American Horror Story Asylum: Spilt Milk

Well, that was a hell of an episode.  So much happened, too much considering there are still 2 episodes left?  Perhaps.  The catalyst for a majority of what took place was the release of Lana from Briarcliff.  After Jude pointed her out to Mother Claudia, the nun was able to get her patient file and quietly escort her out of the asylum.  There was a great scene when Lana is in the cab after having walked right by Oliver (Kit distracted him) where he sees her and she holds up the recording of his confession, then flips him off as the taxi pulls away.

More on Lana’s release in a moment.  Oliver arranged for family time for Kit, Grace and baby Thomas in the rec room, only to have Monsignor Howard show up with a nun from an orphanage and take the baby away.  Oliver tells Kit he can be released and reunited with the baby if he hands over the recorded confession.  Of course Lana has the recording and Kit is relying on her to go public so he can be exonerated for the murders.  Meanwhile, Jude has a good rant at Timothy and is sent to solitary where she remains even after Timothy proclaims and provides paper proof to Lana that Jude died; suicide by hanging in her cell two weeks before Lana showed up to get her out.  The last scene of the episode shows Jude in a tiny filthy, cement room reciting a prayer probably a good 7-9 months later.

Now to the heart of the episode.  Lana goes to the police with the proof that Oliver is Bloody Face but before the police can arrest him she pays him a visit at home, armed of course.  Quick note, we get to see modern-day Bloody Face, Johnny, at the house that was Oliver’s.  He has hired a prostitute who has recently had a baby so that he can drink the breast milk.  He then goes off the rails about the lack of love he received from his Mother and how he blames her for all the things wrong in his life.

The rant from Johnny and Lana confronting Oliver are played out at the same time, jumping back forth in time between the two scenes.   Lana wants to know what happened to Wendy’s body to give her a proper burial and Oliver explains how he treated her differently from the other victims   He didn’t mutilate her but he used her cold, dead body as practice for when Lana was captured.  Practice to make a baby. I’m talking about necrophilia here people.  Yuck.  Oliver had kept Wendy’s body but was forced to destroy it when Lana escaped.  He goes on about how he will plead insanity when arrested –don’t think that will be hard to believe – and live out his life in prison.  Or not.  Lana ends his reign of terror with a bullet to the head.  Meanwhile, the flash to Johnny shows him losing it as he talks about his Mother and attacking the prostitute.

Things speed up from here as Lana writes her story about Oliver being Bloody Face and tries to convince the police that Briarcliff needs to be investigated and closed down. While all of this is happening, she has to deal with the unborn child and goes to a nurse in an apartment for an abortion.  Remember this is the 1960’s and abortion is illegal.  At the last moment, Lana stops her and decides to keep the baby.

Back at the asylum: As the real Bloody Face has now been unmasked, Kit is released from Briarcliff but Grace is not; killed her family with an ax and all.  Kit has a chat with Timothy and threatens to expose the things that he has seen there unless Grace is released and their baby is returned to them.  Cut to the happy new family returning to Kit’s house.  It is still in shambles following his abduction and arrest and as he soon discovers, there are two inhabitants: Alma and a baby.

And to end with more babies, Lana gives birth to the second generation Oliver but refuses to see him until one of the nurses brings the screaming newborn to her.  The baby is allergic to the formula and the nurse is hoping Lana will relent and feed him.  She refuses at first but then agrees to and is clearly suffering as the baby feeds.

Final Thoughts: There was quite a bit addressed in this episode and it moved along quicker than any other episodes this season; I suppose it would have to so close to the end.  The pace is something that I liked and didn’t like.  Yes, it’s good to move it forward but it felt rushed, jumping from Lana’s release to the end of her pregnancy quite quickly.  With it driving forward the way it did, it felt like it could have been the end of the season but I guess the last 2 episodes will wrap up the aliens, Lana’s pursuit to close Briarcliff and a resolution to Jude and Johnny’s story lines.  Good stuff overall and I am anxious to see its conclusion.