LINK: SPOOKY LITTLE GIRL SPOILER!

Source

**SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT!**

Check out this link on tvfanatic.com for a few spoilers about tonights episode, if you just can't wait like me!

Note: Just so you know, it's just 6 bullets that don't give away much, no character details just events. :)

Spooky Little Girl

I'm getting REALLY excited for tonight's episode of American Horror Story, entitled, "Spooky Little Girl."

Here's a link to the promo from FX if you haven't already seen it -- go watch!

The promo opens with Constance talking to the Medium, through the promo she explains that when a new Pope is chosen -- he is given a key, a key to the "ultimate secret." "A child born of human and spirit, the essence of evil, the end of the world. In the mixed of us learning this from the Medium -- we see Constance walking into the basement of the Murder House calling for Tate then we cut to a scene of the two of them in the basement, Constance caressing his face, hyseterically crying "What have you done?"

I'm not sure why I think this -- it probably isn't based on any real clues within the show, but I wonder if Constance and the Medium aren't talking about what Tate did with Viv, but instead what he did with Violet -- wouldn't whatever he did hold way more weight having sex with a virgin and impregnating her?

Can't wait to find out how this is tied into Catholicism, and what is really born when a spirit and human mate -- I'm in the process of doing research about the key and the Pope... look for an update before show time if you're interested!

We are also treated to scenes of Viv in the insane asylum, tied up to a bed, and bleeding. The OBGYN calls Ben, and tells him she would normally tell his wife this but..... We also see Ben asking young Moira (I'm guessing this as I see the back of her head with red hair) "What happened to Viv?"

In between we also see a flash of young Moira on top of what seems to be the Black Dahlia? Interesting -- always thought Moira had a bit of a lesbian vibe to her. :)

So what do we think is going to happen? Does Viv escape the insane asylum? Do we finally find out what is wrong with the twins? Will they both even be born?

The Black Dahlia Murder

So we learned from the preview and various interviews with the cast and Ryan Murphy that this episode is going to feature a very special guest star -- Mena Suvari as Elizabeth Short. (Check out an article announcing this here.)

I thought it would be interesting to explore a bit of the back story of the Black Dahlia before tonight's episode, so here goes nothing. **Note: Credits are at the bottom, if you'd like to do further reading on the subject!**

Elizabeth Short
Short was born on July 29, 1924 in Hyde Park, MA to Phoebe and Cleo Short -- she spent most of her childhood in MA. In 1929, her father dissapeared -- many ruled it a suicide as his car was found abandoned at the foot of a bridge. Years later he sent a letter to his wife apologizing for dissapearing, but she refused to let him back into the family.

Apparently Beth matured quickly and enjoyed going to the movies with her mother growing up. It was there she decided she wanted to be an actress, so at 19, Beth moved to Vallejo, CA to live with her father -- who soon kicked her out for being lazy and staying out too late.

Beth moved closer to Santa Barbara, where she was eventually arrested for underage drinking -- the police urged her to return home to MA. Apparently, she had listened to them, but soon returned to CA to continue to pursue her dream of being in the movies.

Many have labeled her a tease, manipulative playgirl, but it is apparent that Elizabeth Short, was immortalized by the media as an American girl, with a dream to be in the movies, who came to Hollywood and became "the pin-up girl of Los Angeles Noir." (Source: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/famous/dahlia/index_1.html)

Beth was last scene mid-January of 1947, it is said that she was to meet a gentlemen at the hotel but after leaving, she was never seen alive again. Her body was found, severed in the Crenshaw District on January 15, 1947.

The Murder
"On January 15, 1947, a passerby spotted her nude body in a vacant lot near Hollywood. Her body, cut in half, was bruised and beaten. Grass had reportedly been forced into her vagina, and she had reportedly been sodomized after death. Rumors of henna in her hair and BD carved into her body, as of yet to this outlet, have not been verified." (Source: http://www.bethshort.com/the-murder.php)

Apparently many came forward (a figure quoted around 50) to confess to the murder of Elizabeth Short, coined "The Black Dahlia" for her black hair and attire by the press, but none could be confirmed.

"So, what is it? Murders happen every day, everywhere. What makes Elizabeth Short any different?
First, she was a small town girl who reportedly wanted to make it in movies. Other peoples dreams are a huge factor in why we become interested in a case. She was considered, at times, a drifter. Couple that with her beauty -- yes, the appeal factor of both a female victim and suspect play a role. Then add the fact that she was severed in half, hacked, brutally murdered. The headlines were shocking, and the descriptiveness in the news stories even more so. Take note that the crime scene images published in 1947 were far more graphic than what we'd see in any city newspaper today.
Not to mention the hordes of people who admitted to the crime. More than 50 "confessing sams" attempted a claim to fame in this case." (Source: http://www.bethshort.com/the-murder.php)

NOTE: The girl who comes into the house, pretending to be a patient of Ben's explains that she keeps having a dream where she is cut in half by an elevator -- later that night during the Home Invasion -- she is essentially almost cut in half by Tate. The police later tell Ben/Viv that she was found a few blocks away, severed in half -- the police offer the explanation that maybe since the crew's re-enactment in the Murder House went awry, they decided to go Black Dahlia on one of their own. Also to note, in the murder of the Black Dahlia is noted everywhere that her body was drained of blood (Ice Truck Killer anyone?) -- we also know that the Infatata feeds off blood, relation?

Further Reading/Sources:
The Black Dahlia Website -- here.
The Black Dahlia story on TruTV's website -- here.
Wikipedia -- here.

Have to say that TruTV's breakdown of the Black Dahlia murders was the best I read -- I'm really interested to see how this plays out on tonight's episode. Think the references to cutting in half from earlier episodes will be interesting. Also I've read in various places that this episode shows a relationship between Moira and the Black Dahlia -- I wonder how that will play out.

What do you think about the draining of her body? Could this relate in anyway? Apparently from the article I linked to at the beginning of the post, it has been suggested that tonight's AHS episode will provide it's theory on this unsolved murdery mystery.

LINK: Twilight and AHS Pregancies Comparison

Though I haven't seen a single Twilight movie, I thought this article was pretty interesting and thought some of you Twi-Hards might think so as well. Hosted on the Washington Post's website, Jen Chaney does a great comparitive study of the two pregnancies, and gives us some clues on what to expect in the upcoming Birth episode.

Check it out here.

What do you think about the similarities?

One thing that struck me in the article is the reference to Viv's babies wanting blood -- hence the pancreas and brain eating -- doesn't this tie into the infatata wonderfully? We've already learned that the infatata (through Nora's intial encounter, the twins death, etc) craves blood, what's the relation here, since there's got to be one?

Recap Roundup! Episode 8: Rubber Man

This will normally be posted the Thursday afternoon after each episode -- however, with the holidays I'm a bit late! I figured I would post to do, so those who wish could do a little bit of reading to jog their memories of last week's CRAZY episode!

Basically each week, I'll be gathering up links to the best recaps for the previous night's episode that I've found on the web.

Here's the roundup for Episode 8: Rubber Man
EW.com -- Jeff Jensen does a wonderful job recapping the entire episode; Jensen pays special attention to the many details that can be easily overlooked in this episode filled with clues.
Highlights? On the first page, Jensen's evaluation of Tate as Rubber Man is incredibly interesting!

AfterElton.com -- Brian Juergens is a comedic genius. No matter how heinous the topic on American Horror Story, Juergens manages to make me giggle reading through his recap.
Higlights? The entire last page! Juergens does a weekly round up of best comedic moment, best shriek, and "Blood, Beasts & Buns."

Wall Street Journal -- Michael Calia's run down of what happened in episode 8 is a great short version of the happenings, while he does little analysis, it is still a good read to get you up to speed.
Highlights? Not sure there are any -- just a solid walk-through of the episode.

Washington Post -- Although this isn't a recap per se, Jen Chaney and Paul Williams ask themselves 10 questions about each episode after it airs -- it's really a quite interesting read!
Highlights? Question #4 "Did anyone else think it was weird that Violet said this to her father: “You’re so weird and pathetic, I’m surprised you haven’t gone after me”?" -- Totally forgot about this line and what it could mean until I read this article, go read Jen and Paul's thoughts on it!
Know of any other great recaps? Leave them in the comments!

LINK: Interesting interview with Alexandra Breckenridge, Young Moira

This article written by Lesley Goldberg is a bit old -- posted after the third episode on The Hollywood Reporter.

Check it out here.

Interesting to read nonetheless, Young Moira gives us a little insight to why the ghosts are the house -- hinting that this will be explained later this season.

"There's a reason the spirits, including both versions of Moira, continue to haunt the joint. "Essentially if you pass away on the property and your body remains there, you're stuck in the house," Breckenridge offers. Adds Conroy: “The explanation of everyone and why they’re there is quite moving -- and why the house is revealing so much -- it’s a deep, deep story and you learn a lot.""

Can't wait to find out why the spirits can't leave the house!

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LINK: 10 Things to Know About AHS

Came across this article from the end of September about American Horro Story on The Hollywood Reporter website -- was just skimming through it when this point (#4 to be exact) really struck me.

"Inspiration from real crime buffs. Noting the tour busses that go by the Sharon Tate house, clubs devoted to murder re-creations. Murphy said the series will explore people’s general obsession with crime and murder. “It’s a way to circumvent your own anxiety in very anxious times,” Murphy said. “In times of economic anxiety, if you look at the template, two genres flourish: horror and musicals. I think people want to either be scared or completely forget about their troubles. As we go further into the series, we get into the economic anxieties.”"

Really interesting point here that I hadn't caught on to before. Murphy talks about people being obsessed with crime and murder -- an ode to this coming in the next episode in which we are visited by 'The Black Dahlia.' There are countless references to real crimes, within the characters themselves and the storylines as well. In 'Open House' we join Marcy and Viv on the Murder House Tour just as the pass the house Nicole Simpson was killed in front of. Tate's name could be a reference to the Manson House murders, as could parts of the entire storyline itself.

More to be added to this as I think this makes for a great discussion.. check back!

Also to be discussed -- economic crisis, could the dates we've seen make sense now?

LINK: Fantastic Interview with Kate Mara, Hayden on AHS

The Hollywood Reporter did a wonderful writeup on their interview with Kate Mara, Hayden on American Horror Story. THR asks Mara some of our burning questions -- such as, how does Hayden plan on getting Viv back in the house to have the babies? We also found out that in tomorrow's episode -- we learn a little bit more about the beginnings of Hayden and Ben's relationship back on the East Coast.

Check out the interview here.

My favorite parts of the article:

"THR: How sure is Hayden that Vivien's "twins" are Tate's/The Rubber Man's?
Mara: Hayden is definitely convinced those are Rubber Man's babies. You're going to discover a lot more than that in next week's episode where you find more information about that; it's pretty shocking. You find out more information about the pregnancy and the twins -- it's not as simple as it seems."

This TOTALLY did not EVEN cross my mind until I read this article -- how do we know that Tate is the father of the babies? We don't! Hayden tells us that he is, but no one else does -- and the main point in the scene where Hayden reveals this to Viv is to make her crazy, so can we really trust this statement? Both Tate/RM and Ben have relations with Viv on (seemingly) the same day -- so we don't have enough information to really decide who is the father. Could be that Ben fathered the babies and Tate/RM inserted some sort of evil into them?

Notice Mara says about the pregnancy and the twins -- is it possible that what we learn about Popes and a key and spirits and humans during the promo for episode 9 doesn't apply to Viv's pregnancy? Wouldn't it hold much more weight if a VIRGIN (like VIOLET!) was impregnated by a ghost? Hmm.... They did do it in the last episode... hah.

"THR: Violet (Taissa Farmiga) is standing in the way of Hayden getting Tate behind her. Is Violet a friend or foe to Hayden?
Mara: Hayden doesn't really care about Tate; she thinks she'll seduce him and then he'll do what she wants. But when she realizes that won't work, that's when her brain goes, "OK, what does he want? He wants Violet, so how can he get Violet?" The easiest thing for Hayden is seducing him, which is what got her into trouble in the first place. When that fails, she goes to her next tactic: How can Hayden help him spend the rest of his life with Violet? You'll discover in maybe the next episode how that plan is going to unfold for Tate. Hayden doesn't care about Violet because she hasn't been in her way. Hayden's biggest concern is Vivien: How do I destroy Vivien and take her babies?"

This is definitely a 'triangle' that we've got to pay close attention to. The dynamic between Hayden and Tate is an interesting one -- Hayden tries seducing him to get her to do what she wants, after her seduction tactics fail, Hayden seems to be pleasantly surprised that her master plan is currently coinciding with Tate's plan to keep Violet in the house and in his 'afterlife.' (I almost typed life, as this seems like such a sappy high school love story between Tate and Violet and then I realized, its not. haha.) How long will Hayden's plan of driving Viv crazy and stealing the babies for herself work for Tate? It seems like Tate really just wants to make Nora happy -- what happens if Hayden goes nuts and takes both babies, or if there's only one born -- will Tate turn against her?

Really interested to see what happens between Tate and Violet -- with all of the rumors floating around that Violet might already indeed be dead -- I think it's fitting to point out Tate's line at the end of episode 8.

"It's sort of romantic. Now they'll be together forever."

Great way to end the episode because it makes us think that maybe this is what Tate is after for him and Violet -- could Tate's violent ways end up hurting Violet? I've also read on various forums, people suggesting that by Violet dying -- either at the hands of Tate or Hayden or both even -- would be a great way to keep the Harmon's in the house for the next season -- that's what's holding Constance there, right?

Now go read the rest of the article -- it's interesting! :)

Constance's Family Tree

Thought it would be interesting to break down what we know about the former Madame of the house and her relationships with the characters we have met thus far.

We learned in an early episode that Constance has four children -- she explained that three had down syndrome, but one was born okay, but she lost him to other things.

Tate -- Son, Ghost. We can assume that maybe he is the normal one lost to other things, but with this show, who knows! Tate is also the father of Viv's unborn twins and Violet's boyfriend. There has got to be a ton to this relationship that we haven't learned yet -- Tate references his mother as a ****sucker in the pilot episode and frequently mentions his mommy issues. Constance waves to him standing in a window of the house when she passes by in an earlier episode and she is ignored. In episode 7, Constance comes to find him after his session with Ben and Tate really gives her the cold shoulder, explaining they are really getting to the root of his problems -- his mother.

Beau -- Son, Ghost. Beau is the big kid we met in the attic in episode 8 who was killed by Larry the Fire Guy.

Addie -- Daughter, Passed on. Addie was in her mid-30's when she was hit by a car on Halloween. Constance seemed to torture Addie with the fact that she was ugly (cue the mirror filled closet!) and a handful, but yet seemed so tortured by her death. Constance alluded to some strange things during the Halloween episode when she finds Addie in the kitchen reading with her boytoy.

Viv -- Next door neighbor and feeder of all things raw. Gross.

Moira -- Her former housekeeper that she caught having relations with her husband and shot in the eye.

Ben -- Next door neighbor and mother of one his patients -- now we know that Ben actually had someone to call in the episode where he tells Tate he can no longer treat him!

Hugo -- Husband?, Ghost. Was this Constance's husband for sure? Didn't Tate say that his father left when he was young? Was Hugo not Tate's father?

Larry -- Previous lovers? Alive. Larry and Constance's relationship is an interesting one that we definitely are going to find out more about. It seems as though Larry was in love with Constance beginning in 1994, I'm assuming after Tate's massacre -- Constance was living next door and Larry fell in love with her and broke things off with his wife. After killing Beau, Constance's son, as she demanded. Larry's family is in a room filled with flames -- however, we haven't met their ghosts yet -- which suggests they may have not died in the house. Denis O'Hare alludes to this in an interview found here.

"I wanted to talk about the first basement scene where Larry tells Constance that he loves her, and she says to him, 'Look what you did to yourself, look at what the house did to you.' And then he responds, 'The house didn't do this to me, you did this to me.' So she seems a little disgusted, and he sort of seems to blame her for his physical condition. Can you share with us more details about what this is all about?

Denis O'Hare: All I'll tell you is all will be revealed in, I guess it's Episode 9. There's an explanation of that, and I would be irresponsible if I said anything more. I love their evolving relationship, and I love the information we get. There's some great stuff in Episode 9 that comes out. We call it nine, sorry, that would be your ten, I think. But there's some great information that comes out about Constance's' life with Larry and Larry's attempts to become part of the family, which are sad and disturbing."

Seems as though the upcoming episode is going to tell us alot about Constance -- what she knows about the powers of the house, which I think will be telling on how she may have used/abused it.

LINK: Interview with Denis O'Hare (Larry)

This is a great article on Movieweb.com -- an interview with Denis O'Hare. Check it out here.

I pulled a few really interesting tidbits out -- I especially loved the whole section where he talks about the process of getting his makeup on.


"In your opinion, what kind of release or redemption do you feel that Larry is ultimately looking for?

Denis O'Hare: You know, in upcoming episodes it's played out a little more. On a prosaic level he's looking to expiate his guilt. But what does that mean is that he's going to pay for his crimes or does it mean he's going to finally be held accountable and judged, I suppose, is one. But in a metaphorical sense, I think he's looking for meaning. Why have I gone through this? Why have I experienced this pain and suffering? Why have I not been allowed to reach happiness? And I think what he wants is resolution in the form of an answer, and that answer can be an action or it can be a message. I think all the characters in American Horror Story, which is why I love it, are looking for some sense of meaning, and also it's their form of happiness. If you think about Tate and Violet, if you think about even Vivien and Ben, their marriage, they're-people are struggling to find sense in what is a crumbling marriage. So I think for Larry it's a similar thing. He's looking for, sort of, a way of out of what he considers to be a hellish existence."

Seems like alot of the characters on AHS are just looking for a meaning -- meaning in a variety of different things, but meaning nonetheless.


"Denis O'Hare: I would love to have had a scene with Larry running lines with Ben in the apartment for The Odd Couple and giving each other notes. I think that would've been fantastic. And I would love to see Larry's photo session with the photographer who's saying, 'Okay, chin down. Okay, a little more to the right. Okay, that's nice. Hold that.' I think that'd be terrific. You know, they write me beautiful comic stuff. There was a great scene last night when I was coming to the open house with Marcy, the realtor, and Vivien, and I just love the fact that they give me this nice little comic stuff. "
Would LOVE to see a bit more comedy in the episodes -- although they already do a good job of inserting some great little lines in the dialogue that make you snort or giggle, think it would be a nice sweet and sour mix. What do you think?


"I wanted to talk about the first basement scene where Larry tells Constance that he loves her, and she says to him, 'Look what you did to yourself, look at what the house did to you.' And then he responds, 'The house didn't do this to me, you did this to me.' So she seems a little disgusted, and he sort of seems to blame her for his physical condition. Can you share with us more details about what this is all about?

Denis O'Hare: All I'll tell you is all will be revealed in, I guess it's Episode 9. There's an explanation of that, and I would be irresponsible if I said anything more. I love their evolving relationship, and I love the information we get. There's some great stuff in Episode 9 that comes out. We call it nine, sorry, that would be your ten, I think. But there's some great information that comes out about Constance's' life with Larry and Larry's attempts to become part of the family, which are sad and disturbing." Can't wait to learn more about this relationship -- my hunch is that Constance threw Larry into the fireplace. :)

Check out the rest of the article, it's a great read!

Is Violet Dead?!

I had my suspicions before Episode 8 that Violet did indeed die when she overdosed on the pills. And they were only more confirmed after this episode -- no school in two weeks?! What is wrong with your parents? Right, a lot. Read on for the reasons that I think Violet is dead and how strange the scene where Tate supposedly saved her in the shower is...

In episode 6, Violet meets up with her 'friend' from the basement incident (what an awkward friendship -- based on a brush with the devil, sparked by a fist fight!?) who gives her some pills to cope with the odd happenings. Violet has a bit of an episode after realizing all of the ghosts have started appearing to her at moments, Tate writes I love you on her chalkboard and Violet freaks out, swalling pill after pill.. Violet passes out on bed.

Cut to Tate dragging (note due to the swift scene cut and no segway into this-- we have no idea how much time actually elapsed) Violet down the hallway into the bathroom, where he drags her into the shower and sticks his fingers down her throat, all the way screaming "Don't die on me!"

But did she?

How would we have any idea that she did? We know that she hasn't been to school in 2 weeks -- a fitting timeline to when the pill incident could have gone down?

Tate tells Violet in episode 8, that the only thing they (the spirits) can do to her now is scare her -- we know that the ghosts can be violent thanks to Tate -- is that a hint that now she's dead she can't be hurt?

We haven't seen Violet outside of the house since the incident with the pills happened. Of course, this could totally just make sense with the story line and Violets excuse for missing school could be just that -- bullying; we know that she's been acting depressed and hasn't been leaving her room much before this.

But let's think about this a little bit deeper... The last time we saw her outside of the house was in episode 6, right before the over-dose scene -- she was at Constance's with the medium finding out that she was 'special' and could see ghosts. I can't help but wonder if that's sort of bogus and a ploy of Constance's to get Violet to do what she wants? Obviously Viv and Ben can see ghosts as well! What makes Violet special compared to them?

Tate refers to Violet as having 'evolved' -- what has she evolved into? She always saw the ghosts, including Tate (though he may not know that, but that's for another post...)

In short: we haven't seen Violet out of the house in two episodes, she had a brush with death, it was TATE of all people who supposedly saved her, she hasn't been to school in two weeks, and Tate refers to her as having evolved.

Taking it a step too far? If the house traps souls there in a constant state of feeling whatever emotions they were at the time of their death, one could say that in trying to commit suicide one could say that Violet was trying to escape dealing with the House and the truths behind it -- as well as admitting she knew part of what was going on at the risk of being/feeling crazy. We also know from Hayden that the ghosts are supposed to deal with their issues, but never can -- was Violet lying to Ben and not taking Viv's side a manifestation of this if she really is dead??

Hayden's Rules of Ghosts

Have I already mentioned that I really sort of had to like Hayden in this episode? As grimey as she seems to be at hurt, she was pretty funny. I really like that the newest ghost of the house (who wasn't killed by Tate!) gives us the breakdown of the rules. I also thought it was a fitting point in the season to give the audience a little break down on how it actually works in creepy house ghost land.

Here's the breakdown on what I think we learned from the scene in the master bedroom with Hayden and Nora:

1 -- When Hayden walks in on a crying Nora, we learn from the scene that ghosts can be both driven crazy and act crazy, or more nicely put, feel eternal pain?

"There are other souls trapped in here. Beautiful, innocent souls that never knew malice or anger. It's not fair they are trapped in a palce like this. It's heartbreaking... Then there are other that are just in on the game."

2 --  Apparently, as we've probably already learned -- the house holds onto all souls, whether they be good or bad. What we haven't learned is if there's a difference?

3 -- There is some kind of game?

"We linger here with the living. No rest for the them, no rest for us. Its this place, it has a hold on us. But that's not all -- there's a power in it, a power we can use."

4 -- They can use the power of the house to their advantage -- the ghosts (all of them?) are able to make themselves invisible and seen as they wish.

5 -- The ghosts of the house (duh!) mess with the living.

6 -- I know these are supposed to be rules, but I have to ask is the power of the house somehow related to the game that Hayden references in this little speech?

7 -- The ghosts seem to feel all sorts of emotions -- Hayden explains that she vibrates with rage, which is often depicted in other ways -- we see Nora constantly crying out of pain and anguish, is there one particular emotion that haunts the ghosts in the house? For example, could this relate somehow to Tate's violent ways?

8 -- The ghosts can get it on.

9 -- Some ghosts have appetites? As made evident after Constance's husband (?) and Hayden's escapade.

10 -- Ghosts can be rekilled.

"We're supposed to fix our issues, we never can. It doesn't stick."

11 -- By this statement, it seems as though each of the ghosts needs to get over something in the house -- each of them is obsessed with something: Moira is constantly coming up with schemes to get Constance caught for murder, Nora is in an eternal search for her monster baby, Hayden is continuing her quest for revenge against Viv. What could this mean for Tate? Is it just that he's destined to continue in his violent ways or is it something deeper? Perhaps what Moira said about his constant need to please the ladies of the house?

12 -- It seems as though all of the ghosts have evidence of their wounds that killed them -- Nora has the exit wound in her head, we see large black and blues on Hayden, the two from the home invasion episode in the backseat of Episode 8 have their wounds, the 'Dead Breakfast Club', Moira's eye, where were Tates?

13 -- We've also learned in this episode and others that the ghosts are able to touch actual objects and move them -- participate in the life of the house as a living human being would.

I'm eventually going to make a page of the rules, so please add if you have any to add to this list! :)

LINK: Article on What We Already Know About Rubber Man

Check out this article from the Washington Post, recapping all we've learned about Rubber Man.

I pulled an excerpt on who they list could possibly be Rubber Man:
"THE CANDIDATES


Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott): A strong possibility, though perhaps as a reluctant participant. We’ve seen evidence of Ben acting either possessed or having a dual personality. Still, a little too obvious a choice. Also, didn’t he appear to be elsewhere in the house when Vivien and Rubber Man did the deed? Odds: 5/1.




Tate (Evan Peters): We've seen him wear the suit. And having him impregnate Vivien fits in with the speculation that Constance wants to reincarnate her son. It also would explain Constance’s interest in Vivien’s baby. But still ... Odds: 7/1.



Larry Harvey (Denis O’Hare). The fire-scarred and crippled former resident of the Murder House can’t be the Rubber Man, who has two functional arms, unless Larry’s been faking his infirmity Keyser Soze-style. Odds: 50/1


Charles Montgomery (Matt Ross): The house’s original owner and occupant. He’s a long-dead mad scientist, but it’s actually his timid nature that makes him an unlikely candidate. Odds: 15/1

Constance's Husband (Eric Close): In his only and brief appearance, th unnamed, philandering spouse of Constance (Jessica Lange) was killed by his wife during a flashback set in the ’80s. His lack of screen time might rule him out, or could add to the surprise. Odds: 10/1.


Luke (Morris Chestnut): The Harmons’ security guard (and possible object of Vivien’s affection) seems too grounded in the real world. Odds: 25-1



Chad or Patrick: Since they were both victims of the Rubber Man, it wouldn’t make much sense within the narrative. Of course, that’s hardly a disqualifier on “AHS.” Odds: 50/1

Other:Really, it could be anyone — from Yao Ming to Daffy Duck — without being too much of a shock. Odds: 20/1 "

Then, if you're still itching for some information check out AHS Wiki on Rubber Man here.

get excited.. rubber man reveal soo soon!

Ryan Murphy on Rubber Man in tonight's episode:

And next week is the Rubber Man reveal right?
Yeah. Next week is great because it has several things that I’m proud of. I think it’s award-winning work from Connie Britton because she has to play paranoia. We reveal 100 percent the identity of the Rubber Man. We also show people how the Rubber Man came to be. You see, Where did the costume come from? Who is it? Why are they doing that? What is the Rubber Man’s goal? It’s also a great episode for Zach Quinto, who’s amazing in it.

Excerpt taken from here.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

If you're interested in spoilers, check out this link from the IMDB forums: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1844624/board/thread/191445689?p=2

Rubber Man's identity is revealed.

DON'T PEEK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!! :)

LINK: Interview with Evan Peters, Actor who plays Tate

Check out this article from TV Guide, that interviews Evan Peters who plays Tate.

Especially interested in this excerpt:

Is the Rubber Man one of the spirits Tate can call on? How are they connected?
Peters: Well, it's unlikely they're the same person, but it is all related. If the suit is lying around, Tate can see it. Everything that goes on in the house is interconnected.
How did it feel wearing the gimp suit?
Peters: It's one of the most uncomfortable things I've worn in my life. It's latex, not thick rubber, and you're on a soundstage, so it's absolutely freezing. It's also very tight in the crotch area, so it's hard to sit down and stand up.

Peters' answer to the first question could support my theory that the Infatata is the connecting factor.

What do you think?

Rubber Man

We're all (im)patiently waiting the reveal of Rubber Man on tonight's episode, coincidentally sharing the same title as this blog post.

We caught a sneak peek at two (perhaps different!) Rubber Men during the promo FX has been airing and that can also be found here. We learn from this special preview that during tonight's episode Chad goes to an S&M start to spice up his relationship -- the shop-worker shows him around, finally deciding he should buy a large black S&M suit.

First, I'd like to discuss a theory I've seen floating around on AHS Facebook page and the IMDB discussion boards -- the notion that there might be two different suits that we've seen. Let's take a look at a few different versions of Rubber Man that we've seen:

Rubber Man:

(Source)

Tate in Rubberman Suit:

(Source)

Rubber Man suit seen in promo while Chad is shopping in S&M Store:

(Source: Screenshot from promo video linked above)

Seems to me like there is a strong possibility that there are two different suits -- the S&M suit that Chad bought to spice up their relationship, as seen in the promo for tonight's episode and the actual black latex suit that Rubber Man wears. I had a bit of trouble finding a bunch of good pictures to relate this -- I'm thinking back to the first episode, when Viv and Ben go exploring in the attic (total side note: how come we didn't see any signs of Beau during this? or did we?) and find the S&M suit -- I seem to remember it having some chains and buckles on it. Was this just because it was hanging, similar to the picture above from the S&M shop? Or is a different suit? The suit that Rubber Man wears (and coincidentally Tate wears when he scares Violet in the basement) is a very simple latex suit.

What do you think? Is there a possibility that there are two suits? What difference could this make in the story line?

Now onto my real theory...

Tate is Rubber Man.

Why do I think this? Well for a number of reasons (in no particular order)...

Tate appears in the Rubber Man suit in the basement to Violet -- she says "I thought my parents threw that away." and Tate replies with something to effect of "Finders, Keepers." Going against the above double suit theory, this could be a reference that Rubber Man was 'born' when Tate stole/found the suit in the attic after Chad bought it. This brings me to another side note -- I've read on FB/IMDB suggestions that perhaps Tate is actually the blonde Chad's significant other is cheating on him with -- thus Tate kills him as Rubber Man? Interesting thought... Back to Tate appearing as Rubber Man to Violet -- why? Why did he think it was a good idea to scare the girl he's been pining over in a black latex suit in a creepy basement on Halloween? Would you think that's a good way to get on a girl's good side? Personally, it doesn't work for me.

Tate wouldn't have sex with Violet on the beach. Tate didn't offer Violet a really plausible reason (granted it was a plausible reason for the situation -- 'Maybe it's the medication you're Dad's got me on' -- Remember, Violet didn't know Tate was dead yet.) -- so what was the reason? Could the reason be that Tate had already had relations (if you can even call it that...) with her mother and was uncomfortable doing it with mother and daughter?

Rubber Man hasn't killed anyone since the Harmon's moved into the house. In the last episode, Tate says to Violet "This is the better place now that you're here." Could Tate be pulling away from his evil ways because he's finally found love in Violet? This is going to lead me into my second theory about Rubber Man/Tate so stick with me here...

Tate as the blonde, normal - looking teenager is the good version of himself. Tate as Rubber Man is the evil version of himself, perhaps even controlled by Infatata. Tate knows alot about the history of the house, especially the original owners -- we know this because he gives Violet the run down of the story, I believe in one of the Halloween episodes. Though it still boggles my mind why a ghost would be interested in using a Ouija board, I digress... Tate also finds the photo's, mason jars and other junk in the attic and shows it to Violet -- how did he know where this stuff was? Why is he so interested in the history of the house and sharing it with Violet? I also find it interesting that we've seen hints (the dead rodents, slashed throats of the twin victims, "Charles, it's not milk that he wants!' - Nora Montgomery, etc) that the infatata needs blood to survive -- is it just coincidental then, that in the last episode Tate licks the blood off Violets wounds?

Also, let's think back to the first time we saw Tate's horrible acts in the high school -- he is disguised, face painted like a skeleton, almost completely covered and unrecognizable and dressed all in black. Could this be a clue that he wasn't himself? He was perhaps, being controlled by something else? Such as the Infatata? This gives us a reason as to why Tate did these horrible things -- maybe Tate is a good person (like Violet asks the teacher in the library) but something, like the infatata, is getting in the way of it. I could be wrong here, but I also seem to remember Tate's face being painted when Violet brings the bully to the house and brings her down to the basement -- another sign?

It's really hard for me to believe that Dr. Montgomery didn't have to sell his soul or the soul of Thaddeus the baby to bring the it back to life. There is ample evidence from the previous episodes that the Infatata is indeed some form of the devil, but I will leave that for another post. Let's just assume the Infatata is some form of the devil and is thus using/controlling Tate, dressed as the Rubber Man to do it's dirty work.

Getting back proving that Tate is indeed the Rubber Man -- think back to what Addie said to Constance through the medium -- "I'm glad I'm not in the house -- I'm scared of Tate now that I know the truth about him." This suggests there's obviously something we don't know about Tate yet -- very well could be that he's the Rubber Man or a number of other things given this show's incredible plot twists.

Let's jump back a few episodes again to the first Halloween episode -- Larry is knocking at the door, Violet calls her Dad super freaked out and Rubber Man appears behind her -- stares, and leaves. He had the perfect opportunity to kill her, but just walks away -- we don't see Rubber Man appear for no purpose in any other scene except this one. (Please correct me here if I'm wrong!) Could this be another reason that Tate is indeed Rubber Man? Regardless of the suit and the powers controlling him, he couldn't hurt Violet.

Another clue that Tate is the Rubber Man -- at the end of the promo, if you still the end scene where Rubber Man is taking off his mask, you see pieces of blonde hair appear under the mask.

Lastly, I read one of the original interviews with Ryan Murphy (source to come shortly) and he's asked about the identity of the Rubber Man -- his answers is obviously very vague, but he mentions that he thinks its so obvious and he's surprised that no one has figured it out yet. Would the obvious choice be Tate?

So what do you think? Do you think the Rubber Man is Tate, controlled by the Infatata perhaps? Or is the Rubber Man just another form of the Infatata?

Last question I leave you with: Do you think Violet is still living or did she die in the episode she overdoses in? Was Tate too late in saving her?

Happy watching!!

Not to Dissect?

My first post was originally going to be about Rubber Man, the draft is currently saved and will be uploaded as soon as I've finished. However, I was doing a bit of research on the web while writing the post and came across this article on Yahoo: 'Three Reasons Not to Dissect American Horror Story' written by Drew Taylor. I couldn't resist talking about an article that is essentially giving me three reasons as to why this blog shouldn't exist, lol!

Before I delve into his article -- I want to say that I think the fact that AHS provides you with so many clues and so much information beneath the surfaces of the story line, in many cases, without you even realizing it's there is what makes AHS such an amazing show. It keeps me talking, thinking and in turn makes the anticipation for next week's episode that much greater.

Back to the article...

Taylor's first reason to not dissect AHS is Unpredictable Twists.
Well yes, they are crazy unpredictable twists -- I probably would have never  guessed that Larry was secretly or not-so-secretly I guess, in love with Constance. "The show adds rich layers to an otherwise foreseeable source of the supposed dream house's unrest by giving the doctor a drug addiction, materialistic wife, slain child, Frankenstein obsession and crushing debt. Who could anticipate that combination?" Very true, Taylor, very true -- but isn't the fun in trying to come up with the explanation in the meantime??

"'American Horror Story' drops clear hints about upcoming plot twists, but the clues are not predictable enough to anticipate the whole story." My feeling is that the writers are dropping clear hints for a reason -- they want us to try and figure out the whole story, but obviously aren't giving us enough information to figure out the whole story -- what would be the point of the show if we knew what was going to happen around every corner?

Second Reason: Fast Paced Mythology.
Taylor explains we are introduced to a number of different characters and possible storylines in a short amount of time, but many of these 'smaller' storylines develop rather quickly. He takes living vs. dead as an example -- we learn quite quickly who of the main cast has a pulse and who doesn't. I'd have to counter you with this question, Taylor: what about Tate? I for one, couldn't decide if he was of the living or dead until the Halloween episodes, when it started to become very clear, but yet not definite that Tate was in fact living among the dead. ('Living among the dead'? A future topic for discussion I'm sure... What is actually happening to these ghosts in the house? Are they dead among the living? or Living among the dead?)

Taylor cites Viv's pregnancy as an example of a storyline Murphy has injected into the show with a need to develop more freely and slowly. As a previous fan of Nip/Tuck -- I love how Murphy includes story lines that take quite a few episodes to develop, some even being forgotten storylines that reappear and make you wonder, "Hey what did happen with that?"

"For the truly impatient, Ryan Murphy appears to have an affinity for giving major spoilers." -- Does he? because I'm not sure I've caught on to these major spoilers yet -- do you agree with Taylor?

Third Reason: New Lore vs. Tradition
I'm pulling Taylor's entire third reason below because I think there's a ton to dissect here.

"The show relies heavily on surreal images, jolting camera angles, and uncomfortable themes to create an emotional experience that does not always jibe with real-world logic or existing horror themes. Although the show explains, or at least acknowledges, two major cracks by giving the cash-strapped Harmons financial incentive to stay in the haunted house and having the undead teens ask Violet how she never heard of their high school massacre, it does not have to play by the rules.

By reimagining popular horror stories, legends and historical events, "American Horror Story" is creating new lore.

Theorizing and speculating about "American Horror Story" add to the unique appeal of this show, but there is no reward for giving it the "Lost" treatment. Instead, relish the combination of horror, suspense and mystery as the story develops. "

I'd have to disagree with Taylor in the first paragraph. While I agree that an amazing use of different technique certainly sets the tone of the show, I don't agree that is at times, at the expense of real world logic.

I think the creators/producers/directors have done a wonderful job invoking emotion out of its viewers -- when the characters start to get scared, I start to get scared (Example: Violet at home on Halloween night, with Larry knocking at the door). I can feel the worry in Viv's character about her pregnancy, while feeling nothing from the scenes with Rubber Man -- cold and icy, just like a murderer.

I'm not well versed enough in the horror scene to say they aren't keeping with the typical horror themes -- I'd like to think I'm pretty well versed in real world logic. I think the characters do a great job of being put in a completely other-wordly situation and keeping their logic. Larry's referral to Ben's logic as a 'puny analyst's worldview' is quite telling, especially when you set the scene: the two are arguing, standing over Hayden's grave. Ben watched Larry kill her, but is so much disbelief that this could actually be reality -- he's making up stories to explain the supernatural. Side Note: I love that Ben's profession is a therapist; it adds an extra element of believability (great new word I just made up!) to his overly realistic way of viewing the world. Viv's concerns about her babies having hooves are even cemented as normal fears by her OB-GYN in the last episode.

Creating a horror show that lasts an entire season, and perhaps even more is a hard task -- in the movies, its quite easy to gloss over a few details and questions (like, WHY ARE YOU STILL IN THAT HOUSE?) without losing the audience. AHS has a much harder task at hand -- having to keep this story alive and running for a number of hours. Personally, I think they have done a pretty good job at convincing me that there are legitimate reasons for the Harmon's still be in the house and still not completely believing that the house is indeed, haunted.

I disagree with Taylor that AHS does not deserve the Lost treatment. A wonderful HS teacher of mine, loved to bring up the Wizard of Oz story -- the story starts out with an initial problem, Dorothy loses Toto in Kansas - yet the main storyline never deals with this problem, we never know that Toto is brought home safely. I'm using this as analogy for AHS because I think the original problem is "You're going to die in there" -- something is wrong with the house itself, which we haven't explored deeply in any of the episodes -- we've explored many of the murders that have happened in the house, but we don't know why so many murders are occuring in this particular house. Everything we're learning about the house's inhabitants should be major clues as to what supernatural powers the house actually has.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Taylor that AHS doesn't deserve the Lost treatment? Do you disagree with me that the root of the problem within all of the storylines is the house and we still don't know why? What are your feelings on how or how not Murphy and the writers have infused typical horror themes into their storylines? Do you think AHS's writers are doing a good job at keeping the show believable?

Ready.. Set.. Discuss! :)

Welcome fellow AHS Fanatics!

Hello! Welcome to AHS Dissected -- I started this blog after spending a lot of time reading people's theories about the show on the web, as well as annoying all of my friends only speaking about AHS.

My hope is to dissect the episodes by researching the many clues in episodes of AHS. Really interested in hearing everyone's comments on each of the posts -- I'd like these posts to spark discussions and further analysis of what I've come up with.

Hope everyone enjoys! :)

Just a side note of what kinds of posts this blog is going to have:
- episode synopsis and links to the best episode synopsis on the web
- analysis of monlogues/long speeches
- character analysis
- breakdown of foreshadowing
- links to great articles about ahs
- gathering of different theories
- and more, comment with your ideas!