TV Review: AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM – Season 2 – “Dark Cousin”

By SEAN ELLIOTT / Contributing Writer

Posted: December 5th, 2012 / 11:47 PM

James Cromwell in AMERICAN HORROR STORY - Season 2 - "Dark Cousin" | ©2012 FX/Michael Becker

Stars: Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Lizzie Brochere, James Cromwell, Jessica Lange, Chloe Sevigny, Adam Levine, Jenna Dewan Tatum
Writer: Tim Minear, series created by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk
Director: Michael Rymer
Network: FX, Wednesdays @ 10 PM
Original Airdate: November 28, 2012

Clearly we’re more than halfway through AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM otherwise I’m not so sure they would start killing off a bunch of characters. This new episode “Dark Cousin” really feels a bit like the beginning of the end and I’m reasonably sure that the last five episodes might not leave anyone standing. Of course, if this new season takes a cue from last year, the only person left standing might be Jessica Lange.

A new level of supernatural is added in this episode in the appearance of Death (Frances Conroy) to Briarcliff Asylum. And boy howdy, let me tell you that Death is a busy girl in this episode. She makes the rounds with people both in Briarcliff, and connected to it in the outside world. I absolutely love the design on Death herself, her makeup, costume, and the gorgeous black wings all work together to create a stunning, sinister and beautiful Angel of Death.

I think I might feel sorriest for Lana (Sara Paulson) in this episode. That poor woman can NOT catch a break. She is clearly the Agent Scully of this series, and very hard knock that can be handed to her is going to be. She starts the episode being violated by Dr. Thredson (Zachary Quinto), and I honestly could have done without seeing Spock’s ass in this episode. Not that Quinto has anything other than an athletic and fit rear, but he’s Mr. Spock! It ruins Sci Fi a bit when actors do weird roles with nudity around their Sci Fi gigs. Oh yeah, but back to Lana. She escapes, stupidly doesn’t at least chain up Thredson, gets to a road and is picked up by a suicidal driver. The guy caps himself, the car wrecks and Lana ends up right back at Briarcliff again. Is she safe for now, or will the demonic attentions of Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe) put a final end to her torment?

I love the fact that Kit (Evan Peters) ends up becoming a murderer to go back to Briarcliff and save Grace (Lizzie Brochere) only to actually cause her death. So our cast is down by one love story now. And, what about the poor kitchen nun that gets chewed up by the manufactured Elephant Man from the woods? Random death. So many dark kisses.

I like the elements of Sister Jude’s (Jessica Lange) past that we get in this episode. Now we at least have more of a reason for her to have picked up the bottle in the past and become a loose woman. It will be interesting to see her head back to take the Asylum from Sister Mary Eunice and Dr. Arden (James Cromwell) now that she knows the girl she hit with her car didn’t die. The demon in Mary Eunice has lost whatever leverage it had over Sister Jude, so here’s hoping Jude can take her down.

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Related: Exclusive Photos from the AMERICAN HORROR STORY PaleyFest 2012 event
Related Link: The Status on AMERICAN HORROR STORY Season 2
Related Link: TV Review – AMERICAN HORROR STORY – Season 1 – “Afterbirth” – Season Finale

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