American Horror Story: NYC Review: Smoke Signals and Black Out (Season 11 Episodes 3 and 4)
Gino and Patrick attempt to track down the Mai Tai killer on American Horror Story: NYC Season 11 Episode 3, “Smoke Signals,” and Episode 4, “Black Out.”
So far, nothing super enticing or thrilling is going on. The series is replacing the raw, grisly material we’ve seen in previous seasons with a more reserved tone and is focusing on the smut aspect. I get that this might be a somewhat accurate portrayal of the gay scene in the streets of 1980s NYC, but come on.
As I mentioned in my review of American Horror Story: NYC Season 11 Episodes 1 and 2, it feels as if Ryan Murphy thought he could redeem himself for the atrocity that was Double Feature by directly trying to entice the LGBTQ community in with an increase in the sexual aspect of the series.
As much as I’m enjoying Russell Tovey showing off his glorious assets, I crave more substance from this season. The sexual activities and man candy aren’t enough to keep me fully invested.
The series is more lustful than jarring, intriguing, or any characteristic that makes American Horror Story what it is. I respect the seriousness behind the subject matter, but I’m finding it hard to invest myself in the story entirely.
We’re almost halfway through the season, and nothing substantial has happened. More questions are being prompted from the material than there are answers in any capacity. The most concrete information we can stand on is that Sam is a lunatic who needs to be dealt with.
I thoroughly despise Sam and physically grimace when he’s on screen. With that said, I give Zachary Quinto the props he deserves because he’s effortlessly delivering with this character.
The biggest question so far is who Big Daddy is and if he’s alive or genuinely dead. The leather-studded man has yet to utter a word but has been quite the scene-stealer in the first four episodes of the season. His presence poses the most monumental question because there’s a mystery shrouded around him.
We’ve seen him attack many people – clearly noticeable and transparent, but at other times it’s as if he’s invisible. One moment he can be seen by his victims, and the next, he can’t. It’s as if he disappears into thin air. I suspect that Sam somehow can control him and is using him to do his bidding.
The series makes a crucial mistake by focusing solely on the trio and using everyone else as side characters. Hale Appleman and Leslie Grossman are gravely underutilized in these beginning episodes, and it’s a shame.
To top it off, it feels safe to assume Appleman’s character won’t be returning, considering the last moments of “Black Out.” As a colossal fan of The Magicians, I expected to see him given good material to work with. Instead, he’s done nothing but look high and be given sparse moments of screen time.
I want to stay optimistic that this season will turn around, but that’s a challenging feat at this point.
Stray Thoughts:
- So far, the only two characters worth rooting for are Adam and Gino.
- I want to like Patrick desperately, but he keeps too many secrets to trust him. I have a gut feeling that something dark will be revealed about him by the end of the season.
What did you think of this episode of American Horror Story: NYC? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Horror Story: NYC 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.