American Horror Story: Freak Show – "Bullseye” Retrospective. It’s All About the Love…Or Not.

This is not the sort of trust building exercise Paul had in mind.

Season 4, Episode 6

Airdate: Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 9/8c on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

[warning] SPOILERS AHEAD [/warning]

So far, American Horror Story: Freak Show (AHS: Freak Show) has been a rollercoaster ride with some highlights and lagging dips among its pacing, story lines, and character development. However, if the season has any points of consistency, it’s definitely with the performances by its cast members. This week, “Bullseye” is light on the bloodshed but heavy on the drama. All major story lines revolve around aspects of love. Whether it is Elsa’s (Jessica Lange) delusions of fame as she desperately wants to star in her very own television show or Esmeralda’s (Emma Roberts) blossoming romance with Lobster Boy, Jimmy Darling (Peter Evans), AHS: Freak Show manages to continue stirring up intense moments with a few nice twists.

One Foot Closer to the Grave

One of the things I love about American Horror Story (AHS) is no matter the season, the opening scenes always set the tone and theme for the entire episode. “Bullseye” begins on the grounds of the carnival, where a large wheel, decorated as a bullseye, is brought under the tent. Elsa narrates the scene, explaining how life and destiny are very much like a wheel, and then demonstrates a few new skills as the contraption doubles as a prop for a knife throwing act. I like how Elsa’s monstrous behavior stems from a search for love as much as celebrity status. Adding an extra moment of tension, “Bullseye” also celebrates Elsa’s birthday, which plays a critical part in the last half of the episode. So, in addition to harbingers of death, there are festivities too!

But while Elsa sets the suspenseful tone, Esmeralda and her partner in crime Stanley (Denis O’Hare) keep the clear and present danger in the forefront. Again, AHS: Freak Show’s story relies heavily on the conventional “normal” characters acting like monsters, reminding viewers you can’t judge a person’s morality on appearances alone.

As Stanley puts pressure on Esmeralda to focus on their scheme, she takes matters into her own hands by placing the fate of both Jimmy and Ma Petite (Jyoti Amge) in the line of danger. It’s not surprising after weeks of flirty glances and sexual tension hot enough to fry an egg that Esmeralda’s feelings for Jimmy become a conflict of interest between her desire for money and quite possibly the love of her life. What bothers me is how much Esmeralda’s story drags on. There’s a lot of pressure from Stanley to deliver, and Esmeralda not telling Jimmy some part of the truth by now is getting a bit absurd.

No Oasis in the Mott Family Desert

Meanwhile, the Mott family undergoes some changes, starting with the arrival of Siamese twins Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson). I was surprised that the majority of Dandy’s (Finn Wittrock) scenes don’t involve tantrums or homicide. Instead, viewers get a glimpse into a joyful Dandy who feels happy to be with the twins. Wittrock does an amazing job of showing the different dimensions of Dandy. The highlight of Dandy’s scenes happens early on when his mother, Gloria (Frances Conroy), questions his growing “love” for the Tattler sisters.

Dandy: “I love them. I didn’t think I could feel love before. My heart was lost and it took a woman with the vision of four eyes to find it, and the love of two hearts to give it back to me.”

Although Wittrock has a couple of strong scenes, it’s the scene when Dandy talks about “four eyes” and “two hearts” that totally sells the idea that Wittrock can make any script work in his favor. There is conviction and subtlety in the way Dandy speaks about love; Wittrock’s facial expressions convey more than words, making me a believer when Dandy speaks about the Tattler sisters. AHS: Freak Show gives viewers a glimpse into the potential goodness of the core characters before taking them over to the dark side. Dandy’s trip down to happy town is just that—a trip that is bittersweet.

One last spin with Paul.

Get Your Freak On…Sort of

If you think Jimmy and Dandy have problems, you haven’t seen anything yet! The supporting characters in AHS: Freak Show are not decorative sidekicks with one liners, but have problems of their own too. I appreciate how well the writers of AHS: Freak Show continue to expand the backstories and current story lines of all its characters. In”Bullseye,” viewers are given an insightful look into the personal life of Paul (Mat Fraser), also known as the “Illustrated Seal.” Until now, Paul has been written as a cynical, street smarts kind of guy. It’s isn’t until the revelation about his intimate connection with Elsa and the former candy striper Penny (Grace Gummer) that we see a whole different side to his character. I enjoyed watching the tender side of Paul and the return of Penny, who is much more likable the second time around. It’s a nice way to close some loose ends. Tragically, it is Paul’s complex love life that leads to the most harrowing moment of the entire episode.

Bottom Line

Many of the core characters in “Bullseye” have significant turning points. Episodic writer John J. Gray does a solid job of setting up scenes and giving more depth to the characters. I felt as though I learned more about the characters in a more calculating way, which is a nice break from the graphic violence. But the great thing is “Bullseye” ending with the spotlight on love. As a lonesome Elsa makes a wish on her birthday cake, we hear her ask for someone to “love” her. Despite all the madness and chaos, for love to be the underlining theme of “Bullseye” shows just how much AHS: Freak Show can be more than sensational violence—it can be a mirror reflecting on our own dark nature.

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