AHS: Cult takes a predictably disappointing detour in Week 7, to address a vital and prominent issue with all the tact and skill of a bunch of murderous women cutting up a victim with a chainsaw. Appropriately enough.
Well we should have known it was coming. In reflecting our current societal issues and fears we were always going to have to tackle the controversial F word... Feminism. We've already seen how Trump and his ilk manipulated and employed racism, fear of authority and a general persecution reflected in various plot elements this season. But one thing which has only been touched upon but vitally important is the issue of a gender divide.
"I moved on her, and I failed. I'll admit it.
I did try and fuck her. She was married.
And I moved on her very heavily. In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, "I'll show you where they have some nice furniture." I took her out for furniture—I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn't get there. And she was married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she's now got the big phony tits and everything. She's totally changed her look.
I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything."
Once again AHS: Cult tackles an issue with disturbing and distressing apt timing, handling female (dis)empowerment in the week that the phrase "Me too" has been trending all over social media. This hashtag was encouraging women to show how widespread sexual abuse and harassment can be. This was prompted by revelations about sexually predatory behaviour and abuses of power used to sexually assault multiple women by Miramax's Harvey Weinstein and Screen Junkies' Andy Signore. But these latest transgressions are just fortuitous timing for the show, which would be more than aware of the battle of the sexes that was the 2016 election, especially in the wake of the comments above, from a recording of President Trump that leaked mere days before the polls opened. And he still won! This is ripe to explore and could have been an interesting thing to dive into, but in a much better way than we get here. We've all seen how cult mentality can develop from these victimisations; the pink pussy hats, the women's marches, heck even the aforementioned social media campaign. The nature of whether this can be a good or a bad thing would be so interesting to debate and explore. We don't really get any of this, as the show inexplicably ignores these to reach into a barely known (and partly fictionalized) history. I don't get the writing decision here at all, particularly if this is the only past example of a cult we see.
When we rejoin our main narrative it's just after the shocking events at Kai's "attempted assassination". Through news reports we learn that Meadow has indeed been identified as the shooter and not Ally. Which makes last week's ending all the more strange and annoying. It's also a huge weak point that there is no Ally in this episode at all. We just hear that she's been taken into custody and being held somewhere. So we're spending a whole episode not even dealing with the main character, pretty much the only likeable person we've met. Deeply unwise, another baffling choice. We see that the women of Kai's cult are being marginalised, now that he has gained the notoriety and power he craved as a result of Meadow's actions. This is as subtle as a sledgehammer and comes from nowhere story wise. The point is sold only by Adina Porter as Beverly, who we know insisted on "equal power" with Kai and never seemed convinced.
Bev meets a woman; Bebe, who is revealed to have been Valerie Solanas' former lover and a member of a group she called SCUM (Society of Cutting Up Men). This intriguingly ties the two time periods together of this week's plot and confirms that we are indeed exploring another cult, by any other name. My issue with all of this is that I'm massively unclear what the episode is trying to say. When it's been so clear what message to take from the rest of the season I, for one, am baffled by the muddled handling of this. Is it saying that all women are a threat to be feared? That feminism (and thus other social movements) is a cult and a terrible thing? I assume, and hope, that the idea presented is that a militant version of anything can become a toxic cult (social movements, religion, national pride, etc). But this isn't even remotely delved into and is as clear as mud, if it even was the intention.
Returning to our present day narrative the episode veers off the rails with some of the stupidest character actions and words I've heard from this show ever. It becomes apparent that Kai is aware of this splinter group of women and is obviously manipulating their behaviour. His lie to Winter that Harrison came up with the misogynist name MLWB (Men Lead, Women Bleed) is so obvious. We've seen nothing to indicate that these women are anywhere near stupid enough to fall for Kai's machinations, especially since they are explicitly aware of how they're used. It's all reinforced by Kai's own name for the group; FIT (Fear Is Truth). Is that sinking in yet? Cos we've only been reminded literally every week. Worse is that he says this actually TO Winter, but she still allows her fear to blind and corrupt her, and the other ladies. It's a terrible explanation for how they could become suddenly ruthless and does not make sense. In addition Ivy gets one of the most ridiculous lines I've ever heard. When Harrison defensively argues that she can't be precious about not looking after their wives, she retorts with the zinger; "I just drove her crazy, I didn't almost get her killed". Oh, that's okay then! Is this supposed to be funny? Cos I laughed out loud. So driving someone crazy is nothing? Not to mention all the times that Ally literally COULD have been hurt or killed! Nobody is this stupid! I realise it's episode 7 of 11 but you can't have characters get to where you want them entirely by plot necessity. It's like the writing is suddenly rushed in an effort to get where the plot needs to be, which has been a flaw in every season of AHS now for 7 series. Please learn!
The episode ends with a brilliant final twist, which gets less impressive if you give it any thought at all. Kai's female supporters openly taunt him on the news report of Harrison's murder; referencing SCUM and how he isn't keeping his promise of law and order. Just when it seems like Kai is potentially coming undone he says to his house guest; "they're at their best when they're angry" and Bebe turns to face him and replies "aren't we all". This was a shock in the moment, and did cause a gasp. It also raises some interesting questions for me. Is Bebe actually the mastermind after all, not Kai? Did Kai just recruit her to test the women's loyalty? Or to make them scapegoats? It'll still be interesting to see how this develops.
In conclusion then a very uneven and muddled episode. Some great performances, one terrible one. A very unclear message. Some great moments of actual horror in the "slasher" mould. But a seemingly unnecessary detour. The episode misses Ally and doesn't seem to hugely advance the main plot. And still no Twisty!
**1/2 (2.5/5)
MM
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