Home Invasion (American Horror Story)

"Home Invasion (American Horror Story)"

"Home Invasion" is the second episode of the first season of the television series American Horror Story, which premiered on the network FX on October 12, 2011. The episode was co-written by series co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk and directed by Alfonso Gómez-Rejón.

In the episode, Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) goes to Boston to talk with the student he had an affair with in the first episode (Kate Mara). While he is away, his wife, Vivian (Connie Britton), and daughter, Violet (Taissa Farmiga) deal with three home invaders intent on reenacting a murder that happened in the house in 1968.

The episode makes use of the musical score to "Psycho" composed by Bernard Herrmann.

Plot

1968

Three sorority girls invite two fellow members, Maria (Rosa Salazar) and Gladys (Celia Finkelstein), to go with them to a Doors concert. They refuse and the trio leave. Gladys watches television, while Maria studies. A man knocks on their door and asks for help, as he is bleeding. One of the girls, who happens to be a nurse, attempts to assist him with his bleeding. She cannot seem to find where the blood is coming from, revealing he was faking the injury to get inside. Minutes after being allowed to enter the house, the man knocks out the girls. Maria wakes up to water from the ceiling dripping on her. She is told by the man to undress and put on her nurse's uniform before he ties her up. A Christian, Maria prays to God, in spite of the man telling her that Jesus cannot save her. The man disappears for a moment, then proceeds to stab her several times in the back.

Present

Ben (Dylan McDermott) meets with a new patient, Bianca (Mageina Tovah), who is fascinated by "the murder house". He then receives a call from his ex-mistress and former student, Hayden (Kate Mara), who tells him she's pregnant and that she needs his support to have an abortion. He lies to Vivien (Connie Britton), telling her that a patient needs to see him in Boston.

Constance (Jessica Lange) bakes chocolate cupcakes laced with ipecac syrup and brings them to Vivien, insisting that they be given to Violet (Taissa Farmiga). She tells Vivien that they are an apology gift for Addie's (Jamie Brewer) continued intrusion in the Harmon's home. She senses that Vivien is pregnant, and Vivien confesses her fears that something about the child is not right. Constance assures her that her baby is fine. Then she confesses that Addie is one of four children she gave birth to, all deformed in some way with the exception of one.

Vivien brings the cupcake to Violet, who tells her mother that she knows she is pregnant. She also reveals that she believes that her mother is weak for thinking the new baby will keep her and Ben together.

A trio of serial killer enthusiasts, including Bianca, break into the house and capture Vivien and Violet. The trio, led by Fiona (Azura Skye), want to do a tribute and re-enact the brutal murders of Maria and Gladys. Violet attempts to escape and runs into Tate (Evan Peters), who tells her that she needs to lure the three into the basement. Violet is recaptured, but she convinces the accuracy-obsessed Fiona into believing that the original bathtub used in Gladys' drowning was moved to the basement.

Dallas (Kyle Davis), the third intruder, watches over Vivien. Bianca eats one of the ipecac cupcakes and begins vomiting. Bianca looks for the others and runs into Tate, who axes her in the belly. In the basement, Fiona loses sight of Violet. She encounters Tate, who is standing next to the bathtub with Gladys. Vivien fends off Dallas and flees the house with Violet. Dallas looks for Fiona in the basement, only to find her with her throat slashed before he is killed in the same manner.

Constance, Tate, and elder Moira (Frances Conroy) enter the basement. Tate claims Gladys and Maria killed Dallas and Fiona. The three agree to get rid of the bodies, revealing they want Ben to continue treating Tate.

When he notices all the missed calls on his phone, Ben leaves Hayden at the abortion clinic and rushes home. The police tell the Harmons they found Bianca, nearly cut in half, on the sidewalk near the house and presume the "missing" intruders murdered her, after leaving the house in a panic. Ben is later shocked when he learns Tate was in the house during the attack, especially since he feels Tate has crossed the line becoming involved with Violet. Violet points out that at least Tate was there to help them, unlike Ben. Violet apologizes for calling Vivien weak, and Vivien resolves to sell the house.

Kate Mara was praised by series co-creator Ryan Murphy.

Production

The episode was co-written by series co-creators Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, while Alfonso Gómez-Rejón directed.

Murphy spoke of Ben's leaving Hayden at the clinic at the end of the episode, and her character's future. "The interesting thing for that is I always like to leave a little room for surprise," he said. "Hayden comes in and certain things happen to her, and Kate Mara was so outstanding in the part that we just keep writing her in the writing room. The same with Lily Rabe as Nora [who plays one of the former owners of the house and pops up in next week's episode, Murder House]. They just kill their scenes so much and the writers love writing for those women so we just keep bringing them back."

Reception

Matt Fowler in his review for IGN gave the episode an overall score of 8, saying Home Invasion was a "pleasant, twisted surprise" and praised the opening scene, stating "What a horrifying opening scene! What a great style and terrifying tone it had to it." Todd VanDerWerff from the The A.V. Club gave the episode a C grade, and said that he was "curious" about American Horror Story, and stated "I spend plenty of time thinking about it, and some of the mysteries at the show’s core have got me intrigued.

In its original American broadcast, the second episode of American Horror Story was seen by an estimated 2.46 million household viewers and gained a 1.4 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. The episode dropped two tenths from the pilot episode.

External links

• "Home Invasion" at IMDb
• "Home Invasion" at TV.com
• "Home Invasion" at TV Guide.com