American Horror Story: Freak Show – "Magical Thinking” Retrospective. Magic and Mayhem

Season 4, Episode 11

Airdate: Wednesday, January 7, 2015, 9/8c on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

WARNING: SPOILERS

Meet Chester: Nice on the outside, crazy on the inside.

Now that the holidays are over, American Horror Story: Freak Show (AHS: Freak Show) bounces right back to the center of the drama unfolding at Elsa’s (Jessica Lang) carnival of curiosities. “Magical Thinking” is a far cry from the emotional rollercoaster witnessed in the last episode, “Orphans.” Instead, we return to the core story lines revolving around Elsa’s fame game, Stanley’s (Denis O’Hare) sinister scheme, and the consequence of Dell’s (Michael Chiklis) involvement with Ma Petite’s (Jyoti Amge) death.

“Magical Thinking,” apart from maintaining the continuity of the series’ story lines, has a great guest appearance by Neil Patrick Harris who plays Chester, a shady salesman with big dreams of becoming a magician. There are some touching and intense moments throughout the episode, but it lacks the same kind of hard hitting emotional quality of “Orphans.” Honestly, I doubt any episode other than the season finale, hopefully, will be as good. Then again, you never know considering the notorious reputation the American Horror Story (AHS) franchise has in delivering some major twists.

Dealing with the Devil

The last time we saw Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters), he was locked up in a cell for a crime he did not commit, facing a grim fate with only a public defender for a lawyer. Enter Stanley, who, like the slick, sick conman we know him to be, offers the solution to Jimmy’s problems. If you have been following AHS: Freak Show so far, you know this does not bode well for Jimmy.

Watching Stanley take advantage of Jimmy’s vulnerability reminds me of the fairytale Rumpelstiltskin, except the price Jimmy has to pay for his escape isn’t a trinket but flesh and bone—his lobster hands. When Jimmy finally agrees to offer one hand in exchange for the cost of a good lawyer, we soon discover the full extent of Stanley’s cruelty when Jimmy awakes. Not only does Stanley sneak Jimmy out of jail, he takes both of his hands. I couldn’t help but feel sick to my stomach.

Of all the people in AHS: Freak Show, I’m starting to consider Stanley the most evil character of the season. Yes, I consider him more depraved than the psychopathic charmer Dandy (Finn Wittrock), which speaks volumes considering the level of violence we’ve seen from Dandy over the past few months. It is obvious Stanley is incapable of remorse, no more disturbed than the men who took Elsa’s legs. I am in no way defending Dandy’s insane behavior; in fact, I once felt he had the same level of madness as Stanley. Maybe this is in large part due to Stanley’s lack of character development throughout the season. We know his homosexuality and abnormal size below the waist have made an impact on his life choices. He, however, remains very much a one note type of bad guy with absolute greed in his eyes. I can’t help wondering whether he whispers “my precious” to his morbid collection before shipping it off to the museum. There’s no real depth in seeing something beyond his horrible actions. Whereas, Dandy’s backstory and character arc have come almost full circle; we see how his home life and family legacy created the monster we see now. We understand what goes on behind the violence in his actions as well as his homicidal tendencies. At least at one point Dandy tried to be good when he was with the Tattler sisters, Bette and Dot (Sarah Paulson). We have yet to witness Stanley attempt something even remotely selfless.

Like a Virgin

Dot: “We are where we belong. This place, these people are our world and it is like a banquet full of delicious possibilities…but our top priority is sex.”

From one extreme to another, watching the way Bette and Dot accept their fate as conjoined twins is one of the highlights of “Magical Thinking.” After making amends and burning their diaries, they are on a mission to lose their virginity. Their story starts off lightly with a few missteps as they try to find the right person for their first roll in the hay. Then suddenly, in walks Chester! Just remember this is AHS: Freak Show and the more normal a person appears on the outside, the more likely there is something dark bubbling beneath their façade. And that dark bubble manifests itself when Chester reveals his other talent: ventriloquism. If there’s something creepier than clowns or mimes, I would say ventriloquists are right up there. Marjorie (Jamie Brewer), Chester’s “dummy,” is a sassy outspoken character who later plays into his hallucination as a real live entity.

Just like his chameleons, Chester is very good at switching his moods.

When I first learned Harris was going to make a guest appearance in “Magical Thinking,” I didn’t know what to expect, yet I found his first scene to be charming as he shows off his chameleons. It’s Harris’ convincing performance, portraying a simple, nice guy that makes what Chester does later much more disturbing.

Then there’s poor Bette and Dot; these girls cannot catch a break from meeting their fair share of crazies despite being so very easy on the eyes. After what is easily the most awkward sex scene of the season, it appears Dandy is not completely off the radar. It’s not certain for how long, but a hired investigator has been spying on Bette and Dot. When Dandy finds out they are having sex with Chester, one would expect immediate rage but instead he asks, “Did it appear romantic? Do they love him?” And, for a moment, you feel sorry for Dandy, until he reverts back to his possessive nature. Let’s just say it doesn’t end well for Chester.

Time to Pay the Piper

While a lot of “Magical Thinking” focuses on rescuing Jimmy, as well as the Tattler sisters’ story line, the last half ties up loose ends. As Stanley’s manipulations and actions surface, so do his accomplices. I wasn’t expecting the ending, although I wasn’t entirely surprised by it. Maggie (Emma Roberts) returns at the last minute in an effort to show Elsa “something.” Meanwhile, Desiree (Angela Bassett) surprises Dell by showing up in his caravan, gun in hand.

Once again, AHS: Freak Show saves the most riveting and shocking for the end of the episode. I’m still processing it but at this point, I can’t imagine what all this is going to boil down to, other than the exception of Jimmy’s possible vindication from the murders.

Overall

“Magical Thinking” is a great episode that keeps a steady momentum going with the major story lines without losing continuity. My absolute favorite part is the scene between Chester and Dandy. I love how it’s really a crazy-meets-crazier situation; I swear seeing Dandy trying to be the voice of reason when speaking with Chester made me laugh. Plus, Bette and Dot absolutely have to find better choices in men.

The visuals really stand out this week between the dark lighting to the dream like imagery in the beginning when Bette and Dot talk about their happiness. “Magical Thinking” director Michael Goi does a great job of setting up the scenes to create an atmosphere that, at times, is both haunting and surreal. Goi’s good sense of timing shines best when capturing the characters’ expressive non-speaking moments, like Jimmy’s indecision to accept Stanley’s offer. Evans expresses Jimmy’s vulnerability so well, it fits with the tone of the moment.

Then there’s the writing by Jennifer Salt who does a great job of tightening the script so the continuity of the major plot points go without a hitch. Salt is also fantastic at creating sharp dialogue that flows from start to finish. If there is any flaw, my one complaint is the excessive gore that distracts and desensitizes you from the important turning points in “Magical Thinking.” I understand AHS: Freak Show is full of violence but I feel the real horror comes more from the implied violence than the literal bloodbath. This isn’t to suggest “Magical Thinking” doesn’t have its touching moments; I love the scene of Dell feeding Jimmy in his hospital bed. It’s just that there is too much emphasis on the creepy Marjorie scenes. I know Marjorie is a creative tool—a means to an end to push Chester’s character over the edge—but she is annoying after a while. Overall, I enjoyed “Magical Thinking” and feel the strongest elements shine in the performance of the actors and direction of the scenes. At this rate, I cannot wait to see what the season finale has to offer its viewers.

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