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Murder, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night! REVIEW: American Horror Story “Home Invasion” #ahsfx

Review: American Horror Story, Season 2, “Home Invasion”

Air Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 10PM E/P on FX

Rating ★★★★★

Murder, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. “Home Invasion” isn’t for the squeamish or faint of heart. There is a plethora of blood and violence which would put some horror movies to shame; there’s enough sexual innuendo to make a lady of the night blush; and we learn surprising details about our enigmatic neighbors and other patrons of the house.

Flashback to 1968 – the house, then a boarding school of sorts, is the site of a grizzly and methodical double murder of a voluptuous nurse and a young student. The murderer, Franklin (Jamie Harris) makes the student wear a nurse’s uniform as well. He hates nurses. Fast forward to present day and we find Vivien (Connie Britton) and her daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) the victims of a home invasion by three deranged people, Fiona (Azura Skye), Bianca (Mageina Tovah), and Dallas (Kyle Davis), who are staging Franklin’s infamous murder. The scene is very reminiscent of the movie The Strangers (2008).

The writers pack so much into one episode, yet it doesn’t feel compressed or convoluted. It flows well as the scenes transition from the home invasion to quick flashes of the nurse being drowned in a claw-footed tub. The house itself is, I believe, the main character. All the tragedy it has sheltered; its walls holding more secrets than anyone can ever truly know. I don’t think anyone would want those walls to talk, especially Tate (Evan Peters), Constance (Jessica Lange), and Moira {Senior} (Frances Conroy). It seems these three are well acquainted with each other and while I shouldn’t be surprised, I am taken aback.

L-R: Evan Peters as Tate, Jessica Lange as Constance, and Frances Conroy as Moira {Senior}

Their unusual camaraderie is most intriguing when they discuss what to do in the aftermath of the home invasion. I can’t help wondering – is Tate the son Constance says she lost years ago? Tate is mysteriously in the house during the home invasion but when he tells Violet to get the intruders down to the basement, he backs up against the wall as the intruders find her, and he vanishes. Where does he go? Could the house have secret passages or is Tate something other than a teenage boy? As Constance walks down to the bloody scene in the basement—

Constance: “Jesus H. Christ, was this your handy work?”

Tate: “No.”

Moira {Senior}: “It was them.” (looks down at Fiona and Dallas on the floor)

Tate: “We have to get rid of the bodies if you want him to keep treating me.”

Moira {Senior}: “I’ll get the shovel, you get the bleach.”

Why do they want or rather need Ben (Dylan McDermott) to keep seeing Tate as a patient? Did these three people know Ben, Vivien, and Violet would be coming to live there? At first, my impression is the house does what it wants regardless of the inhabitants, however after hearing this conversation, I wonder if it’s something else –maybe something mystical has brought the Harmon family to Los Angeles; to this house?

Constance (Jessica Lange) entertains a young gentleman in her bedroom

American Horror Story continues to challenge conventional storytelling in television. The direction, writing, and cinematography are of the caliber you would expect to see in a big budget thriller. It’s an awesome, dark, edgy, creepy, decadent, and deeply engrossing series! I cannot take my eyes off the screen and I turn up the volume to hear every creak on the wooden floor! The acting is superb. Lange continues to shine. I was pleasantly surprised to her as Constance entertaining a young man, Travis (Michael Graziadei) in her bedroom. But I won’t make the same mistake as poor Addie (Jamie Brewer). I don’t want to go into the “bad girl closet.” I’m also impressed with Farmiga’s ability to appear sweet and almost angelic yet when she opens her mouth, she’s slightly poisonous. Peters frightens me. His portrayal of Tate is creepy and makes me squirm. When he wields an axe at Bianca, as if he’s ready to chop down a tree, I gasp in shock! And his fascination with Violet disturbs me, as well as Ben. When Tate mentions the sexual fantasies he has about Violet during his sessions with Ben, it’s very uncomfortable watching him listen to the erotic details regarding his own daughter.

Dylan McDermott as Ben Harmon (and thank you for being shirtless)

But Ben is no stranger to thinking dirty thoughts or acting upon them as he continues to struggle with his emotions over his infidelity. While on a run, he bumps into Larry/Burnt Man (Denis O’Hare). Is Larry following Ben? How does Larry know where he’ll be? Larry is a strange character brilliantly brought to life by the charismatic O’Hare. I love the contrast of one person’s perception of good and bad behavior being laid out when Ben tells Larry about his debacle. (Why he chooses to tell him is beyond me.)

Ben: “This is about me; what I did! I cheated on my wife!”

Larry: “I’m trying very hard not to judge you.”

Ben (flabbergasted): “Me! You murdered your entire family!”

Larry (indignant): “Yes. But I was never unfaithful.”

One line that I find darkly comedic yet ironic occurs when Bianca gets sick after eating a tainted cupcake (intended for Violet courtesy of Constance). As she begins vomiting violently, she calls out to her two cohorts, “I think I need to go to the hospital. Maybe we can come back later and finish this.”

I have to laugh. Sure, go ahead, run over to the hospital real quick and then come back to finish killing people; How ironic that Bianca’s fear of being chopped in half (her earlier confession to Ben as his “patient”) comes to fruition (courtesy of Tate).

Tune into American Horror Story Wednesdays at 10 PM E/P only on FX.

If you missed the first episode – watch it here (available until Fri Oct 14th)!

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Photos © 2011 FX Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.