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American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 10

Smoldering Children

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AIRED: Dec 07, 2011

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8.4

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

EDIT

While Violet learns more about the Murder House and her role in it, the police interrogate Constance about Travis' death. Meanwhile, Ben pays Vivien another visit and the true story of Larry's burns is presented.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

Interesting twist

8.5

By aldaros23, Aug 14, 2012

Well, definitely a disturbing episode to say the least. I liked seeing the guy from Young & The Restless in a new role! Haha. But yeah, disturbing look back at the murder this week and then the reply with Travis. Ben and Vivien - not much happening in this episode, but it seems to set up the next episode: delivering these children. Overall the episode was good, but just didn't feel as tightly written as some of the other episodes.

[SPOILERS ahead] I really didn't see it coming, the fact that Violet was dead. But then all the pieces fit together - she couldn't leave the house (missed school for 16 days), people kept appearing to her, etc.

Like a previous reviewer below, there are still crass inconsistencies - he mentions the fact that Violet couldn't leave but Hayden can. Also why was the gate locked from the inside, we don't see it locked on other occasions. I am finally starting to understand this house, but it does seem to have rules of its own as well.

I really don't like Larry's character, so perhaps he will be gone for good now. They added another thing to his story now... so did he get burned at work? Or at home or whatever... I really didn't get that.

One thing this show should have done was started with a larger main cast at the beginning. There's a lot of supporting cast and members that come and go, but it would be nicer to have some depth with a couple of core characters that are around more often, rather than guest stars.moreless
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Smoldering Children

9.0

By TrueTvWatcher, Dec 16, 2011

Smoldering Children was a superb episode of American Horror Story and I really enjoyed watching this episode because it had a lot of awesome character and plot development. Jessica Lange had some classic scenes which were really entertaining. It was great to see Constance deal with the police. Violet learns the truth the hard way and Tate takes things to a new level and it was interesting to see more of his past as well. Ben visits Vivian now that he believes her, and though short, the scene was good and important. Ben discovers who was in the rubber suit after being attacked, not knowing it is already too late. I look forward to watching the next episode!!!!!!!moreless
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Gimp Suit Madness

8.5

By crazylegs99, Dec 11, 2011

So how disgusted are you feeling right now?? A lot? Every episode in this freak show of a series has left us with the need to take a cold, long shower to wash off the gunk of human (and spectral) nastiness associated with it. The message is clear - Be prepared to be grossed out every week, and like it.

So after the supposedly 'massive' revelation that one of Vivien's twins is the Antichrist, this episode followed up by completely forgetting about it and focused on Violet, Tate and the late boy-toy Travis's murder. After being absent from the previous episode (and from school apparently, where the hell was she?), Violet reinforced the opinion that of all the pissed off teenagers on the face of the planet, she is the worst, and the dumbest. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she's a GHOST.

Oh yes! The big reveal tonight was that Violet is indeed dead. Kudos to the twisted freaks who called it right after the bathtub scene a few episodes ago. I didn't.

But this is where I got really confused (it doesn't take a lot). So can Violet leave the house or not? When I say house, I mean house minus garden. In one scene, she went all the way to the gate. But in the next, she barely got out the front door. Watch the scene again. You'll see what I mean. The discrepancy is not negligible, writers! It's a big ass garden.

Besides, Hayden could leave the house when she got arrested by Luke. Moira left the house on Halloween (but not on any other day apparently). What the bleedin' hell is going on here? Writers. Kindly clarify.

Meanwhile, Constance became the prime suspect in Travis's murder, and she didn't like it one bit. After some huffing and hawing (the hawing involved trying to cut crazy Larry's balls off), she discovered that one of the ghosts inside murder house (Hayden, but Constance doesn't know that) killed Travis and Larry just disposed of the body. Larry ended up confessing to the crime because he felt guilty about his previous actions. You know, the actions that made his wife burn herself and her kids. Is it just me, or did the sight of his kid's burnt faces actually register genuine regret on his face? Believe it or not, he was actually my best character on the show. His incarceration indicates that we may have seen the last of him. Bollocks.

I honestly don't know what to make of this episode. I enjoyed Ben getting his ass kicked. But, if there is anyone in this show who needs a good ol' fashioned tune up, its Tate. Maybe Constance should pay him another visit.

Tidbits

- Being a resident Hooplehead, I was glad to see Deadwood alumni W. Earl Brown (the Verminator) again. Now I really hate Tate. Nobody messes with Dan Dority!

- Constance's lawyer. He's the guy from Hostel, right? And Dumb and Dumberer? His talent agent sucks!

- No more crazy Larry? Bollocks again.

- Jessica Lange has been spectacular throughout this series. It needed to be said.

Yes, I'll be tuning in next week. Don't ask me why. Shut up and watch.moreless
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Really loved this episode.

9.0

By Mangela, Dec 11, 2011

I was a little bit worried when I saw the last episode because I was thinking they would extrapolate and recreate a sort of "Nip Tuck" with extreme situations, with people being killed all the time and in very weird ways, neverending ghosts appearances from everywhere...

... well....apparently, all the ghosts have been introduced. And the last one was particularly surprising!!! I just loved it!!!

Jessica Lange is great!! I can foresee she will suffer very much until the end of the series.

I also think that all the family (alive and "ghosty") will happily live together under the same roof until the ends of time.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Connie Britton	Vivien Harmon
Dylan McDermott	Benjamin "Ben" Harmon
Evan Peters	Tate Langdon
Taissa Farmiga	Violet Harmon
Denis O'Hare	Larry Harvey
Jessica Lange	Constance Langdon

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Charles S. Dutton	Detective Granger	Guest Star
Michael Graziadei	Travis Wanderly	Guest Star
Rebecca Wisocky	Lorraine Harvey	Guest Star
Jamie Brewer	Adelaide	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Denis O'Hare in American Horror Story fr...

© 2011 FOX Broadcasting
Dylan McDermott in American Horror Story...

© 2011 FOX Broadcasting
Dylan McDermott in American Horror Story...

© 2011 FOX Broadcasting
Dylan McDermott in American Horror Story...

© 2011 FOX Broadcasting

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (4)
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- Constance: Now, who wants to say grace?
  Tate: Oh, Mother, may I?
  Larry: Oh, of course, son. I was hoping you would choose to become a part of this family.
  Tate: Dear God, thank you for the salty pig meat we are about to eat, along with the rest of the indigestible swill. And thank you for our new charade of our family. My father ran away when I was only six. If I'd have known any better, I would have joined him,. And, also, because she's been trying to get back into this house ever since she lost it, Lord, a big thank you for blinding the asshole that's doing my mother, so that he can't see what everybody knows. She doesn't really love him.
  Adelaide: Amen.
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- Constance: (after feeding Hugo to her dogs) Once I discovered that he had cheated, Hugo meant no more to me than dog shit.
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- Violet: So why'd you keep it a secret?
  Tate: "Hi, I'm Tate. I'm dead. Want to hook up?" I don't think so.
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- Constance: I have long stopped asking why the mad do mad things.
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NOTES (2)
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- Charles S. Dutton is billed as Special Guest Star.
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- International Airdates:
  UK: January 16, 2012 on FX/FX HD
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