American Horror Story 1984 - True Killers

I look back on October and I think if I had a regret it is that I quit watching American Horror Story: 1984. When it started I was, like many others, psyched and it delivered. And the first few weeks I looked forward to it, but other things sort of sidetracked me. However, I think “True Killers” was a marvelous way to reenter the 2019 season. Fans get their matchup of Jingles/Ramirez, Margaret’s past is revealed to the surprise of few I imagine (I remember discussions on Reddit predicted she was the one responsible for the kills credited to Jingles), Bertie bites the dust because she tried to protect Xavier from Jingles (and yet poor Xavier winds up in a stove turned to broil, still rescued by a pulverized Bertie, asked by her to use a knife to end her suffering much to his horror), Jingles is revealed to have been set up by Margaret (typical of a Murphy/Falchuk joint, the swerve usually comes around the halfway point) as she shoots him but not before a flashback shows him suffering in the institution (including electric shock and his strait-jacket padded cell stay), Chet damn near dies but Trevor resurrects him with a shot of adrenaline in the heart, Brooke escapes a shack but her run through the dark woods leads her right into a “Nurse Rita” trap (Donna explains to her that she is a scientist and studying Jingles for “research”, telling her she will be an experiment) that extends her off the ground, Montana reveals to Richard Ramirez after he murders an aerobics client for her (he wanted some pop to dance to instead of rock’n’roll!) that her brother was the one at Brooke’s wedding blamed for sleeping with her and subsequently shot in the head by her fiancé (didn’t see that coming!), and after being impaled on a tree (a protruding branch arm from Richard’s head leaves Brooke mystified) Richard reawakens while levitating from the ground (maybe his Lord Satan had something to do with it!). This season, with each subsequent episode, continues to marvel me with its out-of-left-field developments. While I knew Margaret was a lunatic after her “chat” with Ramirez and overall creepy vibes, it was still fun watching Grossman work her magic on screen. She can barely contain her bliss in not only telling Jingles that because he wouldn’t protect her from the bullying campers in 1970 she made sure he was punished for that but while sticking a knife in Trevor her Margaret explains how good it feels to kill again! Brooke remains the resilient heroine who happened to get a knife to cut away the rope containing her in Donna’s trap, Montana wants her pound of flesh from Donna for getting involved with Jingles and spoiling her quest for revenge against Brooke (who still has no clue Montana has plans to annihilate her) but must settle for a tree stick across the back of the head, Margaret still prepares for the kids despite all the violence and such during the evening, Richard left that dancer displayed in gruesome detail with his intestines slipping out of his stomach (the legs bent back, blood all over the bench to the lockers) as a gift for Montana who rewards him with sex (!), Jingles accepts Bertie’s PB&J before taking a hammer to her thanks in part to concealing Xavier under the table, Xavier looks at his charred face and hands after spending time in the stove, and Jingles victory of Ramirez happens during a rather murky darkness in the woods. The whole episode is dark, though, so that might factor in your lack of enjoyment, but I think fans aren’t all that frustrated by the overall presentation. Chet is still alive remarkably but Trevor says goodbye. Jingles realizing that Margaret was the monster who executed the campers, took their ears, and planted the evidence for the police to find against him could very well turn the season on its head…what does Jingles do now? At the end of the episode, Jingles doesn’t finish off Xavier, although he had a chance, and the only mode of transportation out of the camp was set on fire (by Margaret?). 4/5