AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW "Orphans" Sympathetic

Article first published as TV Review: 'American Horror Story' - "Orphans" on Blogcritics.

Earlier in the fall, I promised more reviews would be forthcoming for FX’s American Horror Story: Freak Show, and while it’s been awhile since I’ve written about it, this season has continued to rank either tied for first place with season one or the lone frontrunner of the series. It’s been such a character-driven piece, with surprising twists geared towards growing the personalities, rather than just for the sake of story. Amid this great run, this week’s installment, “Orphans,” is one of the best.

“Orphans” tells us the story of Pepper (Naomi Grossman), a microcephalic (or pinhead) whom also appears in season two, Asylum, which is set about ten years later than Freak Show. Pepper is the first character to appear in more than one season of American Horror Story, and playing a mostly bit part with the other supporting “freaks” up until now, I wondered why they bothered to bring her back. This is, until this week’s episode, which also sees a too-brief return of Asylum‘s Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe), more than justifies her presence.

Pepper is adopted be Elsa (Jessica Lange) from an orphanage, the first of the troupe. Others of the group that follow are recruited specifically for Pepper. But as the freak show falls apart, Pepper loses her closest companions, sending her deep into grief. Self-involved in her own career, Elsa foists Pepper off on the sister that abandoned her, Rita (Mare Winningham, who had a different one-episode role in last year’s Coven). Rita and her husband, Larry (Matthew Glave, Army Wives, ER), are even more selfish than Elsa, and concoct a plan to frame Pepper for murdering their annoying infant, landing Pepper in the asylum and revealing that he back story we thought we knew about Pepper is utterly wrong.

What is so impressive is the sympathy Grossman earns in this amazing turn. Even after two seasons, I am ashamed to say that I still find it hard to look at Pepper. In “Orphans,” I care about her, though, and so will anyone who watches her painful journey of abandonment and neglect. Pepper briefly has a good life, and it’s ripped away in the worst possible manner. Much of this success is built into the storytelling, and much of it is due to Grossman’s talent. It’s one of the most moving stories I’ve seen on television in awhile, and it continues Freak Show‘s trend (and more largely Ryan Murphy’s) of forcing people to face their preconceptions and become more compassionate towards those who are different than us.

Pepper’s arc, which actually ends several years in the future of the current story, though I’m not expecting everything else to jump, beautifully ties into Elsa’s. Someone who acts like Elsa does now, willing to leave behind all she’s built and those she cares about, doesn’t quite line up to the person who put together the troupe in the first place. “Orphans” shows us her connection with Pepper, and how that leads to the inclusion of Ma Petite (Jyoti Amge) and Salty (Christopher Neiman). Elsa has changed, and not for the better. Though, there is a big hint of a happy ending for her.

What causes Elsa to fall so far? I assume part of it is that she’s lost so much, including Ma and Salty, and so knows she can no longer hold onto the world she’s lived in. Another part has to be the chance at fame that Stanley (Denis O’Hare) dangles in front of her, and given her age, it’s probably the last chance she has to realize her dreams. Once upon a time, creating a family was her dream, and she lived it. Now, she realizes she wants more. Lange is having another masterful turn in the franchise in Elsa.

The third thing of interest this week is Maggie (Emma Roberts) revealing the truth to Desiree (Angela Bassett) about Stanley’s plan and misdeeds. Maggie is going through a redemption, sparked by falling in love with Jimmy (Evan Peters), which lasts even after the two have a falling out because he has changed her. Desiree is a bit adrift, looking for her own bettering of circumstances, and makes a strong ally by nearly any measure. With Ethel (Kathy Bates) sadly gone, these are now the two women I’m most excited to see play in the sandbox.

American Horror Story: Freak Show still has three episodes left. Given the consistent quality this season has demonstrated, and the impact “Orphans” makes even without Dandy (Finn Wittrock), the year’s breakout star, I am extremely optimistic about Murphy ending things right. American Horror Story is really in its stride here, living up to potential it doesn’t need to, given the excellent efforts the past two seasons are, while still being lesser than this. If Freak Show can stick the landing, it will be memorable and begging for future re-watches.

Taking a quick holiday break, American Horror Story: Freak Show next airs January 7th at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

Hatfields & McCoys bring History alive

Premiering to record breaking numbers for cable, it is clear that the History Channel has a hit on its hands with the new miniseries Hatfields & McCoys. It's not too late to catch the six hour saga, as it continues to repeat. And catch it, you should. This is what the History Channel should do more of! Bring the stories of the past alive in well scripted, well produced drama. In this goal, Hatfields & McCoys succeeds admirably.

That's not to say the series is perfect. At times the dialogue seems hokey, though it could be authentic to the time. And sure, dramatic license is taken to spice up historical events. But the core here is a true story, and watching a series such as this will not only entertain, but enlighten the viewer to an important chapter of America's tale. That is a laudable feat.

Hatfields & McCoys stars Kevin Costner (Dances With Wolves, Swing Vote) as Devil Anse Hatfield and Bill Paxton (Big Love, Twister) as Randall McCoy. Starting out as friends during the Civil War, tensions begin when Devil deserts to return to his family. This is an act Randall, a god-loving loyalist, cannot wrap his head around. It may be a minor incident, with no death involved, but it's the start of a deep misunderstanding between two honorable men, as each holds different priorities the other cannot comprehend, both of which are just.

If only that were the end of things. But then a pig is possibly stolen, and the hotter heads in both clans stir trouble. Not seeing the harm in minor clashes, Randall and Devil do not act to bring order to the families they head until it's too late. Then, as the body count rises, and the offenses continue, both are caught up in the battle themselves. Each insult must be answered with another. Not every cousin and brother can be kept in line. It's easy to see, without demonizing either party, how things spiral out of control, until it becomes nearly impossible to stop the feud. Of course, there is an end point, but for those who aren't history buffs, you'll have to watch to find out what the final straw is.

To keep Hatfields & McCoys interesting for six hours is no small chore. To accomplish this, an entire host of supporting characters are introduced in the two clans. It's hard to keep track of who belongs with who at times, making one long for the simple two-color system modern sports teams utilize in creating jerseys. They are all from a similar area of the country, and live similar lives, so by sight, there is no difference. And some of these players are taken out before they get the chance to do anything truly notable. But each adds to fleshing out the world, and keeping things moving, as well as providing a felt cost as the body count rises.

Among those who make an impression, in no particular order: Uncle Jim Vance (Tom Berenger, Inception, October Road), the war-loving Hatfield; Perry Cline (Ronan Vibert, The Borgias) as the McCoy's sleazy lawyer cousin; 'Bad' Frank Phillips (Andrew Howard, Limitless, Burn Notice), who serves as a mercenary for the McCoys to avenge a personal grudge against Uncle Jim; Levicy Hatfield (Sarah Parish, Mistresses), Devil's supportive wife; Judge Wall Hatfield (Powers Boothe, 24, Deadwood), who thinks the legal system will sort things out; Cap Hatfield (Boyd Holbrook, Milk, The Big C), a half blind sharpshooter; Cotton Top (Noel Fisher, Shameless, The Riches), a Hatfield who is mentally stunted; and Sally McCoy (Mare Winningham, Mildred Pierce, Grey's Anatomy), Randall's slightly insane wife. Each of these actors do a wonderful job, and deserve as much credit as the two leads for selling the miniseries so well.

Of course, there is a love story. How can there not be? Johnse Hatfield (Matt Barr, Hellcats, Harper's Island) is a player, who falls for Roseanna McCoy (Lindsay Pulsipher, True Blood, The Beast), a sweet girl. Their families refuse to let them be together, even though the young ones argue a marriage will help prevent an all out war between the clans. Surprisingly, love does not win.

As compelling as the story may be on the surface, it's a little hard to reconcile the presented soulful, truly good Johnse with the one who is eventually seduced by wicked cousin Nancy McCoy (Jena Malone, Sucker Punch, Life as a House), and then has four more wives later in life, as the ending scroll tells us. This feels like it might be the most twisted away from reality plot, done to further the television expectations.

Luckily, any weak points in the script, besides being overlooked because of the fantastic acting, are overshadowed be spectacular production value. Settings and costumes look great, and the music, when it doesn't veer into melodramatic territory, really helps set the tone. There is a lot to praise here, and the overall impression is very impressive. Look for some Emmy nods later this summer, and perhaps even a few wins.

If you missed it the first time, check out Hatfields & McCoys, currently running on the History Channel.


If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as  Hatfields & McCoys bring History alive on TheTVKing.com.

JWTV Quickie: Mildred Pierce - "Part Three" through "Part Five"

    Sunday night brought the last two segments of the new HBO five hour miniseries, Mildred Pierce. Rather than writing out paragraphs of detailed review, here's a list of ten things, both good and bad, of note within the last three hours, in no particular order. There's a similar list for the first two parts, which you can see by clicking here. Please feel free to add to the list if you think something important was missed, or debate why something is included.

1. Same as the previous list. Kate Winslet, who plays the title character, will win the Emmy. She just will, sorry, no contest. She is doing a fantastic job in a miniseries that is attracting attention and praise. There will be other actresses as good this year, but you would be hard pressed to find one better, and she will win.

2. The whole miniseries is a palindrome. Mildred begins married to Bert (Brian F. O'Byrne), divorces, loses a daughter (Ray, who dies), takes a lover, starts a business, find success, loses the business, loses the lover, loses a daughter (Veda runs out on her), divorces, marries Bert again. Ah, symmetry!

3. I thought I would like Evan Rachel Wood better as Veda than Morgan Turner, the younger version. I was wrong. While Wood did fine, she had less to work with than Turner, who played Veda for a longer period of time. Wood got the juicy finale, but Turner deserves to get a supporting actress Emmy nomination.

4. Veda screws everything up. Veda ruins Mildred's relationships and her chain of restaurants. Veda distracts Mildred from what she should be focusing on. If Mildred had had an abortion, or given Veda up for adoption, none of the bad things in her life would have ever happened. The story would have a happy ending.

5. Almost none of the characters are likeable. In fact, they are downright creeps. Bert is the best part of the family, almost worth rooting for, and even he cheated on his wife and ran off with the girl. No wonder Veda grew up to be such a psycho!

6. Mildred is a terrible mother. You spoil a kid, she takes advantage and feels entitled. Again, no wonder Veda grew up to be a psycho!

7. Monty (Guy Pearce) should be locked up as a sexual predator. Yes, his intercourse with Veda is consensual, and she is an adult by that point. However, sleeping with your wife's daughter is more than taboo. It is wrong under any circumstances, and it is disappointing that Monty and Veda end up together. Surely, should there have ever been a sequel, they would be split within months. He is only with her for the same reasons he was with Mildred - money and sex.

8. Ida (Mare Winningham) is the sole sane character. She is kind and generous. She takes over the business, but only reluctantly, and remains friends with Mildred. It's easy to see why Ida is included in the restaurants, and giving her her own location is both a stroke of genius, from a fianancial standpoint, and also plants the seeds of Mildred's eventual removal.

9. Lucy (Melissa Leo) actually ends up saner than Mildred. She is first introduced as a flighty weirdo, but grows into quite a sensible person. She had heart and intelligence. I guess some people really do mature nicely.

10. This miniseries is wonderful for an artistic perspective, and because of the talent behind it. The story is horrible, in that the characters are not relatable and terrible people. Perhaps it isn't unrealistic, but it is hard to look past such repulsive behavior. It will get accolades, as it should, but it will never be something people gleefully watch on a Friday night,

Click here for an alphabetical list of all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

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JWTV Quickie: Mildred Pierce - "Part One and Part Two"

     Sunday night, we got to see the first two hours of the new HBO's five hour miniseries, Mildred Pierce. Rather than writing out paragraphs of detailed review, which I will reserve for after the entire run is complete in three weeks, I want to list ten things, both good and bad, of note within the first two hours, in no particular order. Please feel free to add to the list if you think I missed something important, or debate why something is included.

1. Kate Winslet, who plays the title character, will win the Emmy. She just will, sorry, no contest. She is doing a fantastic job in a miniseries that is attracting attention and praise. There will be other actresses as good this year, but you would be hard pressed to find one better, and she will win.

2. I thought Mildred was supposed to be unlikable. Why hasn't she been unlikable yet? Am I under a false impression? She has been shown with pluck and determinating, struggling to support her family, with only a trace of enabling her bratty daughter. Speaking of...

3. Young Veda (Morgan Turner) and the older Veda that will be showing up later (Evan Rachel Wood) are a perfectly cast pair. While Wood has not yet made an appearance, just thinking back to her run on True Blood last year will point to the fact that people are about to be blown away by just how similar the two are in looks and mannerisms. PERFECT!

4. Why is Melissa Leo talking in that annoying voice as Lucy? She just won an Oscar, and she already blew away HBO audiences with her fantastic turn in Treme. All she has been on MP is annoying.

5. Other than cheating on his wife, Bert (Brian F. O'Byrne) seems to be the perfect father, and he's become a fine friend to Mildred post-split. I am having trouble reconciling those two different aspects. Which is kind of neat, because life is complicated, and this way he's presented as a full man, rather than a charicature.

6. The scenes between Mildred and Monty (Guy Pearce) are hot. They'd be even hotter with better looking performers, but the chemistry between the two is very sexy. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with Pearce other than that terrible hair piece and moustache, which is in period, but Winslet has never been all that attractive, in my opinion. I'm sure others may disagree.

7. The new restaurant Mildred is opening is gorgeous! How can it not succeed? Plus, location, location, location. Why don't more businesses open randomly in the middle of neighborhoods instead of in strips with other businesses? It may be harder to find for the general populace, but the people living within walking distance will surely become loyal patrons.

8. Why doesn't Mildred move into the restaurant? It's a house, right? Persumably, she is only using the main living areas. There will still be bedrooms free. If she will be spending most of her time there anyway, it just makes sense.

9. Why doesn't Mildred hire Ida (Mare Winningham) as her waitress? Mildred will be doing all the cooking, so she's going to need at least one server. I can see why Ida may want to wait and see how the new restaurant goes before deciding, but Mildred should at least offer Ida the first and top spot.

10. Ray's (Quinn McColgan) death - heartbreaking. Simply heartbreaking. She was such a cute little kid! Add to that the unwarranted guilt Mildred will feel by not being there the one time her daughter needed her, and you have some real pathos going on.

Click here for an alphabetical list of all of Jerome's Current Season Reviews.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.