TV Review: ‘American Horror Story’ Season 11, Episode 4

After three fairly satisfying episodes, American Horror Story hit a bit of a wall. It wasn’t that the fourth episode was inherently bad, it just felt as if it wasn’t inherently anything. It did little to move the plot along and little to incorporate a lot of characterization. Also, the shock factor that American Horror Story is usually known for wasn’t there either. Instead, it seems as if this episode was merely setting up a new setting that will surely be chaotic in the next episode.

This episode sees Gino (Joe Mantello) start to get even more frazzled and unraveled as he survives another near death encounter with the killer. Also, Adam’s (Charlie Carver) relationship with the photographer (Isaac Powell) starts to develop more closely as Sam’s (Zachary Quinto) dark activities are becoming more well known. Perhaps the strongest character moment in the episode was when Patrick (Russell Tovey) finally confessed to his captain that he’s homosexual. This moment has been building since the beginning of the season and it was nice to see it finally come out with many episodes left to deal with the ramifications.

All in all, it seemed as if this episode was merely setting up the blackout as an event that will have ramifications in episodes to come. The blackout didn’t happen all at once. It happens sporadically across the city, allowing the audience to see how different characters reacted at different times. Also, the show did a good job slow dripping the identity and character of the main serial killer. He wasn’t revealed all at once, but he is now fully known to the audience, which makes following his journey all the more interesting. All these different devious elements, combined with the strange disease that is sure to become a bigger part of the season, is making for some good TV, even if this episode takes its time to set things up.

American Horror Story airs Wednesdays on FX.