Lake: AHSS Chapter 8 Season 2

Lake is the eighth and final episode of the season of American Horror Stories, the series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.

This time, with Alicia Silverstone in the lead role as Erin. Written by Manny Coto, and directed by Tessa Blake.

Premise

A group of friends have a gathering on boat in a lake near town. Siblings Jake and Finn decide to go diving to the investigate the bed of the lake that once was, according to old maps, a town. Jake is trapped by a presence and disappears. Months pass and Finn finally returns home with her parents, having spent time in hospital after the traumatizing incident in the lake. It is then Erin, the mother, starts to see visions that lead her and Finn to find Jake.

About this Chapter

In previous reviews of the chapters in American Horror Stories Season II, we have criticized how anecdotal the stories were, and with this closing chapter this observation has been validated. The ‘anecdotal’ has become the axis the series’ narratives spin on, to the point that it has almost become amusing. Of course, there have been varying degrees of how ‘anecdotal’ the stories are, and Lake lies more or less in the middle of the ‘anecdotal’ scale. The least, hence the most original, being Necro, chapter VII.

This eighth episode is not bad, but it is not a triumphant farewell of the season, in a series that we fear is losing its sway episode by episode, betting less on the aesthetic originality, and increasingly subjecting itself to TV precepts, which it proudly veered away from in its beginnings.

Lake does not aspire very high as far as visuals go. It is a very traditional horror story told in a very classic style, with the odd classic shocker here and there, in other words it recurs to a somewhat “worn-out” style as far as entertainment goes. Perhaps, the intentions in telling this story and in this way are beyond the cinematic….

It counted on the Alicia Silverstone as its protagonist, however the screenplay did not quite do her justice, as it was unable to deliver any dramatic credibility.

This episode follows the same structure as in the other chapters as far as narrative resolution goes, although, this time around it is less impactful horror-wise.

Is its a psychological drama devoid of a good script and lines, and with sketchy characterizations that are so blandly defined one is not engaged in them, other than empathizing with them due to their circumstances? Is this chapter too light in the horror department? Yes, is the answer to both questions.

We were neither moved, nor shocked or outraged, if anything, we were saddened by how AHSS has devolved. Hopefully, it is just a phase, and it will recover the originality and unapologetic horror storytelling it had, and that was done with such artistry in the beginning.