AHS: 1984 “100th Episode”
AHS 1984 Episode 6 “100th Episode”
Recap and Review
*Warning: Spoilers
Welcome back everyone for the 100th Episode of American Horror Story. I wasn’t sure what the writer had planned for us to celebrate, but I can tell you it was nothing special. I anticipated a little more since episode six was named accordingly. I expected this episode to be where the show would start to go off the rails, as is tradition. AHS always has “out there” concepts and this episode does contain that, but it helps to connect the story and move it along. Being stuck on the same night for the first four episodes, this episode bounced around and felt sped up. Where are my pants, because we are going to go back to the future.
The show opens in 1985 with loud music playing in a hotel and a German woman unable to sleep. Going to confront the noisemaker, Ramirez opens the door and pulls the woman in, killing her. Richter is standing in the background, looking chill in shades, tired of Ramirez shit, as he has killed eleven people in the last year. Ramirez reminds him that Satan gave him life and if that deal is broken there will be hell to pay. The show does not specify, but I was wondering if this was supposed to be the Cecil Hotel. This would be a slight nod to AHS: Hotel. Also, Ramirez did stay at the Cecil Hotel during the mid ‘80s during most of his killing spree.
Next we see Richter driving Ramirez around in an east LA neighborhood. Ramirez wants some beer while Richter asks for TaB. The trendy diet pop that all the cool people drank. As Ramirez goes into the convenient store, Richter calmly steps out of the car and notices Ramirez face on the cover of the Tribune. He purchases a copy, saying nothing, hands it to a lady. As Ramirez steps out, the entire neighborhood recognizes him and gives chase till they catch him and beat his ass. The scene stealer, is Richter, pulling up in the car, sunglasses on and drinking his TaB as all this is going on, before driving off. In reality, he was captured by citizens in an East LA neighborhood after attempting to hijack two vehicles and assaulting a woman. The neighbors came out of their homes recognizing him shouting “el maton, el maton”. They beat him and made him wait for police. Pretty bad ass.
Flash forward to 1989 at Camp Redwood and we see Montana and Xavier killing anyone that happens to enter. We also see Ray and the other three campers from 1970 as ghost, and they are bored with the killing. Ray apparently is left to clean up after Montana and Xavier have their fun. Ray wants the killings to stop, but having too much fun, Montana says “there are no rules for the dead”. Ray retorts with “you don’t know that, no one does”. What role do these individuals have to play to cleanse their soles and be released from purgatory?
Meanwhile, we are entertained by the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous as we see Margaret, who has become a successful real estate agent, that purchases macabre homes and turns them into attractions. Sniffing coke and watching Margaret on tv, is Trevor, her husband. Let me say that again, Trevor, her husband! And he looks miserable. Apparently, back in 1985 while in the hospital after surviving being stabbed by Margaret, she visits him upon his request. Trevor remembers the events of that night and in an attempt to blackmail Margaret, she convinces him to marry her. Because a spouse can’t testify. So, Trevor gets a sugar mama and Margaret gets away with murder. WIN WIN. Well Trevor wants out of this marriage and while shouting at one another they steam things up and start to get it on. Until they are interrupted by Margaret’s assistant, Courtney (played by fan favorite Leslie Jordan) and he has brought news of Brooke’s execution.
Moving on, Brooke is at the state prison awaiting her execution, as she is being escorted to the death row section, Ramirez pops up behind his cell door. Shouting “I should have killed you”. Brooke brags how she gutted Montana and now she is in hell licking Satan’s balls. Salty, put ‘em in your mouth. I’m not sure what the hell she is doing in a men’s prison, but I guess the show had to tie in Ramirez interaction somehow.
While in her cell, Ramirez uses his satanic powers to communicate with Brooke. He describes in detail the pleasures of the electric chair and the miserable details of lethal injection. He then tells her his master can help her as Satan sees potential in her. All she has to do is say yes. But Brooks tells him to Fuck off. I’m digging jail bird Brooke. She is quiet, sassy and appears to be fine with her fate.
Margaret learns of the recent killings at Camp Redwood and comes up with a food and music festival for Halloween night. Allowing people the opportunity to stay in the cabins where the killings took place. She holds a press conference at Camp Redwood. In the bushes is Chet, fuming and determined to kill Margaret. Montana holds him back and tells him he will get his chance. Foreshadowing another massacre at Camp Redwood.
Elsewhere, Richter has created a new life for himself in Alaska, with a wife and a baby. Working at a video store, Richter has left his past behind him and appears to be content to leave the darkness. While watching tv with his wife, is Margaret announcing the festival at Camp Redwood. His wife is concerned, but Richter reassures her that he feels nothing, it was another life and he is free. Richter is the true tragedy of this story and seeing him live the life he could have been allotted if Margaret didn’t screw him over. However, there is no way he can live the simple life, that is a false image that is out of his grasp.
After coming home from work, Richter discovers his wife slaughtered in their bedroom. He finds his son in the closet with a note on the back of a flyer for the music festival “Satan will have his revenge”. Knowing that he cannot escape his fate, he drops his son off in the rain at his sisters-in-law’s home. Ding Dong and dash style. The two have a strange interaction from a distance, as he says he has to leave to protect his son. The sister-in-law asks where his wife is and he replies matter of fact, “dead”. Adorn in his Jingles uniform he is headed back to Camp Redwood.
Going back to Ramirez, one of his prison groupies inform him of the music festival. He sees this as his opportunity to make himself immortal and unforgettable. As if the several killings didn’t have this affect already.
Brooke, walking the green mile, sees Ramirez one last time. He tells her “last chance baby girl”. She casually flicks him off as she walks away. Ramirez begins a satanic ritual while Brooke is being geared up for her lethal injection. Brooke staring at the two-way mirror, focuses her last words to Margaret, who she is assuming is watching on the other side. “You are going to burn for wanting to watch me die” then spits on the mirror. Margaret wishing Brooke had a more painful gruesome death is underwhelmed by the ordeal. Simultaneously, Ramirez is working his black magic and is freed by a possessed prison guard.
Before the show ends, Brooks is on the slab, and a mystery person, disguised in executioner robes, injects Brooke. Brining her back to life, the mystery person is Ms. Chambers. Oh the gang is forming and Margaret better watch out.
I normally don’t mention the previews for the next episode, but we catch a glimpse of an old character from AHS season one, Johnny Morgan (Dylan McDermott). Not sure if he will be playing the same character, but that didn’t alter my excitement. (I will never forget the image of him buck naked beating off, I mean this was new for tv back then). Will he be interested in Donna admiring her father, feeling a kindred spirit as they are both spawns of serial killer fathers? Or is he out for Margaret who bought Briarcliff house turning it into a tourist attraction and feels this disrespected his father, Bloody Face? With four episodes left, this season has managed to stay on track with a couple nods here and there to previous seasons. Time will tell if more in-depth connections to previous seasons will be interwoven.
