Thursday, April 25, 2024

My Review of American Horror Story: Delicate - The Auteur

 


Written by Halley Feiffer 
Directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton

Anna: "You're a monster."
Siobhan: "Oh, no babe. I'm so much worse."

The last few seasons this show has developed a very annoying habit of short changing viewers with shorter and rushed finales and it's a habit that very much needs to stop. The sad thing was that I saw this coming.

Picking up from the last episode, Anna got into ambulance with Dex and Kamal. Within moments, Ivy was revealed to be the driver and both Dex and Kamal were killed off, along with some pointlessly misandry from Ivy to boot.

Then we had Anna surrounded by Ivy, Nicolette, Talia, Sonia and Susan (yes, that's the superfan's name), only for her then to give birth to a demon baby and become paralysed. Trying to renege on a devilish deal does have it's drawbacks.

So, what was the endgame of this season along? Well, this witchy cult are called Delicates and their Auteur was Siobhan (surprising no one). Their goal was to recruit women who wanted it all, birth super powered children and basically live in a matriarchal society. Thematically, it did make sense.

Unfortunately, it's all very rushed exposition with Siobhan also admitting that she was Dex's real mother and that 75% of Anna's baby was hers too. Oh and despite goading Ivy into killing her, Siobhan had no problem in killing Ivy as well. Then there was Anna's choices.

Truth be told, Anna either had misfortune if she refused to join the Delicates or join them and keep producing demon kids. When it seemed like Anna was going to submit, along came Adeline to help Anna using Hestia's power in order to wipe Siobhan out. That scene alone was extremely rushed.

Anyways, if the season had the ongoing narrative of whether or not women can have it all, this episode proved they could. Anna ended the season with an Oscar, a human child and power of her own. It's just a pity the season didn't do a stonger job of having her get all of this stuff organically. Things really just kept happening to Anna. As a character, she had very little agency.

- An opening flashback showed Siobhan meeting Anna at an IVF support group while another one had Siobhan recruiting Dr Hill.
- Anna was sporting the Delicates spiked green heels. Nicolette was recruited to groom Anna for this entire plot.
- Ms Preacher's first name was revealed to be Mavis. She was killed off screen.
- I was hoping this episode would show us clips from the very movie that Anna won a freaking Oscar for. 
- The Ashleys really were just there to make up the numbers, though one of seemed happy about having male sex slaves.
- Chronology: Early 2024 as well as 2019 flashbacks for Anna/Siobhan and a 1970s one for Siobhan/Dr Hill.

I didn't hate The Auteur as a finale but it was unsatisfying and very rushed. I don't know what future the show will have beyond next season but changes in how it's approached need to be taken on board. The finales definitely need to be longer and the heavy focus on Anna would've worked had she been better developed, which she wasn't. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 

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