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Review: American Horror Story “Afterbirth” (What. The. F**k? Why is everyone dead?) #ahsfx

Review: American Horror Story, Season 1 Finale, Ep. 12 “Afterbirth”

Air Date: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 10PM E/P on FX.

Rating: ★★★★★

 

Bewildered would best describe my current mental state with regards to the season finale of one of the most intriguing and diverse new shows on television. American Horror Story crosses into perplexing and often times controversial territory with its writing and story arcs, but after taunting us with so much potential of what could have happened with Vivien’s (Connie Britton) unique fraternal twins, I feel a little cheated with “Afterbirth.”

Ben rocks the 'demon' baby as he mourns over Vivien and Violet

Ben (Dylan McDermott) wants to kill himself because he’s lost his entire family. He knows the stillborn infant was his child while Tate’s (Evan Peters) spawn lives. Of course, he is under the notion that only a select few people know this but he doesn’t realize Constance (Jessica Lange) is one of those people. If you have ever seen the movie Hush, Lange also played a controlling mother who desperately wanted to take the grandchild of her son and did some viciously cruel things to his wife to get the baby. But as Constance, she takes obsessive grandmother to an entirely new level. Lange’s Golden Globe® nomination is well deserved. Her portrayal of a covetous woman seeking redemption and recompense for her past grievances is stupendous!

 

I am dumbfounded as to why they actually kill Ben leaving the entire Harmon family to roam the house now as ghosts. When a new family is brought in, I was concerned the writers would simply repeat the storyline, which would have been absolutely horrible. Thankfully, the Harmons, with the help of Moira (Frances Conroy/Alexandra Breckenridge), are able to scare the new family out of the house.

Nora (Lily Rabe) is not a maternal woman but she somehow managed to steal away the stillborn child who wasn’t actually stillborn.

Vivien: “…I thought he was stillborn?”

Nora: “Nearly. He made one tiny little cry and then passed on. Apparently I’m the only one who noticed it; Charles didn’t. Genius.”

As the baby continues to cry incessantly, you can see the toll it’s taking on Nora but her excuse is that the child must come from inferior genes and is a weakling.

Vivien: “What do you call him?”

Nora: “Little Noisy Monster.”

Vivien names Moira the baby's Godmother...go figure!

Mother of the Year award…I think not. Although, Rabe’s performance is continually spot on as she portrays a woman of class and status from the 1930’s, never wavering as a distraught woman whose ideal life of wealth and prominence is crumbling around her. She wanted to be envied by others. Now she is the one who’s envious. What confuses me is why they would want to have such a small infant as a ghost in the house? What are the writers going to do with a ghost baby? (It will never age and stay a tiny infant forever.) If the Harmons are planning to stay in the house and live out their time there—which seems to be the direction we’re being led in—where will the story go? Their existence in the house seems boring and completely irrelevant of all the minor story arcs.

Jessica Lange as Constance

As the story fast forwards three years in the future, Constance has just gotten a mini-makeover and returns home to find a bloody trail leading to Tate, Jr’s (actor name) room where she finds a bloody trail, slaughtered nanny, and giggling Tate, Jr. with blood on his hands. To that I say – What. The. Fuck? I’m both appalled yet strangely enticed by the ending. If little Tate is the epitome of evil spawned from a ghostly/human copulation, then will he continue his reign of terror on earth killing randomly or will there be some systematic logic to his destruction? Is Grandmother Constance immune to his wrath? Will Tate ever visit his little boy or will he continue to obsess over Violet (Taissa Farmiga), who finally kisses him goodbye?

While I enjoy parts of the finale, especially Lange’s performance and a few other scenes involving the Ramon family, I’m having seriously mixed emotions about the direction of the show for season two. I am still a fan, albeit slightly disenchanted at the moment.

The only form of comic relief in “Afterbirth” comes by way of delusional realtor Marcy (Christine Estabrook). Her comment about Miguel Ramon’s (Anthony Ruivivar) name and subsequently his heritage is classic!

Marcy: “Miguel. What an exotic name…I must confess to a fascination to all things south of the border.” (Exotic? LOL! The show is set in Los Angeles where there is a huge Hispanic population with more than a few people named Miguel! Just saying.)

Miguel: “Well, actually, my family is from Spain.”

Marcy: “All the better. I find European Hispanics vastly superior.” (Way to sweet talk the buyers, Marcy!)

Until next season….

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

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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.