I take back what I said about this season not having a villain. Sure I would have preferred Twisty, but Dandy really lived up to the baddie role this week with his twisted perversions and vicious murder of guest-star Matt Bomer, a prostitute who was also seeing Dell of all people. Now I’m not exactly scared of Dandy like I was of Twisty (seriously that clown was the stuff of nightmares), but he at least provides a sense of urgency to the proceedings. Baby steps I guess.
I can see why Jessica Lange specifically asked for the role of Elsa this year, as you can tell she relishes playing the role of an ageing starlet. Watching her go all meta and insult the television landscape was kind of surreal, and every week I find myself intrigued by her dynamic with our con-man Stanley. Also, how great was that reveal of Elsa arriving at Gloria’s doorstep (with the twins in tow no doubt). I don’t know why I never thought these two storylines would intersect but it certainly makes sense now, and I can’t see what’s in store for Bette and Dot. God help you girls
Angela Bassett finally got some meaty material this week and she predictably knocked it out of the park. Having her unknowingly make out with her boyfriend’s son is just the kind of unsettling (and icky) development AHS excels at. But topping that off with the news of a miscarriage and the twist that she is in fact all woman was beautiful. Bassett perfectly captured Desiree’s plethora of emotions, and I loved watching her tell Dell off at the end before moving in with Ethel.
Frightful Bits
– Hilarious moment: Dandy casually telling his mom he didn’t kill Dora (to no avail).
– I guess Gabourey Sidibe will be dropping by soon to check on her mom. I can’t say I’m too excited to see her get sliced to pieces by Dandy (unless we get some kind of unorthodox love story between these childhood friends).
– Elsa’s horrible performance was beautifully constructed. The cinematography with all the various crowd touches as they slowly turned on her was impeccable.
– Ethel didn’t react much to Jimmy and Desiree almost sleeping together. Why?
– So the whole sequence with Stanley taking the twins and poisoning them with cupcakes before finally displaying in the museum was a dream? Or a flash-forward perhaps? I loved it but I’m confused.
– Did anyone else feel bad for the poor doctor as Dell broke all his fingers?
Spooky Slurs
Gloria: Inbreeding becomes a right of passage to have a psychotic or two in the line.
Dandy: The clown was put on Earth to show me the way, to introduce me to the sweet language of murder.
Gloria: It’s 1952. You can’t just go around picking up vagrants and killing them. People are missed.
Conclusion
With a lot of forward momentum, Pink Cupcakes is the most cohesive hour in weeks. Well done show.
Nad Rating
A-
I almost thought the twins actually died this episode. I'm so glad that isn't the case.