American Horror Story: Double Feature Review: Thirst (Season 10 Episode 3)
A surprise visitor brings along a whole new set of problems for the Gardner family on American Horror Story: Double Feature Season 10 Episode 3, “Thirst.”
Picking up where the show left off on Season 10 Episode 2, “Pale,” Alma is going through her transition, with Harry by her side to help out. Meanwhile, miraculously, Doris falls down the stairs and has to be hospitalized, giving Harry and Alma time to perfect their plan.
“Thirst” loses the pacing set up in the first two episodes as it tries to introduce new conflicts without relying on previously revealed information, which may not be the best choice continuity-wise.
TB Karen is one of the only residents to be seen walking the streets of Provincetown, so her not being present feels like a mistake. Also, the lack of flesh-eating zombies in the streets as Ursula makes her way into town is a peculiar decision.
Removing Sarah Paulson in any capacity is always the wrong choice. However, an intelligent move made is continuing to focus on the dynamic duo, Harry and Alma.
The atmosphere surrounding Alma and Harry is dark, almost vile. Alma is a weird little girl without any extra help, but it’s almost as if her attitude has become sinister. The way she speaks, carries herself, and uses her facial cues is not of an average child, and it’s marvelous.
Alma’s demeanor is comparable to a typical child in a horror film and everything you want from the horror genre. Her stabbing of Chief Burleson is wicked but predictable with her current blood lust. What isn’t predictable is Ursula’s reaction to Chief Burleson bleeding out. She acts as if she’s hit the lottery with Alma’s inability to control herself.
It’s too early to tell if there will be more for her character, but it seems as if Alma is only being used to ensue more chaos.
Ursula’s character is fun because she’s relatable and someone with drive. Her ability to figure out that something must be going on inside the town showcases her intelligence, which could be foreshadowing.
The determination to capitalize off the pill’s potential causes Ursula to overshadow her ability to make quality judgments. While her plan to garner control over the pill distribution is dauntless, it won’t happen if Belle and Austin have anything to say about it. She’s underestimating them severely.
It’s an intriguing decision to use Ursula as a plot device to introduce The Chemist (Angelica Ross) and the creation of the pill. While Ursula’s character needs more substance, it feels like an overlook to not have Belle or Austin be the first introduction.
One shocking factor revealed in the pill operation is that The Chemist isn’t some diabolical mastermind. With the demand and nature of the pill, it would be rightfully assumed that the person behind it wouldn’t be some simple person living in Provincetown.
According to the consensus from fans, vampires seem to be the creature plaguing p-town, but could it be something more? Red Tide has been teased as a season revolving around mermaids in some capacity, but the flesh phantoms seem more vampire than anything upon the first look.
One subtle feature that viewers may have missed in their first viewing is The Chemist’s door. There’s a wooden carving of a mermaid attached to the peephole, which seems like a possible foreshadowing of the truth. The probability of the flesh phantoms being some form of Siren seems more plausible than them being vampires.
American Horror Story: Double Feature does a great job of pushing the storyline forward but fails with its dismissing of vital characters. The continuity is also an issue, and with Red Tide only being six episodes, things will have to turn around quickly for it not to be a significant plot hole.
Other Thoughts:
- Austin and Belle are decent characters, but so far, I’m not impressed. I enjoy their musical talents, but I’m waiting for something more to grasp onto. Evan Peters and Frances Conroy are not being used to the best of their abilities. Hopefully, Season 10 Episode 4 will change my mind after they go after Ursula and the Gardners.
- How does Mickey kill someone in broad daylight on the beach, right where there had already been previous murders? There aren’t police officers patrolling the area? Again, continuity.
- The local situation needs to be confronted ASAP because it’s getting annoying. Where is everyone in town? Why do we see them inside buildings but never outside in the open?
Favorite Quotes:
- “Good, cause I didn’t come all this way to deal with emotional shit. You know, you want that, get a manager.” – Ursula.
- “God, if I wanted to listen to a shitty Captain & Tennille cover band, I would have just killed myself, because I’m sure that’s what’s playing on an infinite loop in hell.” – Ursula.
- “I think that there are people that are really good at something, and then there’s everybody else. I feel like everybody else could just disappear one day, and it wouldn’t matter.” – Alma.
What did you think of this episode of American Horror Story: Double Feature? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Horror Story: Double Feature airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.