October 18, 2011 @ 10:58 AM

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Storyline: Unfolds around the Harmon family, a family of three with Ben (Dylan Mcdermott), a cheating husband, a charlatan of a therapist, and a failed father figure, Vivien (Connie Britton), a submissive wife who gives birth to a stillborn, and plays a major negative role model for her daughter as she accepts this deceptive, unfaithful husband back into her life and Violet (Taissa Farmiga) a depressed teenage girl who contemplates suicide on a daily basis. This unlikable family has moved from Boston to Los Angeles as an attempt to bring their family closer. They move into this gorgeous mansion that was surprisingly and questionably very affordable which proves within seconds to us, the viewers, to being haunted.

Episode 1: "Pilot" 

Air date: October 5, 2011

Theme Song: Special Death by Mirah

The pilot begins with a flashback into 1978 where Twins Bryan and Troy are looking for trouble by entering the mansion after being warned by Addy, that they will die if they proceed. They ignored her warning and wandered into the basement of the house where they met with their fate. In present time, The Harmons move into their new mansion in Los Angeles running away from their dreadful past for a new beginning. Their mansion starts to unveil its long-term residents. We meet Tate, a confused, mentally unstable teenage "boy" living or dead is questionable as he seeks therapy from Ben but seems to be suspiciously constantly at the mansion. Moira who introduces herself as an old maid with a film over her right eye to Vivien and a pair of stockings with garters wearing gorge redhead in a sexier version of the French maid uniform to Ben (to men in general as we later find out). Larry Harvey, a burnt cancer patient who attempts to convince Ben that the house is haunted. Infantata, a scary creature living in the basement of the mansion that feeds on possums to survive. Constance, a clepto neighbor who happens to be seen more at the mansion than her own home. Finally, meet Addy, Constance's daughter.

 

Shock Value: The opening scene with the twins wandering into the basement and being killed by the Infantata.

The scene with the young sexy maid masturbating and getting caught by Ben.

The scene with Ben masturbating naked and getting startled by Larry, the burnt cancer patient, outside his window.

Ben walking around the house in the nude.

The scene with Infantata in the basement attacking Leah, Violet's bully from school.

The scene with the rubber-man walking around the house who has sexual intercourse with Vivien. Assuming that she believes the gimp suit wearing man is her husband but we, the viewers, beg to differ.

Best Kills: Infantata killing The Twins in 1978

Ghost Reveal: Moira

Homage to: The Shining, Rosemary's Baby, Amityville Horror, The Addams Family, Dark Shadows

Favorite Quote: "Don't make me kill you again." - Constance to Moira

~

Episode 2: "Home Invasion"

Air Date: October 12, 2011

Theme song: Special Death by Mirah

Ben goes back to Boston to end completely his affair with the student and leaves his family behind. Helpless they are not, as the house perpetual "residents" join forces to fight off these posers who invade the house mainly to re-enact a particular murder that occurred in 1968 by R. Franklin, within the walls of this exact mansion. We find out that Constance is a bad mother as she'd rather continue her sexual sessions with the younger man than to pay any attention to her own daughter, Addy. She reveals to Vivien about her pregnancy with Addy and how she felt like leaving her on the side of the road. What's worse or juicier, is that while she is chatting up Vivien, she is trying to poison Violet with these home-made cupcakes. On another note, after the near-death encounters, Vivien finally realizes something is wrong with this house and wise up to get out quickly without looking back. This episode got me hungry for so much more...!

Shock Value: The ritualistic murders of the nurses.

The Intruders' violent death.

Best Kills: The double murder in 1968. 

Tate striking Bianca, one of the intruders, in the abdomen. 

Ghost Reveal: Tate

Homage to: The Manson Killings, The Strangers, Rosemary's Baby, Amityville Horror

Favorite Quote: "I get the shovel; you get the bleach." Moira to Tate

~

Episode 3: "Murder House"

Air Date: October 19, 2011

In 1983, a young and sexy Moira is in the mansion cleaning and gets sexually assaulted by Constance's husband. As they argued before, we could sense that she had a sexual encounter with him prior but this time around, she wanted no parts of him. Unfortunately for her, a very upset and resolved Constance catches them in the act as she will take no prisoner, she shoots both Moira in the right eye and seconds later, her husband. In present time, Moira is continuously coming on to Ben and convinces Vivien that it is the other way around and threatens to sue if Vivien fires her. Later on, Vivien finds out the murderous past of the house while riding on a haunted house tour bus and leaves abruptly when she notices that she is bleeding after hearing about The Montgomerys, the crazed couple who lived there before her. Nonetheless, Vivien meets with Nora, Dr. Montgomery's wife later on that day not knowing that she is a ghost.

Theme Song: For Everything a Reason by Carina Wound

Shock Value: Constance killing both her maid and husband.

Moira's body being found by Larry and burying Hayden right on top of Moira's dead body.

Vivien stops bleeding as soon as she gets to the Murder House.

Best Kills: Larry striking Hayden so violently with the shovel, killing her instantly.

Ghost Reveal: Confirmed Moira

Homage to: Amityville Horror, Rosemary's Baby

Favorite Quote:"Every time I find my heart breaking just a sliver for you, I suddenly remember, you made this mess for yourself. And, I also remember, every time I see that ghostly eye, that I was and continue to be a hell of shot."

~

Episode 4: "Halloween I"

Air Date: October 26, 2011

In 2010, gay couple Chad and Patrick are killed by a gimp-suit wearing man in the murder house while setting up for Halloween. Vivien is convinced that Ben has been in contact with Hayden as she followed Chad's advice on checking his cell's bill and ask Ben to leave. She clutches her belly as she is obviously in pain, her husband take her to the hospital. There, they find out that her baby is growing at an abnormally fast pace and gets released as she was doing better. As she gets home, Vivien discovers that Hayden was in the house and very pregnant which urges her to completely push Ben out of the house and get Hayden arrested. Addie whose only wish is to be a pretty girl, finally gets a pretty girl mask from her mother Constance as a consolation prize. Addie cannot wait to show off her new beautiful girl face to Violet, but noone answers the door. Addie's low self-esteem issues are confirmed as she is pushing herself onto a clan of mean, arrogant girls for acceptance. As she is following them accross the street and not paying attention, she gets accidentally hit by a car. Shockingly sad and crying Constance tries to make sure Addie is placed on the lawn so her spirit can stay with the house and close to her.

Theme Song: Big Mother by Feeding People

Shock Value: Patrick tries to give Ben a BJ. 

Best Kills: Rubber-man drowing Chad in the apple bucket.

Ghost Reveal: Nora, Tate, Moira, Chad, Bryan, Patrick, Troy

Homage to: Rosemary's Baby, Halloween

Favorite Quote:" The dead walks freely on Halloween night" Moira

~

Episode 5: "Halloween II"

Air Date: November 2, 2011

In this episode it is revealed that anyone who dies on the Mansion's ground, their souls remain forever trapped within its walls. Tate also gets a reminder of his demented past and he is revealed to be Constance's son.

Theme Song: Lavender Moon by Haroula Rose

Shock Value: Addie's death, Hayden is a ghost now and haunting both Ben and Vivien in their house, ghostly High schoolers are chasing down both Tate and Violet for reasons more familiar than ever - Tate's killing spree in high school. 

Best Kills: No flashbacks in this episode, no visual kills.

Ghost Reveal: Hayden

Homage to: Halloween, Columbine

Favorite Quote: "I wanna be a pretty girl."

~

Episode 6: "Piggy Piggy"

Air Date: November 9, 2011

In episode six, Tate is revealed to have been fatally shot by a SWAT team in his home after having killed the breakfast club in the library of Westfield High 17 years earlier. Tate does not have any recollection of any of this, but he believes strongly that he is a live young boy with issues.

Theme Song: I, The Sun, by Lights On.

Shock Value: Tate was unaware that his killing spree fantasies were factually his past. Violet's violent trials to killing herself.

Best Kills: Derrick is a man who is petrified by Candyman and ghost stories as he believes their tragic endings to be true, and he especially is afraid of the Piggyman's tale which drives him to avoid mirrors altogether. As a result, he is advised by Ben, his new therapist to embrace his fear, by facing his demons dead on. So Derrick goes home and stares at mirror, while uttering the words, Piggy, Piggy and gets shot before saying the last Piggy by a burglar who was hiding in the bathroom the whole time. Apparently, the burglar was offended by Derrick's using the word Piggy, not knowing it was all part of his therapy. Ironically, Derrick dies exactly in the same manner he was cringing but for very different motives. 

Ghost Reveal: Tate officially a ghost 

Homage to: The Sixth Sense

Favorite Quote: "The darkness is eating me up".  -

~

Episode 7: "Open House"

Air Date: November 16, 2011

This episode starts with flashbacks from 1994 and focuses on Vivian pushing to sell the Murder House even if that means to  short-selling. She shows the home to potential buyer Joe whose plans are to demolish the house which upsets the invisible occupants of the Murder House and ultimately causing them to kill him for his disposition.

Theme Song: Don't look back by Kissing Cousins

Shock Value: Larry is revealed to be an old boyfriend of Constance, and was convinced by her to kill Beauregard, Constance's third child and second son. Larry's wife set herself and her family on fire as she received news that her husband was leaving her for Constance. Vivian masturbating while pregnant and visualizing her husband Ben, the security guy Luke and the Rubber Man all at once. Freaky! Infantata is Thaddeus, the baby that chopped to pieces by a maniacal boyfriend who had witnessed his woman aborting their baby. Charles instead of letting the baby go in peace, he stitches Thaddeus back up into a creature merely human with an appetite for possums.

Best Kills: Nora and Charles Montgomery's death, Joe Escandarian's death, the potential buyer of the Murder House. 

Ghost Reveal: Beauregard, Charles, Nora, Thaddeus, Maria

Homage to: Frankenstein, Pet Sematery

Favorite Quote: "Persian man"

Marcy, the Real Estate agent, feels uneasy around Larry as she pulls out her gun on him.

~

Episode 8: "Rubber Man"

Air Date: November 23, 2011

This episode sets in flashbacks from 2010 to present time. Vivien is pregnant with twins but not everyone is happy for her. Tate rapes her one more time wearing the rubber suit; Nora and Hayden continue to harrass Vivien which drives her to shoot Ben thinking he was the rubber man and causing her to be arrested.

Theme Song: None

Shock Value: Rubber Man is Tate, although, the suit was purchased by Chad to freak his cheating boyfriend. Tate has been wearing it ever since the night he had murdered Chad and his boyfriend, and six months earlier, he impregnated Vivien because he had promised Nora with a baby.

Best Kills: Chad and Patrick's deaths. Chad played by Zachary Quinto was drowned by Tate in the bobbing apple barrel and Patrick was bludgeoned to death and stuck a hooked rod to his rectum. Kinda hateful, if you ask me but Tate is evil through and through. 

Ghost Reveal: Hugo, Fiona, Dallas, Chad, Patrick

Homage to: Ode to a Nightingale

Favorite Quote: "No, it was intense" - Violet to Tate

~

Episode 9: "Spooky Little Girl"

Air Date: November 30, 2011

This episode reveals a whole lot about Hayden, a woman scorned. She is the spooky little girl from the title. She will go to great lengths to be with Ben. But Ben wants only his wife, even after learning that one of the twins is not his. Moira had summoned Elizabeth with a ploy to seduce Ben. She finally comes to terms that Ben will never cheat again and congratulates him for his strength.

 

Theme Song: Spooky by Martha Reeves and Atlanta Rhythm Section

Shock Value: Vivien's twins are from two very different father. The Black Dahlia story is revisited as Dr. Charles Mongomery, the infamous drawer of the Chelsea Smile on her face.

Best Kills: Elizabeth Short's body being decapited and a forged permanent smile is imprinted on her face by Charles. Travis is stabbed to death by Hayden.

Ghost Reveal: Elizabeth Short, Travis, Dr. Curan

Homage to: The Black Dahlia

Favorite Quote: "Your behavior. God, after all the missteps, we finally have somebody in this house that maybe can help you. Tell me you did not crawl on top of that man's wife".""" 

~

Episode 10: "Smoldering Children"

Air Date: December 7, 2011

This episode explores Constance's past. We are showed through flashbacks that Constance turned her husband into dog food after fatally shooting Hugo, the father of her children. She did not want to bury him with Moira. In this episode, Constance was finally brought in for questioning for the murder of Travis and the disappearances of Beau, Tate, Hugo and Moira. Of course, Larry took the fall for her, by turning himself in for the murder of Travis, thusly saving her neck. They could not book her for the others since no bodies had surfaced yet. We are also introduced to Constance, Addy, Larry and Tate living together in the Murder House after his spouse took her life as well as the lives of their daughters. Tate developped his sadistical, psychotic ways sadly from his family.

Theme Song: Hate My Way by Throwing Muses

Shock Value: Tate knew all along that he was no longer alive and duped his mother and everyone close into believing that he was not aware of his status in this realm. He apparently was also aware of Violet's death but never told her that she had really overdosed when she tried to kill herself two weeks earlier.

Best Kills: Mr. Critter's death provoked by Tate

Ghost Reveal: Violet, Angie and Margaret

Homage to: Bury the Dead, Evening in Byzantium

Favorite Quote: "I can be a smack freak/And hate society/I could hate God... And blame Dad…" 

I guess I am forever trapped with this psycho

~

Episode 11: "Birth"

Air Date: December 14, 2011

It starts in a flashback from 1984, a year after Constance murdered Moira and her husband. In Birth Vivien finally gives birth to both a healthy, normal looking baby and also to a stillborn. Violet is told that Tate is a demon and also raped her mother. Nora is revealed to have had an effect on Tate eversince he was seven years old. Therefore, Tate felt almost obligated to help her get a baby.

Theme Song: None

Shock Value: The babies are born, Nora, Chad, Patrick and Hayden are all expecting these babies as their own literally, they have no shame in their game.

Best Kills: None from this episode

Ghost Reveal: Vivien after giving birth to half ghost, half human baby tate.

Homage to: Ghostbusters, Newhart

Favorite Quote: "You are the only light I've ever known."  - T

~

Episode 12: "Afterbirth"

Air Date: December 21, 2011

This episode sets in a flashback from nine months earlier, before Vivien was raped and impregnanted. Ben was the one who advised Vivien to move to the Murder House, suggesting a fresh start. Well, that house proved to be more evil, more poisonous than ever as the Harmons perished in there even their newborn. The stillborn was taken into the care of Nora who had absolutely no nurturing bone in her body. Once Vivien discovered her stillborn, it was love at first sight. It is very bizarre but the Harmons seem a much happier family as ghosts than alive. In a subtext, Constance ends up with the other twin, Tate's baby, she named him Michael, and she seems very happy, very content to be in her position, to be the caretaker to the Anti-Christ which explains that she was so hypocritical by passing judgement on Tate about his misdeeds.

Theme Song: El Infiel by Marvelous Toy

Shock Value: Larry was set on fire by none other than Tate himself, he confesses all of his transgressions. The Ramos move into the house but the Harmons vow and band together with the good natured ghosts in the house to push them out before they become like them.

Best Kills: Ben is hung by Hayden making it look like a suicide.

Ghost Reveal: Ben

Homage to:

Favorite Quote: "Little Noisy Monster"

~

Last Human standing: Constance and Larry 

Antichrist: Michael, Tate's baby

 

Tagline: "You're going to die in there."

^One Tagline that sticks to its meaning to the letter.

Writers: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk

Director: Ryan Murphy

Actors: Dylan Mcdermott, Connie Britton, Taissa Farmiga, Jessica Lange, Kate Mara, Evan Peters, Denis O'Hare

What you saw in the finale was the end of the Harmon house. The second season of the show will be a brand-new home or building to haunt. Just like this year, every season of this show will have a beginning, middle and end. [The second season] won't be in L.A. It will obviously be in America, but in a completely different locale.

— Murphy