American Horror Story- Murder House- Episode 5- Halloween Part 2

**This review contains spoilers**

Synopsis: Following the events of Halloween Part 1, Violet (Taissa Farmiga) is safe and sound with Tate (Evan Peters) during an unusual date night. But the date takes a bizarre turn, when a group of disfigured and bloody high school kids ruin Violet and Tate’s peaceful moment on the beach.

At the house, Ben  (Dylan McDermott) attacks Larry (Dennis O’Hare) after another heated argument, because Ben is sick and tired of Larry’s demands for a $1,000 loan. Ben’s ultimatum? If Ben catches Larry in one more trespassing incident, Ben will kill Larry without hesitation.

Meanwhile, in a desperate attempt to protect Violet, Tate lures the bloody high school kids away from Tate and Violet’s hiding spot with a chase to the beach. Violet tries to call 911 for help, but Constance shows up to force Violet into a talk about Addie’s (Jaime Brewer) death. At first, an enraged Constance (Jessica Lange) blames Violet for Addie’s demise, but Constance lightens her tone, because she needs a shoulder to lean on.

A panicky Vivien (Connie Britton) suspects something fishy after an eerie phone call from Hayden (Kate Mara), and a frustrated Chad (Zachary Quinto) smashes pumpkins on the porch after Patrick’s (Teddy Sears) disappearance. Vivien hits the panic button for Luke (Morris Chestnut) after a series of warning signs for Hayden’s intrusion, but Hayden corners Vivien with a shard of glass, and Ben is unconscious after a sneak attack from Larry in the basement.  Suddenly, Nora (Lily Rabe) surprises Ben with a few words of encouragement. Nora’s pep talk gives Ben some motivation, but Hayden is determined to murder Vivien and Ben’s unborn child for revenge……….

Review: Tate’s speech about high school? It’s disturbing and dark, and Evan Peters did a wonderful job of selling Tate’s disdain for high school life. Tate and Violet are sitting on the beach together, and Tate expresses his disgust and hatred for having to fit in, to be normal, and gain acceptance. Tate rejects the idea of needing a memorable run in high school to enjoy life, and Tate dismisses high school life as a blip on the radar. There’s a glassy and far-off  look in Peters’ eyes during the speech, and you can really feel Tate’s sadness about high school during this scene.

Who are the disfigured high school kids? Well, a few things are clear. For starters, they’re dead, but that’s okay, because the dead can walk the earth on Halloween. On top of that, the kids have a score to settle with Tate, and they’re not leaving until Tate gives an explanation or an apology.

Tate tries to fight a series of flashbacks with some clues to the incident, and Tate escapes prosecution during sunrise. Chloe (the only cheerleader in the group) pushes Tate for an explanation, but the high school kids run out of time, because they only have “special visit privileges” to the living world for one day (Halloween), and their time is up.

Constance calms down after a talk, but Constance drops a bombshell on Violet during their harmless chat: Tate is her son, and Addie is Tate’s sister. Tate is an unstable kid, and Constance knows the news of Addie’s death would crush Tate, so Constance urges Violet to keep Addie’s death a secret, and Violet agrees.

At the house, Ben confronts Hayden, but Larry smacks Ben in the back of the head with a shovel. Ben is out cold, and Larry tries to burn the house down, but Chad shows up at the last second. Upstairs, Hayden confronts Vivien, and a shocked Hayden snaps, when Vivien announces her pregnancy. Remember, Ben never told Hayden about the baby with Vivien.

To make matters worse, Hayden reveals her pregnancy with Ben to Vivien, and the plans for an abortion. Vivien tries to talk some sense into Hayden, but she won’t listen. Instead, Hayden smashes a frame with a picture featuring Violet, Ben, and Vivien. She picks a BIG piece of glass from the frame, and Hayden tries to cut the baby out of Vivien.

After some help and a pep talk from Nora, Ben shows up. Hayden will spare the baby and Vivien’s life….under one condition: Ben has to tell Vivien the truth. With no other choices in front of him, Ben reveals all of his dirty secrets about his secret relationship with Hayden, including a recent trip to Boston to reunite with Hayden.

A stunned Vivien and Hayden are heartbroken for different reasons, Hayden drops the piece of glass, and Luke arrives on the scene to apprehend Hayden for a trip to jail. Without any resistance or arguments, Ben packs all of his belongings to leave the house with one good-bye kiss on Vivien’s forehead. 

This is going to sound really strange to some people, but Vivien is kind of a hypocrite in this episode. Why? Well during a phone call with Hayden, Vivien reveals details for her affair with a married man from the past. Of course, the affair happened before Vivien met Ben, and I’m assuming Ben doesn’t know about Vivien’s affair.

Eh, wait a minute. Why is Vivien so judgmental towards Ben for his affair with Hayden, when she did the same thing at a younger age? I’m not saying Ben deserves a clear 100% pass. Not at all. He’s a habitual liar, who ruined the lives of two women, and he deserves his punishment. BUT Vivien is standing on this holier than thou pedestal, and she’s scolding Ben left and right? Sorry, but that doesn’t work for me.

Yeah, I know. Vivien is the victim, and a psycho stalker is determined to ruin her life, but Vivien should be more understanding. Am I saying Ben deserves Vivien’s forgiveness with no strings attached? No. But She's not in a position of authority to lecture others about morals, because Vivien's past is tainted. 

Anyway, the build and all the “Where is she hiding?“ teasing for the confrontation between Hayden and Vivien is just perfect. Hayden’s mind games include, cryptic writing (“ask him”) on a steamy bathroom mirror, a fire in the bathroom, and a nasty Halloween prank. The prank? Vivien walks into the kitchen, and there’s an explosion of blood in the microwave. Vivien is distraught, because she believes Hayden microwaved the family dog, but Hayden used some tomatoes to trick Vivien.

The moment with Hayden holding Vivien hostage, and Ben trying to play the role of a peacemaker is a real nail-biter, because you have no idea what’s going to happen next. Will Hayden listen to Ben? Will Hayden cut Vivien? What’s going to stop Vivien from launching a sneak attack out of the blue? 

And there’s a symbolic shot with Ben looking at the broken family picture towards the end.  If you’re wondering, it’s the same frame Hayden smashed during the confrontation with Vivien. The smashed picture is symbolic, because Ben’s family is broken, and Hayden is the catalyst. Ben deserves a lot of blame, but Hayden is one of the main reasons for the Harmon’s demise as a family.

Also, there’s a little cliffhanger for Hayden’s fate after the fiasco at the house. Luke is driving Hayden to the local police station. At the police station, Luke steps out to open the backdoor……but Hayden is gone with no signs of an escape. Luke is baffled, because Hayden seemingly vanished into thin air. Oh, and Luke doesn’t know Hayden is a walking corpse.

Towards the end, there’s a shot of all the Murder House’s victims (Chad, Patrick, Nora, Moira, Nurse Gladys, Nurse Maria, etc.) walking together. It’s a bizarre and creepy sight, because you can see walking casualties for the Murder House’s wrath. Patrick tries to apologize to Chad, but when you look at the hopeless looks on the faces of the victims, Patrick’s apology is insignificant, because the Murder House victims are doomed to suffer an eternity of hopelessness and misery.

I’ll tell you this right now, if you’re expecting a bloody brawl between Hayden and Vivien in Halloween Part 2, you’ll be disappointed. The long-awaited confrontation between Vivien and Hayden delivers, because you hear both sides of the story from different POVs for the women in Ben’s life, and the timing was perfect. Ben ran out of lies and excuses, and you can’t tip-toe around the Hayden problem for another three or four episodes, because you‘ll run into a dog chasing its tail problem. To add to that, the Hayden confrontation adds the essential big event to this episode to maintain the momentum after Halloween Part 1.

What’s going to happen, when Tate finds out about Addie’s death? Will he turn on Violet? Remember, Violet encouraged all the pretty girl stuff. Also, Tate and the group of high school kids obviously share a dark past together, and you have to believe Tate is trying to block the memories out of guilt. And Nora helping Ben was a nice surprise, because she’s an unlikely choice to fill the role of a helping hand.

Larry Harvey? He’s running out of options for his $1,000 loan, because Ben finally stood up to him. No requests, no talks, no compromises, no delays. Ben issued a simple and blunt warning to Larry, but Ben is not out of the woods yet. Larry is still alive, and it’s clear Larry is more than willing to complete the mission to destroy Ben’s life with help from Hayden.

Rating: 8/10

My ebooks are only $0.99, and you can follow the links to learn more about both books-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U


Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

American Horror Story- Murder House- Episode 4- Halloween Part 1

**This review contains spoilers**


Synopsis: In 2010, Chad Warwick (Zachary Quinto) and his boyfriend, Patrick (Teddy Sears) are stuck in a miserable dead in life at the Murder House. Chad is preparing an extravagant Halloween showcase for the house, with the hopes of a front page magazine cover for a prestigious home decor magazine. Chad and Patrick are broke, but Chad keeps his fingers crossed for some positive publicity for the Halloween showcase to help sell house, giving Chad and Patrick a chance to move on with their lives.

After a heated argument about Patrick’s infidelity with his personal trainer, Patrick leaves the house, but the stranger in the latex suit surprises an unsuspecting Chad. Chad thinks Patrick is wearing the suit as a sign of good faith to move on after the argument, so Chad approaches the stranger. The stranger in the latex suit attacks Chad, the stranger dunks Chad’s head in a tub of water and apples, and the stranger breaks Chad’s neck. A stunned Patrick suddenly returns to apologize, but Patrick is stuck in a stunned silence after witnessing the sight of Chad’s corpse and the stranger in the latex suit…..

Ben (Dylan McDermott) and Vivien (Connie Britton) point the finger at Marcy (Christine Estabrook) for the lack of progress during a failed campaign to sell the house, so Marcy suggests a solution to fix the problem. With Ben and Vivien’s permission, Marcy hires two “fluffers” to redecorate and add a much needed sense of style to the house for a showcase on Halloween night. Marcy’s choices for a bargain deal for cheap fluffers? Chad and Patrick.

A panicky Vivien purchases an alarm system with Luke (Morris Chestnut) as an on-call security guard. Violet (Taissa Farmiga) reconnects with Tate (Evan Peters), and Tate reveals more details for the chilling backstory surrounding Nora Montgomery, Charles Montgomery, and the house. After a series of vehement refusals, Ben agrees to treat Tate again with a new set of rules: The treatments must take place outside of the house, and Tate is not allowed in the house under any circumstances.

On Halloween, Moira (Frances Conroy) visits her sick mother, and Constance (Jessica Lagne) buys a mask with a beautiful woman’s face for Addie (Jamie Brewer). Addie is tired of her annual Snoopy costume for trick-or-treating, and she wants a change as a “pretty girl” after a makeover from Violet.

Vivien reaches another tense boiling point with Ben on Halloween night, but a series of debilitating stomach pains forces Ben and Vivien into an emergency hospital trip. Violet is at home alone with strict “Do not open the door” orders from Ben, but a frustrated Larry Harvey (Dennis O’Hare) shows up. Larry bangs on the front door with demands for the $1,000 payment from Ben, and Violet runs into another problem, when the stranger in the latex suit returns………

Review: A vindictive Chad is still bitter about Patrick’s infidelity, so he decides to sabotage’s Ben and Vivien’s marriage. Chad suggests tearing down the gazebo (remember, Hayden’s corpse is buried under the gazebo) to expose Larry and Ben’s secret, and Chad takes his prying to another level with a crippling suggesting for Vivien. Using Chad’s suggestion, Vivien checks Ben’s phone bill to see a series of phone calls with Hayden’s number. During another tense argument, Ben lies about his trip to Boston (i.e. he never visited Hayden). 

Ben is stuck in another tough spot with Vivien. He’s running out of lies and time, and you can feel Vivien’s frustration here. To make matters worse, Vivien leaves a voicemail on Hayden’s phone, because she wants the truth about Ben’s trip to Boston……and Hayden returns the call. The look of devastating shock on McDermott’s face is priceless, because Hayden is supposed to be dead.

Charles and Nora? Tate tells another creepy tale (in an attempt to scare Violet) for the Montgomery’s creepy past. A vengeful boyfriend for one of Nora’s abortion clients kidnapped the Montgomery’s baby boy after a cryptic phone call. After the kidnapping, the police returned the dismembered corpse of Charles and Nora’s child in a box. Nora is focused on the funeral, but Charles uses his unconventional methods as a surgeon to “cheat death,” and Nora is horrified at the sight of Charles’ abomination.

During the hospital visit for her mother, a conflicted Moira removes the breathing tube on her mother’s life support machine, and Addie suffers a horrible death during her trick-or-treating spree. A hit and run driver kills Addie, and a grieving Constance tries to bury Addie in the Harmon’s backyard for a resurrection, but Addie loses the fight for her life. You can love or hate her character, but you have to feel sympathy for Constance after Addie’s death, and Jessica Lange did a great job of selling Constance’s overwhelming heartbreak for Addie.

Remember Hayden? Yeah, she’s not gone. For the finale, Vivien and Ben return to the house. The alarm is going off, and Violet is gone. There’s a knock on the door, but it’s not Larry Harvey. Instead, Hayden is standing outside, and a rattled Ben slams the door in Hayden’s face before Vivien notices anything.

A great shocker to close the show, and the timing is PERFECT. In the scene before Larry’s return, Violet is in the house alone, and Larry is banging on the door. Unbeknownst to Violet, the stranger in the latex suit is standing behind her.

There’s a pulse pounding shot with a petrified Violet standing in one place, with the stranger in the latex suit a few steps behind her, and you can hear the fiasco with Larry frantically knocking and ringing the door bell at the same time. The synchronization during this scene is brilliant, because Violet’s fate is up in the air, and you have no idea what’s going to happen first. And to add the icing on the cake, they pull the plug at the right moment with a sudden cut to the next scene.

As far as new editions to the cast go, Morris Chestnut’s screen time is limited here, so I can’t say too much about him, but you get a feeling he’ll play the role of a reliable support system for Vivien.

Halloween Part I is flawless, and so far, it’s the best episode for American Horror Story’s first season. My memory is kind of hazy, and I’m reliving the first season now, but I watched every episode in Asylum (season 2), and I vividly remember Coven (season 3, the most recent season). So when you compare this episode to other AHS episodes, Halloween Part I is a top contender  for the best AHS episode in all three seasons. On top of that, the short run time for this episode helps a lot, because you're dying to see what's going to happen next, when the credits start rolling.

The finale is loaded with suspenseful “edge of your seat” moments and nerve-wracking tension, the big return at the end is genuinely shocking, and Halloween Part I features one of the best cliffhangers you’ll ever see.  What happened to Violet? Will Constance seek revenge against Violet (remember, Violet is the one, who encouraged the “pretty girl” stuff)? Is Tate hiding something? Who is the stranger in the latex suit?

Halloween Part I features tantalizing unanswered questions, and there’s something fishy about Marcy. Out of all the people to hire, why would she choose a deceased Chad and Patrick? Marcy alluded to her close relationship with Chad and Patrick in Episode 3 (or “Murder House“), so there’s a chance Marcy is working with the evil forces (Constance?) at the Murder House to sabotage Ben and Vivien.

Rating: 10/10

My ebooks are only $0.99, and you can follow the links to learn more about both books-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U


Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

American Horror Story- Murder House- Episode 3- Murder House

**This review contains spoilers**

Synopsis: In 1983, Moira (Alexandra Breckenridge) is trying to clean a room in The Harmon’s future home, but Constance’s husband, Hugo interrupts her. Hugo is looking for more after an unexpected one night stand with Moira, but Moira quickly rebuffs his advances. Hugo won’t take no for an answer, and Hugo tries to rape Moira, but Constance surprises Hugo and Moira with a gun. Constance shoots and kills Moira. Hugo begs for a second chance, but a heartbroken Constance murders Hugo after a brief pause. Constance bursts into tears, and with no one else to turn to, Constance takes a seat next to Hugo’s corpse for comfort.

After the home invasion, Vivien (Connie Britton) pushes Ben (Dylan McDermott) to sell the house, because Vivien doesn’t want to raise a child in their new home. Ben dismisses Vivien’s concerns with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, but Vivien is determined to move.

But there’s one problem with Vivien’s plans: The Harmon’s are broke. Ben lied about a series of bad investments, and without the house, The Harmon’s don‘t have enough money for a move. Ben agrees to Vivien’s one last chance terms, and Vivien forces Marcy (Christine Estabrook) to help The Harmon’s sell their home with the threat of a lawsuit (Marcy lied about the number of murders in the house).

Meanwhile, Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare) pesters Ben for a $1,000 loan, and a returning Hayden (Kate Mara) surprises Ben with a visit at the house. Hayden is still bitter about Ben abandoning her at the clinic, and Hayden drops a bombshell on Ben: She never had the abortion. Hayden is keeping the baby, because she wants Ben as a father, and Hayden is planning a new life with Ben as a family man. To add to his growing list of problems, Ben accuses Moira of theft for his missing tape recorder, and Ben tries to fire Moira (Frances Conroy), but Vivien demands answers for the hostile confrontation.

Violet (Taissa Farmiga) leans on Tate (Evan Peters) for comfort, and Violet threatens Vivien with the promise of running away, if Vivien and Ben sell the house. A distressed Vivien (using an inconspicuous disguise) takes a tour to learn about the history behind her infamous new home. The “Murder House” was built in 1922 by Dr. Charles Montgomery (Matt Ross). Charles lived in the house with his socialite wife, Nora (Lily Rabe), and their infant child. The tour guide retells the gruesome story for Charles and Nora’s past, but Vivien abandons the tour, when she suspects signs of a miscarriage…..

Review: The Murder House? That’s a creepy nickname for The Harmon’s new home, and the backstory for Charles and Nora Montgomery is very eerie and disturbing. An anxious Vivien listens to the tour guide’s shocking story, and the details hit Vivien in the face like a series of hard slaps.

Charles was a famed surgeon, who built The Murder House in 1922 for his wife Nora, a needy and whiny socialite. As a couple, Charles and Nora had one child, but Charles hit a downward spiral  with an addiction to drugs. As an addict with a disturbing “Frankenstein complex,” Charles experimented with animals in his basement. Need an example? Charles tries to sew wings on a small pig. Yeah, after one look at Charles’ creation (using that word loosely), you’ll think twice about making any “When pigs fly” jokes again.

But mangled pigs are low on the totem pole for the Montgomery’s list of problems. A snobbish Nora is complaining about a shortage of maids around the house, and Charles doesn’t have enough money to take care of the stack of unpaid bills. The solution? Charles performs illegal abortions for Nora’s handpicked clients in the basement, but in 1926 Nora and Charles’ relationship hit a shocking climax.

Charles and Nora’s backstory is genuinely creepy (i.e. the shot of Charles’ failed experiments in the basement), and Nora (in the modern world) surprises Vivien with a visit one day. Keep in my mind, Vivien’s doesn’t recognize Nora’s face, so Vivien assumes Nora is another potential buyer for the house. Vivien shows off the house for Nora on a mini tour, and Nora is not happy about the modernized upgrades in her precious home.

But an emotional Nora recalls memories from her past as a mother, after Vivien announces her pregnancy. Vivien microwaves two cups of water for tea, but when she turns around, Nora disappears. Towards the end, Vivien is sleeping, and Nora quietly sneaks in her room. Nora tries to touch a sleeping Vivien’s stomach, but Vivien turns at the last second.

“If you lie to me again, we’re threw.”

That’s Vivien’s stern warning to Ben after Ben tells the truth about the Harmon’s dire financial situation. But Vivien’s not the only one, who’s sick and tired of shenanigans in the new house, because Ben FINALLY reaches a boiling point with Moira after the mysterious case of the missing tape recorder.

Ben fires Moira on the spot, because he’s tired of Moira’s tempting sexual advances, but Vivien wants both sides of the story before a final decision on Moira’s future as The Harmon’s maid. Ben pleads his case to Vivien: Moira is trying seduce him for another affair, but Ben is trying to fight off and ignore Moira. But Vivien isn’t 100% sold on Ben’s side of the story. After a visit from a detective (more on that later), it’s revealed men and women see different versions of Moira. Men see an attractive and irresistible young woman (Alexandra Breckenridge) with a skimpy and revealing wardrobe. Women? They see a withered old woman (Frances Conroy) with a frumpy maid’s outfit.


Anyway, Vivien bites her bottom lip to agree with Ben, but Moira throws a fit, when Vivien tries to fire her. Moira promises a lawsuit for Ben’s attack (Ben grabbed Moira’s shoulders), if Ben and Vivien fire her. Vivien wants to leave the house without a lawsuit, so she agrees to Moira’s terms (extended lunches with no questions asked, extended breaks, etc.).

Unfortunately, Moira’s blackmailing scandal takes a backseat to a bigger problem: Hayden’s return. Ben abandoned Hayden at the clinic to support Vivien and Violet after the break-in. Well, Hayden’s not too happy about Ben’s willing choice to comfort his family, so Hayden returns to force Ben into a corner with no escape route. Ben tries to dodge Hayden, but Ben forgets to show up to a crucial meeting with Hayden at a local Norms. A furious Hayden tries to expose Ben for his lies, but a nervous Ben agrees to an immediate meeting with Hayden. Hayden calms down, and together, Ben and Hayden leave the house for a talk.

But a surprise visit from Larry Harvey complicates Ben’s plans for a peaceful talk. Ben and Hayden take a few steps outside, and BAM! Larry Harvey smacks Hayden in the face with a shovel . Ben tries to stop him, but Harvey uses the shovel to kill Hayden. Harvey killed Hayden as a favor to Ben, because Harvey believes death is the only solution to stop Hayden’s plans for destroying Ben’s marriage and his family. Oh, and Harvey still needs the $1,000 loan.

With no realistic escape options, Ben works with Harvey to cover up Hayden’s death. Harvey digs the hole to bury Hayden’s body next to Moira’s remains in the backyard, and Ben uses a suggestion from Constance to complete the full proof plan: Ben builds a gazebo over the grave for Hayden and Moira.

Wow. Jaw-dropping stuff. Constance kills two birds with one stone. The gazebo helps Ben with his problem, and Constance earns another point in the never ending feud with Moira (with her remains buried under the gazebo, Moira is stuck at the house). Hayden’s death? A complete shocker, and the set up was perfect. A calm Hayden and Ben are walking out of the house together, and Larry clocks Hayden with the shovel before she has a chance to react.

For now, you get the impression Ben is in the clear. Hayden is gone, the situation with Moira is on ice, and during the closing moments of this episode, Ben and an oblivious Vivien share two tall glasses of iced tea. But it’s American Horror Story, and we’re only three episodes into this season, so ANYTHING can happen to change Ben’s seemingly quiet lifestyle.

Oh, and a detective investigating (Ben uses doctor/patient confidentiality as a shield)  an attempted suicide for one of Ben’s patients (Sally Freeman) returns his missing tape recorder. But there’s a disturbing plea from Freeman during a session. She threatened suicide, but Ben was stuck in one of his blackout phases, so he doesn’t remember the incident. Also, Ben collapsed in the doctor’s office with Vivien, and Ben (unknowingly) experienced another blackout in the backyard. Of course, Ben points the finger at a bitter and vindictive Moira for poisoning his coffee (tests reveal a foreign substance in Ben’s blood work). Moira’s response to the accusation? “Prove it.”

Murder House is another satisfying episode for American Horror Story’s first season. For now, Ben is safe, but he’s skating on thin ice with Larry. And you have to wonder what’s going to happen with Vivien after the strange false alarm? Long story short, the doctor dismissed Vivien’s spot of blood in her pants, as a harmless and normal discharge. BUT the bleeding stopped, when Vivien entered the house?

They introduced some new characters in this episode, and you have to believe in Nora having a major impact on The Harmon’s life. She’s another dead face with connections to the house’s past, and if I’m using the ending as a sign for things to come, Nora is targeting Vivien and her baby.

Rating: 7/10

My ebooks are only $0.99, and you can follow the links to learn more about both books-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U


Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

American Horror Story- Murder House- Episode 2- Home Invasion

**This review contains spoilers**

Synopsis: In 1968, The Harmon’s home is used as a dormitory for young women. Maria (Rosa Salazar) is a nursing student. The rowdy group of women in the dormitory invite Maria to a concert for The Doors, but Maria is a dedicated bookworm, so she refuses the invitation for a quiet night of studying with another nursing student named Gladys (Celia Finklestein).  Franklin shows up on the doorstep for help. Franklin flashes his bloody forehead through the peephole, so Maria opens the door. But Franklin reveals  his true colors, when he attacks Maria and Gladys.

Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben (Dylan McDermott) find some peace in their lives after Vivien’s announcement, but Hayden (Kate Mara) disrupts the happiness in Ben’s life with one phone call, because Hayden announces her pregnancy during the call. Ben can’t take the chance of upsetting and betraying Vivien again, so Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare) comes up with a simple solution for his troubles: Ben has to lie about the trip to Boston to save his marriage and his family. Ben takes Larry’s advice with a story about a patient, who tried to commit suicide, and Ben uses the fake story as a cover to meet Hayden in Boston.

To add to his growing list of problems, Ben treats another troubled patient named Bianca, and Bianca shows an unnatural obsession with the house and the murders. Constance (Jessica Lange) is looking for revenge with Addie’s (Jamie Brewer) help, but Vivien reaches out to Constance for help and advice for the baby after a few warning signs for another miscarriage.

Violet’s (Taissa Farmiga) relationship with Tate (Evan Peters) is at a standstill after the bizarre incident in the basement. A petrified and disfigured Leah (Shelby Young) confides in Violet, but Vivien and Violet run into some trouble one night, when three intruders invade the house…..

Review: Fear motivates Vivien and Ben to make some uncharacteristic choices. Ben listens to Larry Harvey, because he’s terrified at the thought of Hayden ruining his new life. And Vivien is willing to burry the hatchet with Constance for the time being, because she NEEDS advice and help.

Hayden? Yeah, she’s a clingy nutcase. There’s a scene with Ben and Hayden, and they’re at Hayden’s apartment to discuss options about the pregnancy together. Ben pulls out his phone every other minute to check on any updates from Vivien or Violet. Hayden catches Ben looking at his phone before a pizza arrives, and she flips out over Ben’s lack of consideration and neglect.  Ben refuses to hand over the phone, but Hayden bursts into tears, and she hugs Ben to end the scene.

Remember Franklin, Maria, and Gladys? Well, on that night in 1968, Franklin posed as a victim to enter the house. Franklin forced Maria to wear a nurse’s outfit with both of her hands and feet tied behind her back. Franklin had some nasty encounters with nurses as a child, and as a man, Franklin uses Gladys and Maria for revenge. Franklin murders Maria with a knife, and Gladys suffers a brutal demise after Franklin uses the upstairs bathtub to drown her.

The intruders? They’re a group of three, who reenact famous murders. Violet and Vivien will fill the roles of Maria and Gladys, and Bianca is a member of the group. That’s right. Bianca used the cover of a patient to study the layout of the house, but the group runs into some trouble, when Tate shows up.

Bianca eats a homemade cupcake (the cupcake was a peace offering for Violet, but she refused to eat it) from Constance during the preparation process. Unbeknownst to Bianca, Constance’s cupcake contains two secret ingredients: A laxative and Addie’s spit. Bianca is suffering from stomach problems and uncontrollable vomiting, so Tate takes advantage of Bianca’s mistake. Tate murders Bianca, Vivien escapes her captor, and Tate convinces Violet to lure her captor into the basement. Tate, with help from the supernatural forces in the basement, murders the remaining intruders.

During the fiasco, Addie tries to warn Constance about the intruders, but Constance scolded Addie for interrupting her romantic night. To punish Addie, Constance locks Addie in a closet surrounded by mirrors, because Constance knows Addie can’t stand the sight of her own reflection.

After a text message about the break-in, Ben rushes home to check on Vivien and Violet. But there’s one big problem with Ben’s sudden departure: He left Hayden at the abortion clinic by herself. Ben and Hayden agreed to an abortion, but Ben abandoned Hayden at the clinic without a good-bye.

But it’s not over yet. Towards the end, Tate, Constance, and Moira are standing together in the basement with the intruder’s corpses. Constance directs traffic, and together, Tate and Moira split the responsibilities (bleach and chopping) for clean up duty.

Ben is stuck in a tough spot, because Violet resents Ben for abandoning the family during the intrusion. Hayden is in Boston, and to end the episode, a flustered Vivien issues a demand to Ben: They’re selling the house, no questions asked.

Another good cliffhanger to end the show. Murder House pulls the plug at the right moment, because Ben doesn’t have a chance to respond to Vivien’s demand for selling the house. Also, we learned more about Moira, Constance, and Tate here. Clearly, all three of them are working together, and Constance is the leader, but why? What are they planning?

And call me crazy, but I’m not the only one, who noticed the Carrie connection here, right? The deranged and overbearing mother (Constance) locking her daughter (Addie) in a closet for punishment? Yeah, it’s almost impossible to ignore the similarities for Constance’s methods of tough love.

Home Invasion is a solid follow up to the pilot. Murder House continues to build the dark mystique surrounding the Harmon’s home with flashbacks of grisly murders from the past. Violet is still a brat, who’s holding a grudge against both of her parents, but after the break-in, Violet shows a softer side to Vivien. On the flip side, Ben is in Violet’s dog house for leaving the family.

Vivien trusting Constance was a nice surprise, and you can say the same thing about Ben trusting Larry. Ben has to keep the Hayden situation a secret from Vivien and Violet, and Larry offers a shoulder to lean on. Vivien needs advice from an older woman, and a perky Constance is more than willing to help. But Larry and Constance are two shady characters with troubled pasts, so in the long run, you have to consider the possibility for taking a big risk with two untrustworthy sources of comfort.

The follow up ends with another good cliffhanger, and after a series of strange and near death experiences, you have to believe Ben is seriously considering Vivien’s demand, right? The basement is a death trap, and for some strange reason, Tate falls into a home field advantage comfort zone with the supernatural and evil forces in the basement. Also, watching Constance channel her inner Margaret White (i.e. the closet scene with Addie) provides a surreal moment for any Stephen King fan. And Ben should reconsider his new strategy to treat patients at the house after Tate and Bianca….. 

Rating: 6/10


My ebooks are only $0.99, and you can follow the links to learn more about both books-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U


Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

American Horror Story- Murder House- Episode 1- Pilot

**This review contains spoilers**

Yeah, I know. I've been talking about TV reviews for a while, but they're here now! This is my first go around with TV reviews, and I'm still tinkering with the style I want to use, so I won't do minor spoiler reviews for this season. There's a chance I'll do minor spoiler reviews in the future for other TV series, and I hope you enjoy this review series for one of my favorite shows on television. Let's get to it.  

Synopsis: In 1978, a young Adelaide warns two rambunctious twins about the dangers of trespassing in an old abandoned house. The twins are looking for some fun with their baseball bats, so they ignore Adelaide’s warnings, and together they enter the house for a day of vandalism and mischief.

In the basement, the twins find an assortment of fetuses and preserved human body parts in jars. Suddenly, one of the twins (Troy) disappears, and the twins suffer a gruesome death at the hands of a mysterious and evil force.

In the modern world, Dr. Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott), a psychiatrist, is looking for a second chance from his wife, Vivien (Connie Britton). One day, Vivien caught Ben in the act during an affair with one of his students. Vivien mistook Ben and his lover, Hayden McClaine (Kate Mara) for a pair of intruders, and a distraught Vivien stabs Ben with a kitchen knife. And Vivien is stuck in a gut wrenching emotional slump, because she’s trying to recover from a miscarriage.

Reluctantly, Vivien accepts Ben’s apologies, and she accepts Ben’s plans to start over. To erase all the bad memories, Ben, Vivien, and their daughter, Violet (Taissa Farmiga) move from Boston to Los Angeles. The old abandoned house is their now home, and the Harmon’s receive an awkward welcome from their next door neighbor Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange), and her daughter, Adelaide (Jamie Brewer).

Ben treats his patients at the house, but a series of strange disturbances and intrusions disrupt Ben’s plans for a fresh start. Apparently, Marcy’s (Christine Estabrook), the realtor, story about a murder-suicide was just the tip of the iceberg. Adelaide (or “Addie”) issues a foreboding warning to Vivien about the dangers of the house, and Ben learns more about the house’s dark history after a one on one chat with Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare), a burn victim, who’s suffering from a severe case of brain cancer.

Violet tries to balance her issues with depression, her troubles at school, and a relationship with one of Ben’s patients. Tate (Evan Peters) and Violet develop a bond, but Ben doesn’t like the idea of his daughter dating one of his patients.  To add to Violet’s list of problems, she’s stuck in an unwanted feud at school with a bully named Leah (Shelby Young), the ring leader for a clique of pretentious snobs.

Moira O’Hara (Frances Conroy) is a local maid, who worked in the house for years, and she offers her services as a housekeeper. Vivien accepts Moira’s offer, but Moira brings more trouble into the Harmon’s complex situation. Unbeknownst to Vivien, Ben is trying to avoid and ignore Moira’s alter ego as a persistent seductress. To make matters worse, the Harmon’s shot at a second chance takes another bizarre turn during an impromptu investigation in the attic……

Review: Vivien and Ben are normal…..when you compare them to the rest of  the cast. Yes, Vivien is trying to move on and put her life together again after Ben’s infidelity, and Ben is trying to fight his urges for Moira (more on that later). Violet? She’s a foul-mouthed rebel. Tate is a disturbed child, who fantasies about murdering the good people in his life, and Moira is the kooky maid, who won’t stop until Ben succumbs to her requests for sexual pleasure.

Constance and Addie are the nosy neighbors. Constance is the failed actress (because she refused to show nudity on the screen), who offers perky (and unwanted) advice, and Addie constantly warns Vivien about her impending demise.

First impressions are crucial, and there’s no way around it. American Horror Story: Murder House? The pilot takes the no holds barred approach to shocking the audience. Language (“s*** and p****), violence, gore, partial nudity, a sex scene, a scene where Ben feels the need to “relieve” himself after an encounter with Moira, everything. American Horror Story: Murder House’s toes touch the boundary line, and you’ll see a few jaw-dropping moments in the pilot.

Need an example? Well, after a fight with Leah, Tate comes up with a solution to help Violet. Tate convinces Violet to lure Leah into the basement of her house for a free sample of crack cocaine. In the basement, Leah is attacked by Tate and a ghoulish woman with fangs. Leah runs away with a scarred face, and a petrified Violet scolds Tate for taking things too far.

Some will use a “too tacky” or “too hokey” tag to describe Tate’s attack. Me? I’ll remember it as a highlight moment in the pilot episode. The flickering lights, Tate’s demented cackling, the grotesque ghoulish woman. It’s a freaky series of events, and during this scene, you‘ll see another (the twin’s demise at the beginning) example for the house’s evil powers.

And there’s a nice cliffhanger to end the episode. Vivien takes a step on the path to forgiveness with Ben, and Vivien announces her pregnancy with a taste for Indian food (Vivien has a thing for Indian food, when she’s pregnant). Ben is overjoyed, because the baby provides a chance for a fresh start…but Ben and Violet are missing the answer to one crucial question: Is Ben the father?

Remember the attic? Well, during the investigation, The Harmon’s discovered a latex bondage suit on a mannequin. One night, Ben (in a sleeping walking phase) wanders into the kitchen. Oddly enough, Constance pops up a few seconds after Ben’s arrival. Meanwhile, a stranger in the latex suit and Vivien have sex upstairs without any questions, because Vivien believes the stranger (the suit comes with a mask) is Ben. The stranger disappears, Ben returns to the bedroom, and the married couple with newfound hope to end the night with an “I love you.”

So many questions. What’s wrong with Ben? Who is the stranger? Why is he targeting Vivien? Is Ben the father of the new baby? After the ending, I had to see the next episode, because the cliffhanger is just perfect.

American Horror Story: Murder House packs a powerful punch in the pilot, with enough tantalizing unanswered questions to pique your interest for a follow up episode. Will Violet trust Tate again? Will Ben rethink his new plan to treat patients at his house? Is Larry Harvey an ally or is he a deranged and delusional man? Long story short, Larry Harvey lived in the house years ago, and Larry burned his entire family to death under the influence of a mysterious evil force in the house. Now, Larry urges Ben to leave the house, so she can save his family from a horrible, gruesome death.

To add to that, you KNOW Constance and Addie are hiding something, and there’s a chance they’re working with the supernatural and evil forces in the house. Also, it’s clear Moira will do anything to break and lure Ben into another affair. And Ben has to overcome a tough hurdle, because Moira’s appearance changes for Ben. In front of women, Moira is an old, withered woman (Frances Conroy), but Ben sees a young and attractive version  (Alexandra Breckenridge) of Moira.

They never come out and say it in the pilot, but you have to believe Moira possesses the power to seduce and control men with her young appearance. On the flip side, the trick doesn’t work on women. That’s why Vivien’s decision to hire Moira shocked Ben (i.e. trusting Ben after the affair), because Vivien can’t see what Ben sees.

American Horror Story: Murder House’s pilot gives die hard horror fans hope for a bold show that’s not afraid to push the limits. Others will see a show that tries too hard to be extreme, or something that’s too hokey, and you’ll hear some “I can’t take this show seriously” complaints. It’ll take some time to adjust to the schizophrenic style of pacing and storytelling, but Murder House’s pilot is a wicked treat, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.

Rating: 8/10

My ebooks are only $0.99, and you can follow the links to learn more about both books-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U


Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1