Thank you, American Horror Story. “The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks” has ended your hiatus and likely brought an end to the funk in which I’ve withered for the last several weeks. I think the buildup of snark that resulted when I couldn’t let it out in these reviews was bringing me down, man. The more likely culprits are narcolepsy and utter lack of money, both of which I have, but yeah let’s go with the snark thing because that’s far less depressing and anyway one can’t take oneself too seriously when trying to review the dark whimsy that is American Horror Story.
We picked up moments after the mid-season finale. Marie and Fiona are taking their first tottering steps towards truce, but based on Fiona’s closing smirk from last episode and the total lack of emotion in Marie’s eyes I am seriously wondering who is playing who. There is definitely more than the surface peace we are being shown. The witches decide to attack the hive of hunters, but by the end of the episode it would appear they’ve only lit the nest on fire and should expect a swarm any moment. Fiona learns the Louisiana secret to immortality and decides to give it a go, but due to her utter lack of soul is denied once again any respite from the cancer (and supreme-in-waiting) that’s destroying her. The White Witch herself visited Dirty American Hogwarts and did absolutely nothing debaucherous, which in itself was pretty upsetting, but then Nan forced Mama Dirtypillows (I just made that one up and I’m not wholly satisfied with it) to drink bleach which means I’ll never get to hear Patti Lupone and Stevie Nicks duet on “The Confrontation” which upsets me to my very core. Misty and Madison crash a beautifully shot New Orleans funeral, and in a fit of paranoia Madison not only tricks Misty into falling for the ol’ “Brick to the Back of the Head” trick, but steals Stevie’s shawl. That. Bitch.
There were, of course, some giant issues. Delphine’s severed head is still chilling in Cornrow City and Frankenkyle was nowhere to be found. Neither were even mentioned. The Frankenkyle story has seemed strained at best so I shed a tear only for continuity, but if Delphine has been dropped because there’s no Queenie (and thusly no quirky-buddy-trope) to play off of I’ll absolutely lose the minutiae of respect I’ve allowed to brew for this season. Delphine was at least a character that stimulated introspection and discussion – on the rare occasion I found myself pitying her, I could at least examine the debate between wanting the best for all humans versus lending sympathy to a murderous unapologetic racist. So while I do enjoy the utter abandonement of reasoning that usually comes at 10pm on Wednesday, I do hope the show doesn’t write off its best chance to stir real and relevant dialogue about privilege and the poo-pooing of racism.
Also you guys? You seriously cannot play a Theremin like that. I carry a giant peeve in regards to all things musically faked. And you just can’t wiggle like that when you play a Theremin. It would just sound like this. But on the other hand, I kind of want to be Myrtle Snow when I grow up so there’s that.
I have been on pins and needles (oh my god you guys even I can’t believe I went there) to see how the show would roll with Papa Legba, and tonight we finally got to meet the Gatekeeper. I know just enough about Creole Voodoo to know that it’s pretty damn important that Papa have a limp and/or a cane, so that’s kind of disrespectful, but there were some pretty sly phallic references in his scenes and every time AHS does sly, a film student decides to cut that scene of a mime in a wheat field. But from what I do know about him (which, again, not so much), I really enjoyed the show’s direction. Legba is loved and necessary but above all else, he is respected. The portrayal here was completely without absurdity and menace but had ethereal, dignified command that gave way to absolute surrender from two of the most powerful women in the world. Which is impressive considering it came from a coke-snorting baby snatching hobo. And once again the AHS effects team has completely floored me. That was Lance “Phillip Broyles” Reddick on my screen tonight and I didn’t even know it. I’d like to meet that makeup team one day. Maybe even smell ‘em a little.
Marie and Fiona did stray a bit from Legba’s commission however, and at the last minute decided to spare an infant’s life by giving Nan’s instead. And another Dirty American Hogwart’s student bids us adieu. Oh! You guys! Let’s sort ‘em! Queenie is a Gryffindor all the way. Madison is a Slytherin, duh, Nan Hufflepuff and … wow… I can’t even remember Death Vagina’s name right now which kinda speaks more to the consistency of the show than my memory problems. Anyway she’s a Ravenclaw. Misty’s totally a Hufflepuff. Cordelia is a squib at this point. I really want more than whiny/ragey insecurity from her.
Did I really just do that? I should probably socialize more.
The best part of tonight’s episode? I finally got more than three minutes of Angela Bassett. Good gawd that woman is a powerhouse. When Jessica Lange is on screen I marvel at her skill, enjoy watching her movement choices, wait for her expression to turn on a dime. But when Marie Laveau is telling a story or running an errand for her patron I am fully immersed in the make believe world on my screen. She can emote even without movement, simply by changing the look in her eye. It’s breathtaking.
All in all, it was a relatively firm return to Black Wednesday. I’m enjoying the show more this season not just because of the performances but I do think the quality has improved considerably over last year. I’ll stand by that until Jessica Lange hallucinates a dance number, which won’t involve Stevie and Patti singing “The Confrontation.” Dammit.