Thursday, November 17, 2022

My Review of American Horror Story: NYC - Requiem 1981/1987 Part 1

 


Written And Directed by Our Lady J

Henry (to Sam): "The darkness always wins. All we can ever do is transcend."

You know how at the start of the season we all made the comparisons to Cruising? Well with this two part finale, you can also add both Angels In America and The Normal Heart in the mix too. This episode was definitely something of a gut wrencher. 

We started with everyone in attendance for Theo's funeral. Adam being frustrated with not knowing how his boyfriend died and Patrick unable to give him the answers he needed. Then as Theo's coffin was about to be laid down, Sam fainted in front of everyone. You can guess the direction the rest of the episode was heading to with that scene alone.

Sam in the hospital at the end of his life, unloved and alone. Was it karmic for his actions throughout the season? Perhaps, but before the inevitable conclusion to his story we got something of a deep dive into his psyche. Not to mention a rather leather look for Henry in this BDSM take of A Christmas Carol. I have to admit, Henry made the look work pretty well.

Anyways, between shitty bosses, childhood abuse, Theo appearing as a doctor to point out a lot of Sam's mistreatment of past lovers and some biting observations on beauty, Sam found himself trying to outrun Big Daddy on the beach, only for Henry to point out the obvious. Death cannot be outran and in the end, Sam embraced the kiss of Big Daddy and died.

However Sam was not the only death in this episode. The second half of this episode took a six year time jump and Patrick found himself in the same position as Sam. However while Patrick might have lost his sight, he had Gino in his final moments. Just like Sam, Patrick also got his own A Christmas Carol style deep dive into his psyche.

This was a way to bring back characters such as Barbara and Whitely and use them in a rather straightforward but effective way. Barbara served to make Patrick to confront his past failings as did Whitely in his own fucked up way. Patrick certainly had his issues and yes, the episode ended in his death. I wasn't joking when I said this was a gut wrencher of an episode, especially for the haunting use of music courtesy of Kathy as Patrick died with Gino, Barbara and Big Daddy by his side. 

- Both Joe Mantello and Russell Tovey have been involved in productions of both The Normal Heart and Angels In America. This episode made it clear the disease was AIDS.
- Sam's past conquests included Billy, Danny and Stewart. They along with Theo and Freddy made up the guys wearing antlers at the beach.
- Big Daddy unmasked was a blond guy and not Matthew William Bishop who had played him all season long.
- I'm assuming that Henry died off screen shortly after Theo but before Sam did. 
- Standout music: Kathy Pizazz's haunting rendition of Calling You. 
- Chronology: Aside from 1981 and 1987, we also had scenes in 1980 when Patrick first met Gino, 1977 when Patrick kissed his partner Steve after a shooting gone wrong and earlier in his childhood with his father.

Requiem 1981/1987 Part 1 made for some brutal television. Russell Tovey, Zachary Quinto, Joe Mantello, Denis O'Hare and Leslie Grossman all brought their A game and then some. An absolutely incredible piece of television with Our Lady J doing a brilliant job on both fronts. Haunting stuff.

Rating: 9 out of 10

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