You would think at this point, American Horror Story couldn’t crank up the craziness to last season’s level, but this week’s episode from the mind of Jennifer Salt just might be the most insane 40-something minutes of television I’ve seen on any network not HBO. Even including HBO, this was sheer bananas, with every plot twist being topped by something else. It was like a game of anything you can do, I can do better, except scripted by maniacs. In short, it was a great Halloween episode. All the rain, the flickering lights, the general moodiness created a great atmosphere for director Michael Uppendahl, even if it limits what he can do in terms of composition. There are still plenty of cool moments, particularly a late-episode reveal of a plot twist that I thought was classic, and some good use of slow-motion and Dutch angles at various points. Uppendahl doesn’t use a lot of trickery, but what he does use is effectively deployed. He lets the writing and actors do their thing and stays out of their way. Every possible plot thread from the first three episodes is revisited this week, and in grand fashion. The triumvirate of Lily Rabe, James Cromwell, and Jessica Lange really dominated the episode, with Dr. Arden and Sister Jude both being manipulated by Sister Eunice, agent of chaos and Satan’s minion. She’s absolutely wonderful in this role, and now freed from Eunice’s cute innocence, the more wicked side of Lily Rabe appears. She delivers some of the best lines of the episode, and her expressions, particularly when watching The Signs of the Cross, are stellar. As for Lange and Cromwell, they both put in some great work, particularly in their first face-off in the episode. Jessica Lange really got to show off this week, and she and Lily Rabe are going to end up competing for awards this ear, I think. Lange last year got the show up and be flashy, but this year she’s got to carry the weight of the show while Rabe gets the flashier role as the possibly possessed nun. Three episodes in, and we’ve had three brilliant episodes. The show’s writing and plotting seems stronger, and today showed that the program’s creators and runners aren’t willing to throw out all the trashy, crazy fun in exchange for coherence and effective storytelling. Just as well. If it wasn’t insane, it wouldn’t be AHS. Is there a limit to the amount of craziness you as the audience will accept from this show? Or are you, like me, willing to embrace anything so long as it ends up being entertaining. I can’t help but wonder if the show is crossing lines some people are uncomfortable with, or if it has crossed so many comfort zones that it’s got diplomatic immunity for being offensive? Read Ron’s review of the last episode, Tricks and Treats, here. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
