Test of Strength

"Test of Strength" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the anthology television series American Horror Story, which premiered on November 19, 2014 on the cable network FX. It was written by Crystal Liu and directed by Anthony Hemingway. This episode focuses on the girls of the camp planning revenge on Dell (Michael Chiklis).

Plot

At Mott Manor, Jimmy (Evan Peters) tries to talk the twins (Sarah Paulson) into returning to the camp with him. Dandy (Finn Wittrock) mentions that he paid for them so he has a right to keep them, and Jimmy realises that Elsa (Jessica Lange) must have something to do with it. Whilst trying to convince the twins to stay, Dandy mentions Dot's concerns about the separation surgery, something which she only admitted to in her diary. This also helps Jimmy come to the realization that Dandy was Twisty's accomplice. Angry at the invasion of privacy, Dot telepathically convinces Bette to leave, and the three return to camp, leaving Dandy distraught.

Jimmy performs an aggressive version of "Come as You Are" by Nirvana. Elsa is unimpressed and lambastes him for attempting to hijack the show. Jimmy snaps and accuses Elsa of paying to get rid of the twins, but before she has a chance to explain herself the twins interject. Dot explains Elsa let them leave to enjoy the finer things in life but with the assumption of having a home to return to if all didn't work out, and a baffled Elsa looks on.

Dell (Michael Chiklis) is drinking at the gay bar High Noon and frantically scans the crowd looking for his hustler love Andy. The barman quips that he hasn't seen him in a while and it isn't the sort of place to fall in love with a hustler. Dell reacts badly and attacks the barman, as all the other staff and Stanley (Denis O'Hare) watch. Meanwhile, Desiree (Angela Bassett) and Ethel (Kathy Bates) are informed of Dr. Bonham's death by his furious daughter Brenda (Sharon Landry), who accuses the freaks of having played a role.

Later, Stanley cunningly flirts with Dell. A furious Dell lunges at Stanley when he mentions the outburst at the bar earlier that day, but is stopped when Maggie (Emma Roberts) interrupts the altercation. They withdraw to the big tent where Stanley blackmails Dell, saying he must kill one of the freaks and supply the body by the next day or he will reveal his secret. Dell sneaks into Eve's (Erika Ervin) trailer and attempts to chloroform her, but she wakes up, beats him, and throws him out.

The next day, the women and Jimmy congregate to comfort Eve and determine an appropriate punishment for Dell. Ethel says she will kill him as she knows what he's capable of, but Jimmy doesn't support this. Jimmy is given a chance to run Dell out of town otherwise Ethel will deal with him herself.

Jimmy confronts Dell and they go for a drink in town.. Jimmy informs Dell of the women's plans after the incident with Eve. Dell tries to cover his tracks, but Jimmy corrects his version of events. The tension quells and Dell shows some kindness towards Jimmy, whilst Jimmy reminisces on happier times with the members of the freak show. A drunken Jimmy then throws up in the alley. Dell gets an idea to kill Jimmy right there and then, but an upset Jimmy reveals that he knows Dell is his father. Although Dell struggles to accept it, the two embrace.

Elsa asks the twins what they want for having lied to the group earlier. They reveal they don't trust Stanley, and Hollywood is no longer an appropriate option right now. They want to stay at the camp so that Bette can be the comedy part of the Siamese Twins act, and receivership of 20% of the nightly takings. Elsa says they can have it when she's gone to Hollywood. But they want the money now along with the money Gloria spent buying them for Dandy. Elsa admires their blackmail but manipulates the situation in her favor, calling Dot out for her silence, but Dot interjects with an increase in the takings to 50%.

Dell and Jimmy return drunk in the early morning and Elsa berates them. Desiree also verbally attacks Dell, who tells everyone Jimmy is his son. They try to stand up to Elsa, but she has none of it. Dell puts Jimmy to bed. Stanley comments on the lack of a body being presented. Meanwhile, Penny (Grace Gummer) returns home and says she is going to stay with Paul (Mat Fraser) permanently. Her father, Vince (Lee Tergesen), is unimpressed and denies her the chance to shame him and join the outcasts. Vince then has her tongue forked and her entire face tattooed. Penny returns to Paul in a catatonic state.

Bette gets the makeover she desires, resembling Eve Arden. Elsa approves, although not without offending Dot, and a suddenly confident Bette witters on about a new metamorphosis act. Elsa slips Dot a note offering her help. Dot returns a reply stating she will keep Elsa's secret in return for a visit from the doctor who separated the Brody twins. Elsa shares dinner with Stanley and the two discuss the situation with the twins. Elsa challenges Stanley to pursue Dot's plans to find the doctor so they will be out of her hair. He comments that they should maybe be relieved of their misery by a mercy killing, rather than made even more of a spectacle. Elsa is intrigued, but Ethel overhears.

Dell visits Ma Petite (Jyoti Amge) late at night and gives her a new dress. Ma Petite is delighted and tries it on for Dell. He hugs her but purposefully snaps her back in the process as she squeals in pain. Not long after, Ma Petite's body is placed on display in a formaldehyde jar at the Museum of Morbid Curiosities.

Reception

Reviews

The episode received mixed reviews from critics.^[1] Erik Adams of The A.V. Club gave the episode a C rating, writing: "It's sloppy, but that's to be expected from an episode of American Horror Story that tosses seven or eight of its proverbial chainsaws into the air without any noticeable concern for juggling them. Not to mention the rendition of a Nirvana song that would be written roughly forty years after the episode takes place. What really irks me about "Test Of Strength" is how it left me feeling: Numb."^[2] Matt Fowler of IGN wrote: "Test of Strength" may have mostly been power plays and backstabbing, but it was tight, focused and really helped Dell feel like a more present character... Of course, part of me is crediting this episode for feeling "tight" just because it came in at a normal episode length and not one of FX's new-fangled hour and twenty minute dawdle-fests. This wasn't a scary episode, as not much directly involving the carnival is, but it was effective."^[3]

Ratings

"Test of Strength" was watched by 3.91 million viewers and was the highest rated cable broadcast of the night. The episode received a 2.0 ratings share among adults 18–49, up 0.2 from the previous week's episode.^[4]

References