto), the court appointed psychiatrist, arrives at Briarcliff to evaluate Kit. Kit sticks to his story about aliens, so Dr. Thredson diagnoses Kit with acute clinical insanity. During his visit, Dr. Thredson is disgusted with the cruelty and harsh treatments at Briarcliff. He expresses his concerns to Sister Jude, but Jude warns Thredson about overstepping his boundaries.

After showing signs of a demonic possession, Jed (Devon Graye) is admitted to Briarcliff by his parents. Dr. Thredson intervenes during Sister Jude’s meeting with Jed’s parents, and Sister Jude is not too happy about Dr. Thredson sticking his nose, where it doesn’t belong, but the parents are eager to hear Thredson’s opinion. Dr. Thredson pleads his case, but Monsignor Howard brings Father Malachi (John Aylward) for an exorcism. Dr. Thredson is faced with a dilemma, when Monsignor Howard requests his presence for exorcism, because the church requires a licensed physician for exorcisms, but Thredson agrees. During the exorcism, a possessed Jed forces Dr. Thredson and Sister Jude to relive painful memories from their pasts, and as Jed dies from cardiac arrest, the demon jumps into Sister Mary Eunice. 

Lana quickly befriends Grace, but she refuses to adjust to life at Briarcliff. Fearing the possibility of Lana telling the truth about Briarcliff, Sister Jude works with Dr. Arden to administer electroshock therapy to Lana to erase her memories. Lana makes little notes to preserve her memories, and Lana wants to hatch a plan to escape Briarcliff with Grace. Lana plans to use the secret tunnel for an escape, but Grace is caught in a sticky situation, because Kit is determined to escape before Dr. Thredson files his report. Kit wants to find Alma in the outside world, but Lana refuses to help him, because she believes Kit is Bloody Face. 

After the exorcism, a power failure releases the inmates from their rooms. Lana and Grace are quick to take advantage of a rare opportunity to escape, and Kit joins them. Lana is still adamant about leaving Kit behind, so Grace teams up with Kit to find their own escape route, abandoning Lana. Lana, standing still in a state of shock, screams for help, and the guards and the orderlies capture Grace and Kit. Sister Jude wants to reward Lana for her honesty, so she allows Lana to choose the cane for Grace and Kit’s canings. Sister Jude is eager to punish Grace and Kit, but at the last second, Kit takes the blame for planning the escape, and he agrees to take Grace’s canings (forty canings altogether)……

Review: Is Dr. Thredson the one? Lana is trapped behind Briarcliff’s walls, and nobody is buying Kit’s story about aliens, so Dr. Thredson is an ideal choice to be the one, who finally puts an end to Dr. Arden’s experiments and Sister Jude’s reign of terror, right? He’s smart, he’s willing to fight for what he believes in, and he’s not afraid to stand up to Sister Jude.

In the second episode, we get to see more of Dr. Arden’s dark side as a nasty misogynist. Sure, he’s polite and respectful towards Sister Mary Eunice, and he rewards her with a candy apple for keeping his secrets and feeding the creatures in the woods, but Arden shows a different side to Shelley, when she begs for a chance to see and feel some sunlight. Shelley offers sex to Dr. Arden in an exchange for some time outside, but Dr. Arden vehemently refuses, and he condemns Shelley for her promiscuous behavior.

And we get to see how far Dr. Arden is willing to go to fulfill his twisted perversions and sick fantasies, when an unsuspecting prostitute narrowly escapes Dr. Arden’s attempt to rape her at his home. After Dr. Arden demands a more polite and proper way of carrying herself,  the woman is forced to wear a nun’s habit. Yeah, one could only imagine, who Dr. Arden is thinking about, when the woman is dressed as a nun. Anyway, the woman finds a series of pictures, featuring women, who clearly suffered brutal forms of torture at the hands of Dr. Arden. From start to finish, the date with the prostitute is a tense and unsettling storyline, because you know there’s a chance Dr. Arden could snap at any moment, and this poor and innocent woman is stuck in a madman’s house.

The exorcism fiasco revealed more secrets in Sister Jude’s past, and she clearly reached a breaking point, when she attacked a possessed Jed. Jude’s troubled past includes a job as a lounge singer, a life as a promiscuous woman, an alcoholic, and she fled the scene after hitting a little girl on her bicycle, while driving drunk. The past is the past, but you have to wonder if she’s strong enough to truly move on, or is reliving a dark past enough to break Jude’s spirit?

Lana is quickly running out of options for freedom and escaping Briarcliff, and you have to believe she burned one of the last bridges she had with Grace. Wendy was attacked by Bloody Face, and you get the feeling there’s a chance Kit is more forgiving, but an angry Grace rejected Lana’s plea for forgiveness. Lana shouting for help, as Grace and Kit made an attempt as an escape was a strange and shocking moment. Lana hesitated, but after a brief pause, she completely squandered a golden opportunity to escape. Yes, you could say she had the best intentions for wanting to stop an accused murder, but you can’t rule out the possibility of Lana not being able to handle another betrayal. Remember, she’s still recovering from a broken heart after Wendy signed the papers, so it’s understandable if something just snapped inside of Lana, when Grace chose Kit over her.

Tricks And Treats is a strong follow up to the season premiere. Jed’s exorcism is a real nail-biter, and it’s hard to forget about the uneasy moments during Lana’s electroshock therapy and Dr. Arden’s dinner date. The second episode in AHS’s second season is loaded with a good amount of thought-provoking scenarios and questions, they did a good job of playing up the “it’s now or never” sense of urgency for escaping Briarcliff, and watching Dr. Arden and Sister Jude working together is borderline mind-blowing. Of course, Jude is just being nice to and using Dr. Arden, because she wants something, but they’re still sworn enemies, who can’t stand each other. They reveal more info about the pasts of different characters, and more questions are answered, when Jude comes face to face with the demon. Also, Shelly’s story about her past, the double standards for promiscuous women, and her philandering and abusive husband provides some good food for thought.

But one of the bigger carryover storylines for the next episode has to be a possessed Sister Mary Eunice. The crucifix shaking on the wall after Mary Eunice throws the bed sheets to the side was the first sign, and you could tell she was a different person during Dr. Arden’s visit. She wasn’t intimated, uptight, nervous, or scared. No, Mary Eunice was more calm, confident, and relaxed. Mary Eunice is a sweet and sincere person, and she’s always willing to help, but the demon has control of her now.

Rating: 8/10

American Horror Story Asylum- Episode 1- Welcome To Briarcliff

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story: In 2012 Teresa (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) and Leo (Adam Levine) are ready for the next stop on their haunted honeymoon tour. Teresa and Leo are newlyweds and horror enthusiasts, and visiting famous haunted places in America, and having sex in each site along the way is an active hobby they share together. Together, an anxious Teresa and Leo enter the Briarcliff Manor Sanatorium, an abandoned insane asylum built in 1908, and the asylum was originally used as a hospital that housed many tuberculosis patients. Thousands and thousands of tuberculosis patients died at Briarcliff, and for years Briarcliff housed many sordid personalities. Bloody Face, a sadistic killer of women, who wore a mask made of human flesh, stands out amongst the crowd as Briarcliff’s most infamous patient.

Naturally, the legend of Bloody Face and Briarcliff’s dark past excites Teresa and Leo, so they decide to have sex inside Briarcliff, but a strange noise worries Teresa. After a brief investigation, Teresa dares Leo to stick his arm inside the food hatch on a door to a seemingly empty room for a second time. With the promise of a reward, Leo accepts Teresa’s challenge, but an unknown figure reaches through the hatch to cut Leo’s arm off.

A horrified Teresa runs through the halls of Briarcliff, as Leo bleeds profusely, but Teresa runs into an unpleasant surprise, when she reaches the front doors. The doors are locked in chains, and Leo is clinging to slim hopes of survival, as Teresa searches for another exit. But Teresa runs into another roadblock, when she comes face to face with Bloody Face….

In 1964 Kit Walker (Evan Peters) works an unrewarding job at a gas station. Kit is ready to open up and tell the world about his wife, Alma (Britne Oldford), but Alma insists they keep their relationship a secret. Kit is white and Alma is black, so Alma fears the ramifications and the backlash for telling the truth about an interracial marriage, and Kit experiences early signs of a fallout for telling the truth, when a friend named Billy (Joe Egender) uses racial taunts to get under his skin.

One night, Kit and Alma’s quiet night at home is disrupted, when Kit notices bright lights shinning through the windows. Kit suspects an attack from Billy and his friends, so Kit runs outside with a shotgun, leaving Alma in the house alone. Kit looks for Billy and his friends, but after more flashing bright lights and Alma’s screams, Kit runs back into the house to protect his wife. Kit tries to find Alma, but a series of loud blaring sounds and strange occurrences derail Kit’s plans for a rescue. Alma disappears, and Kit is stuck in a grim situation, when strange creatures probe his body during an unsettling experiment.

After the explainable and bizarre fiasco at his house, Kit is charged with Alma’s murder and the murder of other skinned women, because the authorities believe Kit is Bloody Face, so Kit is admitted to Briacliff to determine his mental stability for a trial. Kit denies the other murders. and he insists aliens are responsible for Alma’s disappearance, but no one believes him.

At Briarcliff, Kit is  faced with the challenge of surviving and enduring the madness at the asylum under Sister Jude Martin’s (Jessica Lange), the head nun and administrator at Briarcliff, watchful eye. Sister Jude shows no sympathy for Kit’s plight after she uses a racist insult against Alma, so Kit spits in her face, but Jude issues a stern warning about the dangers of defiance and rule breaking at Briarcliff.

Jude rules Briarcliff with an iron fist, and a jittery and insecure Sister Mary Eunice McKee (Lily Rabe) assists her in a never ending mission to reform the patients at Briarcliff, and Sister Eunice accepts her role as an understudy. Sister Jude’s strong and intimidating presence throughout the halls of Briarcliff is unquestionable, but Jude shows humility towards and gives credit to Monsignor Timothy Howard (Joesph Fiennes), the director of Briarcliff and Jude’s superior, for Briarcliff’s success. Jude idolizes The Monsignor, and she believes in his methods and teachings, including the three P’s (productivity, prayer, and purification). Unbeknownst to The Monsignor or anyone else, Jude harbors romantic feelings for her boss.

Monsignor Howard trusts Jude as his “right hand,” and The Monsignor envisions a bright future with Jude at his side. The Monsignor’s future plans include Rome, a rise through the ranks to become Pope, and a spot for Sister Jude as Reverend Mother at his side.

For Jude, the idea of an unstoppable union with Monsignor Howard is promising, but Jude expresses her concerns with one of The Monsignor’s decisions. Jude doesn’t trust Dr. Arthur Arden (James Cromwell), the director of Briarcliff’s medical unit, and his unusual methods. After a series of mysterious disappearances and patient deaths under Dr. Arden’s watch, Sister Jude suspects foul play and a sinister cover up, so she demands unlimited access to his work and his experiments. But Dr. Arden has a “gentlemen’s agreement” with The Monsignor: Dr. Arden is allowed privacy with no questions asked, and no one, including Sister Jude, will interfere with his work or his experiments. After a brief talk about Dr. Arden with Monsignor Howard, Jude reluctantly drops the issue for the time being. Jude is determined to expose Dr. Arden, but she doesn’t know about the alliance between Sister Mary Eunice and Dr. Arden. Dr. Arden entrusts Sister Mary Eunice with the task of feeding meat to unknown figures in the woods surrounding Briarcliff, and Mary Eunice uses a secret tunnel to sneak in and out of the asylum to deliver the meat.

Meanwhile, a persistent journalist named Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) is granted a one on one interview with Sister Jude and a tour of Briarcliff’s bakery. Lana works for a local newspaper, and she’s supposed to write a story about the bakery, but Lana wants the inside scoop on Bloody Face and Kit Walker. Lana is sick and tired of writing dead end stories, but an exclusive piece on Bloody Face will open countless doors for her. Lana has plans to dig deeper after she witnesses Sister Jude shaving Shelly’s (Chloe Sevigny), another patient at Briarcliff, diagnosed as a nymphomaniac by a psychiatrist, head as a form of punishment. But Jude is quick to question the sincerity of Lana’s visit after more non-bakery related questions, and Jude scolds Lana for her motives.

Lana hits a brick wall during her mission to expose Briarcliff after Sister Jude condemns Lana for sleuthing, but Lana refuses to give up after she receives some words of encouragement from her girlfriend, Wendy Peyser (Clea DuVall). Together, Wendy and Lana live in the same house, and Wendy works as an elementary school teacher. Wendy and Lana are madly in love, but Wendy urges Lana to take certain precautions, so they can maintain the secrecy of their relationship, because Wendy is afraid of losing her job, if the public discovers the truth.

One night, Lana accidentally runs into a startled Sister Mary Eunice after a late night feeding session. Under Sister Mary Eunice’s guidance, Lana re-enters Briarcliff using the secret tunnel. Sister Mary Eunice pushes Lana to leave, but Lana threatens to expose her secret, so Sister Mary Eunice gives Lana five minutes to investigate and look around. After a nasty incident separates Sister Mary Eunice and Lana, Lana wanders the halls of Briarcliff in search of Kit Walker. Lana narrowly escapes a close call with Sister Jude, but Lana’s luck runs out, when an unknown attacker’s grotesque arm slams her head against one of the cell doors, knocking Lana unconscious.

A confused and frightened Lana awakes inside one of the rooms at Briarcliff, strapped to the bed with no way out. Lana immediately demands her release, but Sister Jude reveals a release form signed by Wendy to admit Lana to Briarcliff. Sister Jude threatened Wendy with a scandal, promising to tell the truth about Lana and Wendy’s relationship, so a hesitant Wendy signed the form to keep her job and maintain her reputation.

Lana warns Jude about the possibility of others coming to rescue her, but Wendy made the decision to turn her back on Lana, and Lana’s parents don’t speak to her, so Sister Jude dismisses Lana’s warning. Lana screams for help, but Sister Jude closes and locks the door to her room after making a stern promise to cure Lana’s homosexuality.

Kit tries to hold it together, but after some time in a straitjacket and one brutal canning from Sister Jude, Kit struggles to hold on to hope. Kit finds an unlikely ally, when another inmate named Grace Bertrand (Lizzie Brochere) decides to help him. Grace is accused of murdering her family, but she doesn’t believe she’s crazy, and she believes Kit is innocent. Grace urges Kit to play by the rules, she pushes Kit to eat, and she tries to offer some relief with a cigarette. Grace’s kindness gives Kit some temporary solace, but things change, when Dr. Arden shows interest in Kit. Dr. Arden uses a sedative to subdue Kit, and during his experiment, Dr. Arden cuts a piece of the alien’s technology out of Kit’s neck.  

During her quest to uncover the truth behind Dr. Arden’s work, Sister Jude persuades Mary Eunice to steal Dr. Arden’s set of keys. Sister Mary Eunice succeeds, but when she enters the door to a seemingly abandoned room (the same room containing the unknown assailant, who attacked Lana), she finds Dr. Arden cleaning with a powerful disinfectant. Sister Jude spots scratch marks on the walls, so she doesn’t buy into Dr. Arden’s story about an old and deserted room with no inhabitants. Sister Jude returns the set of keys to a confident Dr. Arden, but Jude reassures Dr. Arden she won’t quit until the truth comes out……

Review: Aliens, abductions, a sadistic serial killer, a callous, strict nun, an obsessive and delusional doctor, Lana’s wrongful imprisonment, and the madness at Briacliff? That’s a lot to digest after the first episode in American Horror Story’s second season, but Asylum’s season premiere packs a powerful punch. 

In the past and the present, Briarcliff really works as the nightmarish main setting for Asylum. In the present, Briarcliff is this trashy and dank hellhole with a dark past. But in the 60’s, Briarcliff is basically a dreary and hopeless prison, filled with sordid characters, and the zaniness in the common room completes Briarcliff’s twisted puzzle.

Sister Jude might have soft spots for Sister Mary Eunice and Monsignor Howard, but Jessica Lange plays the role of a cold, hard, and strict authoritarian to perfection. The canings, shaving Shelly’s head, and her strict set of rules? Sister Jude sends a clear message for having the last word (well, for the most part) for all things Briarcliff, and you’ll have to face harsh and cruel punishments, if you break any of her rules. She has the support of Monsignor Howard, Frank McCann (Fredric Lehne), the head of sucrity at Briarcliff, is an enforcer for Sister Jude, so who's going to stop her?

Lily Rabe’s vulnerability and innocence as Mary Eunice is believable. It’s kind of hard to not feel sympathy for Mary Eunice, when she’s a blubbering and pitiful mess, and she’s basically begging Sister Jude for a caning after the mess with Lana’s secret late night tour. Sure, if you’re looking at it from Jude’s point of view, you could say she made an unforgivable mistake, but she’s always trying, and Mary Eunice has the best intentions.

With Kit Walker, you get the feeling he’s a good, hard working guy, who loves his wife, and Evan Peters really delivers a solid performance here. Kit is clearly losing his mind inside the walls of Briacliff. He’s heartbroken over losing Alma, and Peters really did a job of showing believable emotions.

Lana Winters is a fierce and gutsy reporter, who’s out to prove she’s worth more. Sara Paulson portrays a strong and brave character, and Paulson’s nervousness, when she’s face to face with Jude, or when she catches the orderly with Shelly really works, because she knows she’s putting herself in harm’s way, but she has the fortitude to push forward. Lizzie Brochere is enigmatic as Grace, and so far, you get the impression she’s on a short list of level-headed people at Briarcliff.

James Cromwell’s Dr. Arden is an intellectual madman with a menacing dark side, and Jude is the perfect adversary for him, because it’s always interesting to see how far things will go when two strong and unflinching characters face off against each other. You want to believe in Joseph Fiennes’ Monsignor Howard as a noble and trustworthy man, but it’s also hard to ignore the pompousness oozing from his personality.

During Lana’s tour(s) of Briarcliff, we’re introduced to Shelly, Spivey and Pepper. Spivey is a despicable human being, and Lana wants to have sympathy for Shelly and Pepper, but Mary Eunice is quick to dismiss Lana’s feelings for Pepper (she drowned her sister’s baby and cut his ears off). Individually, Spivey, Pepper, Shelley, and Grace are different characters, but collectively they represent the bizarre conundrum at Briacliff, with a mix of seemingly innocent inmates, people who deserve to be there, people, who need to be there, the question marks, and the misunderstood inmates.

The debut episode of AHS Asylum is packed with intriguing storylines and thought-provoking scenarios. Who’s going to come out on top in the Dr. Arden/Sister Jude rivalry? Arden and Jude are two headstrong people with big egos, so you can pretty much forget about one willingly backing down or conceding to the other. And what’s going to happen, if Jude finds out about the secret alliance between Mary Eunice and Dr. Arden? Dr. Arden is keeping secrets, and Jude is just waiting for the opportunity to take him down.

Sister Jude idolizes Monsignor Howard, but she’s fighting off her urges to give in to her feelings for him. The red lingerie, the possibility of joining Monsignor Howard in Rome, fantasizing about him at dinner. There’s a side of Sister Jude that wants more than a working relationship with Monsignor Howard, and the possibility of crossing that tricky line might be too tempting to resist.

Wendy was faced a tough decision: jeopardizing her career and her future, or locking the love of her life away at Briarcliff to protect her job. Now, an innocent Lana is trapped at Briarcliff’s with no help, and Jude knows about Lana’s mission to expose Briarcliff, so she’ll have a tough hill to climb. After the run-in with the aliens, Kit is stuck in a downward spiral, and you can clearly see he’s starting to crack. Yeah, he might’ve found an ally and someone he can talk to, and open up to in Grace, but he’s trusting someone, who allegedly “chopped up her family.”

Is Kit Bloody Face? He didn’t hallucinate or imagine the aliens. That’s obvious, but the problem with Kit as Bloody Face is, Bloody Face attacks and terrorizes Leo and Teresa in 2012, so you’re talking about an old man as a vicious serial killer.

And speaking of Bloody Face, you have to wonder what’s going to happen to Leo and Teresa in 2012. Leo lost an arm, and Teresa was running around like a chicken with its head cut off before she crossed paths with Bloody Face. On one hand, I want Leo and Teresa to survive, but you have to remember they only have themselves to blame for their life-or-death dilemma, because no one forced them into an abandoned Briarcliff.

Leo and Teresa are walking clichés from horror films. You know the one person, or the group of people, who are looking for an authentic terrifying experience, with real haunted houses, ghosts, ghouls, vampires, or they want to uncover the truth behind an urban legend? They all want something REAL, but what happens, when they find what they’re looking for? They completely panic, they’re petrified, they’re begging and pleading to leave, they’re desperately running from whatever they were looking for, and you can be sure they’ll need a fresh pair of underwear.

Rating: 8/10