American Horror Story: Asylum: Tricks & Treats Recap

Last night’s episode of American Horror Story: Asylum, titled “Tricks and Treats,” was a big improvement over last week’s disjointed premiere, and I’m glad there were no alien abduction scenes! 

It opened with The Lovers in modern day, and I still have no idea where this storyline is going, other than to show that the asylum is still royally scary. Bloody Face is chasing Channing Tatum’s screaming wife around, and Adam Levine gets stabbed a bunch of times (after losing his arm last week – poor guy), so I’m really not sure how these two can stick around much longer, but I’m a little disappointed Levine doesn’t seem to have a bigger role.

Flashback to the ‘60s and Lana’s woeful lover is gathered with some friends on the night before Halloween, feeling terrible about having her poor girlfriend committed. She decides she’s going to go down first thing in the morning and retract her statement. Unfortunately, later that night she runs in to Bloody Face, so I doubt she’ll be going anywhere in the morning – or ever.

At the institution, Sister Jude decides to subject Lana to electroshock therapy to make her forget some of her troubling memories – particularly how awful Briarcliff is. Actress Sarah Paulson did a great job with the scene, which was cringe-worthy (in a good way) to watch.

Zachary Quinto is back this year as Dr. Oliver Thredson, a state-hired psychologist tasked with assessing whether Kit is fit to stand trial – he diagnoses him with acute clinical insanity, by the way – nothing cute about that!) Thredson decides to stick around to tell Sister Jude how horribly she’s running the place and that none of the patients are getting beneficial treatment. Needless to say, she doesn’t appreciate it. I hope Thredson brings Sister Jude down!

Sister Jude and Dr. Thredson are interrupted by her appointment with two worried parents who are committing their son Jedd, because…well…he’s demonically possessed. Thredson wants him medicated but Sister Jude knows what he really needs – a good, old-fashioned exorcism.

During the exorcism (which Thredson is forced to assist with as a licensed physician) demonic Jedd reveals some deep, dark secrets about Sister Jude. She used to be a slutty, sexy, red dress wearing bar singer who fancied getting sloppy drunk and going home with random men. Think that’s bad for a nun? It gets worse. One night she ran over a little girl while driving wasted and just left her to die without even getting out of the car. Guess the Sister has a lot to repent for. In the end, Jedd dies from cardiac arrest and the demon inside him flies into Sister Mary without anyone’s knowledge. The scene is super scary and done very well; you may want to turn a light on if you’re watching alone!

Meanwhile, both Kit and Lana have gone to the mysteriously sexy Grace with escape plans. Okay, Kit doesn’t really have a plan, but Lana does (she knows about the secret Death Chute). Grace wants to bring Kit with them, but Lana refuses to help a murderer of women – plus she wants Grace to herself. Conveniently, during the exorcism the power in the building is shut off, opening all the cell doors. Grace starts to run with Lana but then decides she’d rather stick with Kit. A jealous Lana rats them out – screaming "Help! They're escaping!" Real nice, Lana. Poor Kit takes a heck of a beating by the guards, and later Sister Jude goes to cane both Grace and Kit as further punishment. Kit chivalrously takes both their lashings. "Screw you, Judas bitch," snarls Grace when Lana offers a lame apology.  (By the way, I wish Sister Jude would stop calling her Lana Banana…that totally creeps me out.)

Meanwhile, Dr. Arden rebuffs sexual advances from Shelley (by the way, I can’t stand Shelley) but later buys a hooker, makes her sit through a pompous dinner and classical music while completely belittling her, and then makes her dress as a nun (presumably so he can pretend she’s the object of his obsession – Sister Mary).

While in his bedroom, the prostitute discovers pictures of women in bondage, bloodied, and even faceless – could Arden be the real Bloody Face?! Arden comes in and sees what she's found, telling her to get on the bed. When he attempts to have sex with her, she bites him and runs away.

I hope next week’s episode – just in time for Halloween – sticks to the same format of following a few solid storylines and not trying to cram too much in! This week was definitely worth watching.

What did you think?