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'American Horror Story' season finale reveals anthology magic, some thoughts (VIDEOS)

By April MacIntyre Dec 22, 2011, 20:21 GMT

Infidelity was the theme for a gangbuster season one of "American Horror Story", which saw ratings go through the roof for FX, a network blessed already with critically acclaimed monsters like "Justified," "Sons of Anarchy," "Louie" and "Archer."

SPOILERS

The devilishly clever drama "American Horror Story" on FX did not go gently into that goodnight.

Constance (Jessica Lange) is now keeper of yet another evil spawn indirectly gifted from her own dark gene pool, and Viv (Connie Britton) and Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) finally have achieved the happiness and family harmony they cocked up in real life.

The Harmons are together, happy as ghosts in the murder house, where nobody is sleeping.

Infidelity was the theme for a gangbuster season one of "American Horror Story", which saw ratings go through the roof for FX, a network blessed already with critically acclaimed monsters like "Justified," "Sons of Anarchy," "Louie" and "Archer."

The finale "Afterbirth,” sees the resolution of mostly one man's actions and their domino effect: Ben Harmon.

His infidelity wrought death to not only his family, but the death of a hapless exterminator who stumbles on the stench of Violet, Ben's unhinged mistress, and even neighbor Constance's daughter Addie in an indirect way.

The Harmons' now join a cast of souls trapped inside, all blessed with an eternity to ruminate on their mortal sins. Talk about Hell!

Murphy and Falchuk took a huge chance and it paid off beautifully, with Emmy award-winning performances all around, and exceptional crafts like Murphy collaborator (Nip/Tuck) Ellen Brill's award-winning skills in set decoration and superb writing and casting.

The music, opening montage and lensing set the tone for a creepy and memorable adult horror yarn that promises a whole new location and theme next season, according to Murphy on a phone conference call interview today. The transcript will be posted tonight.

The star of the season hands down was Jessica Lange, her southern belle gone bad Constance an un-PC delight. Her grandson, Michael, a legacy of her son Tate (Evan Peters), the sociopath who killed 15 students in his high school and set his mother's lover ablaze (Denis O'Hare).

“Afterbirth” took us back to Boston as Ben and Vivien are nearly through after the affair reveal, yet Ben lures Viv to reconsider with promises of a new start, in Los Angeles to a Victorian dream home bargain.  But what they do not know is a local tourist destination: The Murder House.  Ben sells Viv on the move: “It was a like a movie in my mind. When I look at this place, for the first time, I feel like there’s hope.”

This series was brilliantly woven, mesmerizing and smart. The pacing and the performances are what separates the real TV dramas from safe network fare that always come up short for us.

Bonus video from FX: 

American Horror Story on FX - Making of 'Smoldering Children': Director, Michael Lehmann discusses the episode as Violet learns of her true fate and we go deeper into Constance and Tate's past.

American Horror Story on FX - Making of "Birth": Teddy Sears (Patrick) and director, Alfonso Gomez-Rejona discuss not only the usual deaths, but the births that are also taking place in this intense episode. American Horror Story on FX – Visual Effects American Horror Story on FX - Visual Effects: Tim Jacobsen and Jason Piccioni of Fuse FX walk us through the process of creating some of American Horror Story's visual effects.

American Horror Story on FX - Fly Wrangler: Animal handler and insect expert, Jules Sylvester delivers 4,000 flies to the set of American Horror Story for a very buzz-worthy scene.