American Horror Story - Show Stoppers - Review: "Dreams"

 
   Last Wednesday, AHS Freak Show offered us a great episode. It was really an appreciated improvement since last week episode. Finally, this episode made sense and even gave sense to the previous episodes.
   I still don’t understand why FX chose to cut the season like that. I’d rather watched the whole season without break. Anyway, “Show Stoppers” was last episode before the finale, and it’s an AHS tradition for that episode to resolve and conclude many of the ongoing plots of the season and to start new and challenging stories to finish the season. “Show Stoppers” had everything, from horrible and yet funny murder, to very touching and sweet moments. It was definitely one of the best episodes of the season.

   Elsa was quite impressive in “Show Stoppers”. I really, really appreciated her part in the episode. Probably feeling guilty over Ethel’s death, Elsa took care of poor injured Jimmy Darling, the orphan with no hands.
   He was still in depression, refusing any kind of help, especially coming from Maggie. He still couldn’t get over her betrayal. I can totally understand him, but the situation had changed. He had lost both of his hands, it made him dependable on others. It’s never easy to accept but well, he trusted Stanley.
   Elsa did something very kind, and yet selfish too in a way. She called up Massimo (Danny Huston), the man who saved her from her legs injuries and who had created her wooden legs. She wanted him to create Jimmy’s new hands, so he could have a chance at being normal. Very sweet from Elsa, and that way she also got to see her lover back.

   The chemistry between Jessica Lange and Danny Huston is outstanding. Only by looking at each other, they brought so much emotions to the screen. I must admit I’m so thrilled about Elsa finally revealed herself and expressed her real feeling towards another human being. Since the season has started, Elsa has been nothing but selfish, concerns about only her and her dreams. Her dreams of glory didn’t touch me, but watching her with her past love, who saved her life but with who she couldn’t be with, was heart breaking. And it’s in those moments, Jessica Lange is the most powerful and brillant.
   After rescuing Elsa and sending her to America before the War, Massimo went on a revenge mission, killing every men involved in Elsa’s attack. He wanted to avenge her lover but he lost his lost, his humanity, his ability to love and to be loved in the process, how tragic. Massimo made shocking revelation for us, it turned out the man behind Elsa’s attack was actually Dr Grouper, from Asylum. Another connection… I won’t repeat myself, IMO, it’s a bad move from Murphy and Co. I don’t think the seasons between linked together.
   Elsa and Massimo’s relationship was doomed, it was so tragic and so beautiful in a way. I totally changed my perspective on Elsa Mars, and now I am fonder of her character. Too bad it’s one episode before the finale. So finally, Massimo gave Jimmy the hands he really wanted : his lobster hands, wooden made. Jimmy didn’t want to change, he wanted to stay the same, to keep being the Freak he always has been. It could have been nice for him to change, to be a normal.

   Elsa also continued her own revenge plan she started last week with Dell’s murder. He broke the Freaks code, he murdered another freak so he deserved to die. I was very satisfied with his death. His character actually felt a bit under used.
   Anyways, after Dell, it was time for Stanley to get he deserved. The opening scene with him and the freaks was absolutely great. It had the tension, the suspense, and yet the light and fun atmosphere that I wanted to find in Freak Show. I loved it when they brought back Elsa’ spinning wheel. I really thought they would kill Stanley, after everything he did but it turned out the Freaks had another idea. They “Meepeed” him.

   Actually, I wasn’t pleased with that. Stanley’s punishment was to become a Freak, because it meant the freaks saw their lives as a punishment. I thought they had a more positive opinion of themselves And we all know what make Stanley a real freak, and I would have love to see it. Still, it was very cruel from the freaks to butcher him like that. He deserved for what he did to the show.
   Stanley wasn’t the only one getting punished for breaking the Freaks code. Before being chased by the freaks, he revealed to them Elsa had murdered Ethel and he helped her covering it up. The freaks quickly understood what really happened and that Ethel never committed suicide. They were ready to stop Elsa’s reign on the show.
   Luckily for Elsa, she had a last and unexpected ally in the show : Dot and Bette. The girls came and saved Elsa’s life, after seeing her real legs. Since Elsa saved their lives in the premiere at the hospital, Bette and Dot decided to return the favor and save hers, so they’d be even. It was really touching from them to care a bit for Elsa despite everything she did against them. Of course, Jessica Lange was exceptional and heart breaking playing Elsa Mars realizing she had been betrayed by her family. The family she had put together since many years, but the family she really mistreated too. She was never the mother she wanted to be for them, she always had been too self centered to be a real mother, a real support for the freaks. So, Elsa went away to become a television star (that we already know) and sold her show to Dandy. God, what a terrible choice for the new owner.

   As expected, the freaks themselves are causing their own end. They started killing off each other, so they can really only blame themselves. They had a nice place, where they could live and be accepted, a better place than what the world could offer and still, they messed up with it. Now, Dandy is in charge of the show, and it means the show won’t last long. The man has money and dreams of glory, but he’s a psychopath. He will probably murder all the freaks, like he murdered the tupper ware party women or he might even murder the audience.
   Before Dandy, the Freak Show had a previous owner, who didn’t stay very long but his performance was amazing. I really enjoyed Neil Patrick Harris’s performance as Chester. I had no doubt NPH would bring his unique talent to the show and would transcend his character. And pairing him with Jaime Brewer was an excellent idea, they work so well together. I was impressed by their performances.

   Marjorie was quite frightening, there’s something so wrong about that doll, I’d rather see Jaime Brewer in flesh. IMO, Marjorie was Chester’s double psychotic personality. There is the part of him, Marjorie, who is a psychopath, who wants to kill but still there’s this humanity, this act he put on to world, caring about others, being able to love someone else. So, his troubled mind separate the two personalities. Chester tried it with the Bette and Dot, and they were actually making feel better. But, there was this darkness inside him, Marjorie. But Marjorie finally revealed to Chester he was actually a murderer, the one who murdered his wife and her lover. So did Bette and Dot, thanks to Dandy who brought them his file on Chester. Chester was shocked when he finally realized he murdered his wife, And yet, he still saw her doll as a woman.

   The best part of NPH’s performance was of course the magical act on Maggie ! Chester, being the new boss was clearly very stressed on stage. Bette and Dot refused to be his assistant this time, after Dandy’s revelation, it felt more like a trap than a magical act.
   Maggie, still trying to be accepted and to repay the harm she had done with Stanley offered to be the Magician's new assistant. Oh girl, worst idea ever. Something was very wrong with Chester from the beginning of the scene, but when he called her Lucie, I knew this wouldn’t end well for Maggie. And it was quite gore and sad… Yet, it was a bit funny I thought,. Her death felt a bit stupid and so unreal in a way. Chester was delusional, trapped in his fantasies. He cut Maggie in half, for real, without any tricks. It was horrible. I actually watched that scene in the morning, I felt so glad for skipping breakfast. It was so sad for Maggie, she wasn’t a bad person, she just met the wrong man and she tried everything to stop his deadly plan. Her end was very painful to watch in every ways.
   The other freaks’s reaction was priceless. They were all shocked and disgusted, and yet they didn’t stop or arrest Chester. They just let him go, after all Maggie was associated with Stanley but she saved all of their lives when she told the truth to Desiree… The freaks don't forgive that easily.
   Finally, Chester decided to go the police and confess the murder he committed… on his doll.. What a whack-job. I bet he will end up in Briarcliff too… It was so pathetic to watch Chester being so stressed and all by his doll. NPH was absolutely amazing, putting so much dimension for a doll.

   “Show Stoppers” was an excellent episode, perfectly packed with everything that makes AHS so special and unique on television. I wish this season would have more episode of that quality.
   Anyways, the finale is coming up next Wednesday ! Are you excited about it ? What do you think will happen ? Who will survive ? Hit the comments !

Carnies notes:

   It's all about my girl : Desiree

   Even if she didn’t appear a lot, each of her interventions were divine. Desiree is my favorite character of the season, maybe of the show right after Constance. Every time she appears on screen, Angela Bassett brings so much, she has a real presence on screen.
   I loved it when she screamed Ethel’s name and drank up the bottle ! And was I the only one to notice that when she was the only one with an umbrella, at the beginning, outside while chasing Stanley. So classy ! And she murdered that horrible lady of the Museum of Monstrosity !

 Best line : “Steal her jewelry and bury the bitch”

About the Author - Romain Ossust

I'm a 28 TV addict. Here is a non exhaustive list of my favorite shows : 12 Monkeys, Ab Fab, 24, Alias, American Horror Story, Banhsee, Bates Motel, Black Sails, Carnivale, Daria, Dead Like Me, Desperate Housewives, Dexter, ER, Fargo, Fringe, Game of Thrones, Girls, Grey’s, Hannibal, Homeland, HIMYM, HTGAWM, Looking, Lost, Agents of SHIELD, Medium, OUAT, OUAT Wonderland, Orange is the New Black, Orphan Black, Pan Am, Penny Dreadful, Person of Interest, Power, Pushing Daisies, Raising Hope, Rectify, Reign, Scandal, Sex & The City, Six Feet Under, Sleepy Hollow, Spartacus, The 100, The Affair, The Americans, The Big C, The Fall, The Killing, The Leftovers, The Missing, The Strain, The Tudors, The Walking Dead, Transparent, True Blood, True Detective, Tyrant, Ugly Betty, United States of Tara, Utopia, V, Veronica Mars, Weeds.
For SpoilerTV, I'm reviewing The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Looking, Sleepy Hollow, The Americans & Orphan Black

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