FX 'American Horror Story' ratchets up: Constance Comment

By April MacIntyre Oct 20, 2011, 16:20 GMT

That can be directly credited to Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy, Constance and maid Moira, whose history is revealed a bit, and we see now that Constance is somehow the keeper of the Harmon\'s house darkest secrets, and has no fear of the dwelling.

One of the biggest happy surprises for me is FX's "American Horror Story," which is improving in story weekly after the initial shock premiere.

That can be directly credited to Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy, Constance and maid Moira, whose history is revealed a bit, and we see now that Constance is somehow the keeper of the Harmon's house darkest secrets, and has no fear of the dwelling.

In fact, she comes in and helps herself to the silverware as the dead specter of a maid she shot and killed torments the new family in different ways. Moira appears as a sexy siren to Ben, and an old spinster to Vivien.

Constance sees dead people. So do the Harmons.

The delicious evil history of the home is revealed on "Murder House" takes us back in time to a doctor driven to madness by his climber wife, and their financial distress.

Abortions in a time when it was an unthinkable act, experiments, murder-suicide, mayhem and other evils have permeated the floorboards of this superficially gorgeous home that has an rotten to the core frame.

Try selling the house now that they learn their home is the star attraction of the Hollywood murder tour!

Denis O'Hare's Larry is a jolly apparition perhaps? Or real? We are not sure. He only appears to Ben. Ben is having an Amityville Horror experience inside his own home, as he sleepwalks, and thinks murderous thoughts.

Vivien even has her own ghostly visitor in broad daylight, in the form of a woman who she thinks is looking to buy the home. We see the violent head injury as the camera pans behind the distracted ghost, only to have her disappear when Viv turns to give her some tea. End scene.

This show is getting better and better weekly, and isn't just weird now for weirdness sake, but more focused, and the performances by Lange, Britton and Conroy are superb.

Side note: Bravo Ellen Brill, set decorator for the series, who lent her talent to Nip/Tuck for producer Ryan Murphy, and now beautifully dresses this evocative moody set to perfection.