2.8 Unholy Night Unholy Night is proof that Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and writer James Wong have learned from the mistakes of the first season. Given Wong’s experience working on The X-Files, if anyone could pull off a monster-of-the-week story while still integrating said monster into the plot, it would be him. He does this brilliantly, thanks in no small part to the sheer brilliance of Ian McShane, who takes on the role of Leigh Emerson, a Santa-suited multiple murderer who killed dozens of people during the holidays circa 1962 and ends up in Briarcliff for his troubles. I will freely admit to thinking Ian McShane is one of the best actors to ever appear on television, thanks in no small part to the unadulterated brilliance that was his Al Swearingen on the late, lamented Deadwood. However, he’s just so gleefully evil during this episode that I can’t help but feel like he’s a major part of why this week’s episode of AHS: Asylum was just so good from beginning to end. Perhaps I’m biased by the creative use of the Murder Santa trope or the way the show has gotten so good at teasing particular moments (deaths, in this case), then circumventing that tease just long enough to make you believe a character has been given a reprieve, then offing said character in spectacularly gleeful fashion. Director Michael Lehmann sprinkled multiple clever shots like that throughout the episode. This was another well-paced episode of a show that, aside from The Origins of Monstrosity, seems to be zooming along this season. The show’s various confrontations were well-staged, and cleverly edited together. Even the pretty familiar “Santa suit terrorizing a house of innocents” was given extra life by some clever shooting techniques. That’s what this show does really well. It takes familiar concepts and presents them in a novel, entertaining, and very energetic way. American Horror Story isn’t afraid of craziness, gore, or cheesiness; it’s also not afraid to take on the holiday season in grand fashion. That’s certainly something to appreciate. From Halloween to Christmas, American Horror Story seems to be the only genre show of its type on television willing to entertain a “very special” holiday episode. I guess that fits into the show’s drive to mine traditions and familiar topics and present them with a fun new twist. Read Ron’s review of the previous episode, Dark Cousin, here. US Correspondent Ron Hogan would love to see Ian McShane back on weekly TV again, perhaps as the antihero of next season’s variation of American Horror Story. Find more by Ron daily at Shaktronics and PopFi. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
