American Horror Story - Edward Mordrake Part 1 - Review: "Gods and Monsters"

   Halloween is coming, and as usual, we got our two parts episode of American Horror Story. I have always been a huge fan of those special Halloween episodes.
  The first part of "Edward Mordrake" was excellent and very promising. The pace was actually a bit slow, but this year Freak Show is written this way. I have to adapt because American Horror Story is known and loved for its unexpected revelations, shocking deaths and disturbing sex scenes though a fast storytelling. "Edward Mordrake" was calmer than the two first episodes and it really made me want to see the part two right away. But we have to wait one week, so let's review what happened in the first part.

   We finally met Emma Roberts and Denis O'Hare characters, in the very first scene of the episode. I was surprised by them, especially by Roberts' hideous wig. I really thought Roberts's character would be a real fortune teller, so I was disappointed to learn that they were just looking for money. As the museum of morbidity was willing to pay a lot of money to get some freaks to expose, Stanley and Maggie decided to head up to Jupiter to get their hands on some of the Freaks. Exciting ! New enemies for Elsa and her friends. Like they needed enemy, they already have one (or more) inside.
   Last week we got a sense of Elsa's jealousy of the twins. It was confirmed this week. Maggie, fake fortuneteller (I'm still not over it), quickly understood Elsa's personality and played on her desire to be a star and made her believe her time was about to come and she will be the star. Poor Elsa, she believed her. Jessica Lange was so full of truth playing Elsa, her wet eyes and that light in them, it felt so real. I'm always amazed by her performance.
 Elsa was convinced she will be a star soon and expressed all of her jealousy to Bette and Dot, mostly to Dot actually. I'm really looking forward more confrontation between Dot and Elsa. I just hope AHS will be unexpected, I don't want Elsa to be miserable and old, and Dot to be dead while her sister is alone at the end of the season.

   The dream sequence and the scene in the bed were amazing, Sarah Paulson's work is impressive, every weeks, we're getting to know each twins a bit more, I noticed how Bette's voice is different from Dot now. She better get an Emmy next year.
   Dot revealed she to be free of her sister and to keep their body to herself, it was heart breaking when Bette said she'd miss her sister. Dot didn't share her feeling. They're really apart despite being in the same body.
   Elsa and Bette have a lot of in common, they both have a huge dream of being a star and they both have someone stealing it. I think Bette will succeed where Elsa has failed but in order to do that, she needs to get rid of Dot. And I don't her to go, she's so fun because she's cold and serious all the time. Bette already killed her mother, she's capable of killing anyone trying to get in her way to success. I really don't think the twins will be both alive at the end of the season.

   Bette isn't the only killer of the show, in "Edward Mordrake", we continued to follow Twisty and Dandy having fun. I really love the trio between Finn Wittrock, Patti Labelle and Frances Conroy. It's so much fun, those three are the most dysfunctional characters on the show, and they're not even freaks.
   The scene with the Halloween decoration and Dandy's costume was hilarious. I'm loving Gloria, she's such a terrible mother but she's living in another reality. She doesn't want to see her son as he really is : a psychopath.
   But, he's not a murderer yet. I really thought he would kill the maid, but Patti LaBelle was exceptional. In a way I was so happy Dandy din't kill her but also I was disappointed Dandy didn't act, he's taking too much time to murder someone. I guess once he'll start, he'd never stop and we'll count the bodies. I just want Gloria to survive him.
   At the end, Dandy met up with Twisty back at his trailer. Twisty had got a new friend to play with, a young man. Is he trying to recreate family or what ? They have a kid and a couple. Dandy even dressed up as his admirer. I loved his costume and his mask, in a way he's more frightening than Twisty. I'm going to seriously hate clowns after this season.
   Those scenes with Dandy were actually the part I enjoyed the much about last night episode. With of course, Jessica Lange's new musical performance and the arrival of Edward Mordrake !

   Ethel introduced us, and the twins, to a new Halloween superstition among the Freaks. Edward Mordrake was a freak, with an extra demon face on the back of his head. The head couldn't be killed, and whispered to him all the time. Because of it, he murdered the freaks of his show and committed suicide afterwards. Now, if a Freak performs during Halloween's night, Edward' spirit comes to collect one more freaks. Scary.
   So, when Elsa rehearsed her song, "Gods and Monsters" (yeah by Lana Del Ray, what a marvelous idea to use modern songs), Edward showed up in that weird green smoke. Wes Bentley is really impressive, his voice is very powerful. I hope we will see more of him, even after part 2.
   But Edward din't came to visit Elsa, he went to see Ethel. The apparitions of murdered freaks in her trailer were a bit scary. Ethel had a lot on her mind since the beginning of the episode. She learnt she was going to die of her cirrhosis. Her interaction with her doctor was so touching, for once someone had a normal reaction with a freak. At least some humanity in this show, it's so rare.
   Ethel decided to get drunk, so her death would come quicker. She was kind of mean to her boy Jimmy, already distancing herself from him. Kathy Bates was outstanding in that episode, especially in her scene with Michael Chiklis. They have such a great chemistry together, I can tolerate Dell more when he's with her.

   I don't want Ethel to die, I expected her character to be more prominent to the show. She only dressed once as a Beard Lady. Her flashbacks were interesting, it proved once more time Dell is a cruel man, using his newborn to get money. It was awful, such a terrible man. I hope he won't take care of Jimmy because he can't be a good influence.
    He even tried to hurt his gorgeous and fabulous wife : Desiree. Angela Bassett is really rocking this season. Desiree is so much fun, like Myrtle Snow last year. I can't wait to see more of her. So, Mordrake listening to Ethel's deepest shame and went away. I think I heard the demon voice said "not the wife". Does it mean he's after Dell ? I hope so.

   “Edward Mordrake” was a great episode, still the pacing is different so it’s a bit troubling to adjust but I’m sure now each character is in place, the story will move forward and can finally expect some crazy shit to happen ! Twisty was great in his first scene but I want to be more disturbing murders now... Or I will miss last season with LaLaurie, Marie Laveau, The Axeman and Emma Roberts getting her throat sliced.

   What do you think of the episode ? Are you enjoying the Freaks for now ? Hit the comments !

Carnies notes : 

* Hmmm that Viking's ass... It was perfect. And Denis O'Hare with a blond Viking, I thought of True Blood right away. It was fun.
* Using chicken heads for a funeral is very weird and freaky. RIP Meep.
* So, Stanley might be a freak himself, he seems he is seriously well hung. That could be interesting. I don’t know why but seeing the viking’s face I thought about the clown with the third leg of the opening titles. I hope it's not that big.
* Ma Petite scaring off Eve was fun. She can hide into a pumpkin, it’s amazing. She's so sweet.
* Dell can't get it up, for a strong man like him it’s a real pity. I understand Chicago better now.And it doesn't look good for his marriage. Will Desiree try to find some pleasure from Jimmy's hands ?

About the Author - Romain Ossust

I'm a 28 TV addict. Here is a non exhaustive list of my favorite shows : Orphan Black, True Blood, Dexter, Weeds, Person of Interest, Criminal Minds, The Strain, 24, Ab Fab, Carnivale, The Leftovers, Lost, The Americans, Hannibal, American Horror Story, Once Upon A Time, Bates Motel, Desperate Housewives, Rectify, Ugly Betty, Scandal, Looking, Sleepy Hollow, Fargo, Banshee, The Walking Dead, Raising Hope, Orange is the New Black, Grey’s Anatomy, Reign, HIMYM, Girls, Game of Thrones, The Fall, Power, Black Sails, True Detective, ... For SpoilerTV, I'm reviewing The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Looking, Sleepy Hollow, The Americans, True Blood & Orphan Black

Recent Reviews (All Reviews)