This was a curious finale. Though I guess the episode title hinted that this was more about the calm after the storm than anything too apocalyptic. I understand that Afterbirth was thrown together under a tight schedule, the producers cutting a planned thirteenth episode and instead making this one a ninety-minute show, and it did sort of look like it. The script had an odd structure, bouncing from flashback sequences to the sudden demise of a major character, straight into Beetlejuice hijinks and a flash-forward to three years later. There were some wonderful moments, of course, but certain stories fell a little flat after a year of so much intense foreboding.Marcy mentioned at one point that the death of the Harmon family was a "great romantic tragedy", and I'm inclined to agree. While I had various problems with the three of them over the course of the season, I found myself really affected by their respective demises, the idea of this very fractured family all being consumed and spat out by this cursed house. The opening scenes of this episode really pushed that, too, with the interweaving sequences of Ben convincing Vivien to move away, followed by scenes of bloody destruction.
In the end, though, the afterlife actually created a second chance for them. I guess the specter of an eternity together would convince you to drop old tensions, so it shouldn't have been surprising that the Harmon's seemed to find that happiness that had eluded them for so long. They were like a perfect family again, all happy and content, a feeling cemented by how weird it was to see Violet actually smile for once.
Moira, too, found herself accepted, gaining the family she'd always wanted. It seems like the house itself doesn't have as much power as it once seemed, since every ghost character appears to exhibit the same control they had in their actual lives. Vivien, Ben and Violet pitch a Christmas tree and celebrate like a real family, while Hayden and Tate are still kept in the shadows where they arguably belong.
Afterbirth, for me, was only a little disappointing because of my own expectations. And you have to ask yourself whether that's the fault of the show, or entirely my fault for expecting more rampant absurdity. Maybe I would have been more satisfied if they had cut out the whole thing with the Ramos family, something I felt really dragged the episode's mid-point downhill. I loved the voyeurism of Ben and Vivien watching what are essentially new versions of themselves, this new family completely unaware of their probable fate. But the elaborate haunting scenes that followed just weren't interesting.
Generally, however, I was entertained by what was served up. It still feels like the show has become progressively more restrained after opening with so much hokey nuttiness (which isn't at all in keeping with any of Ryan Murphy's other series), something that's just as much a blessing as it is a curse. Reaching that middle ground is tough, but the show should definitely keep trying.
So what now for American Horror Story? I felt like the strongest scene in the episode was that chilling coda sequence, Constance coming home to discover the surprisingly non-scaly demon child had indulged in a little housekeeper homicide while she was out getting her hair did. Constance's reaction (a mix of fear and... I don't know... excitement?) was juicy, and if any show can pull off the 'evil three year-old' trope, it's probably American Horror Story. What I really hope we don't see next year are more prospective buyers getting terrorized. As long as they avoid that, season two should be pretty absorbing. B-
Credits
Guest stars Kate Mara (Hayden McClaine); Charles S. Dutton (Detective Granger); Frances Conroy (Moira O'Hara); Alexandra Breckenridge (Moira Two); Lily Rabe (Nora Montgomery); Christine Estabrook (Marcy); Michael Graziadei (Travis Wanderly); Anthony Ruivivar (Miguel Ramos); Lisa Vidal (Stacy Ramos); Malaya Rivera Drew (Detective Barrios); David Anthony Higgins (Stan); Brennan Mejia (Gabriel Ramos); Rebecca Wisocky (Lorraine Harvey); Kyle Davis (Dallas); Azura Skye (Fiona); Jamie Brewer (Adelaide Langton); Meredith Scott Lynn (Helen); Mena Suvari (Elizabeth Short)
Writer Jessica Sharzer Director Bradley Buecker
No comments:
Post a Comment