Halloween (American Horror Story)

"Halloween" is a two-part episode, consisting of the fourth and fifth episodes of the first season of the television series American Horror Story. The first part aired on October 26, 2011, and the second on November 2, 2011. Part 1 was written by James Wong and Part 2 was written by Tim Minear; both were directed by David Semel. Part 1 is rated TV-MA (LSV) and Part 2 is rated TV-MA (LV).

Plot

Part 1

2010

In 2010, Chad (Zachary Quinto) and Patrick (Teddy Sears), a gay couple, own the house. Chad is getting the house ready for a Halloween party, while Patrick is heading to the gym. The couple have a tumultuous relationship, exacerbated by their finances; they are trying to sell the house now. After fighting over Patrick's infidelities and Chad's unloving attitude, Patrick leaves to buy a costume. Chad is in the dining room when the Rubber Man appears in the room. Chad thinks it is Patrick and tries to apologize, but the Rubber Man attacks him and snaps his neck. Patrick then walks into the room in a cowboy costume and is surprised by the Rubber Man.

2011

Vivien (Connie Britton) calls a private security officer named Luke (Morris Chestnut) over to install more defense mechanisms for the house. The Harmons hire interior designers ("fluffers") to make over the house to help it sell, mistaking Chad and Patrick for the fluffers. Chad tells Vivien that he once caught Patrick cheating by checking his phone bill, suggesting she do the same. Meanwhile, Larry (Denis O'Hare) harasses Ben (Dylan McDermott), demanding payment for killing Hayden (Kate Mara), but Ben rebuffs him. Ben agrees to continue sessions with Tate (Evan Peters), but outside the house only.

Addie (Jamie Brewer) argues with Constance (Jessica Lange) about wanting to dress as a "pretty girl" for Halloween. Constance laughs at her, but later buys her a "pretty girl" costume to make up with her. While trick-or-treating, Addie is hit by a car while trying to catch up to a group of kids and join them. Constance attempts to get her to the Harmons' lawn before she dies, so Addie's ghost will remain in the house. Violet (Taissa Farmiga) meets Tate and demands to know what is in the basement. Tate says it is the still-living abomination created when Dr. Charles Montgomery (Matt Ross), tried to bring his dismembered child back to life by sewing the pieces together with various animal parts.

Chad and Patrick continue to decorate the house for Halloween night, however their controlling demeanour eventually leads Vivien to kick them both out of the house. They initially refuse, but leave when Chad spots the Rubber Man looking through the window. Confronted with his phone bill, Ben tells Vivien that he and Hayden are over. Thinking that Ben is lying, Vivien demands that he leave. Suddenly, the baby kicks – despite the fact Vivien is only eight weeks pregnant. At the hospital, an ultrasound reveals that the baby is more developed than it should be, seeing this impossibility the nurse collapses.

On Halloween night, when "the dead can walk freely", Moira (Frances Conroy) visits her comatose mother in a hospice and disconnects her life support, but is unable to pass on with her pleading mother's departing spirit. Meanwhile, Violet, left alone in the house while her parents are at the hospital, hears Larry knocking and screaming at the front door, demanding "his money". She calls her father, who tells her to make sure everything is locked and do nothing but wait for her parents to return. Violet hangs up, not noticing that the Rubber Man is standing behind her.

When the Harmons return from the hospital, they find the house broken into and Violet missing. Ben answers a knock at the door, and finds Hayden standing there, covered in dirt.

Part 2

Larry leaves and Violet decides to go upstairs. The Rubber Man, unnoticed by her, also disappears. Whilst Violet is sitting on her bed, a small hand tries to grab her legs, but misses when Violet hears Tate throwing rocks outside her bedroom window. Tate and Violet go out on a date. Ben and Vivien return to the house and start looking for Violet, but after Violet calls Vivien assuring her that she is safe, Vivien allows her to stay out. Tate and Violet go to the beach where five mangled and bloody teens (seemingly in costumes) appear and harass Tate, prompting him to leave with Violet.

After Ben shuts the door on Hayden, Vivien attempts to kick him out of the house, but he refuses, as he's "not giving up on this family." He then goes outside and discovers Larry in the back yard. Believing that Hayden's murder was staged and that both of them are attempting to extort him, Ben attacks Larry with a shovel. Larry realizes that Hayden has come back as a ghost, but Ben refuses to listen and threatens to kill him if he sees him again. Back inside, Vivien reiterates her desire for Ben to leave, and goes to prepare a bath. Hayden calls her on her phone and they argue, ending with Hayden leaving a message on the steamed mirror urging Vivien to ask Ben about Boston. Vivien tells Ben that Hayden is in their house. He eventually finds Hayden in the basement and after an argument, in which Hayden reveals to Ben that she's dead, Larry knocks Ben out with a shovel and ties him up, planning to burn the house down, but Nora (Lily Rabe) unties Ben, urging him to save his child. Vivien goes outside and finds Chad smashing pumpkins. He is angry that Viven "ruined his Halloween," and now she has to pay for it.

Hayden confronts Vivien, and they are shocked to learn that they are both pregnant. Hayden attacks Vivien with a shard of glass but is stopped by Ben, who is forced to admit he impregnated Hayden months after Vivien discovered the affair. Having heard the alarm, Luke arrives at the house and arrests Hayden. After talking with Luke, Hayden disappears from his car. Meanwhile, Ben packs his belongings and sadly leaves the house.

The teens find Tate and Violet, but Tate protects Violet by making them chase him. Constance grabs Violet and takes her to her house, revealing that Addie is dead and that Tate is her son. The teens catch up with Tate and are revealed to be ghosts who attended Westfield High, that were killed when Tate committed a school shooting. The ghosts angrily demand to know why he killed them and that he admit what he did, but Tate cannot remember anything. With Halloween night ending, the teens solemnly leave.

The other ghosts, Moira, Chad, Patrick, Troy and Bryan (the twins from the first episode), Nora, Maria, and Gladys wearily return to the house.

Production

Part one was written by co-executive producer James Wong, part two was written by consulting producer Tim Minear. Both parts were directed by David Semel.

Regarding the house and its ghosts, series co-creator Ryan Murphy speaks as though the Harmon house is alive. "One of the things about the house we're trying to say," he says, "is that the house always has sort of a prescient intelligence in that it knows exactly the right moment to send the undead back to fuck with the people who live in the house. The house knows what you're afraid of and will scare you. The house also knows what you need to hear and then will provide it. So the timing of it, it's almost like what's going on in these character's personal lives is what conjures these spirits."^[1]

About the character Chad, Murphy likes Zachary Quinto's take on him: "I think there's a great sadness that he [Quinto] plays to somebody who sort of gave everything to something, be it the house or a relationship, and then it doesn't turn out to your preconceived notions. I think he plays that frustration well. I also love his [Chad's] connection to Vivien in that he and Vivien are both with sex addicts. So there's great pain and frustration to loving somebody with that situation and also like, 'Why do you stay?' I think he created this world of beauty and comfort and hopefully children in the future and so I like the rage of it."^[2]

Reception

IGN's Matt Fowler gave the first part an overall score of 8, describing the episode as a "fairly unsettling romp", adding that the death of Adelaide was unexpected and that Constance's reaction to her daughter's death was "wrenching".^[3] Todd VanDerWerff from the The A.V. Club gave the first part a C+ grade.^[4] He awarded the second part of the episode a B grade.^[5]

In its original American broadcast, "Halloween (Part 1)" was seen by an estimated 2.96 million household viewers and gained a 1.7 ratings share among adults aged 18–49; a then series high.^[6] The second part received a 1.6 ratings share among adults 18-49, down a tenth of a point from the first part.^[7]

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Halloween (Part 1)

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Halloween (Part 2)

• "Halloween, Part 1" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Halloween, Part 1" at TV.com
• "Halloween, Part 1" at TV Guide.com
• "Halloween, Part 2" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Halloween, Part 2" at TV.com
• "Halloween, Part 2" at TV Guide.com