Written by John J. Gray
Directed by Liz Friedlander
Lavinia (to Benjamin): "I want you to know it was me. I took the one thing you cared about and I used it to destroy you."
This season might be a Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters free zone but for the final three episodes, we're starting to see some other former cast members surface and this week, two previous regulars were brought in for some rather good guest appearances.
First of all, there was Lily Rabe. Aside from Cult, she has appeared in nearly every season and while only a handful of seasons have given her prominent roles, she's always made sure that whatever smaller role she's been given that she doesn't waste screen time. This role might not be her at her most likable character wise, but damn did she deliver an impressive performance.
Basically channeling Mrs Voorhees, Rabe's character Lavinia was quickly revealed to be Benjamin's mother, whom she treated appallingly following the death of Benjamin's younger brother, Bobby when Camp Redwood went under the name of Camp Golden Star. Needless to say, Lavinia didn't take her favourite child drowning well and subsequently murdered the counselors and somewhat also triggered her own son's darkness in the process.
In the present day (still 1989), Benjamin returned to the camp, nearly got killed by the impersonators he murdered earlier in the season until he relayed his past to Montana and company while Xavier would then lead Benjamin to his mother and thus the best scenes of the episode.
I'm seriously hoping that both Lily Rabe and John Carroll Lynch are regulars next season because with this episode alone, both of them absolutely knocked it out of the park. Lavinia got all of her spiteful bile out towards her son while at the same time being moved enough to give him some help in actually taking Ramirez down. I knew Benjamin wasn't going to make it out of the season alive but killing him to become a ghost to take out Ramirez means he might get his shot at redemption after all.
Of course while there was the main plot with Benjamin and Lavinia, the B plot with Brooke and Donna was also great to watch too. Brooke showed some natural distrust towards Donna's sudden turn in wanting to help her before the latter explained that she wanted to do the right thing. Donna also tried to get Brooke to move on from Margaret and Redwood but that didn't pan out.
Instead both women bonded over some roller rink action and outsmarting a serial killer in the shape of porn stache wearing Bruce. Unlike Rabe who excelled as Lavinia, Dylan McDermott felt entirely pointless and not remotely threatening as Bruce. Still though, it was rather satisfying seeing Brooke and Donna work together to take him out before making the last journey they're likely to make this season.
- Lavinia was the one who triggered Margaret's killing spree back in 1970 while we learned that ghosts can feel pain and pleasure. Montana also hooked up with Trevor and didn't kill him.
- Ramirez made it to Redwood and managed to kill a rock star and his entourage, which Courtney now has to deal with.
- Standout music: Poison was effectively used during Bruce's pursuit of Brooke and Donna.
- Chronology: We're still in 1989 but we had flashbacks to both 1948 and 1950 for Lavinia's backstory.
The Lady In White certainly added another twist to the original killers and while it certainly and shamelessly ripped off a certain horror franchise with little in the way of differentiating, it was a wonderful guest arc for Lily Rabe, not to mention excellent performances from John Carroll Lynch, Emma Roberts and Angelica Ross. I really hope the last two episodes end this season on a high note.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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