Home Invasion

So far, American Horror Story is proving to be a retread of tropes we have seen in many horror films and TV shows preceding it. There are some intriguing and unique elements included, but those elements are mostly pushed off to the background to make way for the clichés.

Jessica Lange is consistently the strongest part of this show. She manages to be unsettling but funny at the same time, and we have no idea of what her true motives are.

Her plot line, Evan Peters' plot line, and Denis O'Hare's plot line are all intriguing, but not much time is spent on them. Instead we get boring crap about the husband and wife relationship, and how the husband is going to Boston to support his mistress' pregnancy. This is all stuff straight out of a crappy soap opera, and given I'm watching a show titled American Horror Story, it comes off as just plain boring. The plot element about the maid and how the husband sees her as this sexy young woman, is one of the dumbest plot lines I have seen in a TV show.

Unfortunately, as with the first episode, we can count on the writing being absolutely abysmal. Poor Kate Mara is reduced to garbage in this episode, which is sad given what she continued on to do.

I'm still waiting for this show to increase in quality, but that doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon which is a shame. Everybody is raving about this show, and for the life of me I can't see why.

The second episode of the first season of the series "American Horror Story," titled "Home Invasion" and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, continues to unravel the dark and twisted fabric of the Murder House and the lives it entangles. Co-written by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, this episode balances psychological horror with visceral home invasion terror, deepening the layered narrative introduced in the pilot. The episode opens with a chilling flashback to the late 1960s, exposing a brutal murder of two nurses, establishing a historical weight that haunts the present-day story of the Harmon family. This connection to the past grounds the supernatural elements within a lineage of violence and malevolence that defines the house.

Within the present timeline, the threat becomes immediate and tangible as a trio of dangerous intruders, inspired by a notorious cult leader named Franklin, break into the Harmon residence. Vivien and Violet's strange calm under siege turns into a palpable tension, contrasting typical horror tropes of frantic panic. The presence of Tate, the enigmatic and possibly supernatural young man, adds layers of ambiguity-his violent interventions interspersed with unsettling ambiguity about the real and the imagined. A particularly haunting sequence involves Violet's recurring nightmare and a brutal attack, leaving viewers questioning the nature of violence and perception in this haunted environment.

The direction by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon is meticulous, bringing a measured pace that juxtaposes moments of quiet dread with bursts of sudden violence. His use of camera angles, especially the employment of Dutch tilts, creates a disorienting effect that reflects the underlying instability of the house and its occupants. Scenes such as Addie's confinement in a closet lined with mirrors underline the episode's themes of confinement, self-perception, and cruelty, emphasizing the show's ability to evoke emotional horror alongside physical threat. The effective lighting and shadow play continue to heighten the eerie atmosphere, enhancing the house's role as a character in itself.

The script supports this tone well, further deepening character relationships and the psychological subtext. It explores themes of control and repression through Constance's manipulative treatment of her disabled daughter, while the traumatic past of the house continues to bleed into the present. The home invasion plotline is not only a literal physical threat but also a metaphor for the invasive forces-psychological, supernatural, and social-that penetrate the Harmon family. Dialogue and exposition are skillfully balanced, avoiding heavy-handedness while maintaining the mystery and horror that keep audiences invested.

Performances in this episode maintain the high standard set by the pilot. Connie Britton as Vivien portrays a nuanced blend of vulnerability and latent strength under duress, while Taissa Farmiga as Violet delivers a compelling portrayal of adolescent angst complicated by the supernatural. Jessica Lange's screen time, albeit limited, shines through as Constance, whose blend of Southern gothic cruelty and warped maternal instinct adds psychological depth. The intruders, though less fleshed out, serve as effective vessels of menace, their menace amplified by sharp, stark appearances and chilling motivations.

Key scenes include the tense home invasion itself, which plays out with a blend of suspense and horror, avoiding predictable slaughter for a more psychological game of cat and mouse. The use of the house's labyrinthine layout and the odd behavior of its occupants compound the feeling of vulnerability and entrapment. The episode cleverly utilizes silence and the building soundscape to increase tension, while the final moments hint at looming consequences and the inescapable darkness overshadowing the Harmon family.

Among the positive elements are the strong cohesion between direction and narrative, the development of atmosphere that balances horror with emotional gravity, and the continuity of stylistic choices that make the series distinct. However, some critiques note that the pacing may feel uneven to certain viewers and that the dependency on supernatural ambiguity may challenge viewers' suspension of disbelief. The episode also continues to grapple with how to sustain tension when characters seem peculiarly passive or resigned in the face of danger.

"Home Invasion" situates itself within the home invasion subgenre of horror, nodding to classics like "Panic Room" and "Funny Games," while blending these tropes with the haunted house tradition. The layering of supernatural folklore with social commentary distinguishes it from straightforward thrillers, reflecting contemporary anxieties about domestic safety and psychological trauma. The episode also draws on gothic literary motifs, such as the house as a living entity and the curse passed through generations, aligning with the broader themes of Ryan Murphy's body of work, which often probes dysfunction and human fragility under duress.

The episode examines power dynamics both within family structures and invading forces, reflecting societal fears about intrusion and loss of control. The metaphor of the house itself as a prison underlines existential concerns about confinement, memory, and identity, while the specters within symbolize unresolved issues of guilt and trauma-both personal and collective. The blending of horror with psychological realism encourages viewers to contemplate the boundaries between external threat and internal breakdown, a hallmark of the series' narrative ambition.

"Home Invasion" solidifies "American Horror Story's" approach of mixing psychological and physical horror, using strong performances, provocative direction, and layered storytelling. While it contends with some narrative and pacing challenges, it deepens the mythology and emotional stakes introduced in the pilot, weaving home invasion tropes with supernatural dread in a way that pushes conventional boundaries. This episode invites reflection on the nature of fear, family, and the haunting legacies of violence, urging viewers to look beyond surface scares to the complex interplay of history, trauma, and identity encapsulated in the Murder House. Its unsettling power lies in its blend of mood, character, and theme, maintaining the series' promise as a provocative exploration of horror.

Well the pilot wasn't a fluke! The show is well and truly mental but hey it's 2011 and we have survived Lost, x-files and 24 so why not push TV that little but further and bring full on horror fest to the small screen. The show is easily on par with the fist seasons of Masters of Horror and equally as nasty. This episode was no exception and from scene to scene I was exclaiming WTF and OMG as they ramped up the violence and tension level. I am still not sure where or how the show can go on but I will be glued to my screen in anticipation of the macabre writers next twist. So much on offer it is literally a veritable feast of flesh!

The pilot was awesome and I too got caught up in the "what will they do next" query. The show just keeps the creep outs coming, with a less than subtle wink-wink with it's dark humor. I LOVE Jessica Lange and this has got to be so much fun for her to play, and it is quickly becoming my favorite role of hers. NO ONE can play this character like her. She pulls off tragedy, mental imbalance and humor, without uttering a line. But when she speaks...wow! The lines are great and the writers make her just "camp" enough to stay enjoyable, just don't eat her cupcakes! The second episode packed a lot in and creeped me out and made me go, "HUH?" and wait..."Is he real?" a few times. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy this entire cast and will gladly tune in week after week to get to know this house and it's stories, more Contance and Addie and maybe less Violet...if you like dark humor, mystery and a little gore with your drama, watch this show!

OK so I sort of hated the pilot but decided to give this show a chance by watching a few episodes. Here's my thought on the second episode. We some how find ourselves in 1968 with clips on the TV from 1967. And a murder that doesn't make sense.

And somehow the patient Ted has free range of the house. Why is that? Beats me. Seems that if I had a patient who was talking about sex with my daughter as well as about how he wanted to kill everyone, I'd be committing him.

And low and behold the daughter and the bully from the pilot are now best friends. Who writes this stuff? I find the story line to be really poorly done. And the direction is annoying. Jolty cuts and shaky cams.

They still have that down syndrome girl Jamie Brewer and it's great that she's high functioning but lets be honest the people who make this show are using her.

I liked the second episode a little more than the pilot. But not by much. It's not well thought out and I wonder what all the fuss is about. Will try one or two more. Stay tuned.