American Horror Story — Series 5: Hotel — Episode 6: Room 33

27th April, 2018.

OK … 

Me, without a shirt … ?

Is quite possible NOT some thing you want to see at this time of night.

Unless you’re accessing some of the odder Tumblr blogs!

Mine’s … comparatively normal.

Or, at least, socially acceptable.

Possibly …

Enough burbling!

I’m supposed to be having an early night, tonight: as I’m at work, tomorrow.

And wanted you to know I’ve seen another episode of American Horror Story’s fifth season: Hotel.

Grim it is … 

Grimmer it’s getting … 

Entertaining?   It certainly still is.

~≈§≈~

Episode 6 — Room 33 — opens with a flashback: of the young Countess (Lady Gaga) visiting a shady abortionist in what later gets called the Murder House … 

Only for the child, a boy, to survive the process.

Back in the present day … ?

Back in the present day, Ramona and Donovan (Angela Bassett and Matt Bomer) plotting their revenge on the Countess … 

John Lowe (Wes Bentley) finds out his son, Holden, isn’t as dead as he thought: whilst his estranged wife, Alex (Chlöe Sevigny) hunts … something … 

And lastly, Liz Taylor (Dennis O’Hare) finally finds true love: in the shape of Tristan (Finn Witrock).

It’s getting twisty …

~≈§≈~

Now … 

I have to admit, this particular season of American Horror Story is …

Well, I’m not going to call it the best, yet.

No.

I’d rather wait until the end of the season, before I make any kind of pronouncements like that!

Thus far, though?

I have to give the cast a nod, at this point.

Both Bates and Bassett are great: as ever.

Wes Bentley as John Lowe, the slowly breaking down cop, is turning in a good performance.

Given the reputation pop stars have — for not being good actors — I’m pleasantly surprised by Lady Gaga: she’s doing well as the villainous, but sympathetic, Countess*.

However, this episodes sees Denis O’Hare and Finn Wittrock playing off each other as possibly doomed lovers: and doing impressively well.

Yes: we can argue American Horror Story mixes and matches various elements from elsewhere†.

But, at it’s finest?

Can keep a body riveted.

Half way through Hotel?

I’m STILL glued to the thing!

*.       OK … she’s not a patch on Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan, but still… ?   Not bad … 

†       I get the impression the show’s producers have read The Vampire Lestat, Anne Rice’s follow to her better known novel, Interview with the Vampire.   In it?   Lestat turns his own mother, Gabriel, into a vampire.   I can remember reading it, and mentally picture what Gabriel looked like.   Chlöe Sevigny fits …