American Horror Story — Series 5: Hotel — Episode 10 and 11: ‘She Gets Revenge’ and ‘Battle Royale’

13th May, 2018.

Yes: it’s a Sunday … AND a day off … 

And just a little worrying that, on top of laundry, I’ve managed to catch an afternoon snooze.

Of quite a bit more time than I was expecting to get.

Possibly a bad thing.

Or possibly just something that’s telling me I need more sleep than I’m actually getting.

Hmmm … 

The money being what it is, right now?   Means I’m looking at the ‘heating or eating’ question more frequently than I’d’ve expected, back when I started my current job.

I get help: from both family, and the government.

But still … it’s not a good place to be in … 

Given that … ?



Well, sleeping a lot seems inconsequential.

Relatively speaking.

I DO know, though, that a day off?   Is a good time to be doing any extra sleeping.

AND, whilst I’m awake?

To be catching up wit more TV.

Yep: I’ve seen two more episodes of American Horror Story’s fifth series, Hotel.

Yes: I think we’re coming to a climax … 

~≈§≈~

Episode 10 — She Gets Revenge — opens with one of the more touching scenes in this series: an older couple committing suicide in the hotel, as they cannot conceive of life without the other.

Which finalises something in the mind of transexual barman, Liz (Dennis O’Hare).   After the death of Tristan, death is the man thing in Liz’s mind.

Until Iris (Cathy Bates) persuades him otherwise.   He has, after all, always told her he wants to contact his estranged son.

~≈§≈~

Episode 11 — Battle Royale — sees Liz and Iris heading for the penthouse: guns blazing.

They want to make sure their (relatively) peaceful life at the Cortez is no longer ruined by their intended victim: the Countess (Lady Gaga), herself.

Unknown to the bloodthirsty pair?

The Countess survives: with the help of Sally (Sarah Paulson).



As does Ramona (Angela Bassett), who’s been trapped in the hotel … feeding on the victims she’s been thrown by John and Alex Lowe (Wes Bentley and Chloë Sevigny).

Ramona … ?   Really wants to talk to the Countess … 

~≈§≈~

Now, I’ll admit, the episode I caught last week — She Wants Revenge — didn’t exactly grab me.

I suspect a lack of sleep may have helped, there.

This week?

I can safely say I’ve come away from the pair feeling that I’ve watching something marvellous.



Yes, you can accuse American Horror Story of straight up ripping off of ideas.   The Cortez’s carpet is straight out of The Shining, the vampires lifted from The Hunger, the simple fact that several of the vampires have, Lestat style, ambiguous relationships with their mothers.

But don’t tell me others haven’t done the same.

Let’s, instead, concentrate on where Hotel, scores.

It’s simple

We know where the show’s producers have gotten some of their ideas: but don’t care.



After all, they’re doing what they always do.

Telling us a good story.

Roll on my next night off.