'American Horror Story' Asylum episode one recap: Welcome to Briarcliff
by Eric Hinton, nydailynews.comOctober 18th 2012 2:19 AM
From the moment it was announced season two of American Horror Story would be a period piece set in an asylum for the criminally insane the thought among some, myself included, was that seemed almost too obvious ... too easy. But then again, season one of the breakout hit was based around a haunted house. What could be more cliché than that? And yet because it was done with a rare combination of writing and acting rarely seen on episodic TV it became one of the standout shows of the season.
So, it was with much anticipation that fans welcomed FX's breakout hit back to the air Thursday night. It did not disappoint.
Set primarily in 1964, fans of the show already knew a select handful of the cast would return in completely new roles. Side note -- I miss you already Connie Britton.
But back are other faves including Lily Rabe as "Sister Mary Eunice," a panicky nun who has a penchant for messing up, but seems to rather enjoy being on the receiving end of corporal punishment. I'm wondering if FX broke new cable TV ground last night when Rabe lifted her nun's garment, revealing a bare bottom as she demanded to be caned. There's Evan Peters as "Kit Walker" who may be a serial killer ... or he may an unfortunate lad who was abducted by aliens and probed in places where you don't want to be probed ... time will tell. Also returning is Sarah Paulson as "Lana Winters", an intrepid reporter who snuck into the asylum to learn its secrets, only to discover getting back out may not be so easy.
But have no doubt that this is Jessica Lange's show this season. Lange's "Constance" from season one was a creeping supporting character even if she ate up the screen in what was limited time. This season the Golden Globe winner is grand dame of the ball as Sister Jude, a nun with a troubled past who runs Briarcliff Manor with an iron will and a whip that sees a ton of action. Sister Jude finds her match in James Cromwell's "Dr. Arthur Arden," a creepy doctor who likes to cut up on the brains of the patients he feels won't be missed.
Backing up for a moment. The episode opens with Maroon 5's Adam Levine, (Yes he's also in some singing competition show with Christina Aguilera) as the male member of a horny newlywed couple in the midst of their haunted honeymoon tour. Their goal is to screw around in the scariest destinations within reach. The horror tour brings them to Briarcliff. That's when the fun begins. By fun I mean screams and mutilations. But before that we get the lowdown on the asylum.
"Built in 1908, Briarcliff Manor was the largest tuberculosis ward on the East Coast. Forty-six thousand people died here," says soon to be butchered female newlywed. "They shuttled the bodies out through an underground tunnel called the death chute. The catholic church bought this place in 1962 and turned it into a sanitarium for the criminally insane. Legend has it that once you were committed to Briarcliff you never got out. Their most famous resident was a killer called Bloody Face."
That ladies and gentlemen is what we call a setup. Suffice to say Levine and his horny bride are interrupted in the midst of the sexcapades by something that proceeds to rip the grooms' arm off ... the aforementioned "Bloody Face" perhaps?
Flashback to 1964 and we're introduced to Kit Walker. Walker has recently married a black bride and is settling into the role of a new husband when radio static and lights from outside sets him on edge. Believing it's disapproving local rednecks Walker goes outside with a shotgun only to see a blinding white light in the sky. His wife screams. He runs inside and is crushed under the weight of deafening noise and white light. Walker is suddenly yanked up to the ceiling and has flashes of alien fingers probing his naked body.
Some time later we're introduced to Lana Winters, who arrives at Briarcliff under the pretense of doing a story about a bakery at the asylum. As Winter's car enters the gates to the asylum the show gets ballsy by breaking out the score to the horror classic "Carrie." This is akin to using the score from "Jaws." You're setting a high, high bar. But it can't help but send chills down your spine and a smile across your face as you, along with Winters, are introduced to the creepy residents that make up Briarcliff.
"Play with me. Play with me," says a mutated looking dwarf woman as Winters approaches the front steps.
"She was only trying to make friends. It was harmless," says Winters.
"She's not harmless," says Sister Mary Eunice. "She drowned her sister's baby and sliced his ear off. Follow me miss."
The initial meeting between Winters and Sister Jude sets off sparks and you know these two are going to clash for the duration of the season ... although it wouldn't surprise me if before it was said and done they teamed up to fight a greater, lurking evil.
Let me take a moment here to say Jessica Lange is smoking hot. She might play a cold twisted witch in the show ... but she is smoking, smoking hot.
Lange doesn't have a Golden Globe ready line this episode along the lines of Constance's "Don't make me kill you ... again" but she chews up the screen. I'm still surprised someone with Lange's film pedigree agreed to be on what was a fledgling horror TV show last year, but I'm glad she came aboard. Her very presence elevates the series to a higher standard.
Winter's initial meeting with Sister Jude is interrupted by the arrival of "the bad person." It's Walker, now dubbed "Bloody Face" who's being blamed for the murder of several women while wearing a mask made of human flesh (Shades of Silence of the Lambs. And it's not the only one. Later in the episode Sister Mary Eunice has an unfortunate encounter with an inmate who is masturbating in his cell who tosses some bodily fluid in her face ... which is also a rip ... er ... homage ... to SOTL).
It quickly becomes evident to Sister Jude that Winters only interest in Briarcliff is in getting close enough to interview Walker, who's been remanded to the asylum until it's determined he's fit to stand trial. The "Carrie" score kicks into full orchestral mode as Walker is hauled in chains Hannibal Lecter-style into Briarcliff.
As Sister Jude has her first face-to-face meeting with Walker she quickly dismisses his story of aliens. "All monsters are human. You're a monster," she says.
There are several other characters introduced in the premier. Lizzie Brocheré plays "Grace," a possible ally for Walker during the season; and Joseph Fiennes is introduced as "Monsignor Timothy Howard," who makes Sister Jude warm in naughty places.
But clearly the other major character at play during the season will be "Dr. Arthur Arden" who runs the asylum's medical unit. Arden is played by James Cromwell and his addition was another major casting coup for the show.
Cromwell is a seasoned character actor who has the gravitas to hold his own with Lange in critical scenes. We're given an early idea of how warped he is when Arden spirits Walker away into the inner bowels of Briarcliff with the intent of performing a lobotomy. Arden explains he wants to understand the darkness of the human psyche. It's during his examination of Walker that we break into sci-fi territory. Arden removes a spiderlike implant from Walker's neck that comes to life and spirits away. UFO's indeed!
Later in the episode Winter's curiosity gets the better of her. She goes nosing around inside of the asylum looking for Walker but is caught. When she awakes she's been strapped down and finds she's now a patient of the facility. Sister Jude has blackmailed Winter's lesbian lover into admitting her to the institution.
It's a solid setup. And the season seems primed to explore many storylines ... both obvious and several unexpected curveballs. After season one I have faith in these show runners. It's hard to believe the show germinates from the same creative minds that created "Glee." I'm settling in for what I expect to be one hell of a thrill ride.
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