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'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Season 4, Episode 5: 'Pink Cupcakes'

Jules Zucker |
November 6, 2014 | 12:41 a.m. PST

Staff Reporter

Esmerelda (Emma Roberts) gives Jimmy (Evan Peters) a free palm reading (FX)
Esmerelda (Emma Roberts) gives Jimmy (Evan Peters) a free palm reading (FX)

Now that Twisty has moved on to bigger and deader things, viewers get a taste this episode of two drastically different villains – Dandy (Finn Wittrock) does his best to fill some very big clown shoes, and con man Stanley (Denis O'Hare) tries to score himself some specimens for the American Morbidity Museum, even if it means foul play. This episode featured three distinct storylines, and here they are, one by one.

READ MORE: 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Season 4 Episode 4: 'Edward Moredrake, Part II'

The episode begins with Stanley's murderous fantasy of Paul the Illustrated Seal (Mat Fraser) floating in a tank before an enthralled audience. He and Esmerelda (Emma Roberts) discuss the game plan, and the latter asks for a pay raise since she has to do the dirty work of living with the freaks.

Stanley goes to Elsa's (Jessica Lange) tent to try to seduce her with promises of her own TV show, but she isn't biting. Not until a performance of "Life on Mars" goes awry and she's bombarded with boos and popcorn. Then she reconsiders. But alas, Stanley is off for a picnic with twins Bette and Dott (Sarah Paulson), who have also been promised a spot on the silver screen. Cue another fantasy in which he feeds Bette a poisoned cupcake and suffocates Dot as her sister rots before her very eyes. They're fine in real life, though. For now. Elsa takes them for a ride and next thing we know she's at Gloria Mott's (Frances Conroy) door saying she's got a special delivery.

Esmerelda "reads Jimmy's (Evan Peters) palm" and tells him to get out while he can, trying to save him from Stanley's dastardly plan. But she refuses him a kiss, and he sulks away. His next stop is Desiree (Angela Bassett) and Dell's (Michael Chiklis) trailer because the show is about to start, but Dell is off somewhere and Desiree is feeling lonely. Jimmy cries a little more about Meep, and soon there are passionate kisses and Jimmy's got his lobster hand where it shouldn't be. Suddenly there's blood everywhere and Desiree is rushed to Mr. Kind and Non-Judgmental Doctor. Apparently, Desiree isn't the hermaphrodite she thought she was! Her body just got confused and grew a third boob, and an easy surgery can fix all her unseemly parts. As if that weren't enough, he drops an even bigger bomb: all that blood was the result of a miscarriage! But where's Dell? Oh, just at a bar with his gay prostitute lover (Matt Bomer). That explains a lot! The guy lets Dell down easy, reminding him that what they do is strictly business, and Dell goes, just in time for Dandy to step in.

READ MORE: Definitve Ranking Of Jessica Lange's Best Characters In 'American Horro Story'

Back in their trailer, Desiree proudly announces that she's 100 percent woman and 100 percent out the door. Ethel has told her that Dell is Jimmy's father, and Desiree knows she can get out of the freak-ing business once she gets that lucky surgery. Dell is furious, but there's really nothing he can do. Except go and break both of the doctor's hands. Perform a surgery now, old man!

We close with the most intriguing storyline of the episode, brought to you by Florida's creepiest mother-son pair. Gloria finds Dora's (Patti Labelle) body and remarks that she'll have to clean it up just like everything else in Dandy's life. They build a conveniently deep garden, and the deed is done. Dandy's decided that if he can't be an actor, he'll at least be a serial killer, and he lures Dell's boy toy to Twisty's bus for a fun game of get-naked-and-then-I'll-stab-you-repeatedly. But the poor man doesn't die, even after Dandy saws off his arms, and the whole thing starts to make Dandy "feel bad." Meanwhile, Gloria gets a call from Dora's daughter (Gabourey Sidibe), who's a little worried about her mother. Gloria brushes off her questions and starts asking some of her own, apparently trying to determine if her subpar parenting may be the reason her son is a psychopath. He appears in the doorway as if on cue, dressed only in a pair of tighty whities and covered head to toe in blood.

There are two villains afoot in Jupiter, one mutilated sweet old doctor, and everyone else falls somewhere in between. How will next week turn our stomachs?

Reach Staff Reporter Jules Zucker here



 

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