American Horror Story (9×04) True Killers Review

Critics w/o CredentialsOctober 10, 201985/10015949 min
Director
Jennifer Lynch
Writer
Jay Beattie
Rating
TV-MA
Running Time
41 minutes
Airs
Wednesdays 10pm
Channel
FX, FX Canada
Overall Score
Rating Summary
True Killers was a defining episode in the season thus far as it managed to completely overturn much of the plot we've been given up until this point.

For our review of the last episode of American Horror Story, click here.

Synopsis: Mr. Jingles closes in on the one who got away as the counselors rally to escape Camp Redwood. (IMDb)

But first…Jazzercise!

If you didn’t already understand that yes, you can get shredded listening to Cyndi Lauper, then now you know. In a poignant flashback that started True Killers, Montana is seen teaching Jazzercise to a class of buff men who all seem to be better dancers than her (bad casting choices) and in no need of an instructor. As Billy Idol is being played to motivate the dancers, it entices The Nightstalker who seems to be in the infant stages of his killing spree. Montana and Ramirez are instantly attracted to one another leading to his pledge of loyalty to her after she lays out her master plan of revenge. It is here where we learn her true motivation for befriending Brooke as Montana is the sister to Sam, the best man at Brooke and Joey’s wedding which we all remember ended in a bang – several of them to be exact. Her retribution for getting her brother killed lies with The Nightstalker finding and torturing Brooke to the satisfaction of Montana which explains how he found her both in L.A. and Camp Redwood.

Meanwhile, the rest of the survivors continue to believe splitting up is the best method of survival as Xavier goes to rescue Birdie the cook (Tara Karsian). While there, Mr. Jingles emerges and stabs her several times while placing Xavier in the oven to broil. In her last bits of life, Birdie manages to free Xavier from the oven and as payment asks him to finish what Mr. Jingles has started which he obliges. Brooke awakens to find that she is being used as a lab rat by Donna Chambers for Mr. Jingles in the name of science. This leads to an epic confrontation between Mr. Jingles and The Nightstalker

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

The Nightstalker vs. Mr. Jingles

Lightweight Undercard

Donna Chambers vs. Montana 

The result ending with both fights coming down to a judge’s decision in favor of Mr. Jingles and Montana. After making it out of the fight, Mr. Jingles sets upon Margaret as she begins to share what really happened those 14 years ago at Camp Redwood. It was she that was the true killer and had “Benji” take the fall for her all those years ago. She was able to finally have all the girls that bullied her meet their ends without penalty after Benji failed to protect her after vowing he would. It was simply a case of him being in the wrong place at the right time.

Elsewhere, the season was dealt a heavy blow with the loss of one of the best character Murphy and Falchuk have given us in their anthology – Trevor. After having dispatched of Mr. Jingles, Trevor arrives to save Margaret but is murdered by her with a knife. His death was definitely disappointing and unexciting for such a fun figure on the show. His was a death more deserving for Chet not an “act of God.”

Finally, we are left with a scene that further fans the flame of mystery surrounding Camp Redwood as The Nightstalker is brought back to life after suffering a brutally awesome death at the hands of Mr. Jingles via a tree branch. Questions remain as to how/why he has returned but hopefully they will be answered in the coming episodes.

After four episodes, we are left with five survivors and of those only four are semi-worth saving. It is safe to say at this point we have no clue where this season is headed and it could not be a more fun place to be.

Parting Thoughts:

– How did Trevor avoid Vietnam?

– Xavier’s streak of being directly/indirectly responsible for a death per episode continues!

– This episode was lacking humor which has been a solid motivation to keep tuning in.

– Chambers’ philosophy towards science curing serial killers is awful

– How is Mr. Jingles still alive after taking 3 gunshots to the abdomen?



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