American Horror Story ends to its horrifying first season with "Afterbirth," as Ben (Dylan McDermott) comes to terms with the loss of his family, and faces a new reality as another family expresses interest in the house and Constance (Jessica Lange) sets about raising Vivien's surviving twin.  In case you missed out on last week's "Birth," we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying season!

Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch tonight's action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Afterbirth”!

Nine months prior to the Harmons first moving in, Ben obvserves his future home on an iPad while Vivien places her baggage by the door and tells her husband they can’t fix their marriage, and she’ll be taking Violet to Florida.  As the scene intercuts with flashes of their horror-filled future in the home, Ben manages to convince Vivien to at least fly out to LA and see the house, noting it’s the first time in a long time he’s felt hope.

Back in the present, Ben wanders his now empty house calling out for the spirits of his wife and daughter, but finds only silence in the dark and dreary halls.

Later, Ben arrives at Constance’s to pick up his surviving (unnamed) son from her babysitting, but Constance remains wary of allowing the child back into the house.  She reminds him of the dark forces in the house that claimed his wife and daughter, and will only do the same for the remaining Harmons.  On his way out, he notices the photograph of Tate with Constance, and Ben realizes that Tate has been her son all along.  He leaves, threatening Constance that she should pray he doesn’t return.

In the Harmon’s kitchen, Moira inquires how the newly-deceased Vivien finds the adjustment to being dead, to which she answers that the only real difficulty lies in the family staying invisible to Ben, so he’ll take the baby and leave the house behind.  She insists that Ben makes a fine father in spite of his flaws, but notes that she sees something different in Ben since her passing.  She should, as Ben coddles his infant son before meticulously laying out keys and documents for Vivien’s sister, and training a gun to his own head.  Before he goes through with it however, Vivien finally appears, and Violet as well to convince him to keep on living, regardless of past dramas or the child’s real father, and embrace the one bit of light they have left.  For a moment the Harmons seem reunited and happy, as Ben suddenly realizes he is alone.

Too late, however!  On his way out of the house, Hayden blocks his exit, and with a little help from the home invaders, they manage to overpower and hang Ben from the light fixture overlooking the stairs.  Thus endeth living Harmon.

Sometime later, Marcy shows off the home to a new Spanish family, the Ramons, Miguel, Stacy and their teenage son Pedro.  Marcy fills them in on the gruesome nature of the house’s low selling price, but assures them of a good deal, while Pedro skateboards thorugh the house encountering its ghosts; first the creepy redhead twins knock him off his board, and later Violet watches over as Miguel informs his son they’ll likely buy.

Next door, detectives interview Constance on her statement claiming she was the one to find Ben’s body, and that Violet must have absconded with the child.  In reality Constance gloated up to Ben’s corpse, and found the ghostly Hayden cradling the baby in the basement, only for Travis to slit her ghost-throat and deliver the baby into Constance’s arms, raising the baby in  the “bad closet” she once kept Addie in.

Violet appears in young Pedro’s room criticizing his taste in music and lightly flirting, while a dejected Tate observes from the next room.  Downstairs Miguel and his wife Stacy start making a little night music of their own on the kitchen table, while Ben and Vivien oversee, agreeing that they don’t want the couple to end up with their fate.  To this sentiment, Moira appears claiming that while some spirits want to spread their pain to others, others (like themselves) are merely victims, and don’t wish to see more suffering.

Later that night, the family sleeps as a very familiar scene takes hold; Miguel gets out of bed and sleepwalks down to the kitchen to play with fire on the stove, while Rubber Man appears looming over Stacy.  Tate too awakens Pedro in his sleep, explaining how he and Violet used to be together in spite of the living boy’s insistence that nothing happened.  Rubber Man makes his attack on Stacy, who violently resists, as Vivien and Moira coax Miguel away from the stove, and Tate makes threatening advances on Pedro, believing his death can give Violet someone to love in the afterlife.

Nearly all of the victim spirits of the house appear to frighten Miguel and Stacy, ultimately driving them to the basement, where Ben reveals himself as Rubber Man, and Vivien appears to eviscerate her husband for his treachery, him shooting her in the head in return.  They both rise, undeterred from their mortal wounds, and insist to the still-living Ramons that the house will do this to them as well.  The couple runs off in fear, as Ben and Vivien can only laugh.  Upstairs Violet begs Tate not to kill Pedro, insisting that despite the two not being together, they may still say goodbye.  She kisses him long enough to allow Pedro time to escape, and the entire family flees the home like bats out of hell.  The ghostly Harmons observe their flight, noting that eventually they’ll need to do the same to other families.

Sometime later, Marcy foolishly continues to attempt selling the house despite its rising status with the local murder bus tour.  Inside, Ben sweeps up as Tate appears trying to craft some measure of peace, even owning up to the horrible murders he’s committed.  Ben insists that Tate is beyond therapy, which he proclaims to be a useless scam anyway, but the boy hopes coming clean may at least earn him someone to talk to and avoid loneliness with.

Meanwhile, Vivien practices her ghost-cello before a baby’s cries draw her to the basement, where she finds Nora Charles tending to Vivien’s stillborn baby.  Apparently the child drew a single breath before passing on, allowing it to remain a ghost in the house.  Tired of the child, Nora quickly accepts Vivien’s invitation to help out in pacifying him, and upstairs Vivien even invites Moira to be the child’s godmother rather than housekeeper.  Later, the ghost family of Harmons with Moira and tow decorate the house for Christmas, and seem truly happy with one another despite Tate and Hayden looming despondently in the background.  Despite Hayden’s taunts, Tate remains firm he’ll wait for Violet to come around.

Three years later, Constance gets her hair touched up after allowing herself to fall into a fray by staying at home raising “her” child Michael.  The stylist compliments that she’s never looked younger, as a gleeful Constance elaborates that she’s found her glorious destiny in motherhood, that all previous tragedies were preparing her for a child destined for greatness and in need of a remarkable mother.  When she arrives home calling for the babysitter, she finds only trails of blood, which culminate in the reveal of babysitter Flora’s throat slit at the hands of a gleeful, and disturbing young blonde boy.  She wonders aloud with love in her eyes, “now what am I going to do with you?”

Did American Horror Story shock you with Ben Harmon's death, or the time jump?   What did you think about the finale?  Join us next season for all-new episodes of American Horror Story!

American Horror Story 1.12 "Afterbirth" Recap

American Horror Story adds to its ghostly ranks with "Birth," as Vivien Harmon (Connie Briton) goes into labor to deliver her twins, as Violet (Taissa Farmiga) looks to protect her family by evicting the spirits of Chad (Zachary Quinto) and Patrick (Teddy Sears) intent on keeping the children for themselves.   In case you missed out on last week's "Smoldering Children," we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying episode!

Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch tonight's action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Birth”!

In 1984, Constance lies passed out drunk with past due bills on the table, as a young Tate roams the house playing with his dump truck toy.  The basement door swings ajar, and Tate playfully sends the truck down the stairs, creeping down to retrieve it.  As he looks for his toy, Tate comes face to face with “Infantata” Thaddeus, from which Nora Montgomery rescues him, telling him how to shoo ghosts away.  She insists that she’ll protect the boy, and he replies by wishing he were his mother.

Flashing forward a bit, the ghost of teenage Tate nostalgically picks up the same truck, and encounters Nora sobbing about the loss of her baby.  Tate comes clean to her by admitting he loves Violet, and can’t give Nora the Harmons' baby anymore, but she insists that she will take the baby for herself.

Up top, Ben tries to drag Violet out of the house to retrieve her mother from the psychiatric hospital, but the young girl protests, knowing she can’t actually leave the property.  Ben all but forces her in the car, and she agrees to lie down in the backseat out of view, and when the car leaves the property Violet predictably resurfaces in her own room upstairs.

As Tate explores the internet, Violet questions the future of their predicament, given how technology evolves and that her death won’t stay secret forever, nor can she and Tate have children from their love.  A noise stirs them down the hall, where they find Chad (Zachary Quinto) and Patrick (Teddy Sears) painting a nursery in anticipation of Vivien’s baby.  When Violet assures them they won’t take her mother’s child, they remind her Ben and Vivien will stay resigned to the murder house as long as Violet remains a ghost bound to it.

Seeking out Constance’s aid, Violet insists she speak to medium Billie Dean Howard (Sarah Paulson) for a way to evict certain ghosts from the house.  Constance travels upstairs to speak with Chad, who appears before she can touch their delicately painted crib.  Constance and Chad taunt one another over his homosexual parenting and her dead children, and in the process Constance accidentally reveals that Tate fathered one of the children.  Despite her offer of the Harmons’ twin, Chad remains firm that they’ll take both children, and eventually smother them to death to keep them cute for eternity.

Psychic medium Billie walks through the house rattling off the laundry list of emotions she detects, including pain, longing, regret, fear, sadness and guilt, to which Constance adds perversion.  Billie insists that banishing spirits will be difficult, telepathically apologizing to Violet for her ghostly end.  She elaborates on the spirit world, that the ghosts in the house are bound by a" paramagnetic grip," that evil creates a force every bit as real and powerful as physics, and that psychic trauma congregates in the house by drawing further traumas, like a battery.  The house itself wishes to use those trapped between worlds as conduits to enter real life, and while there might be a way to banish Chad and Patrick, Tate shouldn’t be present for it.

At the hospital, Vivien questions why Violet didn’t arrive along with Ben, before a doctor arrives to inform the two of his concern in Vivien travelling to Florida.  Despite the precautions they’ll take, the Doctor reveals to Ben that one of the twins is nearly ready to be born, seemingly siphoning off nutrients from the other, weaker fetus.  He advises an emergency C-section, but Vivien maintains she’s in control.

As Billie swills scotch, she tells the story of the most successful spirit banishing, that of the 117 colonists who disappeared from North Carolina in 1590.  When the ghosts plagued the local tribes killing indiscriminately, an elder cast a powerful banishment curse by burning their personal belongings and talismans, and uttering the word found upon the abandoned colony, “Croatoan.”

Tate paces upstairs, not trusting Billie, when Violet enters to tell him the plan to take Patrick’s ring and another item of Chad’s.  Tate then heads to the nursery to taunt Patrick about their parenting arrangement before attempting to appeal to Patrick’s lust for other men as a means to get close.  Just as Patrick seems to fall prey, he violently attacks Tate, reminding him as a spirit he can do this til the end of time.  He blames Tate for his being stuck in the house, nearly free of Chad at the time of his death.  Chad overhears, and Patrick runs off to smooth things over, as a bloody Tate reveals that he secured the ring.

Ben and Vivien arrive in the driveway downstairs, though she refuses to enter the house, only to start experiencing labor pains after Ben enters the house to collect her things!  Violet and Tate recoup their procured talismans, when Ben begins beating down the door for Violet to start packing her things.  Still unwilling to tell her father the truth, Violet insists they leave without her, denying Ben’s claims that she must be on drugs.  Violet finally confesses that she died, but Ben incredulously ignores her claims.  Vivien honks the car’s horn in the distance, but finds only Constance, who ushers Vivien screaming into the house to deliver her baby!

With Vivien in labor, Ben finds he can’t get any cell phone or land line service, and soon overhears the house’s redhead twins smashing his car outside.  When the power cuts out, Ben arrives back in Viv’s delivery room to find dead nurses Gladys and Maria assisting Dr. Charles Montgomery in the delivery, leaving the man aghast at the insanity of the situation.  Constance commands him to focus, and while flashing back to their delivery of Violet, Ben lovingly coaches his wife through the first delivery, a stillborn.  Charles whisks away the stillborn and gives it to his wife Nora, before returning for the next.

Upstairs, Violet attempts the ritual to rid the house of Chad and Patrick, but despite her "Croatoan" yell and Chad's pantomimes, nothing seems to work, much to his amusement.  He then partakes in his own “bullshit ritual” by burning the crib legs in her fire, and assuring her mother’s babies are safe from the quibbling couple.  He then advises her situation with Tate to be worse, her man forever destined to be a monster, as Tate never really changed from his school shooting days, having killed Patrick, Chad, and raped Violet’s mother.  This, she did not know.

With lots of blood around the scene, Dr. Montgomery attempts to salvage the next baby through Vivien’s painful delivery, before the child finally arrives seemingly healthy.  Vivien on the other hand, continues to bleed as Constance whisks away the healthy child to the other room, and her and Moira fawn over the child together before Hayden appears demanding the baby!

Vivien begins hemorrhaging and drifting in and out of consciousness, as Violet appears to her mother to apologize for not going to the hospital, and invite her mother to let go and join the dead rather than suffer such pain.  Ben tries to coax his wife to stay conscious to resume a life together, but Vivien doesn’t believe she has a choice, and slips away into death.

Upstairs, Violet confronts and recoils from Tate, deciding to reveal his true murderous nature to the ignorant spirit, that he killed the students at his school, others in the house, and that raping and impregnating Vivien led to the woman’s death as well.  He sobs and insists on his ability to change his ways, but Violet dismisses him as pure darkness, rather than someone only attracted to darkness like herself.  She ultimately believes Tate when he professes her love as a light that changed him, but insists she’ll never forgive him, and he’ll pay for his actions.  She refuses to be with him anymore and the two scream at one another until Tate disappears.

As Violet sobs, Vivien’s ghost appears to comfort her daughter, and hushes Violet’s apologies for having lost her baby.  Vivien reminds her, “I didn’t lose my baby,” comforting her true daughter.

Did American Horror Story shock you with Vivien Harmon's death?   What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story, its season finale "Afterbirth" on FX!

American Horror Story 1.11 "Birth" Recap

American Horror Story brings out a spiritually spooky new twist with "Smoldering Children," as Violet (Taissa Farmiga) learns the rules behind the mysterious house, Constance finds herself under investigation for the murder of her bisected beau Travis, and Ben comes to believe that his wife was telling the truth about the Rubber Man.   In case you missed out on last week's "Spooky Little Girl," we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying episode!

Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch tonight's action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Smoldering Children”!

In 1994, Constance, Larry Harvey, Tate and Addie share a family dinner in the house, where Tate offers to say grace.  His grace quickly sours as he belittles Larry for his family burning themselves alive and Constance not really loving him, but Larry shrugs it off by inviting the family to a local performance of Brigadoon he’s taken part in.  Tate insists to Addie she should know that Larry killed their brother Beau, which Constance denies and scolds her son for insinuating.  Tate fires back that he’ll never be her perfect son, and storms off.

The next morning, Tate stews in his room taking drugs, and gathering the guns we know him to later use on his high school.  Before he reaches the school however, he makes a stop at Larry’s office, douses the confused man in gasoline and sets him ablaze, before walking out.  So that’s how that happened.

Back in good old 2011, Ben visits Vivien in the hospital to apologize and acknowledge that he believes her story, and fill her in on the twins having different fathers.  While she remains understandably hostile, Ben insists that they’ll find the answers together, and barring legal hiccups from the shooting Vivien should be released in a matter of days.

Two officers arrive at Constance's home to show her the gruesome photos of Travis’ death, labeled in the media as the “Boy Dahlia,” while Constance insists she has no idea why someone would do this, or even dislike Travis.  Meanwhile, a truant officer arrives at Ben’s door as the homeowner speaks on the phone about getting the rubber man suit tested for DNA.  The truant officer fills Ben in that Violet hasn’t been to school in 16 days, pointing out a bow fly infestation in the process.  He informs Ben that if Violet keeps failing to show up, the matter will go to juvenile court.

Ben goes upstairs to talk to a reluctant Violet about her attendance, and apologize both for being a lousy father in months prior, and the horrible things their family has endured.  He reminds her that with her intelligence, she could attend any college of her choosing, and the two agree to meet each other halfway.  Ben will work to find her a better school, but she has to agree to go.

At his apartment, Larry Harvey prepares himself supper as Constance knocks at the door, distressed over her existing grief and Travis’ murder.  She quickly changes her tone and holds a knife to Larry’s throat, believing him to have committed the murder out of jealousy.  He confesses that he only moved the body, Travis likely having angered one of the other house ghosts into killing him.  Realizing Travis’ spirit must still be in the house, Constance rushes off to find him, downplaying having ever loved Larry in the process.

Violet eyes herself in the mirror and prepares to leave the house, only to be intercepted  by Tate, who begs her to spend the day with him, noting that the school wouldn’t miss her one more day.  Meanwhile, Constance returns to her own front door to find officers Granger and Barrios waiting with more questions.  Before she can turn them away, the detectives inform her of a Korean deli owner who noted their frequent fights, and an accidental drop of the knife from her purse confirm the officers’ suspicions!

At the house, an exterminator examines Ben’s bow fly infestation, and notes that he’ll have to get into the crawlspace itself before any estimates can be given, which Ben groans will cost more money he doesn’t have.  Down at the police station, Constance answers more questions from the detectives about the past tragedies she’s been associated with, including Beau, Tate, her ex-husband Hugo, and Moira.  The officers inform her that despite her pleas of ignorance (intercut with flashbacks of her burying Moira’s body and feeding Hugo’s remains to her dogs), The DA’s officer nearly charged Constance with the murders.  Constance’s new lawyer arrives, and informs her that the media has sensationalized the “Boy Dahlia” case, meaning the police are likely to pin it on her.

Ben’s exterminator travels down into the crawlspace to look for the source of the infestation, before stumbling upon a sight that recoils him in shock!  At that moment, Tate appears, and poisons the man with his own supply!  Downstairs, Ben talks with a boarding school about accepting Violet, when a quick vision of Tate’s reflection startles him.  As Violet waits for Tate upstairs, he arrives to deliver the news that Ben intends to separate them.  He vows never to let that happen, and goes downstairs…to don the Rubber Man outfit.

Larry rummages through some loose bricks in the basement for evidence of Travis’ murder, when the apparition of the man himself arrives asking about the coverage his death received in the paper.  Along the way, Larry discovers that Travis is holding a tea party with his young, fire-ravaged daughters, the “smoldering children,” as they were.  As Larry smiles, he then sees a vision of his burnt wife, who clarifies that he hadn’t seen them prior because he wasn’t ready.  She reminds him however that if he’s truly sorry for his actions, he must prove it, not by sending Constance to jail, but by answering for his own misdeeds.

After Ben showers, he fends off attack from Tate as Rubber Man, demanding the figure remove his mask and identify himself.  After a difficult struggle, Tate manages to chloroform Ben, but not before the mask comes off to reveal his identity to the disoriented homeowner.  Next door, Constance’s lawyer arrives to inform her that new evidence in the Travis case has surfaced, meaning she’s likely to be charged.

Tate rushes back upstairs to tell Violet that they only have so long, and the only way to truly stay together is for them both to commit suicide by ingesting pills.  She feigns agreement initially, before rushing downstairs screaming for her father that Tate wants to kill her.  With Ben unconscious, Violet rushes out of the house and screams for help, though it seams only a passing dog hears her.  When she unlocks the gate, she bounds off the property, only to find herself back in the house.  She continues attempting to leave, only to wind up back in the house in an endless loop.  When Tate confronts her she insists she doesn’t want to die, but Tate dreadfully corrects her, “it’s too late for that!”

Still confused by what’s happening, Tate calmly insists on showing Violet something.  He takes her to the basement and together they climb into the crawlspace, where Tate assures her things will be okay, but regrettably shows her a disturbing sight:  her own decaying corpse!  As it turns out, Violet actually died when she attempted to overdose on pills during the events of "Piggy Piggy," and despite Tate’s efforts, only coughed up some of them.  He was saddened by what happened, and thought that if he convinced her to commit suicide, she wouldn’t have to learn the horrible truth that she already had.

Meanwhile at the police station, Constance learns that Larry has apparently confessed to Travis’ murder all by his lonesome, but she denies having any idea why he might have done it.

Back at the house, Violet comes to grips with her new situation, noting that she’d ironically been trying to protect Tate from news of his own death.  Realizing that neither have any memory of their own deaths, Tate assures Violet that her new reality will be much as it has been, the two of them together.

Constance visits Larry to talk through the prison glass, out of his request to see her one last time before being transferred to an Illinois prison.  Though Constance seems to have no interest in asking why he confessed to the murder, he explains that he needs to pay of his crimes, all of them.  He’ll happily die in prison, so long as she once tells him she loves him.  Without words, she hangs up the phone, and walks away.

Cold.

Did American Horror Story shock you with the reveal of Violet's death?   What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story on FX!

American Horror Story 1.10 "Smoldering Children" Recap

American Horror Story dips into the real-world past with "Spooky Little Girl," we learn the American Horror Story re-telling of the Black Dahlia, as Ben (Dylan McDermott) realizes his wife Vivien (Connie Britton)  may have been telling the truth before being institutionalized, and Constance learns the truth behind Vivien's unborn twins.   In case you missed out on last week's "Rubber Man," we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying episode!

Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch tonight's action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Spooky Little Girl”!

In 1947, a taxi pulls up to our favorite house, and out steps a young woman draped in all black and all smiles, with a dahlia in her hair, named Elizabeth Short (Mena Suvari).  She arrives seeking Dr. David Curan, a dentist, but confesses she has no money for any of the treatments, only that she’d heard he accepts “other” methods of payment.  He begrudgingly agrees, and slips a gas mask on her.  Sometime later, a woman strolls a nearby park with her young daughter, only to stumble upon Elizabeth’s body, cut in two and given a Glasgow smile!

Back in good old 2011, the younger incarnation of Moira (Alexa Breckinridge) makes a bed, as Ben enters asking her to make a sandwich for Violet.  Moira of course takes every opportunity to seduce the psychiatrist with a committed wife, but he sternly refuses, despite her taunts.  Next door, Constance drunkenly paints as her young boyfriend Travis enters, having walked her dogs.  She berates his manhood and career in her state, and sends the boy out for more cigarettes, when the ghostly Hayden (Kate Mara) greets and seduces him on his way.  When he assures her he won’t tell Constance, she invites him to, claiming she’ll be moving into the house soon as Ben’s new love, and only slept with him to see if she could seduce someone living.

The next day, Hayden’s sister and a police officer arrive at the home, enough time having passed for Hayden to be considered a missing person.  They know of Hayden’s pregnancy, and her visit to Ben in California but as Ben denies knowledge of her whereabouts Hayden herself appears, assuring her sister and the police of her good health!  Once alone with Ben, Hayden apologizes and insists she deserves whatever anger he can throw at her, and that she indeed went through with her abortion.

The Black Dahlia herself, Elizabeth Short appears to schedule therapy with Ben, believing something terrible will happen to her for her wicked ways of seducing men for a big break, but confesses once more she can’t pay for treatment.  She offers herself to Ben, but while tempted he rejects her advances.  A buzzing phone interrupts their meeting, as hospital examinations of Vivien have revealed that one of the unborn twins shares a different father from Ben, a rare medical phenomenon.

The older Moira cleans, when Constance arrives to accuse Violet of sleeping with her boyfriend Travis, but Moira says Violet only has eyes for Tate, who she knows to be the father of one of Vivien’s unborn twins!  Distraught, Constance finds Tate in the basement, and slaps her child silly when he confirms the truth that he’d slept with the wife of a man who could finally help him with his issues.  What could this mean?

Upstairs, Ben walks in on the young Moira fooling around with Elizabeth Short, who invites him to join.  He once again refuses, telling Elizabeth to leave and Moira she’s fired.  When Elizabeth laments their plan not working, Hayden appears to tell her she’s being used, and amidst her tearful desires for fame Hayden informs the wayward spirit of her fame as the Black Dahlia.  Once the doctor put her under in 1947, he had his way with her, and failed to revive her from the gas.  Panicked, he took the body downstairs, where the ghost of Dr. Charles Montgomery appeared, and elected to slice up the body and give her a Glasgow smile to avoid looking sad.  In the present, Elizabeth realizes she “really did become somebody.”

Ben goes to visit Vivien in the hospital, in restraints for having attacked an orderly.  Once alone, Ben taunts his poor wife that he’ll never help her out of the hospital given the lies and betrayal he believes her to have put on the family.  Flashing back to some years earlier, Ben remembers one of his first nights out drinking with Hayden, and their very first flirtations.  As he remembers from his backyard gazebo, Hayden appears once more, and Ben apologizes for using her in a dark time.  However, despite her belief that their love was written in the stars, Ben insists he doesn’t and never did love Hayden.  She steals one last kiss by asking for a hug, and leaves Ben with the knowledge that she saw security guard Luke (Morris Chestnut) leaving the house early one morning.

Travis comes to visit Constance, and she profusely apologizes for her earlier behavior.  She then reveals her desire to marry her young suitor and even bring a child into their home, though Travis insists he isn’t ready.  Constance changes her tone to insult the man’s Hollywood dreams, and even warns that the last man to strike her came to an unpleasant end.  Travis seeks comfort in Hayden once more, equally in need of some satisfaction, until his talk of going back to Constance angers her, and Hayden violently stabs Travis to death!  Travis’ spirit quickly appears over his own body, along with Elizabeth and Dr. Montgomery, but rather than pin the murder on Ben, Hayden has Montgomery dismember the body, and enilists Larry Harvey (Denis O'Hare) to transport the body to be found in public.

Constance visits Vivien in her cell, assuring that she believes and intends to be there for the institutionalized woman, while Vivien notes her rapidly growing fetuses and ravenous appetite.  Vivien quickly presses Constance to leaves her alone, confessing she believes herself to have been raped, but insists Constance keep that silent to save her credibility, and earn her release.  Back home, Ben uses a false alarm to call Luke to the scene, who flatly denies having had an affair with Vivien, and also confesses to “shooting blanks.”

Shaken, Ben realizes he may have falsely doubted his wife, and while examining the Rubber Man suit, Moira makes further advances.  He presses her for details of what she’s seen with Vivien around the house, and admits he’s made a mistake in doubting her attack.  She congratulates Ben for starting to see things as they are, and reverts to her Old Moira visage as she leaves him in stunned silence.

Constance’s medium Billie Dean meets with her once more to answer questions of what might happen if a spirit impregnated a living woman.  Billie refers her to the story of the “Pox,” or Pope’s box, where every new pope is given the key to a box containing a secret, revealing the precise nature of the Antichrist.  A child conceived of human and spirit is the essence of evil, a perversion of the immaculate conception.  And if the devil uses a human womb for his spawn, he’s gonna want some bang for his buck.

Will American Horror Story really bring about the end of the world?   What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story on FX!

American Horror Story 1.09 "Spooky Little Girl" Recap

American Horror Story reveals the terrifying truth with episode 8 "Rubber Man," as we finally learn the identity of the ominous latex-suited spirit skulking about the murder house, while Vivien (Connie Britton) begins cracking under the pressure the house's ghosts place upon her, and we learn more of the relationship between former house owners Chad Warwick (Zachary Quinto) and Pat (Teddy Sears).  In case you missed out on last week's "Open House," we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying episode!

Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch tonight's action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Rubber Man”!

Six months ago, our mysterious Rubber Man walks down the house’s hallways as Marcy (Christine Estabrook) oversees the movers bringing in the Harmons’ furniture outside.  The ghost of Nora Montgomery (Lily Rabe) cries about all the renovations and new furniture, noting how she no longer recognizes anything, and a hand reaches out to her shoulder offering comfort, but she only asks for her missing baby.  The figure rushes outside, and grabs the discarded Rubber Man suit from the trash as we flash back to the scene from the pilot of Rubber Man and Vivien having sex, while Ben looks on downstairs in a daze.  After their encounter, Rubber Man retreats to the bathroom wherein he removes his mask to reveal…Tate Langdon!

Back in the present, Vivien tries to convince both Moira and Marcy that she’s seen the apparent ghost of Nora Montgomery within the house, though Marcy refuses to believe and leaves to continue pursuing check from Mr. Escandarian (yup, THAT one from last week’s “Open House”).  Moira does her best to reassure Vivien that she isn’t going crazy.

An unspecified period of time earlier, a still-living Chad Warwick (Zachary Quinto) confers with a friend over lunch that he believes his partner Pat to be cheating and renegging on their plans for a child, having found a conversation with Pat’s online BDSM partner on his computer.  The friend assures him that if he wants to keep his man, he should “gear up” and look into what his partner evidently likes.  Chad tepidly visits a bondage shop, and when the owner senses his trepidation at the harder stuff, he points him toward the now familiar latex body suit.

Chad attempts to surprise Pat at home by wearing the suit, but to no avail, as Pat has grown tired of their sex no matter what, and come to hate Chad for his obsessions with decorating the house.  Chad angrily throws his partner out, as Pat reminds him that they likely won’t be able to keep the house much longer anyway given their financial state.  “And for the record, I like leather, not latex.”  Burn.

In the present, Nora continues her crying streak until the ghost of Hayden (Kate Mara) appears to express her annoyance at the grieving woman’s weeping.  While Nora doesn’t understand at first, Hayden explains that the two, like many others, are dead spirits inexplicably trapped within the house, some innocent, and some (like Moira) “in on the game."  Hayden explains that they do have a power while they reside within the house, and the both hatch a plot to each reclaim the babies lost to them by each taking one of Vivien’s unborn twins.  After all, Vivien can’t raise her children from an insane asylum.

That night, their mental assault on Vivien begins, as the woman begins hearing noises throughout the house, and comes upon Beau’s red ball.  Soon lamps, books and vases all start falling off their perches, lights flicker with flashes of Hayden, and even a giant bookcase flies across the wall trapping Vivien in the bathroom, where she finds Rubber Man’s mask in the sink!

Back in flashback, Tate puts on the Rubber Man mask, and we resume the scene from “Halloween, Part 1” wherein he brutally drowns Chad in his bobbing apples, and immediately after beats Pat near to death, even (offscreen) shoving a fireplace poker up his…ouch!  Nora’s spirit finds Pat's body downstairs, and Tate reveals that he killed them for reneging on their decision to have a baby, thus with the couple dead a new family would move in and hopefully produce a child.

In the present basement, Violet rolls the ball to an off-screen Beau, as Ben finds his daughter  and brings her upstairs to talk about how she’s been missing school.  Violet only fires back that she doesn’t like it, fakes bullying, and that her father is to blame for Vivien slowly going crazy, with his cold behavior and infidelity.  Curiously, she refers to Moira as “Old Lady Feather Duster” the first real indication Ben has that Moira isn’t what she seems.

Upstairs, Moira makes tea for a still-rattled Vivien, who believes her hallucinations to be the result of her doctor’s nausea medicine.  Moira attempts to level with her employer by insinuating that all men attempt to drive women crazy, that the house is possessed by malevolent spirits, and she and Violet should flee as soon as possible!  Taking the words to heart, Vivien wakes Violet to pack her things and leave the house that very moment, but once outside the spirits of the criminals from “Home Invasion” appear in the car’s backseat!

Sometime later, Ben has arrived at the house and scolds Vivien for trying to take his children across state lines for any reason, the police having found no evidence of the supposed home invaders’ presence.  Vivien refutes his efforts to psychoanalyze her, to which he changes the subject to his wife’s apparent consumption of brains!

Upstairs, Violet and Tate have apparently had their first time together, and Tate insists that she not tell her mother the truth about the spirits inside the house, as it will only serve to separate the young lovers.  When Ben calls her down to corroborate her mother’s story and refute Vivien’s theory of Ben and Hayden setting her up, Violet lies and claims she only told the cops what she thought her mother wanted her to hear, having not seen anything.  Ben defiantly asserts that he’s staying in the house that night.

Downstairs, the spirit of Hayden chides Tate’s lack of manhood, and he refuses her ghostly advances by leaving to do what “you know you have to do."  Meanwhile, Vivien frantically calls Marcy over, and feigns illness to get the realtor out of the room so Vivien can steal the gun from her purse!  Later that night Vivien makes inspections about her bedroom before finally settling down, but soon the creaks, shadows, and a quick  encounter with Rubber Man send her screaming and pushing the security button.  When Ben enters the room to see what the panic is, Vivien shoots him in the midsection!

Ben survives the light gunshot wound rather easily as police fill the house, and security guard Luke arrives demanding to see Vivien, whom Ben has given a valium to.  Not trusting Ben’s story, Luke informs the police of Ben’s currently not living there, and his former mistress with a criminal record.  Upstairs, Hayden wakes Vivien from her valium haze, and the two women argue about Ben before Hayden smashes the security button, reveals her ghostly presence, and desire for Vivien’s babies.  When Vivien calls Hayden sick, she unleashes the babies’ real father, a rubber suited Tate, to throw Vivien off the bed and “go for round two!”

As the latex-suited Tate looms over her, Vivien suddenly snaps out of it to find Ben atop her, with Luke standing nearby, trying to calm her fit.  Vivien adamantly claims that the “rapist in a rubber suit” must be nearby along with Hayden, having been present moments before.  Neither Luke nor Ben see any threat, and as Violet leads police into the room, Ben confesses that he had to do it, it being having Vivien taken away for psychiatric evaluation.

Ben and Violet watch as the police take Vivien away, and Ben assures Violet that she did the best she could do by telling the truth.  As Ben steps outside, a de-suited Tate appears to comfort his teenage love.  Back to the past however, we see Tate dragging Chad Warwick’s down to the basement, where Chad sputters back to life.

Moira appears to advise Tate that both men have families that will come looking, and offers him a gun to stage the scene.  A weary Chad looks on as Tate shoots Pat’s body in the chest, before positioning the gun in Chad’s hand against his chest, and firing.

Retreating up the stairs, Tate muses “It's kinda romantic, isn't it?  Now they’ll be together forever.”

Will American Horror Story be able to keep up the scares now that we know the identity of "Rubber Man?" What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story on FX!

American Horror Story 1.08 "Rubber Man" Recap

American Horror Story concludes its epic two-part scare-fest with its fifth episode "Halloween, Part 2" on FX tonight, and even if you missed out, we've got all the ghostly twists and turns to hold you over until the next terrifying episode!  Of course, if you’re too frightened to watch the action for yourself, read on for our American Horror Story recap of "Halloween, Part 2”!

Technically we open once more in flashback, returning to the scene of Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare) banging on the door as young Violet (Taissa Farmiga) nervously calls her parents for help, and the mysterious Rubber Man looms over her shoulder.  However, Larry leaves in frustration and Vi retreats to her room, where the appearance of Tate (Evan Peters) throwing rocks at the window saves her from the hand reaching out from under the bed!   He offers her a black rose, and that the two finally go on their date.

As Ben and Vivien arrive home with Violet nowhere to be found, and Ben once again closes the door in a seemingly resurrected Hayden (Kate Mara)’s face.  This time however, Violet calls her mother to let her know she’s safely at the beach with Tate, and while Ben grabs a knife to confront Hayden, Vivien decides to take a bath and reserve the conversation of when Ben will move out of the house.  Ben however, insists he’s never giving up on the family.

Ben searching around the house, Larry emerges once more asking for his money, but Ben clocks him with a shovel and demands to know if Hayden and he are attempting to blackmail the family.  Seems Ben doesn’t quite realize Hayden’s a ghost, and threatens to kill Larry if the two keep it up!  Meanwhile, the alarm system security officer Luke (Morris Chestnut) arrives on the property, and Viv brushes the alarm off as an accidental trigger from Violet on her way out.

Speaking of Violet, she and Tate make out on the beach, with Violet ready to go all the way, but Tate says he can’t.  She tries to leave in embarrassment, but Tate convinces her to stay with a story of how he would come to the beach whenever high school got too tough.  Almost as if on cue,  four high school types in some fairly realistic wound makeup appear to harass the young couple, chiding Tate for even showing his face, though he doesn’t recognize any of the group.

As Vivien draws a bath, Hayden returns her call and ignores Vivien’s sensible attempt to convince the young girl Ben could never really run away with her, but Hayden insists Vivien should ask Ben about what happened in Boston.  After hanging up, Viv turns around to find the message “ASK HIM” written on the mirror!

Ben refuses to call the police, and instead grabs a knife and finds a rotting and dirtied Hayden in the basement, angry and confused about whats happening to her.  Larry appears to knock out Ben with a shovel and apologize for what he did to Hayden, offering to burn down the house as she tells Vivien the truth about what happened.

Upstairs Vivien finds Chad Warwick (Zachary Quinto) smashing the Halloween decorations in the yard, still upset about their argument earlier, when Violet and Tate realize that the high school folk have followed them all the way back to the house!  As Vivien searches the house for Hayden and fears their poor dog may have been blown up in the microwave, Violet talks to the teens outside who insist she should know what happened to them.  Tate finally confronts his accusers, and decides to draw them off by running away!  But before Violet makes it back into the house, Constance appears to take the youth home with her!

With the dog revealed to be alive, Hayden finally confronts Vivien in the bedroom to tell her of her own pregnancy.  However, Hayden realizes that Vivien herself is pregnant, comes to the realization that Ben didn’t need their child, and thus resolves to pick up a glass shard and cut the baby out of Vivien!  Newly freed by the house's ghostly original matriarch, Ben arrives to break up the scuffle, revealing to Vivien that he had slept with Hayden more recently than he’d said.  Luke the security guard shows up once more, ending the nightmarish conflict once and for all.

Constance and Violet share a cup of tea and lament Addie’s death, before Constance reveals that Tate is actually her son, but Violet shouldn’t tell him about Addie given the way he reacts to things and experiences emotions.  Tate has his own problems at the beach, however, as the four teens catch up and demand an explanation for their deaths, revealing that years earlier Tate had actually gunned them down at school.  Despite a few flashes, Tate still denies the event, and the four ghosts walk off bitterly into the night

The next morning all the house’s ghosts return home, Moira and Chad sharing a quick conversation about how they’ll never be able to leave this plane behind.  Meanwhile, Hayden rides in the back of the security officer Luke’s car, questioned why she would commit such evil acts, like putting tomatoes in the microwave to simulate the dog.  Despondently believing Ben to be the love of her life, Hayden simply vanishes before Luke can lead her out of the car into jail.

Back at home, Ben packs and pauses to examine the fractured remains of the family portrait.  He silently walks into the kitchen to kiss Vivien

How will they find a way to continue on to next week, let alone season 2?  What did you think about the episode? Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story on FX!

American Horror Story 1.05 "Halloween, Part 2" Recap

What do you get when you mix the 2008 horror flick The Strangers, a Charles Manson like cult, and the Jodie Foster classic film Panic Room all together? Tonight's episode of American Horror Story.

The mesh of information unleashed tonight has created a slew of new theories about the House, the Harmons, and the people who have occupied the Harmons' lives since heading to L.A. Let's start with the latter group of usual suspects.

Tate, Constance and Moira Are Working Together... But Why? And For Whom/What?

Every since the basement scene with Tate, Violet, and the coke girl in the pilot, I've pegged Ben's psychotic patient to be an additional manifestation of the House. I know to make that assumption is hard given that Ben has talked to Tate's mother over the phone, but it wouldn't surprise me if Tate's mother was also another trick the House could be playing on Ben. The only other explanation for Tate's connection to the House would be if he was a 'victim' of the House's madness and has become a slave to its power. A willing slave, but a slave nonetheless.

Constance and Moira's history goes back a good penny, especially given that Constance 'allegedly' killed Moira some years ago. Now the real question is if both ladies were ever residents of the House itself and if they, too, became victims in a way to the point that they are constantly drawn to the House and its inhabitants. Seems like next week will give us a clear vision of their history, but I'm sure it won't be as in-depth as we are hoping for.

Bottom line: these three are in cahoots with each other in order to help the House with its plans for the Harmons. However, the House doesn't have much time given Vivian's request to sell the house at the end of the night.

Baby Boom

After Vivien discovered she was pregnant last week (unknowingly by a demon, no less), Ben got some shocking baby news himself. His ex-mistress is pregnant and wants to get it aborted. We also found out that the girl is an unstable mess and possibly a danger to society as a whole. In other words, we haven't seen the last of Hayden yet...

As for Vivien, the mom-to-be had to deal with a bit of animosity from Violet, who was more upset about the baby being used as a false hope of mending the family than the baby itself. Then there is the business about something possibly being wrong with the baby, which we as an audience already know is a solidified fact. This baby will be causing a lot more problems to come, that is if it survived the manhandling of the wannabe Strangers on tonight's episode of American Horror Story.

The Strangers Redux

The most creepy thing about tonight's American Horror Story had to be the 1968 flashback, which featured a double murder inside the House by a serial killer named Franklin. It's weird that the realtor failed to mention this murder and that no one else brought it up, but you do what you got to do to sell a house right?

The Franklin murders spurred a cult of three who basically watched The Strangers a few too many times (while high on the finest product on the market) and actually thought they would have a similar ending as their idols on TV by re-creating the murders in 1968. Too bad they didn't take into account a tough as nails mother, a head-butting daughter, and a haunted house hell-bent on protecting its prey. Basically, they screwed up royally...

Other Thoughts

Constance basically makes Joan Crawford look like the Mother of the Year. From poisoning cupcakes to locking Addy in closet filled with mirrors, this southern belle is clearly off her rocker and cannot be trusted with her southern hospitality. Wonder what drove Constance to her madness? The House? Or something more sinister?

Why did Ben go back to Boston if Hayden was going to abort the baby? Did he have to be there legally? If not then Ben has seriously stepped in something seriously funky...

Well that's all I have now for tonight's American Horror Story. What did you think?

American Horror Story: When Home Invasions Go Horribly Wrong...

American Horror Story premiered its second episode “Home Invasion” on FX tonight, and if you’re anything like us you watched with the lights off and a full bucket of popcorn for all the creepy scares!  And if you’re too frightened to watch the action, read on for our American Horror Story recap of “Home Invasion!”

Way back in 1968, two young nurses Maria and Gladys experience an American Horror Story of their own when they find themselves conned by an apparently injured man, seeing blood on his forehead they allow him inside the house.  Once his ruse is uncovered, the man quickly knocks young Maria out, and drags her more portly roommate upstairs.  Once Maria comes to, the man forces her to put on a traditional nurses’ outfit, mocks her beliefs in Jesus, hogties her, and ultimately stabs her repeatedly through the back!  Now that’s just being bad company.

Back in good old 2011, Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) continues his sessions with the ever-creepy Tate Langdon (Evan Peters), who makes suggestive comments about young Violet Harmon (Taissa Farmiga) and winds up ending the session prematurely.  Poor Tate just wanted his masturbation to end the horrible visions he experiences!  But that’s not all!  Ben gets a call from his former student/mistress Hayden (Kate Mara) back in Boston, who drops the bombshell that she’s pregnant!

Later that night, Tate makes good on his desires toward Violet, watching her sleep as suddenly the house’s security alarms activate, and both Ben and Vivien (Connie Britton) inspect the house for intruders.  No one catches on to Tate, but Ben does breathe a sigh of relief when the apparent source of the alarm appears to be Addy (Jamie Brewer), having once again wandered into their home.  Despite the apparent threat subsiding, Vivien confides to Ben that she believes something to be wrong with the child they conceived last week.

The next day, Ben has a session with an unsettling young Bianca (Mageina Tovah) with dreams of being halved in an elevator, though she seems far more interested in the house’s reputation as a “murder house,” and even lingers after the session to mysteriously tour the premises.  Ben goes for a jog to put the thoughts of Tate, Bianca, and his pregnant mistress Hayden out of his mind, but a quick chat with disfigured former owner Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare) convinces him to lie to Vivien, and create an excuse to return to Boston and see Hayden (Kate Mara).

Constance (Jessica Lange) drops by with some fresh cupcakes for Violet (baked with yummy ipecac and spit), literally sniffs out Vivien’s pregnancy and assures her of the baby’s health, drifting off into thoughts of her own past children, who may have died of “other maladies” than Addy’s Down Syndrome.  Ben heads to Boston to meet with former student Hayden, who claims only to need him until the abortion.  Vivien tries to bond with Violent while Ben’s across the country, but faces a cold reception.  But who needs mother-daughter sharing, when bloodied young Fiona (Azura Skye) arrives at their front door with a very familiar-sounding excuse to enter the house?

Too late!  A young man (Michael Graziadei), Fiona, and Ben’s patient Bianca have already sprung their home invasion and swiped all the cell phones, apparently intent on re-creating “our Franklin’s” 1968 murder, note for note.  After choosing Violet to be “Gladys” and Vivien to be “Maria,” Violet briefly breaks free, and Tate appears telling her to lead the killers into the basement so he can take care of them.  Even Addy appears in the house and runs to Constance to fetch help, but interrupting her mother’s “business meeting” with a younger boytoy gets her locked in the “Bad Girl Closet!”  Gasp, mirrors!

Taken upstairs to re-enact the bathtub murder, Violet manages to convince Fiona that the authentic tub from that night lies in the basement, while Bianca chows down on the ipecac-laced cupcake.  As Bianca begins puking her guts out, Tate appears and swings an axe into her mid-section!  Take that, elevator bisection nightmares!  Meanwhile, Violet leads Fiona into the basement, where Tate already lies in wait with a full bathtub, and Gladys’ ghost!  Upstairs, Vivien breaks free of her tormentor Travis and flees with Violet, while he stumbles downstairs into the basement to be taken care of by ghostly Maria and Gladys!  In the aftermath, Tate, Constance and Moira gather to observe the three bodies, and creepily resolve to dispose of them so Ben will continue treating Tate…

"I have an idea.  Has anyone seen Breaking Bad?"                                 -FX

The next day, the police take statements from Vivien and Ben, who’s returned from Hayden’s abortion.  Violet can’t answer the question of why Tate was in the house, but gives her father the cold shoulder for not being present in their hour of distress.  And while Vivien finally receives her daughter’s respect, she defiantly asserts to Ben they must sell the house…

Scared yet?  Join us next week for an all-new episode of American Horror Story on FX!

American Horror Story 1.02 "Home Invasion" Recap

With weeks of steady promotion and an even steadier growth of anticipation and interest, FX will finally open the doors to its new drama American Horror Story, the network's new horror drama from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the co-creators of Glee. Murphy is also responsible for FX's other classic, and equally disturbing, cult hit Nip/Tuck.

American Horror Story centers around a family, The Harmons, who slowly discovers that there is something quite off about their new humble abode. While that description is as basic as they come in terms of the the standard haunted house premise, American Horror Story takes those established tropes and builds an idiosyncratic experience that sticks out from the scattered haunted house films released as of late. It's a bit over-the-top at times, but what can you expect from any haunted house story known to man?

The "victims" within American Horror Story's realm of terror include psychiatrist Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott), his wife Vivian (Connie Britton), and daughter VIolet (Taissa Farmiga), who move to Los Angeles to start a new chapter in their life after the previous one ended in a shattered mess that they have yet to recover from. Unlike the Lutz Family of The Amityville Horror or The Freelings of Poltergeist, the Harmons of American Horror Story each enter their paranormal situation with a lot of personal baggage in tow, which is like licorice for their new home to feed off of. Ben and Vivian have marital problems that stem from a stillborn child and their separate ways of handling the loss. Vivian mourns the loss, while Ben turns to infidelity. Violet, on the other hand, could be the live action version of MTV's Daria Morgendorffer, complete with a 90s wardrobe and (rightfully) condescending attitude towards today's society. The only difference is what Violet resorts to in handling her family's dysfunction, which isn't too shocking, but fits another depressed teen of the 90s motif.

The Harmons are not the only people in the cast affected by the house's horrific grasp. Nosy neighbor Constance, portrayed superbly by Jessica Lange in her first regular TV role, has some connections to the house, as does her daughter Addy, who has Down's Syndrome and will walk into the Harmons' new home unannounced to warn them of their impending deaths. Lange's Constance will surely be added to Murphy and Falchuk's scene stealing divas behind Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester on Glee and Famke Jensen's stint as Ava on Nip/Tuck. Her lines are as cut-throat as her delivery and will leave some people stunned while catching their breaths from laughing. Lange knows this is a Murphy/Falchuk production and doesn't disappoint in delivering the duos trademark wit to the point that it is safe to say that American Horror Story's breakout character will most definitely be Constance.

Other people troubled by the house (and themselves) include Tate Langdon (Evan Peters), a patient of Ben's and a secret confidant of Violet's. Tate's deranged take on the world will worry some people, most notably groups like the PTC (ugh), but this is where the "horror" of American Horror Story delves from the conventional haunted house story into one that trumps anything scary about blood seeping through the walls. Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Alex Breckinridge (True Blood) both star as the housekeeper Moira, whose role in the grand scheme of things will have some viewers puzzled while others will chuckle in disbelief.

Finally there is Larry, a former resident/victim of the Harmons' new home whose body is severely burned due to the house's influence on him. His story didn't end well for him and he's now warning Ben to not follow in his footsteps to avoid a similar, or worse, fate.

American Horror Story has to worry about two things, numero uno being the polarizing effect it will have on audiences. Some critics are already considering the show an 'over-the-top' train wreck, but some of those same critics have already stamped Glee, Murphy's other smash hit, with the same stamp of disapproval. After three shows (Popular, Nip/Tuck, and Glee), the words "over-the-top" shouldn't be used as a shot against Ryan Murphy (and Brad Falchuk). At this point, it shouldn't necessarily be embraced as much as it should be expected. The other aspect the show has to worry about is trying to maintain the mystery, as well as the conventional side of the story, because seriously, who would share a house with a horny (literally and figuratively) "rubber man" and deadly ghosts of residents past?

As the title of this article states, American Horror Story is most definitely not your grandfather's haunted house campfire tale. In fact, your grandfather would possibly have a heart attack from the psychosexual angle of the show rather than the sight of a bloody ghost or two. American Horror Story is not for everyone, but I wouldn't have it any other way. A

Review: American Horror Story - Not Your Grandfather's Haunted House Tale...

You know the part in a horror movie where the main character says something and it's obvious that the complete opposite is about to happen?

That type of foreshadowing happens in the newest promo for FX's upcoming American Horror Story, where Harmon family patriarch Ben (Dylan McDermott) tells wife Vivien (Connie Britton) that buying their mysterious new house was the "exact right thing to do". A split second later, we're immediately thrust into the weirdness that the Harmon's new house has wrought; there's a clearer view of the (scarred) twins from "Creature", an ominous young woman giving the family a warning, and another appearance by the mysterious man in black. Throw in a little blood, some fire, and an unsettling recording of children singing and it seems that buying their new house wasn't the exact right thing to do.

Despite how spooky "Take It" is, it's one of the more straightforward promos of the show yet, as you get to hear Jessica Lange's character for the first time, see the world outside of the Harmon residence, and witness appearances by a cavalcade of recurring characters. It's less visceral than past promos, but there's still an eerie, unsettling feeling that comes from just mere glimpses of the Harmon family horror.

I mean, if this is only a promo, imagine how intense the show must be.

I can't wait.

What have you thought about American Horror Story's promos so far? Does "Take It" fill in any gaps you may have had about the show in terms of plot?

American Horror Story Promo: Take It

It's still over a month before we get to see FX's American Horror Story, a psycho-sexual thriller with homages to 60s and 70s horror movies, but the promo keeps coming in in anticipation of it premiere. After starting off with a series of almost photographic ads that offered a mere glimpse into the world created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the last two promos, "Family Portrait" and recently released "Creators", have delved into the proceedings a bit more.

"Creators" continues with the trend of creepy music, ominous narration, and startling imagery that have been seen in previous ads for the show. It seems that the Harmon family may have bitten off more than they can chew with their latest family purchase, as "Creators" features randomly appearing twin boys, a seductive maid tempting patriarch Ben (Dylan McDermott), knives, baseball bats, and that darn latex-covered man making his presence well-known. In short, the ad is extremely effective, simultaneously unsettling and fascinating with its eerie atmosphere.

American Horror Story stars Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott as a couple who, when faced with marital problems, move their family to start life anew. What they get, however, is a house that will start exerting its influence on them sooner than they realize. It also features Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, and Denis O'Hare.

If you haven't gotten to check out the previous advertisements for American Horror Story (or simply want to relive the horror), check out the show's Youtube account and keep a look out for the premiere on Wednesday, October 5th at 10:00.

What do you think about "Creators"? Have the show's unusual ads made you more (or less) excited to catch the premiere?

New American Horror Story Promo: Creators

Those who are still feeling the effects of Friday Night Lights gracefully ending its run last week shouldn't be feeling too sad, as Mrs. Coach will be back on our TV screens next season, y'all.

According to Deadline, FX has picked up American Horror Story, a "psychosexual thriller" from the minds of Glee creators Ryan Muprhy and Brad Falchuk. Starring Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott as a married couple dealing with infidelity and, later, a haunted house of sorts, the show will have a 13 episode first season and will likely be debuting sometime in October. (It becomes the second supernatural/horror series to debut in October,as The Walking Dead will begin its second season during the same month.)

While the show hasn't even started filming its season yet, I have to admit that I'm more than a little excited to see American Horror Story.  It sounds like it'll be a cerebral, sexy, scary venture into world of horror that could make for captivating television, a wild ride through the psyches of this poor, unsuspecting family. With a strong cast featuring the likes of Jessica Lange, Alexandra Breckenridge, and Frances Conroy and inspiration from classic horror movies (Rosemary's Baby, The Shining), American Horror Story could be a truly unique addition to the television landscape.

Will you be watching American Horror Story? Is this the kind of project Connie Britton should take on post-FNL? How do you think this will affect the upcoming season of Glee, with two of its creators focused on another show?

FX Picks Up American Horror Story Featuring Britton, McDermott

Dark Blue, the last bubble show at TNT that's been waiting for it's renewal for sometime now, has finally been given the nod to move it on to a second season.  The Jerry Bruckheimer produced, undercover police drama premiered this year with ten episodes and came out of the gate doing fairly well with approximately 3.5 million viewers.  However that number dissipated quickly and by the time the tenth episode aired it was only pulling in 1.6 million viewers.

I had personally liked the characters, led by Dylan McDermott, and the undercover idea for the series, but as the show continued I felt that they should have allowed a few of the plotlines to drag out over multiple episodes, rather than wrap up the entire undercover operations each episode.  However I still think this is a good show and deserves a chance at another season.

TNT has reported that the entire cast will return for the second season which will consist of 10 additional episodes and air most likely during the summer of 2010.

Source: Variety

'Dark Blue' Finally Gets Renewal Nod From TNT

Tonight TNT is launching a new series starring Dylan McDermott titled Dark Blue.  This Jerry Burkheimer produced series follows the lives of a team of ultra-undercover cops lead by Carter Shaw (Dylan McDermott).  The series is gritty, dark, and asks the question of just how far is acceptable for an undercover cop to go in order to put away some of the worst criminals imaginable.

Cop shows are kind of like medical shows in my book, which is to say that they're hardly ever worth watching.   They all pretty much follow the same model, and they all pretty much explore the same types of stories.  That doesn't mean there aren't some good cop shows that have been made over the years.  The Shield, The Wire, and even last season's newcomer, Southland all painted very engaging and realistic police drama situations.  In fact, one of my all time favorite cop shows was Wiseguy, another series that asked some of the same questions posed by Dark Blue, which is how far undercover can you go and still be one of the good guys?

The Pilot opens with a dark and violent scene of an undercover FBI agent being tortured.  The agent is dumped in an alleyway and left for dead.  The FBI surveilence tape shows one of Carter Shaw's men, Dean Bendis (Marshall-Green) dumping the body out of the truck, though the FBI doesn't know who he is at the time, nor do they even know what it is that Carter Shaw and his team do.  But the surveilance footage leads Shaw to wonder if his undercover agent has flipped sides or not.

So Shaw sends out one of his other agents, Ty Curtis (Hardwick), to find Bendis and determine which side he's playing for.  Ty is recently married and seems to be struggling with his double-life.  Next Shaw enlists a new agent, Jaimie Allen (Nicki Aycox), who's greatest skill is her ability to lie to people under pressure.  Together the three of them spend the rest of the episode trying to determine if Bendis is legit or not, and still ensure that the bad guy get's taken down.

The good news is that Dark Blue is just plain old fun and entertaining television.  The pilot was very satisfying to watch with compelling, well acted characters and edge of your seat drama.  The chemistry between Hardwick's Ty Curtis and Marshall-Greene's Dean Bendis was great and they played off of one another well.  Nicki Aycox was good in what little we saw of her in this episode, though more time is needed to flesh out her character's place in this story.  Finally, Dylan McDermott plays the part of the dark and mysteries loner-crime-fighter with grace and ease.  I love McDermott but had strong fears of whether he could pull this role off and play such a darker character.  He put those fears to rest in the first episode.

The bad news is that in addition to being dark and gritty, Dark Blue is also quite humorless and a little cliched.  Humorless isn't a bad thing for a police drama of this sort normally, but in this case Dark Blue stands out from the other series on TNT with a much more ominous overall tone and hardly enough to even crack half a smile at.  Personally, I felt like the lack of humor ramped up the anticipation and tension in the episode, but you can't help but worry if this series really fits in with the other shows that TNT has to offer.  It's also a little unclear to me what this show is trying to be, going forward.  If Dark Blue wants to be compared to The Shield or The Wire, then they need to work on things a bit more, and tone down the clicked cop stuff.  However, it seems more to me like Dark Blue is trying to carve out its own niche in the vast world of police procedurals.  They're certainly on the right track and will have me tuning in for more.

Dark Blue premieres on TNT on July 15 at 10/9 central.

Review: "Dark Blue" starring Dylan McDermott