American Horror Stories season 2 episodes 6, 7, + 8 review

American Horror Stories Season 2 has come to an end, and unfortunately, it is disappointing, to say the least. Episode 5 of American Horror Stories, Bloody Mary, was great, so it’s unfortunate that the horror anthology series could not stick the landing, but let’s get into each episode and look at the way that the second installment has come to a close.

First is episode 6 of American Horror Stories‘ second season, entitled Facelift, which is actually not too bad and provides an exciting twist. Facelift follows a middle-aged woman named Virginia, who is upset that she is aging and decides to undergo a procedure to make her look “young” again.

Facelift offers an intriguing look at what it is like to get older and the methods people might be willing to take. When looking at this episode, especially as compared to the other two, it feels much more whole and complete. Yes, it does feel rushed in some parts, but when I say that the series ends disappointingly, I am really talking about the next two episodes, as Facelift is entertaining. This is an episode of the series that could’ve actually lent itself well to having multiple episodes, as there is something here that would be interesting to explore in depth.

Episode 7 of the season, named Necro, is where American Horror Stories really goes off the rails. The episode is about a traumatized young woman who works as a mortician and has a journey of self-exploration regarding what her trauma has turned her into.

Necro is frankly the worst episode of the season, as there is really nothing redeeming about this story. While other episodes have interesting premises to fall back on, Necro doesn’t, as it is more offensive than it is compelling. It is a bizarre episode that doesn’t feel like it belongs within the American Horror Story brand, which is obviously a big problem. That’s not the only problem though, as the episode also sets up a protagonist and seemingly sensationalizes her struggles without delving into them respectfully. I get what Necro was trying to go for, but American Horror Stories and the AHS franchise is not the right place to deal with these complex issues. Unlike the other episodes, Necro doesn’t even have the horror to back it up.

Then comes the eighth and final episode of American Horror Stories season 2, named Lake. The season finale finds a woman who after a tragedy occurs at a lake, decides to take matters into her own hands and discover what secrets are lying at the bottom.

Lake can be summed up as an episode that had plenty of potential. However it is cut down by an immensely unsatisfying ending. The episode itself is okay, with a bit of an intriguing mystery, but that ending really kills any chance of being in love with Lake. It makes sense what the writers were going for with the ending, but it just isn’t executed correctly, making it incredibly unsatisfying when the twist and final moments happen.

American Horror Stories season 2 ends with a whimper.

It’s unfortunate that this is what befalls American Horror Stories‘ second installment, especially after starting pretty good, with some great episodes along the way; Dollhouse and Bloody Mary, in particular, come to mind. AHS has been an excellent franchise in the past and one that I absolutely adore, so these criticisms come from having the expectations that this show can do better than what they are presenting in front of us. American Horror Stories has the potential to deliver compelling and creative episodes that are simply not shown in the end result for most episodes.

It’s a shame because Facelift is a pretty good episode but unfortunately gets overshadowed by the last two subpar episodes. If the show gets renewed again, I hope that they can take these criticisms to heart and deliver on the promise of the series in a more consistent manner. One that can make this AHS fan and all other AHS fans proud to be a part of the fandom.

What did you think of the second installment of American Horror Stories? Let us know down below!