As we saw last week, Violet actually succeed in killing herself, a few weeks back and had not realized it. That’s right! Vivien [Connie Britton] is coming home from the mental hospital! Now, in order to save her mother’s babies, she’ll first have to convince them that she’s dead – if she gets the chance.
Birth is an apt title for the eleventh episode of American Horror Story since not only the birth of Vivien twins falls under that heading. The concept of a union between spirit and human producing the Antichrist is certainly another part of that concept.
Then there’s the whole rebirth thing – if Vivien doesn’t survive the birth, she must join the other ghosts trapped in the house.
In ‘Birth,’ lots of possible scenarios are explored. Chad [Zachary Quinto] wants the babies for himself and Bob; Constance wants her son’s child for herself –perhaps to try to nurture the young Antichrist past the evil he will allegedly bring to Earth. Then there Violet’s [Taissa Farmiga] accepting that she is a newborn ghost and has no idea of what that might enable her to do.
And what agenda does that remarkably centered psychic have? Is she the only expert on paranormal characters on the show? She also seems to find the others’ attempts to deal with the ghosts amateurish and, therefore, dangerous.
In Birth, American Horror Story Shows a pretty diabolic ‘whatever!’ attitude towards its main characters – guaranteeing a season finale that will no doubt capsize a few boats, and quite possibly increase the house’s dead inhabitants.
Although American Horror Story seemed, at first, of being a show where the writers were throwing everything at the wall in the hopes that something would stick. Now, it’s settled into a pretty good groove – questions posed in previous episodes are usually answered a few episodes later – just as a new batch of questions comes up.
The show is scary, funny and occasionally giddy. Things that Tim Minear [Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Drive] is more than capable of producing. Something else Minear is good at? Setting up the first of two episodes – setting the stage and providing the characters with a tight spot in a cliffhanger.
Birth is one of the show’s best eps. It will be very interesting to see how Afterbirth [the season finale] plays out.
Final Grade: A-
Photo courtesy of NBC