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{{Short description|Fourth season of American Horror Story}}
{{Use mdy dates |date = September 2017}}
{{Infobox television season {{Infobox television season
| bgcolour = #095457
|season_name = American Horror Story:<br />Freak Show
| image = American Horror Story Season 4.jpg
|bgcolour = #003B43
| caption = Promotional poster and home media cover art
|fgcolour = #FFFFFF
| showrunner = ]
|image = ] <!-- DO NOT REMOVE UNLESS REMOVED BY WIKIPEDIA -->
|caption = Promotional poster | starring = {{Plainlist |
* ]
|region_1 = <!-- {{Start date|yyyy|mm|dd}} -->
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* ]
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|country = United States
}}
|network = ]
|num_episodes = 13 | num_episodes = 13
| network = ]
|first_aired = {{start date|2014|10|8}}
|last_aired = {{End date|2015|01|21}} | first_aired = {{start date |2014 |10 |8}}
| last_aired = {{End date |2015 |01 |21}}
|prev_season = '']''
| prev_season = '']''
|next_season = Season 5
|episode_list = ] | next_season = '']''
| episode_list = List of American Horror Story episodes
}} }}


The fourth season of the American ] ] television series '']'', subtitled '''''Freak Show''''', is set in 1952 ], telling the story of one of the last remaining ]s in the United States and their struggle for survival. The ] includes ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ], with all returning from previous seasons, except newcomers Chiklis and Wittrock. The season marks the first not to be strictly anthological, with ], ], and James Cromwell<!--This is the correct name of the actor who plays the *younger* Dr. Arden. John is the son of the more famous James Cromwell, who plays the older version of the character, but only in Asylum--> reprising their roles from the series' second cycle, ''].''
'''''American Horror Story: Freak Show''''' is the fourth ] of the ] ] ] television series '']''. It premiered on October 8, 2014.


Created by ] and ] for the ] network ], the series is produced by ]. ''Freak Show'' was broadcast between October 8, 2014, to January 21, 2015, consisting of 13 episodes. Like its predecessors, the season was met with positive reviews and consistently strong ratings. The premiere episode attracted a series high of 6.13 million viewers, making it the most viewed episode of the series. It ultimately became FX's most-watched program ever, surpassing its previous installment, '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/american-horror-story-freak-show-sets-fx-ratings-record-1201519900|title='American Horror Story: Freak Show' Sets FX Ratings Record|work=]|author=Rick Kissell|date=June 15, 2015|access-date=July 25, 2015}}</ref> The season garnered a total of twenty ] nominations, the most for any season of ''American Horror Story'' to date, including nominations for ], and six acting nominations for Lange, O'Hare, Wittrock, Paulson, Bassett, and Bates. In addition, Paulson won for ] at the ].
The season is mainly set in 1952 ], telling the story of one of the last remaining ]s in America, and their struggle for survival.

This is the first season of the series that is not strictly anthological, with characters appearing from the series' second cycle, '']''. Notable returning cast members from previous installments of the series include: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

==Plot==
The season is set in ] in 1952,<ref name="pressre1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2014/08/20/fxs-acclaimed-anthology-series-american-horror-story-freak-show-premieres-october-8-52410/20140820fx01/|title=FX's Acclaimed Anthology Series "American Horror Story: Freak Show" Premieres October 8|work=The Futon Critic|date=August 20, 2014|accessdate=August 21, 2014}}</ref> centered around one of the few remaining freak shows at the time, led by Elsa Mars (]).<ref name="EOnline">{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/524361/the-american-horror-story-season-4-title-is?cmpid=sn-111021-facebook-na-eonline|title=NEWS/ The American Horror Story Season 4 Title Revealed! Plus, New Details on the Setting, Cast and Jessica Lange's Character|work=E! Online|first=Leanne|last=Aguilera|date=March 24, 2014|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> Its members include the two-headed Bette and Dot Tattler (]), lobster boy Jimmy Darling (]) and his mother, the bearded Ethel (]). Jimmy's father, the secretly homosexual 'strong man' Dell Toledo (]), also joins the freak show, accompanied by his wife, a three-breasted woman, Desiree Dupree (]). The season focuses on the conflict between the freaks and the "evil forces" who do not understand them.<ref name="EWMurphy1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/15/podcast-survivor-cagayan-trish-kass-ryan-murphy-jordan-gavaris-orphan-black|title=InsideTV Podcast: Trish from 'Survivor' unloads on 'unbearable... cruel... vicious... no class' Kass|work=]|first=Dalton|last=Ross|date=May 15, 2014|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> This includes the psychopathic Dandy Mott (]), whose obsession with the twins brings despair to him and his mother, Gloria (]). Also plotting against the freaks are con artists Stanley (]) and Maggie (]), who plot to kill the freaks and sell them to a museum.


==Cast and characters== ==Cast and characters==
{{See also|List of American Horror Story characters#Freak Show}} {{main|List of American Horror Story cast members}}


===Main=== ===Main===
{{multiple image {{Multiple image
| align = right | total_width = 450
| perrow = 5
| footer = ], ], and ] (left to right) portray lead roles, {{AHSCharacter|Elsa Mars|Elsa Mars}}, {{AHSCharacter|Dandy Mott|Dandy Mott}}, and {{AHSCharacter|Bette and Dot Tattler|Bette and Dot Tattler}}, respectively.
| direction = horizontal
| image1 = Jessica Lange face.JPG
| width1 = 144 | caption_align = center
| align = right
| image2 = Finn Wittrock, AHS Freak Show Premiere 2014.jpg
| header = ''Freak Show'' main cast
| width2 = 117
| image3 = Sarah Paulson SDCC 2014.jpg |image1 = Sarah Paulson (42754338105) (cropped).jpg |caption1 = Sarah Paulson
|image2 = Evan Peters by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg |caption2 = Evan Peters
| width3 = 122
|image3 = Michael Chiklis at PaleyFest 2014.jpg |caption3 = Michael Chiklis
}}
|image4 = Frances Conroy at PaleyFest 2014 - 13491478183.jpg |caption4 = Frances Conroy
{{multiple image
|image5 = Emma Robert 2016 Comic Con.jpg |caption5 = Emma Roberts
| align = right
|image6 = Denis O'Hare crop1.JPG |caption6 = Denis O'Hare
| footer = ], ], and ] (left to right) portray lead roles {{AHSCharacter|Dell Toledo|Dell Toledo}}, {{AHSCharacter|Stanley|Stanley}}, and {{AHSCharacter|Desiree Dupree|Desiree Dupree}}, respectively.
|image7 = Finn Wittrock 1.jpg |caption7 = Finn Wittrock
| image1 = Michael Chiklis at PaleyFest 2014.jpg
|image8 = Angela Bassett by Gage Skidmoe.jpg |caption8 = Angela Bassett
| width1 = 126
|image9 = Kathy Bates by Gage Skidmore.jpg |caption9 = Kathy Bates
| image2 = Denis O'Hare crop1.JPG
|image10 = Jessica Lange (Cropped).JPG |caption10 = Jessica Lange
| width2 = 132
| image3 = Angela Bassett at PaleyFest 2014 - 13491748704.jpg
| width3 = 126
}} }}
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Bette and Dot Tattler|Bette and Dot Tattler}} (12 episodes) * ] as Bette and Dot Tattler
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Jimmy Darling|Jimmy Darling}} (13 episodes) * ] as Jimmy Darling
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Dell Toledo|Dell Toledo}} (9 episodes) * ] as Wendell "Dell" Toledo
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Gloria Mott|Gloria Mott}} (8 episodes) * ] as Gloria Mott
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Stanley|Stanley}} (10 episodes) * ] as Stanley
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Maggie Esmerelda|Maggie Esmerelda}} (10 episodes) * ] as Maggie Esmerelda
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Dandy Mott|Dandy Mott}} (12 episodes) * ] as Dandy Mott
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Desiree Dupree|Desiree Dupree}} (11 episodes) * ] as Desiree Dupree
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Ethel Darling|Ethel Darling}} (10 episodes) * ] as Ethel Darling
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Elsa Mars|Elsa Mars}} (13 episodes) * ] as ]


===Special guest=== ===Special guest stars===
* ] as ]
{{multiple image
* ] as Lillian Hemmings
| align = right
* ] as Regina Ross
| footer = ], ], and ] (left to right) guest star as {{AHSCharacter|Lillian Hemmings|Lillian Hemmings}}, {{AHSCharacter|Regina Ross|Regina Ross}}, and {{AHSCharacter|Chester Creb|Chester Creb}}, respectively.
* ] as Andy Stiles
| image1 = Celia Weston.jpg
* ] as Massimo Dolcefino
| width1 = 141
* ] as Sister Mary Eunice McKee
| image2 = Gabourey Sidibe at PaleyFest 2014 - 13491368805.jpg
* ] as Chester Creb
| width2 = 115
| image3 = Neil Patrick Harris 2011 (cropped).jpg
| width3 = 128
}}
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Lillian Hemmings|Lillian Hemmings}} (5 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Edward Mordrake|Edward Mordrake}} (3 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Regina Ross|Regina Ross}} (3 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Massimo Dolcefino|Massimo Dolcefino}} (3 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Chester Creb|Chester Creb}} (2 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Andy|Andy}} (1 episode)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Sister Mary Eunice McKee|Sister Mary Eunice McKee}} (1 episode)


===Recurring===<!--In credit order, actors who have appeared in 3+ episodes!-->
===Recurring===
* ] as Pepper
{{multiple image
* ] as Penny Nelson
| align = right
* ] as Barbara / Ima Wiggles
| footer = ], ], and ] (left to right) portray recurring roles {{AHSCharacter|Amazon Eve|Amazon Eve}}, {{AHSCharacter|Ma Petite|Ma Petite}}, and {{AHSCharacter|Bonnie Lipton|Bonnie Lipton}}, respectively.
* ] as Angus T. Jefferson
| image1 = Amazon Eve from bust up scarf.JPG
* ] as Amazon Eve
| width1 = 128
* ] as Paul the Illustrated Seal
| image2 = Jyoti Amge, AHS Freak Show Red Carpet October 2014.jpg
* ] as Ma Petite
| width2 = 126
* ] as Legless Suzi
| image3 = Skyler Samuels.jpg
* ] as Meep the Geek
| width3 = 126
* ] as Vince Nelson
}}
* ] as Twisty the Clown
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Amazon Eve|Amazon Eve}} (13 episodes)
* ] as Bonnie Lipton
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Paul|Paul the Illustrated Seal}} (13 episodes)
* ] as Dora Brown
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Ma Petite|Ma Petite}} (12 episodes)

* Rose Siggins as {{AHSCharacter|Legless Suzi|Legless Suzi}} (12 episodes)
===Guest stars===<!--In credit order, actors who have only appeared in 1 or 2 episodes!-->
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Pepper|Pepper}} (10 episodes)
* ] as Marjorie the Doll
* Christopher Neiman as {{AHSCharacter|Salty|Salty}} (9 episodes)
* ] as Rita Gayheart
* Drew Rin Varick as {{AHSCharacter|Toulouse|Toulouse}} (9 episodes)
* ] as Larry Gayheart
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Penny|Penny}} (6 episodes)
* ] as Michael Beck
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Twisty the Clown|Twisty the Clown}} (5 episodes)
* ] as a Tupperware Party Housewife (uncredited)
* Chrissy Metz as {{AHSCharacter|Barbara|Barbara/Ima Wiggles}} (5 episodes)
* ] as Alice
* Major Dodson as {{AHSCharacter|Corey Bachman|Corey Bachman}} (4 episodes)
* James Cromwell as Hans Grüper
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Bonnie Lipton|Bonnie Lipton}} (4 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Dora|Dora}} (4 episodes)
* P.J. Marshall as Detective Colquitt (4 episodes)
* Ben Woolf as {{AHSCharacter|Meep|Meep}} (3 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Vince|Vince}} (3 episodes)
* ] as {{AHSCharacter|Angus T. Jefferson|Angus T. Jefferson}} (3 episodes)
* Jerry Leggio as Dr. Bonham (2 episodes)
* ] as Marjorie (2 episodes)
* ] as Alice (2 episodes)
* Shauna Rappold as Lucy Creb (2 episodes)


==Episodes== ==Episodes==
{{See also|List of American Horror Story episodes}} {{See also |List of American Horror Story episodes}}
<onlyinclude>{{episode table |background = #095457 |overall = 5 |season = 5 |title = 26 |director = 17 |writer = 19 |airdate = 13 |prodcode = 6 |viewers = 9 |country = US |episodes =
<onlyinclude>{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%"
{{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|-style="color:white"
|EpisodeNumber = 39
! style="background: #003B43;"|No. in<br />series
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
! style="background: #003B43;"|No. in<br />season
|Title = ]
! style="background: #003B43;"|Title
|DirectedBy = ]
! style="background: #003B43;"|Directed by
|WrittenBy = Ryan Murphy & ]
! style="background: #003B43;"|Written by
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|8}}
! style="background: #003B43;"|Original air date
|ProdCode = 4ATS01
! style="background: #003B43;"|Production<br />code
|Viewers = 6.13<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-walking-dead-sneak-peek-south-park-teen-mom-ii-more/312389/ |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'South Park' 'Teen Mom II', 'The Daily Show, 'Key & Peele' & More |publisher = ] |last = Kondolojy |first = Amanda |date = October 9, 2014 |access-date = October 9, 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141011020537/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-walking-dead-sneak-peek-south-park-teen-mom-ii-more/312389/ |archive-date = October 11, 2014}}</ref>
! style="background: #003B43;"|U.S. viewers<br />(millions)
|ShortSummary = In Jupiter, Florida, in 1952, ] Bette and Dot Tattler are taken to a hospital after a milkman finds them injured in their home, near their mother, who was brutally murdered. News spread of the twins' existence, leading local carnival freak show owner Elsa Mars attempting to recruit them to join her troupe. Although skeptical, the twins agree. Elsa's troupe of freaks include Jimmy Darling, a boy with ], and his mother Ethel Darling, a ]. Meanwhile, Twisty, a killer clown, murders a teenage girl's boyfriend and a young boy's parents and imprisons the young boy and teen girl in an old bus. Jimmy kills a detective after he threatens to arrest the twins for their mother's murder. Elsa's group puts on their first show with Bette and Dot as "The Siamese Twins," there are only two attendees, a wealthy but shallow socialite Gloria Mott and her dangerously disturbed son Dandy. Dandy bargains with Elsa to buy Bette and Dot, but the twins refuse. Elsa later tells Ethel that she brought the twins aboard to get more attention for the show and boost her fame. As Elsa prepares for bed, it's revealed that she is an ], legless below the knees.
|-
|LineColor = 095457
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes
|EpisodeNumber = 39
|EpisodeNumber2 = 1
|Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = Ryan Murphy & ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|8}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS01
|Viewers = 6.13<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-walking-dead-sneak-peek-south-park-teen-mom-ii-more/312389/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'South Park' 'Teen Mom II', 'The Daily Show, 'Key & Peele' & More|publisher=]|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=October 9, 2014|accessdate=October 9, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Jupiter, Florida. 1952. Conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler (]) (who share the same entire body) are taken to the hospital after a milkman finds them injured in their home, nearby their dead mother who was brutally murdered. News spread of the twins' existence, leading local carnival freak show owner Elsa Mars (]) to visit them in the hospital where she attempts to recruit them to join her troupe. Although skeptical, the twins agree since they have no one else to look after them and they move in with Elsa's troupe of freaks who include Jimmy Darling (]), a boy with ], and his mother Ethel Darling (]), a bearded lady. Jimmy makes additional money by pleasuring local women with his abnormally long fingers. Meanwhile, Twisty (]) is a killer clown/serial killer who murders a teenage girl's boyfriend and a young boy's parents, imprisoning the young boy and teen girl in an old bus. Twisty later shows up at the freak show camp grounds, but goes seemingly unnoticed. When a police detective arrives and attempts to arrest Bette and Dot for the murder of their mother, Jimmy slices the man's neck open after he calls them all "freaks". Jimmy leads the troupe in hacking the corpse apart, pronouncing they are no longer going to be pushed around and made to feel different from everybody else. After Elsa's group puts on their first show with Bette and Dot as "The Siamese Twins", there are only two attendees, Gloria Mott (]) and her son Dandy (]), who purchased all the seats for that night's performance. Dandy bargains with Elsa to buy Bette and Dot for $15,000, but the twins refuse. Elsa later tells Ethel that she brought the twins aboard to get more attention for the show and to boost her own fame. As Elsa prepares for bed, it's revealed that she is an amputee, legless below-the-knees.
|LineColor = 003B43
}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 40 |EpisodeNumber = 40
|EpisodeNumber2 = 2 |EpisodeNumber2 = 2
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ] |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = ] |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|15}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|15}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS02 |ProdCode = 4ATS02
|Viewers = 4.53<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-teen-mom-2-baseball-impact-wrestling-more/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'Teen Mom 2', Baseball, 'Impact Wrestling' & More|work=]|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=October 16, 2014|accessdate=October 16, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 4.53<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-teen-mom-2-baseball-impact-wrestling-more/ |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'Teen Mom 2', Baseball, 'Impact Wrestling' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Bibel |first = Sara |date = October 16, 2014 |access-date = October 16, 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141114210851/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-teen-mom-2-baseball-impact-wrestling-more/ |archive-date = November 14, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = The police arrive at the freak show to investigate the detective's disappearance, and to inform Elsa that a curfew is now in place in Jupiter following the string of murders around the county. Meanwhile, the carnival strong man Dell Toledo (]), Jimmy's father, and his three-breasted hermaphrodite wife Desiree (]) arrive to ask Elsa for a job. Elsa, initially reluctant, makes Dell head of security, but soon realizes what a mistake it was after Dell schedules a matinee against Elsa's orders, attacks Jimmy much to Ethel's dismay, and frames Meep for the murder of the detective after Jimmy had tried to frame Dell. Meep is arrested by the police, and eventually murdered by inmates in jail. His body is then returned to the freak show site where the fellow freaks gather round and mourn. Elsewhere, Dandy asks Jimmy if he can join the freak show, as he dreams of being on stage, but after Dandy accidentally insults Jimmy, he is rebuffed and sent away. After falling into a fit of rage, Dandy returns home to find that his mother, Gloria, has hired Twisty the Clown to cheer him up. However, Twisty storms off after Dandy tries to look inside his clown bag. Dandy follows Twisty back to his trailer where the two children Twisty is holding hostage attempt an escape, but are recaptured by Twisty and Dandy. |ShortSummary = The police arrive at the freak show to investigate the detective's disappearance and inform Elsa that a curfew is now in place in Jupiter following the string of murders. Meanwhile, the carnival strong man Dell Toledo, Jimmy's father, and his three-breasted hermaphrodite wife Desiree arrive and ask Elsa for a job. Elsa makes Dell head of security but soon realizes her mistake after Dell schedules a matinee against Elsa's orders, attacks Jimmy, and frames another performer, Meep, for the murder of the detective after Jimmy tried to frame Dell. Meep is arrested by the police and murdered by inmates in jail. His body is returned to the freak show, where the fellow freaks gather around and mourn. Elsewhere, Dandy asks Jimmy if he can join the freak show, as he dreams of being on stage, but after Dandy accidentally insults Jimmy, he is rebuffed and sent away. After falling into a fit of rage, Dandy returns home to find that his mother, Gloria, has hired Twisty the Clown to cheer him up. However, Twisty storms off after Dandy tries to look inside his clown bag. Dandy follows Twisty back to his trailer where the two children Twisty is holding hostage attempt an escape but are recaptured by Twisty and Dandy.
|LineColor = 003B43 |LineColor = 095457
}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 41 |EpisodeNumber = 41
|EpisodeNumber2 = 3 |EpisodeNumber2 = 3
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ] |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = ] |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|22}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|22}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS03 |ProdCode = 4ATS03
|Viewers = 4.44<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/23/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-key-peele-south-park-melissa-joey-more/318297/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'Key & Peele', 'Melissa & Joey' & More|publisher=TV by the Numbers|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=October 23, 2014|accessdate=October 23, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 4.44<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/23/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-key-peele-south-park-melissa-joey-more/318297/ |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'Key & Peele', 'Melissa & Joey' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Kondolojy |first = Amanda |date = October 23, 2014 |access-date = October 23, 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141025164726/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/23/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-key-peele-south-park-melissa-joey-more/318297/ |archive-date = October 25, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = The freak show gains a new member, a young clairvoyant fortune-teller named Maggie Esmerelda (]) who tells Elsa that her fame is yet to come and she will be meeting a "tall dark stranger" soon. Maggie is a con artist however, working with a man called Stanley (]), who is determined to find and dissect a freak to sell to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Ethel learns that she has cirrhosis of the liver and has only six months to one year left to live. Falling into a pit of despair, she turns to alcohol and tells Dell to keep an eye on Jimmy. Dandy becomes even more obsessed with Twisty and even goes trick or treating dressed in a homemade Twisty costume. After attempting to kill his maid Dora (]) and backing off after she calls him out, he visits Twisty's trailer and torments the children being held captive there. Twisty stalks a family with a daughter scared of clowns, and kidnaps her teenage brother. Meanwhile, the freak show troupe refuses to perform on Halloween due to the superstition surrounding an English freak from the 1800s named ] (]) who murdered his travelling troupe and killed himself because the face on the back of his head told him to. The majority of the troupe is convinced that Mordrake will arrive as a demon should any carny perform on Halloween night. Elsa, refusing to believe this, practices on stage, and Edward Mordrake appears, looking to take a soul from the purest freak in the troupe to join his spiritual troupe in Hell. He begins his search by listening to Ethel's backstory. |ShortSummary = On Halloween, a young clairvoyant fortune-teller named Maggie Esmerelda joins the troupe. Maggie is a con artist working with a man named Stanley, who wants to sell freaks to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Ethel learns that she has cirrhosis of the liver and a limited time to live. Meanwhile, Dandy becomes more obsessed with Twisty and goes trick or treating in a homemade Twisty costume. After attempting to kill his maid, Dora, and backing off after she calls him out, he visits Twisty's trailer and torments the children being held captive. Twisty stalks a family with a daughter scared of clowns and kidnaps her teenage brother. Later, the freak show troupe refuses to perform on Halloween due to the superstition surrounding an English freak from the 1800s named ]. Elsa refuses to believe this, practices on stage, and Mordrake appears, looking to take a soul from the saddest freak to join his spiritual troupe in Hell.
|LineColor = 003B43 |LineColor = 095457
}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 42 |EpisodeNumber = 42
|EpisodeNumber2 = 4 |EpisodeNumber2 = 4
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ] |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = ] |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|29}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|10|29}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS04 |ProdCode = 4ATS04
|Viewers = 4.51<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/30/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-key-peele-ghost-hunters-top-chef-more/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'Key & Peele', 'Ghost Hunters', 'Top Chef' & More|work=]|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=October 30, 2014|accessdate=October 30, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 4.51<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/30/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-key-peele-ghost-hunters-top-chef-more/ |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'Key & Peele', 'Ghost Hunters', 'Top Chef' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Bibel |first = Sara |date = October 30, 2014 |access-date = October 30, 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141117134402/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/10/30/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-key-peele-ghost-hunters-top-chef-more/ |archive-date = November 17, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = As Mordrake continues his search for a new freak to join his spirit troupe, he learns the past of freaks such as Legless Suzi, Paul the Illustrated Seal, and Elsa. After revisiting her story, Elsa begs Mordrake to take her with him; as he is about to comply, however, he is distracted by some distant music and passes on her. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Maggie venture into the woods to avoid being arrested for violating curfew, but stumble across Twisty's trailer. After freeing the children and phoning the police, Maggie hides in the woods as Twisty gets ready to murder Jimmy. After following the music, Mordrake finds Twisty in the woods about to kill Jimmy, and the killer clown reveals his backstory. Twisty was bullied by the carnies of the freak show he worked for previously out of jealousy for his popularity among the children, and was forced to flee after being tricked into thinking the police wanted to arrest him for child molestation. Falling into a pit of despair and rejected by the townsfolk, who labeled him a pervert and molester, Twisty fails to kill himself, only to obtain gruesome facial disfigurement from the botched attempt, and becomes obsessed with making children happy. After several failed attempts, he becomes deranged and kidnaps children for an audience. Mordrake, seeing the pain and grief Twisty has suffered, kills Twisty and adopts him into his spiritual troupe. A distraught Dandy picks up Twisty's mask and returns home, where he murders Dora, continuing Twisty's murderous path. As the town learns that Twisty is dead, the curfew is lifted; and, as a mark of respect, many residents of the town visit the freak show to thank Jimmy, and a newfound respect is given to the freaks as they mingle and get along with the townsfolk. Elsa announces her grand premiere to the town and tickets sell out. However, Stanley arrives and poses as a Hollywood agent and asks for a ticket. |ShortSummary = Mordrake learns the past of Ethel, Legless Suzi, Paul the Illustrated Seal, and Elsa. After revisiting her memories, Elsa begs Mordrake to take her, but he decides to continue. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Maggie stumble across Twisty's trailer. After freeing the children and phoning the police, Maggie hides as Twisty tries to murder Jimmy. Mordrake finds Twisty and listens to his backstory. Mordrake, seeing the pain and grief Twisty has suffered, kills Twisty and adopts him into his spiritual troupe. A distraught Dandy takes Twisty's mask and returns home, where he murders Dora. As the town learns that Twisty is dead, the curfew is lifted; and many residents of the town visit the freak show to thank Jimmy. Elsa announces her grand premiere to the town, and tickets sell out. Stanley arrives at the freakshow, where he poses as a Hollywood agent.
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{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 43 |EpisodeNumber = 43
|EpisodeNumber2 = 5 |EpisodeNumber2 = 5
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = Michael Uppendahl |DirectedBy = Michael Uppendahl
|WrittenBy = ] |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|5}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|5}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS05 |ProdCode = 4ATS05
|Viewers = 4.22<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/06/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-freak-show-tops-night-south-park-nba-basketball-key-peele-more/324483/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Tops Night + 'South Park', NBA Basketball, 'Key & Peele' & More|publisher=TV by the Numbers|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=November 6, 2014|accessdate=November 12, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 4.22<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/06/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-freak-show-tops-night-south-park-nba-basketball-key-peele-more/324483/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141108184510/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/06/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-freak-show-tops-night-south-park-nba-basketball-key-peele-more/324483/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 8, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Tops Night + 'South Park', NBA Basketball, 'Key & Peele' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Kondolojy |first = Amanda |date = November 6, 2014 |access-date = November 12, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Stanley tries to kill Bette and Dot by making them eat poisoned pink cupcakes, however the attempt fails. He begins to move in on Elsa by making deals with her about her possibly appearing on television and having her own show. Elsa is reluctant until she is laughed and booed off stage midway through her performance. Maggie tries to send Jimmy away, fearing for what Stanley will do to him. He tries to kiss her but she pulls away. Dell is nowhere to be found and Jimmy is sent to look for him in his trailer. Jimmy only finds a drunk Desiree, and after the two bond, Jimmy begins to pleasure Desiree with his hands. However, she screams and begins bleeding from her vagina. Ethel takes her to the hospital where she is informed that she has had a miscarriage. The doctor also reveals that Desiree is in fact 100% female, and he can perform a surgery to make her a normal woman. Dandy visits a gay bar on the hunt for his next victim. Dell also visits the gay bar and meets with his regular lover Andy (]), the two have a fight and Dell leaves. Dandy finds Andy and the two go to Twisty's bus, where Dandy kills him. Gloria receives a call from Dora's daughter, Regina Ross (]), who asks to speak with her mother. Gloria lies and tells her that she won't be able to contact her mother for a while. Desiree informs Dell that she can have children and that she is a real woman, and tells him she knows he is Jimmy's father. She leaves him and moves in with Ethel. After learning of Desiree's possible surgery, Dell visits the doctor at his office and breaks his fingers so he can no longer perform any surgery. Elsa sees Stanley taking the twins on a picnic, which makes her jealous and angry. Later, she lies to the twins saying she is taking them to a fitting, but actually drives them straight to Gloria and Dandy's mansion. |ShortSummary = Stanley attempts to recruit Elsa by making deals with her about her possibly having her own television show. Jimmy finds a drunk Desiree while searching for Dell, and while the two bond, Jimmy begins pleasuring Desiree with his hands. However, she begins bleeding from her vagina and later discovers she had a miscarriage. The doctor also reveals to Desiree that she is fully female. Dell meets with his regular lover, Andy. The two fight and Dell leaves. Dandy finds Andy and the two go to Twisty's bus, where Dandy kills him. Gloria receives a call from Dora's daughter, Regina Ross, who asks to speak with her mother, but Gloria lies and tells her that she will not be able to contact her mother for a while. Elsa sees Stanley taking the twins on a picnic, which makes her jealous and angry. Later, she lies to the twins saying she is taking them to a fitting but drives them straight to Gloria and Dandy's mansion.
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{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 44 |EpisodeNumber = 44
|EpisodeNumber2 = 6 |EpisodeNumber2 = 6
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = Howard Deutch |DirectedBy = Howard Deutch
|WrittenBy = John J. Gray |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|12}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|12}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS06 |ProdCode = 4ATS06
|Viewers = 3.65<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/13/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-american-pickers-key-peele-top-chef-more/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'American Pickers', 'Key & Peele', 'Top Chef' & More|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=November 13, 2014|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 3.65<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/13/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-american-pickers-key-peele-top-chef-more/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129024339/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/13/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-south-park-american-pickers-key-peele-top-chef-more/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 29, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'South Park', 'American Pickers', 'Key & Peele', 'Top Chef' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Bibel |first = Sara |date = November 13, 2014 |access-date = November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Elsa brings an old spinning wheel out of storage and begins practicing throwing daggers at it in preparation for her upcoming TV show. After sleeping with Paul, Elsa soon becomes jealous of him having an affair with Penny (]) behind her back. The night of her birthday party, she learns of her performers' suspicions that she had something to do with Bette and Dot's disappearance. Elsa reminds them all that none of them would be here without her, and they should be grateful for her saving them. To prove their loyalty, Elsa demands that one of them be strapped to the wheel and let Elsa do her routine. Paul reluctantly volunteers and after two missed hits, Elsa purposefully hits him in the gut; also refusing to call for a doctor. At Mott Manor, Dandy declares his love for the twins, telling Gloria that he intends on marrying them. Mistrustful of Dandy, Dot soon learns of a pair of conjoined twins that have been separated for the first time. She realizes that Dandy could easily pay for the surgery. Stanley pressures Maggie into leading Jimmy to a barn and killing him. Reluctant to do so, she suggests an easier freak; Ma Petite. After taking Ma Petite out to the barn and putting her in a tank to be killed, Maggie realizes she can't go through with it. She begs Jimmy to leave town with her immediately, but Stanley confronts her angrily, telling her they need the hands of Jimmy no matter what. Dandy asks Bette and Dot to share their secrets with him, telling them that he saved the children Twisty kidnapped. Dot declines to tell him a secret, calling Dandy out on his lies. Dandy later reads Dot's diary and realizes he can never truly feel love. He admits to Gloria that his only true purpose on Earth is to bring death. The doorbell rings and Gloria follows Dandy to the door, finding Jimmy. Dandy welcomes him in and says he must be here for the twins. |ShortSummary = Elsa brings out an old spinning wheel and begins throwing daggers at it to prepare for her upcoming TV show. The night of her birthday party, she learns of the troupe's suspicions of her involvement with Bette and Dot's disappearance. Elsa reminds them that none of them would be here without her, and they should be grateful for her saving them. To prove their loyalty, Elsa demands that one of them be strapped to the wheel while she does her routine. Paul reluctantly volunteers, and Elsa purposefully hits him in the gut and refuses to call a doctor. Dandy declares his love for the twins and wants to marry them. Dot learns of a pair of conjoined twins that have been separated for the first time and thinks Dandy could pay for the surgery. Stanley pressures Maggie into leading Jimmy to a barn and killing him. However, she suggests Ma Petite instead, but she can't go through with it. She begs Jimmy to leave town with her immediately, but Stanley confronts her angrily, telling her they need the hands of Jimmy no matter what.
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}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist|American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 45 |EpisodeNumber = 45
|EpisodeNumber2 = 7 |EpisodeNumber2 = 7
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ] |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = Crystal Liu |WrittenBy = ]
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|19}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|11|19}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS07 |ProdCode = 4ATS07
|Viewers = 3.91<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/20/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-nba-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/329751/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + NBA Basketball, 'Duck Dynasty', 'South Park' & More|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=November 20, 2014|accessdate=November 21, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 3.91<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/20/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-nba-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/329751/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141122210459/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/11/20/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-nba-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/329751/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 22, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + NBA Basketball, 'Duck Dynasty', 'South Park' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Kondolojy |first = Amanda |date = November 20, 2014 |access-date = November 21, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Jimmy goes to the Mott's mansion to retrieve Dot and Bette, but a comment made by Dandy makes Jimmy realise that Dandy was the second masked clown who captured the children, and was the one who was going to saw Maggie in half. The twins leave Dandy after Dot learns that he read her diary, and Dandy becomes furious. Upon returning to the freak show, Jimmy confronts Elsa for selling the twins, but the twins tell Jimmy he misunderstood and lie for Elsa, hoping to blackmail her for 50% of the box office returns in the process. Penny, after caring for Paul, returns home to tell her father that she is moving out, but her father knocks her out and has his "artist friend" tattoo her face and head, and give her a forked tongue, letting her become the freak she wants to be. Meanwhile, Stanley sees Dell at the gay bar and threatens to out him to the troupe unless he delivers him the body of a freak. While trying to kill Amazon Eve, Dell underestimates her size and strength, and is beaten up by her and thrown out of her caravan. After the women of the freak show assume Dell was intending on raping Eve, they rally together and threaten to kill him until Jimmy steps in and takes Dell out for a drink to discuss his violent attitude. Dell tries to bash a drunken Jimmy over the head with a brick, but can't go through with it. Jimmy tells Dell that he knows Dell is his father and they bond. Upon returning to the showgrounds the next morning, Dell puts a drunk Jimmy to bed. However, later that night, Dell sneaks into Ma Petite's tent and brings her a pretty dress. She tries it on and he hugs her until he crushes her, breaking her spine in the process. He delivers the body to Stanley who sells it to Lillian Hemmings (]) from the Museum of Morbid Curiosities, where Ma Petite's body is proudly shown on exhibition. |ShortSummary = The twins leave Dandy after Dot learns that he read her diary, and Dandy becomes furious. Upon returning to the freak show, Jimmy confronts Elsa for selling the twins. Still, they tell Jimmy he misunderstood and lie for Elsa, eventually blackmailing her for 50% of the box office returns in the process. After caring for Paul, Penny returns home to tell her father that she is moving out, but he knocks her out and has his "artist friend" tattoo her face and head and give her a forked tongue. Meanwhile, Stanley sees Dell at the gay bar and threatens to out him unless he delivers him the body of a freak. While trying to kill Amazon Eve, Dell underestimates her size and strength and is beaten up by her. Jimmy later tells Dell that he knows Dell is his father, and they bond. Later that night, Dell sneaks into Ma Petite's tent and brings her a pretty dress. She tries it on, and he hugs her until he crushes her, breaking her spine in the process. He delivers the body to Stanley, who sells it to Lillian Hemmings from the Museum of Morbid Curiosities, where Ma Petite's body is shown on exhibition.
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{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist|American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 46 |EpisodeNumber = 46
|EpisodeNumber2 = 8 |EpisodeNumber2 = 8
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|RTitle = |RTitle =
|DirectedBy = Bradley Buecker |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = Ryan Murphy |WrittenBy = Ryan Murphy
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|3}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|3}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS08 |ProdCode = 4ATS08
|Viewers = 3.30<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/04/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-college-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/335304/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + College Basketball, 'Duck Dynasty', 'South Park' & More|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Kondolojy|first=Amanda|date=December 4, 2014|accessdate=December 4, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 3.30<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/04/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-college-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/335304/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141215130350/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/04/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-college-basketball-duck-dynasty-south-park-more/335304/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 15, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + College Basketball, 'Duck Dynasty', 'South Park' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |last = Kondolojy |first = Amanda |date = December 4, 2014 |access-date = December 4, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Ma Petite's bloody dress is found in the woods, along with some bones of unknown origin, and the troupe assumes that she has been mauled and eaten by a wild animal. However, Ethel has other suspicions and accuses Elsa of killing Ma Petite for stealing her thunder. As the relationship between the two comes to a crashing halt, Ethel shoots Elsa in one of her legs, only for Ethel to be taken aback by the revelation that Elsa has fake legs. A flashback reveals that Elsa was carried from the aftermath of the snuff movie to a doctor (]) who crafted the legs for her and reminded Elsa that she was beautiful no matter what. While Ethel prepares to shoot Elsa in the head for lying to her and betraying her, Elsa throws a knife into Ethel's head, killing her. With the help of Stanley, Elsa constructs a suicide for Ethel in which Ethel crashes her car into a tree with a chain around her neck, decapitating her. The troupe believes this story and they mourn Ethel while Jimmy falls into a pit of despair and casts Maggie away. In response, he falls into the arms of a new recruit of the troupe, a morbidly obese woman with the stage name Ima Wiggles. After Ethel's burial, and sick of being treated badly, Amazon Eve, Desiree, Penny, and Legless Suzi plan revenge on Penny's father by sneaking into his house, knocking him unconscious and bringing him to Dell's caravan. They ] Penny's father and prepare to mutilate and kill him. Maggie hears his screams and begs them not go through with it. Penny lets her father go and banishes him from her life. Meanwhile, Dora's daughter Regina pays the Mott household a visit to investigate her mother's disappearance and refuses to leave without seeing her. Gloria, already under stress by talking to a therapist about anxiety over Dandy, lies to Regina. Dandy is tricked by Gloria into visiting the therapist, only to become enraged when he realizes what is going on and that his mother thinks he should be institutionalized. Upon returning to the house, Dandy shoots Gloria in the head and bathes in her blood. |ShortSummary = Ma Petite's bloody dress is found in the woods, along with some bones, and the troupe assumes that she has been mauled and eaten by a wild animal. However, Ethel accuses Elsa of killing Ma Petite, and a flashback reveals that Elsa was carried from the aftermath of the snuff movie to a doctor who crafted the legs for her. While Ethel prepares to shoot Elsa in the head for lying and betraying her, Elsa throws a knife into Ethel's head, killing her. With the help of Stanley, they fake Ethel's suicide. The troupe mourns Ethel while Jimmy falls into a depression and casts Maggie away. In response, he falls into the arms of a new recruit of the troupe, a morbidly obese woman with the stage name Ima Wiggles. Meanwhile, Dora's daughter Regina visits the Mott household to investigate her mother's disappearance and refuses to leave without seeing her. Gloria tricks Dandy into visiting the therapist and he becomes enraged when he realizes what is going on. Upon returning to the house, Dandy shoots Gloria in the head and bathes in her blood.
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{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 47 |EpisodeNumber = 47
|EpisodeNumber2 = 9 |EpisodeNumber2 = 9
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = ]
|RTitle =
|WrittenBy = Brad Falchuk
|DirectedBy = Loni Peristere
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|10}}
|WrittenBy = Brad Falchuk
|ProdCode = 4ATS09
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|10}}
|Viewers = 3.07<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/11/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-nightsouth-park-duck-dynasty-melissa-joey-more/338199/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141219072842/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/11/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-nightsouth-park-duck-dynasty-melissa-joey-more/338199/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 19, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night,'South Park', 'Duck Dynasty', 'Melissa & Joey' & More - Ratings |publisher = TV by the Numbers |access-date = December 12, 2014}}</ref>
|ProdCode = 4ATS09
|ShortSummary = After killing his mother, a deranged Dandy visits Maggie at the freak show to receive a reading. Maggie assures Dandy that there may be some trouble in his future, but he will prevail. More confident than ever, Dandy leaves to continue his work but is stopped by an extremely drunk Jimmy. Jimmy accuses Dandy of having something to do with the twins' disappearance and threatens Dandy. With the truth of his sexuality and guilt over Ma Petite's murder becoming too much for Dell, he attempts to hang himself but is later saved by Desiree. Once Jimmy leaves a Tupperware party, Dandy shows up and murders the whole group of women. Regina confronts Dandy and tells him she has contacted the police about her mother but is shocked when Dandy openly admits his murderous streak. He lets Regina escape, but she soon returns with Detective Colquitt. Dandy promises the detective one million dollars if he kills Regina, and Colquitt shoots Regina in the head without hesitation. A drunken Jimmy goes back to his caravan, only to find Dot and Bette waiting for him. Dot declares her love for Jimmy and says they can live happily together, with Bette agreeing, but Jimmy declines their advances, claiming he is in love with someone else. Later, police cars show up at the freak show and arrest Jimmy for the murders of the Tupperware party women.
|Viewers = 3.07<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/11/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-nightsouth-park-duck-dynasty-melissa-joey-more/338199/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: ‘American Horror Story’ Wins Night,’South Park’, ‘Duck Dynasty’, ‘Melissa & Joey’ & More - Ratings - TVbytheNumbers.Zap2it.com|work=TVbytheNumbers|accessdate=12 December 2014}}</ref>
|LineColor = 095457
|ShortSummary = After killing and disfiguring his mother, Dandy visits Esmerelda at the freak show to receive a reading. Maggie assures Dandy that all will be well, there may be some trouble in his future but he will prevail. More confident than ever, Dandy leaves to continue his grisly work, but is stopped by an extremely drunk Jimmy. Jimmy accuses Dandy of having something to do with the twins' disappearance and threatens Dandy, knowing he had a part in the clown murders. Dandy calls Jimmy pathetic as he falls to the ground, promising vengeance on Jimmy for taking Bette and Dot away from him. Elsa and Stanley track down the twins and bring them to the farmhouse. Stanley declares that the townspeople have gone on a rampage and that they'll be safe there, until the doctor comes to perform their surgery. The sisters realize that having separate lives isn't worth losing one of their own and vow to not get the surgery. With the truth of his sexuality and guilt over Ma Petite's murder becoming too much for Dell, he attempts to hang himself, but is later saved by Desiree. After Jimmy is too drunk to perform at a Tupperware party for the housewives, he sees hallucinations of Ethel, who tells him to get over her death and move on. Once Jimmy leaves, Dandy shows up at the door claiming that his car broke down. He murders the group of women, gouging out their eyes and leaving them to float in the pool. Regina confronts Dandy and tells him she's contacted the police about her mother, but is shocked when Dandy openly admits his murderous streak. He lets Regina escape, but she soon returns with Detective Colquitt. Dandy declares his wealth and promises the detective a million dollars if he kills Regina; which Colquitt does without a blink, shooting Regina in the head. A drunken Jimmy goes back to his caravan, only to find Dot and Bette waiting for him. Dot declares her love for Jimmy and says they can live happily together, with Bette agreeing, but Jimmy declines their advances, claiming he's in love with someone else. As he exits the caravan, police cars show up to the freak show. Detective Colquitt arrests Jimmy for the murders of the Tupperware party women, and Jimmy is dragged away in a police car.
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{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist|American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 48 |EpisodeNumber = 48
|EpisodeNumber2 = 10 |EpisodeNumber2 = 10
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|RTitle = |RTitle =
|DirectedBy = Bradley Buecker |DirectedBy = Bradley Buecker
|WrittenBy = James Wong |WrittenBy = James Wong
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|17}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2014|12|17}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS10 |ProdCode = 4ATS10
|Viewers = 2.99<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/18/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-daily-show-the-colbert-report-mob-wives-more/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'The Daily Show', 'The Colbert Report', 'Mob Wives' & More|work=]|first=Amanda|last=Kondolojy|date=December 18, 2014|accessdate=December 18, 2014}}</ref> |Viewers = 2.99<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/18/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-daily-show-the-colbert-report-mob-wives-more/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141231121503/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/12/18/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-tops-night-the-daily-show-the-colbert-report-mob-wives-more/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 31, 2014 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Tops Night + 'The Daily Show', 'The Colbert Report', 'Mob Wives' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |first = Amanda |last = Kondolojy |date = December 18, 2014 |access-date = December 18, 2014}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Pepper's life is shattered when she awakens to find that Salty has died in his sleep. After trying to console Pepper, Desiree learns from Elsa about the origins of the freak show. Elsa begins by revealing how when she first moved to the United States, she worked as a chorus girl in a carnival in ]. Noticing the freaks weren't treated as they should be, Elsa set out to make a business and a family of her own. Pepper was the first to join Elsa's troupe, after being found in an orphanage. Elsa recalls that soon later she realized Pepper needed something else, thus she recruited Ma Petite and Salty to act as Pepper's own child and husband. Realizing Pepper has no one now after both have died, Desiree suggests returning Pepper to her elder sister. Meanwhile Stanley convinces Elsa to let him take care of Salty's body after telling her he'd have the pinhead cremated, but he quickly chops the head off and sells it to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Maggie confesses to Desiree that she and Stanley are con artists. Desiree warns her that if she finds out either of them hurt any of the freaks, she'll kill her dead. Dot and Bette attempt to convince Maggie to help Jimmy by getting him a lawyer with the money they saved up for the surgery, but Stanley gets to Jimmy first, suggesting another way to earn the money. Realizing she needs help, Maggie finally confesses to Desiree her and Stanley's true intentions, warning her that all the freaks will die soon if nothing is done. The two visit the museum, where Desiree is shocked to find Ma Petite and Salty. The curator reveals their newest display; a pair of hands supposedly belonging to Jimmy, thus causing Maggie to faint in horror. Elsa tracks down Pepper's sister Rita (]) and convinces her to take in Pepper. Things get worse when, nine years later, Rita gives birth to a deformed baby. Pepper's brother in-law convinces her sister to frame Pepper for the baby's murder, committing her wrongly to Briarcliff Manor. Sister Mary Eunice (]), though convinced Pepper committed the murder, sees a hint of remorse in her eyes. She has Pepper assist her in the library at Briarcliff with sorting magazines. While doing so, Pepper finds a magazine with Elsa on the cover, who seemingly achieved the fame she always wished for. |ShortSummary = Pepper's life is shattered when she finds that her husband, Salty, has died in his sleep. Elsa reveals to Desiree that she began her troupe after noticing the freaks were not being treated as they should be. Elsa found Pepper at an orphanage and recruited Ma Petite to act as Pepper's child and later found Salty. Desiree suggests returning Pepper to her elder sister. Meanwhile, Stanley convinces Elsa to let him take care of Salty's body after telling her he would have the pinhead cremated, but he chops off the head and sells it to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Maggie confesses to Desiree that she and Stanley are con artists. The two visit the museum and are shocked to find Ma Petite's body, Salty's severed head, and Jimmy's hands on display. Elsa tracks down Pepper's sister, Rita, and convinces her to take in Pepper. Nine years later, Rita gives birth to a deformed baby, and her husband convinces her to frame Pepper for the baby's murder. After committing Pepper to Briarcliff, Sister Mary Eunice has Pepper assist her in the library sorting magazines. While doing so, Pepper finds a magazine with Elsa on the cover.
|LineColor = 003B43 |LineColor = 095457
}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 49 |EpisodeNumber = 49
|EpisodeNumber2 = 11 |EpisodeNumber2 = 11
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = Michael Goi |DirectedBy = ]
|WrittenBy = Jennifer Salt |WrittenBy = Jennifer Salt
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|7}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|7}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS11 |ProdCode = 4ATS11
|Viewers = 3.11<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-wahlburgers-mob-wives-little-women-la-more/347555/|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'Duck Dynasty', 'Wahlburgers', 'Mob Wives', 'Little Women LA' & More|work=]|first=Sara|last=Ribel|date=January 9, 2015|accessdate=January 9, 2015}}</ref> |Viewers = 3.11<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-wahlburgers-mob-wives-little-women-la-more/347555/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150110030350/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/09/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-wahlburgers-mob-wives-little-women-la-more/347555/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 10, 2015 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'Duck Dynasty', 'Wahlburgers', 'Mob Wives', 'Little Women LA' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |first = Sara |last = Ribel |date = January 9, 2015 |access-date = January 9, 2015}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = Stanley convinces an imprisoned Jimmy that the only way to pay for a lawyer is to sever one of his hands and sell it. He concocts a plan to smuggle Jimmy out of the prison using his Viking prostitute, who poses as an EMT. After Stanley puts him under, Jimmy awakens to find not one, but both of his hands have been removed. Dell visits him in the hospital and realizes Stanley double crossed Jimmy. The two make a plan to buy the Freak Show from Elsa once she leaves for Hollywood. Bette and Dot set out to find someone to deflower them, when they run across traveling Salesman, Chester (]). Chester dreams of performing his magic in front of an audience, along with his Dummy named Marjorie (]). Chester also reveals that after fighting in Normandy, he had a metal plate implanted in his skull; which causes him to hallucinate Marjorie as being alive. Elsa agrees to let him perform, but only if he balances the books in return. After Chester asks for them to accompany him in his magic act, Bette and Dot seduce Chester and sleep with him. Dell reveals to Elsa what happened to Jimmy and Elsa pleads with him to get Jimmy out of there. Eve suggests teaming up to save Jimmy. As the cops are transporting Jimmy back to Prison, Eve throws a brick through the windshield and her and Dell kill both officers, rescuing Jimmy in the process. Dandy hires a private investigator to follow the Twins and soon learns of their transgression with Chester. He confronts Chester after Marjorie goes missing, revealing that he knows what Chester did in his past. A flashback reveals that Chester’s wife Lucy had an affair with a woman named Alice (]), and in a jealous rage he murdered the two, believing that Marjorie committed the murders. Dandy tells Chester where Marjorie is and once finding her, she tells Chester that he needs to kill the Twins. Maggie tells Elsa she needs to show her something, revealing Ma Petite's true fate. Desiree pulls a gun on Dell in his caravan, demanding to know who he's killed. Once Dell confesses his crime of smothering Ma Petite, Elsa shoots him in the head from behind. |ShortSummary = Stanley convinces Jimmy that the only way to pay for a lawyer is to sever one of his hands and sell it. After smuggling Jimmy out of prison, Stanley puts him under. Jimmy awakens to find both of his hands have been removed. Dell visits him in the hospital and realizes Stanley double-crossed Jimmy. Bette and Dot set out to find someone to deflower them when they meet a traveling salesman named Chester. Chester dreams of performing his magic in front of an audience with his Dummy named Marjorie. Bette and Dot seduce Chester and sleep with him. As the cops are transporting Jimmy back to prison, Eve throws a brick through the windshield, and she and Dell kill both officers and rescue Jimmy. A flashback reveals that Chester's wife, Lucy, had an affair with a woman named Alice, and in a jealous rage, he murdered the two, believing that Marjorie committed the murders. Maggie tells Elsa about Ma Petite's true fate. Once Dell confesses his crime of smothering Ma Petite to Desiree, Elsa shoots him in the head from behind.
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}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 50 |EpisodeNumber = 50
|EpisodeNumber2 = 12 |EpisodeNumber2 = 12
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = Loni Peristere |DirectedBy = Loni Peristere
|WrittenBy = Jessica Sharzer |WrittenBy = Jessica Sharzer
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|14}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|14}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS12 |ProdCode = 4ATS12
|Viewers = 2.93<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-the-game-duck-dynasty-workaholics-more/350515//|title=Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'The Game', 'Duck Dynasty', 'Workaholics' & More|work=]|first=Amanda|last=Kondolojy|date=January 14, 2015|accessdate=January 16, 2015}}</ref> |Viewers = 2.94<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-the-game-duck-dynasty-workaholics-more/350515// |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150117001006/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/16/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-the-game-duck-dynasty-workaholics-more/350515/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 17, 2015 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'The Game', 'Duck Dynasty', 'Workaholics' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |first = Amanda |last = Kondolojy |date = January 14, 2015 |access-date = January 16, 2015}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = The Freaks hold a feast to welcome Chester as the new owner of the freak show, but after Elsa asks him to leave her and the troupe alone, she reveals their true intentions. Maggie reveals to Stanley that she told them everything he had done, outing him as a con artist and a murderer. They also reveal the head of the Museum of Morbid Curiosities curator; Lillian Hemmings, whom Desiree and Maggie murdered in vengeance. Stanley pleads with them to let him live and claims Elsa isn’t to be trusted, that she was the one who murdered Ethel. The freaks ignore him, proceeding to chase Stanley around the camp with weapons, presumably murdering him under a wagon. Dandy visits the twins and warms them of Chester’s dark past, but they demand that he leaves after claiming they don’t trust him. Elsa introduces Jimmy to an old friend of hers, Massimo Dolcefino, who intends on making him a pair of prosthetics just as he did with Elsa. In a flashback, Massimo tells of how he went after and slaughtered the men who took Elsa’s legs. All except the leader that is, Dr. Hans Gruper, who shot Massimo and tortured him until he was later released by a General. As Chester goes over the new routines, the twins admit they no longer want to be his assistants after he requests to saw them in two as part of the performance. Maggie volunteers to do the trick and Chester places her into the box. Seeing the faces of his deceased wife and her lover, Chester saws Maggie in half without realizing what is happening and to the dismay of the freaks, her organs spill out from both halves. Chester "murders" Marjorie in a rage, blaming her for making him commit all those atrocities. Dot and Bette warn Elsa that she needs to leave immediately, as her monsters intend on killing her to avenge Ethel’s murder. Desiree declares justice for Ethel, but as she and the others rampage into Elsa’s tent they find she’s already gone. A bloody and distraught Chester walks into a police station and admits to a murder, revealing Marjorie to the confused officers. Elsa meets Dandy before she leaves town and receives $10,000 in exchange for the Freak Show. Reveling on his new stage, Dandy discovers an extremely mutilated Stanley, who now resembles and is dressed as Meep. His arms and legs are amputated stumps, his torso has somehow been shortened, and his tongue has been removed, in a homage to the fate of Cleopatra at the end of Tod Browning's Freaks: which Elsa referenced at the feast before the freaks' revenge on Stanley. Massimo delivers Jimmy his prosthetics, revealing wooden replicas of Jimmy’s lobster claws. Jimmy calls them perfect, finally accepting himself and his deformity. |ShortSummary = Maggie reveals to Stanley that she outed him as a con artist and a murderer. Stanley pleads with the troupe to let him live and tells them that Elsa murdered Ethel. However, they ignore him and mutilate him to resemble Meep. Elsa introduces Jimmy to Massimo Dolcefino, who offers to make him a pair of wooden prosthetics to replace his missing hands. The twins inform Chester they no longer want to be his assistants, and Maggie volunteers in their place. Chester places her into the box, and while seeing the faces of his deceased wife and her lover, Chester saws Maggie in half without realizing, killing her. Chester "murders" Marjorie in a rage and hands himself over to the police. Dot and Bette warn Elsa that she needs to leave immediately, as her freaks intend to avenge Ethel's murder. Desiree declares justice for Ethel, but they find Elsa is already gone. Elsa meets Dandy before she leaves town and receives $10,000 in exchange for the freak show. In the final scene, Massimo delivers Jimmy his prosthetics, revealing wooden replicas of Jimmy's lobster claws.
|LineColor = 003B43 |LineColor = 095457
}} }}
{{Episode list/sublist|List of American Horror Story episodes {{Episode list/sublist |American Horror Story: Freak Show
|EpisodeNumber = 51 |EpisodeNumber = 51
|EpisodeNumber2 = 13 |EpisodeNumber2 = 13
|Title = ] |Title = ]
|DirectedBy = Bradley Buecker |DirectedBy = Bradley Buecker
|WrittenBy = John J. Gray |WrittenBy = John J. Gray
|OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|21}} |OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2015|1|21}}
|ProdCode = 4ATS13 |ProdCode = 4ATS13
|Viewers = 3.27<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/22/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-the-game-broad-citymelissa-joey-more/353911/|work=TVbytheNumbers|accessdate=22 January 2015}}</ref> |Viewers = 3.27<ref>{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/22/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-the-game-broad-citymelissa-joey-more/353911/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150123200626/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2015/01/22/wednesday-cable-ratings-american-horror-story-wins-night-duck-dynasty-the-game-broad-citymelissa-joey-more/353911/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = January 23, 2015 |title = Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Wins Night, 'Duck Dynasty', 'The Game', 'Broad City', 'Melissa & Joey' & More |publisher = TV by the Numbers |date = January 22, 2015}}</ref>
|ShortSummary = After purchasing the freak show from Elsa, Dandy blames the freaks for the lack of tickets sold. Having enough of their new owner, the remaining freaks announce that they all quit the show. In a rage, Dandy walks the camp grounds with his pistol and begins to massacre the Freaks one by one; killing Paul, Penny, Suzi, Toulouse, Ima, Eve, and the remaining freaks. Desiree is the sole survivor of the carnage, avoiding Dandy by hiding underneath her bed as Eve sacrifices herself to save Desiree. A newly healed Jimmy returns to the Freak Show to find his entire family displayed under the big top, dead. Desiree reveals herself and the two embrace, horrified over the bloodshed. Bette and Dot, following a kidnapping by Dandy, agree to his hand in marriage and the sisters announce they have brought in a new maid to make Dandy a glorious feast. At dinner Dandy begins to feel light headed and it is revealed that Desiree, having posed as the maid, has drugged Dandy with the help of the twins and Jimmy. Confused and betrayed, Dandy learns of the freaks plan to seek vengeance on him just before he passes out. Dandy awakens to find himself locked in Hardeen Houdini’s Chinese Water Torture Cell. Desiree, Jimmy, Bette and Dot watch on in pleasure as he slowly drowns in the tank and finally dies. Meanwhile, Elsa arrives in Hollywood and immediately sets out to fulfill her dreams of stardom. She requests to meet with the President of WBN, but is turned down by the secretary who makes her wait all day, then insults Elsa. However Elsa does meet Michael Beck (]), the Junior VP of Casting at WBN. In 1960, a now-famous Elsa receives a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now married to her manager, Michael, and having immense fame, Elsa is still unhappy and meets with her old flame Massimo Dolcefino. Elsa asks him to run away with her to Rome, but Massimo reveals that he is dying of lung cancer. She is later confronted by her husband and the President of WBN that a copy of her snuff film has surfaced. Realizing that she will never find true love and that her career is nearly over, Elsa agrees to perform on a Halloween Special, knowing this will summon Edward Mordrake. With Elsa singing on the live telecast, Mordrake and his coterie appear, including his newest addition, Twisty. As Elsa performs, Desiree now with a family of her own is shown watching the broadcast, along with a pregnant Bette and Dot who are now happily married to Jimmy. Mordrake stabs Elsa and takes her into the afterlife, but banishes her to the Freak Show grounds, saying she does not belong in his troupe. Walking into the big tent in the afterlife, Elsa is greeted by Ma Petite and all her other deceased monsters, including Ethel who welcomes her back. She takes the stage along with her freak show family, as she closes the series singing "]" in front of a large and sold-out audience, finally finding true happiness and absolute fame. |ShortSummary = In a psychotic rage, Dandy massacres the freaks. Jimmy returns and finds everyone but Desiree dead. Dandy kidnaps Bette and Dot, and they agree to marry him. At dinner, Dandy is drugged by Desiree with the help of the twins and Jimmy. Dandy awakens to find himself locked in Hardeen Houdini's Chinese water torture cell. Desiree, Jimmy, Bette, and Dot watch on as he drowns. Meanwhile, Elsa arrives in Hollywood and meets Michael Beck, the Junior vice-president of casting, and they later marry. In 1960, Elsa receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is later confronted by her husband and the president of WBN that a copy of the snuff film has surfaced. Realizing that her career is nearly over, Elsa agrees to perform on Halloween, knowing this will summon Edward Mordrake. As Elsa performs, Desiree, now with a family of her own, is shown watching the broadcast, along with a pregnant Bette and Dot, who are happily married to Jimmy. Mordrake and his coterie appear and take Elsa to the afterlife, and she is greeted by Ma Petite and all her other deceased freaks, including Ethel, who welcomes her back.
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|}</onlyinclude> }}</onlyinclude>


==Production== ==Production==


===Development=== ===Development===
{{Quote box|quote="It feels like a ] movie; it's very 1952 presentational and then the horror is an unexpected jab. As opposed to last year, which was crazy camera work and comedy. This year feels different."|source=–Series co-creator ] on the fourth season<ref name="hr2">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-first-look-728545|title='American Horror Story': First Look at 'Freak Show' Cast Art (Exclusive)|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=August 27, 2014|work=]|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref>|width=30%|bgcolor=#White|align=right}} {{quote box |quote = "It feels like a ] movie; it's very 1952 presentational and then the horror is an unexpected jab. As opposed to last year, which was crazy camera work and comedy. This year feels different." |source = –Series co-creator ] on the fourth season<ref name="hr2">{{cite web |url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-first-look-728545 |title = 'American Horror Story': First Look at 'Freak Show' Cast Art (Exclusive) |last = Goldberg |first = Lesley |date = August 27, 2014 |work = ] |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref> |width = 30% |bgcolor = #White |align = right}}
On November 6, 2013, FX announced that the show had been renewed for a fourth season. Series co-creator ] hinted that clues about the fourth season would be hidden in the final episodes of the third season. On March 17, 2014, the season was revealed to be set at a carnival, according to co-executive producer/writer ]. It was also revealed that Lange will be playing a role similar to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/521809/american-horror-story-season-4-set-at-a-carnival-according-to-writer|title=American Horror Story Season 4 Set at a Carnival, According to Writer|first=Chris|last=Harnick|date=March 17, 2014|accessdate=March 17, 2014}}</ref> Murphy revealed that the season will take place in 1950, adding: "If you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there's some more clues in that year. It's a period piece. We try and do the opposite of what we've done before. Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent so I'm very excited!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/01/15/american-horror-story-season-4-year|title='American Horror Story': Season 4 will be set in the year -- EXCLUSIVE|first=Tim|last=Stack|date=January 15, 2014|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> Murphy indicated that this season draws inspiration from ]'s '']'' and ]'s '']''. This season features the largest set ever constructed for ''American Horror Story'', with Murphy stating: "We had to build an entire city. We built an entire huge compound and then we had to build the interior of all those buildings on set. It’s all period. And it's all based on Mark Worthington's immaculate research."<ref name="EW5">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/15/american-horror-story-freak-show-ryan-murphy|title=Ryan Murphy on 'AHS: Freak Show': 'This season, once you die, you're dead'|first=Tim|last=Stack|work=]|accessdate=September 15, 2014|date=September 15, 2014}}</ref> In November 2013, FX announced that the show had been renewed for a fourth season.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.thewrap.com/american-horror-story-renewed-4th-season |title = 'American Horror Story' Renewed for Season 4 |first = Tim |last = Kenneally |work = ] |date = November 6, 2013 |access-date = September 15, 2015}}</ref> Series co-creator ] hinted that clues about the fourth season would be hidden in the final episodes of the third season. In March 2014, the season was revealed to be set at a carnival, according to co-executive producer/writer ]. It was also revealed that Lange would be playing a role similar to ].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.eonline.com/news/521809/american-horror-story-season-4-set-at-a-carnival-according-to-writer |title = American Horror Story Season 4 Set at a Carnival, According to Writer |first = Chris |last = Harnick |work = ] |date = March 17, 2014 |access-date = March 17, 2014}}</ref> Murphy revealed that the season would take place in 1950, adding: "If you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there's some more clues in that year. It's a period piece. We try and do the opposite of what we've done before. Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent, so I'm very excited!"<ref>{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2014/01/15/american-horror-story-season-4-year |title = 'American Horror Story': Season 4 will be set in the year -- Exclusive |first = Tim |last = Stack |magazine = ] |date = January 15, 2014 |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref> Murphy indicated that this season drew inspiration from ]'s '']'' and ]'s '']''. This season featured the largest set ever constructed for ''American Horror Story'', with Murphy stating: "We had to build an entire city. We built an entire huge compound, and then we had to build the interior of all those buildings on set. It's all, period. And it's all based on Mark Worthington's immaculate research."<ref name="EW5">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2014/09/15/american-horror-story-freak-show-ryan-murphy |title = Ryan Murphy on 'AHS: Freak Show': 'This season, once you die, you're dead' |first = Tim |last = Stack |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = September 15, 2014 |date = September 15, 2014}}</ref>


===Casting=== ===Casting===
Ryan Murphy confirmed that ] would be returning for a fourth season,<ref name="hollywoodlife1">{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/08/26/american-horror-story-freak-show-jessica-lange-emmy-win/|title=Jessica Lange: Why New ‘American Horror’ Season Will Be ‘Extraordinary’|work=]|first=Elizabeth|last=Wagmeister|date=August 26, 2014|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> although said to be in a reduced capacity.<ref name="LangeLast1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/22/american-horror-story-jessica-lange-leaving|title='American Horror Story': Jessica Lange on why next season will be her last -- EXCLUSIVE|work=]|first=Tim|last=Stack|date=November 22, 2013|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> ] also returned in a main role.<ref name="BatesBassett1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/07/american-horror-story-kathy-bates-angela-bassett-season-4|title='American Horror Story': Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett approached to return for season 4 -- EXCLUSIVE|work=]|first=Tim|last=Stack|date=November 7, 2013|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> In January 2014, Murphy revealed that ''Coven'' cast member ] was invited back for the fourth season.<ref name="LuPone1">{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Ryan-Murphy-Invites-Patti-LuPone-Back-For-AMERICAN-HORROR-STORY-Season-Four-20140111|title=Ryan Murphy Invites Patti LuPone Back For AMERICAN HORROR STORY Season Four|work=Broadwayworld|first=Pat|last=Cerasaro|accessdate=August 25, 2014|date=January 11, 2014}}</ref> In an interview with '']'', Paulson revealed she would be returning, possibly for a main role.<ref name="Paulson1">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-covens-new-675400|title='American Horror Story: Coven's' New Supreme Speaks -- Plus Who's Returning for Season 4?|work=]|first=Lesley|last=Goldberg|accessdate=August 25, 2014|date=January 29, 2014}}</ref> ] confirmed in an interview with '']'' that she would be coming back.<ref name="Bassett1">{{cite web|url=http://www.accesshollywood.com/angela-bassett-im-coming-back-to-american-horror-story_video_2046337|title=Angela Bassett: 'I'm Coming Back' To 'American Horror Story'|work=]|accessdate=August 25, 2014}}</ref> It was announced at the 2014 PaleyFest that the cast members present at the panel would all be returning for the fourth season in some capacity, adding ], ], and ] to the present roster. ] was also added to the present roster, although, at a later date, Murphy indicated Brewer may not appear during the season. Brewer was later confirmed after appearing in a promo for the final two episodes.<ref name="MurphyUs1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/09/ahs-freak-show-premiere-ryan-murphy|title='American Horror Story: Freak Show' premiere: Ryan Murphy talks sex, scary clowns, and season 5 clues|work=]|first=Tim|last=Stack|date=October 9, 2014|accessdate=October 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Brewer1">{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/neil-patrick-harris-american-horror-story_n_6349746.html|title=Here's Your First Look At Neil Patrick Harris In 'American Horror Story'|work=]|first=Erin|last=Whitney|date=December 18, 2014|accessdate=December 18, 2014}}</ref> Additionally, ] was announced to play the father of Peters' character and ex-husband of Bates' character. ] appeared in two episodes as Edward Mordrake, a tormentor from the past.<ref name="BentleyAHR">{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2014/07/08/wes-bentley-american-horror-story-freak-show-cast-halloween|title=Wes Bentley Joins AHS: Freak Show as 's Tormentor|publisher=]|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|date=July 8, 2014|accessdate=July 8, 2014}}</ref> '']'' actor ] joined the cast in late July 2014, as the psychopathic Dandy Mott.<ref name="Wittrock1">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MrRPMurphy/status/492340053423562752|title=Thrilled to announce the very talented FINN WITTROCK has joined the cast of Freak Show!|first=Ryan|last=Murphy|work=]|date=July 24, 2014|accessdate=July 24, 2014}}</ref> ] portrayed one of the central antagonist during the season, Twisty the Clown.<ref name="ew4">{{cite journal|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/07/26/american-horror-story-at-comic-con-freak-show-cast-announced|title='American Horror Story' at Comic-Con: 'Freak Show' cast announced|last=Franich|first=Darren|work=]|accessdate=July 27, 2014|date=July 26, 2014}}</ref> ] winner ] played the mother of Sidibe's character, named Dora, the Motts' housekeeper.<ref name="LaBelle1">{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2014/08/11/patti-labelle-american-horror-story-freak-show-character|title=Patti LaBelle Hits Mother Lode, Joins AHS: Freak Show as |publisher=]|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|date=August 11, 2014|accessdate=August 12, 2014}}</ref> On August 13, 2014, Murphy announced that the world's smallest woman ] has joined the cast, as Ma Petite.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/MrRPMurphy/status/499674112714108928|title=Jessica and our newest cast member Jyoti Amge...the world's smallest woman.|first=Ryan|last=Murphy|work=]|date=August 13, 2014|accessdate=August 13, 2014}}</ref> Murphy had written a role specifically for ''Coven'' actor ], but he was unable to appear on the show due to scheduling conflicts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s150/celebrity-big-brother/news/a591195/leslie-jordan-missing-american-horror-story-for-celebrity-big-brother.html|title=Leslie Jordan missing American Horror Story for Celebrity Big Brother|first=Jack|last=Klompus|work=]|date=August 18, 2014|accessdate=August 20, 2014}}</ref> ''The Normal Heart''{{'}}s ] appeared in "Pink Cupcakes", as Andy, Dell's secret lover.<ref name="Bomer1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/24/matt-bomer-american-horror-story-freak-show/|title=Matt Bomer to guest star on 'American Horror Story: Freak Show'|last=Perlman|first=Jake|work=]|accessdate=August 25, 2014|date=August 24, 2014}}</ref> On September 11, 2014, it was reported that ''Asylum'' actor ] would return to portray Pepper, which marks the first time a character appears in multiple seasons of the series.<ref name="Grossman1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/11/american-horror-story-freak-show-pepper/|title=Yes, fan favorite Pepper will return to 'American Horror Story'|last=Stack|first=Tim|work=]|accessdate=September 15, 2014|date=September 11, 2014}}</ref> ] also appeared as her ''Asylum'' character Sister Mary Eunice McKee in the tenth episode, "Orphans".<ref name="Rabe1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/29/ahs-freak-show-lily-rabe/|title=Lily Rabe to appear on 'American Horror Story: Freak Show,' reprise 'Asylum' role|first=Tim|last=Stack|work=]|accessdate=October 29, 2014|date=October 29, 2014}}</ref> ''Coven'' actress ] made an appearance in the same episode, as Pepper's sister Rita. ] appeared in two episodes as Chester, who takes over the freak show when Elsa leaves for Hollywood.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2880830/Neil-Patrick-Harris-brings-magic-touch-Freak-new-teaser-American-Horror-Story.html|title=Neil Patrick Harris brings his magic touch to the Freak Show in new teaser for American Horror Story|publisher=Dailymail.co.uk|accessdate=21 December 2014}}</ref> Harris' husband, ], guest starred in the season finale as Elsa's husband.<ref name="NPH1">{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2014/10/29/neil-patrick-harris-david-burtka-american-horror-story-freak-show/|title=Neil Patrick Harris Officially Joins AHS: Freak Show – and David Burtka, His Husband, Is Coming With!|work=]|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|date=October 29, 2014|accessdate=October 29, 2014}}</ref> Ryan Murphy confirmed that ] would be returning for a fourth season,<ref name="hollywoodlife1">{{cite web |url = http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/08/26/american-horror-story-freak-show-jessica-lange-emmy-win/ |title = Jessica Lange: Why New 'American Horror' Season Will Be 'Extraordinary' |publisher = Hollywood Life |first = Elizabeth |last = Wagmeister |date = August 26, 2014 |access-date = August 27, 2014 |archive-date = August 28, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140828042601/http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/08/26/american-horror-story-freak-show-jessica-lange-emmy-win/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> although said to be in a reduced capacity.<ref name="LangeLast1">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2013/11/22/american-horror-story-jessica-lange-leaving |title = 'American Horror Story': Jessica Lange on why next season will be her last -- Exclusive |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |first = Tim |last = Stack |date = November 22, 2013 |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref> She portrayed Elsa Mars, the owner of the freak show. In November 2013, Murphy said he approached ] and ] to return.<ref name="BatesBassett1">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2013/11/07/american-horror-story-kathy-bates-angela-bassett-season-4 |title = 'American Horror Story': Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett approached to return for season 4 -- Exclusive |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |first = Tim |last = Stack |date = November 7, 2013 |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref> Bassett later confirmed in an interview with '']'' that she would be indeed coming back.<ref name="Bassett1">{{cite web |url = http://www.accesshollywood.com/angela-bassett-im-coming-back-to-american-horror-story_video_2046337 |title = Angela Bassett: 'I'm Coming Back' To 'American Horror Story' |work = ] |access-date = August 25, 2014}}</ref> They portrayed Ethel Darling and Desiree Dupree, respectively. In an interview with '']'', ] revealed she would be returning, possibly for a main role,<ref name="Paulson1">{{cite web |url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-covens-new-675400 |title = 'American Horror Story: Coven's' New Supreme Speaks -- Plus Who's Returning for Season 4? |work = ] |first = Lesley |last = Goldberg |access-date = August 25, 2014 |date = January 29, 2014}}</ref> which was later revealed to be the conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. It was announced at the ] 2014 that the cast members present at the panel would all be returning for the fourth season in some capacity, including ] (Stanley), ] (Maggie Esmerelda), ] (Gloria Mott), ] (Jimmy Darling), and ] (Regina Ross).<ref>{{cite web |url = http://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/american-horror-story-coven-10-highlights-from-paleyfest-2014 |title = ''American Horror Story: Coven'': 10 Highlights from PaleyFest 2014 |publisher = ] |first = Grae |last = Drake |date = March 31, 2014 |access-date = September 15, 2015}}</ref> ] was also added to the present roster, although Murphy later indicated Brewer may not appear during the season.<ref name="MurphyUs1">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2014/10/09/ahs-freak-show-premiere-ryan-murphy |title = 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' premiere: Ryan Murphy talks sex, scary clowns, and season 5 clues |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |first = Tim |last = Stack |date = October 9, 2014 |access-date = October 9, 2014}}</ref> She was later confirmed to portray the ventriloquist dummy Marjorie after appearing in a promo for the final episodes.<ref name="Brewer1">{{cite web |url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/neil-patrick-harris-american-horror-story_n_6349746.html |title = Here's Your First Look At Neil Patrick Harris In 'American Horror Story' |work = ]|first=Erin|last=Whitney|date=December 18, 2014|access-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref> Additionally, ] was announced to play the father of Peters' character and ex-husband of Bates' character, the strongman Dell Toledo. ] was the last lead actor joining the cast.<ref name="Wittrock1">{{cite web |url = https://www.thewrap.com/american-horror-story-freak-show-casts-all-my-children-vet-finn-wittrock |title = 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Casts 'All My Children' Vet Finn Wittrock |first = Tim |last = Kenneally |work = TheWrap |date = July 24, 2014 |access-date = September 4, 2015}}</ref> He portrayed the psychopathic Dandy Mott.


In July 2014, '']'' reported that ] would appear in the season' two-part Halloween episode as ].<ref name="BentleyAHR">{{cite web |url = http://tvline.com/2014/07/08/wes-bentley-american-horror-story-freak-show-cast-halloween |title = Wes Bentley Joins AHS: Freak Show as 's Tormentor |publisher = ] |first = Michael |last = Ausiello |date = July 8, 2014 |access-date = July 8, 2014}}</ref> At the 2014 ], it was announced that ] would portray one of the central antagonists during the season, Twisty the Clown.<ref name="ew4">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2014/07/26/american-horror-story-at-comic-con-freak-show-cast-announced |title = 'American Horror Story' at Comic-Con: 'Freak Show' cast announced |last = Franich |first = Darren |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = July 27, 2014 |date = July 26, 2014}}</ref> In August 2014, R&B singer ] joined the cast for a four-episode story arc as the mother of Sidibe's character, named Dora, the Motts' housekeeper.<ref name="LaBelle1">{{cite web |url = http://tvline.com/2014/08/11/patti-labelle-american-horror-story-freak-show-character |title = Patti LaBelle Hits Mother Lode, Joins AHS: Freak Show as |publisher = TVLine |first = Michael |last = Ausiello |date = August 11, 2014 |access-date = August 12, 2014}}</ref> Also in August 2014, it was revealed that ] would be guest-starring in one episode as Andy, Dell's secret lover.<ref name="Bomer1">{{cite magazine |url = http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/24/matt-bomer-american-horror-story-freak-show/ |title = Matt Bomer to guest star on 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' |last = Perlman |first = Jake |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = August 25, 2014 |date = August 24, 2014}}</ref> Murphy took to his Twitter account to announce that the world's smallest woman ] has joined the cast as Ma Petite.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/08/14/american-horror-story-freak-show-jyoti-amge-worlds-smallest-woman-cast-season-4 |title = Jessica and our newest cast member Jyoti Amge...the world's smallest woman. |first = Avery |last = Thompson |publisher = Hollywood Life |date = August 14, 2014 |access-date = September 4, 2015}}</ref> Murphy had written a role specifically for '']'' alum ], but he did not appear on the show due to scheduling conflicts.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/s150/celebrity-big-brother/news/a591195/leslie-jordan-missing-american-horror-story-for-celebrity-big-brother.html |title = Leslie Jordan missing American Horror Story for Celebrity Big Brother |first = Jack |last = Klompus |work = ] |date = August 18, 2014 |access-date = August 20, 2014}}</ref>
===Filming===
{{Quote box|quote="There's something going on there that is so non-American but totally American, so sexy and dark but there's hope everywhere."|source=–Co-creator ] on shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana<ref name="Variety1">{{cite web|url=http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/qa-brad-falchuk-and-noah-hawley-reap-benefits-from-movie-stars-move-to-tv-1201218501/|title=Q&A: Noah Hawley and Brad Falchuk Reap Benefits From Movie Stars' Move to TV|last=Birnbaum|first=Debra|work=]|accessdate=August 27, 2014|date=June 12, 2014}}</ref>|width=30%|bgcolor=#White|align=right}}
At ]'s 2014 PaleyFest event, Ryan Murphy announced that the season's filming would take place again in ], ], although the show's setting is in ].<ref name="USAToday1">{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2014/03/29/chiklis-american-horror-story/7050097/|title=Michael Chiklis added to FX's 'AHS: Freak Show'|work=]|accessdate=August 26, 2014|date=March 29, 2014}}</ref>


In September 2014, it was reported that '']'' alum ] would return to portray Pepper, which marked the first time a character appeared in multiple seasons of the series.<ref name="Grossman1">{{cite magazine |url = http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/11/american-horror-story-freak-show-pepper/ |title = Yes, fan favorite Pepper will return to 'American Horror Story' |last = Stack |first = Tim |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = September 15, 2014 |date = September 11, 2014}}</ref> ] also reprised her ''Asylum'' character Sister Mary Eunice McKee in the tenth episode, "]".<ref name="Rabe1">{{cite magazine |url = http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/29/ahs-freak-show-lily-rabe/ |title = Lily Rabe to appear on 'American Horror Story: Freak Show,' reprise 'Asylum' role |first = Tim |last = Stack |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = October 29, 2014 |date = October 29, 2014}}</ref> ] made an appearance in the same episode, as Pepper's sister Rita. ] guest starred in two episodes as Chester, who takes over the freak show when Elsa leaves for Hollywood. Harris' husband, ], appeared in the season finale as Elsa's husband.<ref name="NPH1">{{cite web |url = http://tvline.com/2014/10/29/neil-patrick-harris-david-burtka-american-horror-story-freak-show/ |title = Neil Patrick Harris Officially Joins AHS: Freak Show – and David Burtka, His Husband, Is Coming With! |publisher = TVLine |first = Michael |last = Ausiello |date = October 29, 2014 |access-date = October 29, 2014}}</ref>
The premiere episode was directed by co-creator Murphy, his first effort since the ].<ref name="Murphy1">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/15/podcast-survivor-cagayan-trish-kass-ryan-murphy-jordan-gavaris-orphan-black/|title=InsideTV Podcast: Trish from 'Survivor' unloads on 'unbearable... cruel... vicious... no class' Kass|publisher=]|first=Dalton|last=Ross|date=May 15, 2014|accessdate=August 12, 2014}}</ref>


===Filming===
] for the season began on July 15, 2014,<ref name=olv>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2014/07/15/american-horror-story-freakshow-filming-underway-in-new-orleans/|title=‘American Horror Story: Freakshow’ filming underway in New Orleans|work=OLV|accessdate=July 16, 2014|date=July 15, 2014}}</ref> and concluded on December 19, 2014.<ref name="Finish1">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/JohnnyGray5/status/545885512196554753|title=And that's a #AmericanHorrorStory season 4 wrap!!|work=]|first=John|last=Gray|date=December 19, 2014|accessdate=December 20, 2014}}</ref>
{{quote box |quote = "There's something going on there that is so non-American but totally American, so sexy and dark but there's hope everywhere." |source = –Co-creator ] on shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana<ref name="Variety1">{{cite web |url = https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/qa-brad-falchuk-and-noah-hawley-reap-benefits-from-movie-stars-move-to-tv-1201218501/ |title = Q&A: Noah Hawley and Brad Falchuk Reap Benefits From Movie Stars' Move to TV |last = Birnbaum |first = Debra |work = ] |access-date = August 27, 2014 |date = June 12, 2014}}</ref> |width = 30% |bgcolor = #White |align = right}}
At Paley Center for Media's 2014 PaleyFest event, Ryan Murphy announced that the season's filming would take place again in ], ], although the show's setting is in ].<ref name="USAToday1">{{cite web |url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2014/03/29/chiklis-american-horror-story/7050097/ |title = Michael Chiklis added to FX's 'AHS: Freak Show' |work = ] |access-date = August 26, 2014 |date = March 29, 2014}}</ref> The premiere episode was directed by co-creator Murphy, his first effort since the ].<ref name="Murphy1">{{cite magazine |url = http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/15/podcast-survivor-cagayan-trish-kass-ryan-murphy-jordan-gavaris-orphan-black/ |title = InsideTV Podcast: Trish from 'Survivor' unloads on 'unbearable... cruel... vicious... no class' Kass |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |first = Dalton |last = Ross |date = May 15, 2014 |access-date = August 12, 2014}}</ref> ] for the season began on July 15, 2014.<ref name=olv>{{cite web |url = http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2014/07/15/american-horror-story-freakshow-filming-underway-in-new-orleans/ |title = 'American Horror Story: Freakshow' filming underway in New Orleans |publisher = OLV |access-date = July 16, 2014 |date = July 15, 2014}}</ref> Production on the season concluded on December 19, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://twitter.com/JohnnyGray5/status/545885512196554753 |title = And that's a #AmericanHorrorStory season 4 wrap!! |publisher = ] |first = Johnny |last = Gray |date = December 19, 2014 |access-date = December 18, 2015}}</ref>


==Marketing== ==Marketing==
A video released on July 13, 2014, entitled "Fallen Angel", was reported by many news sources to be an official ''Freak Show'' trailer. The video – which featured the ''American Horror Story'' title card – was later taken down after FX confirmed it was fan-made. Before the debut of the fan-made video, FX had not released any official trailers concerning the upcoming season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-fan-made-718215|title='American Horror Story': Fan-Made 'Freak Show' Teaser Debuts|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=July 13, 2014|work=]|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> The first official ] was released on August 20, 2014, entitled "Admit One".<ref name="predate">{{cite web|url=http://deadline.com/2014/08/american-horror-story-freak-show-premiere-date-october-8-video-822468/|title=Step Right Up For ‘American Horror Story: Freak Show’ Premiere Date|first=Erik|last=Pedersen|work=]|date=August 20, 2014|accessdate=August 20, 2014}}</ref> A video released in July 2014, entitled "Fallen Angel", was reported by many news sources to be an official ''Freak Show'' trailer. The video – which featured the ''American Horror Story'' title card – was later taken down after FX confirmed it was fan-made. Before the debut of the fan-made video, FX had not released any official trailers concerning the upcoming season.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/american-horror-story-fan-made-718215 |title = 'American Horror Story': Fan-Made 'Freak Show' Teaser Debuts |last = Goldberg |first = Lesley |date = July 13, 2014 |work = ] |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref> The first official ] was released on August 20, 2014, entitled "Admit One".<ref name="predate">{{cite web |url = https://deadline.com/2014/08/american-horror-story-freak-show-premiere-date-october-8-video-822468/ |title = Step Right Up For 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' Premiere Date |first = Erik |last = Pedersen |website = ] |date = August 20, 2014 |access-date = August 20, 2014}}</ref>


As with previous seasons, FX released a series of teaser trailers on the show's ] page. FX also used the marketing ] #WirSindAlleFreaks in the German language, and its English translation #WeAreAllFreaks.<ref name="hr2"/><ref name="EW6">{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/08/27/american-horror-story-freak-show-big-top-teaser|title='American Horror Story: Freak Show' exclusive: New teaser takes viewers under the big top|last=Stack|first=Tim|date=August 27, 2014|work=]|accessdate=August 27, 2014}}</ref> As with previous seasons, FX released a series of teaser trailers on the show's ] page. FX also used the marketing ] #WirSindAlleFreaks in the German language, and its English translation #WeAreAllFreaks.<ref name="hr2"/><ref name="EW6">{{cite magazine |url = https://www.ew.com/article/2014/08/27/american-horror-story-freak-show-big-top-teaser |title = 'American Horror Story: Freak Show' exclusive: New teaser takes viewers under the big top |last = Stack |first = Tim |date = August 27, 2014 |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |access-date = August 27, 2014}}</ref>


==Reception== ==Reception==


===Reviews=== ===Critical response===
''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' received a Metacritic score of 69 out of 100 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/american-horror-story/season-4/critic-reviews|title=American Horror Story: Season 4|work=Metacritic|accessdate=October 10, 2014}}</ref> The ] website ] reported an 87% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10 based on 38 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, ''Freak Show'' still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/american-horror-story/s04/|title=American Horror Story: Freak Show (2014)|work=Rotten Tomatoes|accessdate=November 15, 2014}}</ref> ''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' has received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it scored a 69 out of 100 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.metacritic.com/tv/american-horror-story/season-4/critic-reviews |title = American Horror Story: Season 4 |publisher = ] |access-date = October 10, 2014}}</ref> The review aggregation website ] reported a 77% approval rating with an average rating of 7.29/10 based on 35 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, ''Freak Show'' still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast."<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/american-horror-story/s04/ |title = American Horror Story: Freak Show (2014) |website = Rotten Tomatoes |publisher = Fandango Media |access-date = May 19, 2019}}</ref>
{{Television Rotten Tomatoes scores
|title = American Horror Story
|label = Season 4
|year = 2014–15
|color = #095457
|ref = <ref>{{cite web |title = American Horror Story: Freak Show |url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/american_horror_story/s04/ |website = Rotten Tomatoes |publisher = Fandango Media |access-date = November 24, 2016}}</ref>
|100 |82 |70 |80 |83 |64 |55 |83 |67 |92 |83 |50 |58}}


===Awards and nominations=== ==Awards and nominations==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by American Horror Story}} {{Unreferenced section |date = January 2016}}
{{Main |List of awards and nominations received by American Horror Story}}
In its fourth season, the series was nominated for 20 awards, 13 of which are pending. In its fourth season, the series was nominated for 76 awards, 21 of which were won.
{| class="wikitable sortable" {|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! class=unsortable| Year
! Association ! Association
! Category ! Category
Line 331: Line 305:
! Result ! Result
|- |-
| rowspan=20| 2015 |rowspan=75|2015
|rowspan=2|]
| rowspan=2| 46th ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2015-naacp-image-awards-nominations-755479|title=NAACP Image Awards Nominations: ''Selma'', ''Get On Up'' Land Top Film Nods|publisher=Hollywood Reporter|author=Hilary Lewis|date=December 9, 2014|accessdate=December 10, 2014}}</ref>
| ] |]
| ] |]
| {{pending}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| ''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' |''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
| {{pending}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
|rowspan=2|]
| rowspan=2| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hfpa.org/nominations-2015/|title=Golden Globes - 2014 - The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2014)|at=goldenglobes.org|work=]|publisher=]|accessdate=December 11, 2014}}</ref>
| ] |]
| ] |]
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| ] |]
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
|rowspan=2|]
| rowspan=2| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressacademy.com/award_cat/current-nominees/|work=]|at=pressacademy.com|title=Satellite Awards (2014)|publisher=]|accessdate=December 1, 2014}}</ref>
| ] |]
| ''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' |''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
| {{pending}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| ] |]
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
|rowspan=2|]
| rowspan=2| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2015/01/07/peoples-choice-awards-2015-the-winners-list/|title= People's Choice Awards 2015: The winner's list|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|author=Emily Blake|date=January 7, 2015|accessdate=January 8, 2015}}</ref>
| ] |]
| ''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' |''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| ] |]
| Jessica Lange |Jessica Lange
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
|]
| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.producersguild.org/blogpost/923036/207228/Producers-Guild-Awards-Winners|title=Producers Guild Awards Winners|at=producersguild.org|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 25, 2015|accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>
| Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television |Outstanding Producer of Long-Form TV
| Brad Buecker, ], ], Joseph Incaprera, Alexis Martin Woodall, ], ], ], ] <small>(also for '']'')</small> |Brad Buecker, ], ], Joseph Incaprera, Alexis Martin Woodall, ], ], ], ] {{small |(also for '']'')}}
| {{nom}} | {{nom}}
|- |-
|]
| 19th ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://issuu.com/artdirectors/docs/2015-1-jan-adg_awards-nominations-p?e=0|title=NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 19TH ANNUAL ART DIRECTORS GUILD EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN AWARDS|at=adg.org|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 5, 2015|accessdate=January 11, 2015}}</ref>
| Television Movie or Mini-Series |TV movie or Mini-Series
| Mark Worthington <small>(for "]")</small> |Mark Worthington {{small |(for "]")}}
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
| 17th ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://costumedesignersguild.com/articles-videos/news-events/cdga17-nominees/|title=Nominees for the 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards Announced|at=costumedesignersguild.com|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 7, 2015|accessdate=January 13, 2015}}</ref> |]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://costumedesignersguild.com/articles-videos/news-events/2015-cdga-winners/ |title = Winners Announced at the 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards with Presenting Sponsor Lacoste |publisher = ] |date = February 17, 2015 |access-date = February 21, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150315034530/http://costumedesignersguild.com/articles-videos/news-events/2015-cdga-winners/ |archive-date = March 15, 2015 |url-status = dead}}</ref>
| Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Mini-Series |Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Mini-Series
| ] |]
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
| rowspan=3| Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.local706.org/awards/nominations/|title=NOMINEES FOR THE ANNUAL MAKE-UP ARTISTS AND HAIR STYLISTS GUILD AWARDS|at=local706.org|work=Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild|date=January 8, 2015|accessdate=January 13, 2015}}</ref> |rowspan=3|]s 2015<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.local706.org/awards/2015-muahs-guild-award-winners/ |title = 2015 Winners |at = local706.org |publisher = Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild |date = February 14, 2015 |access-date = January 17, 2015 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150221153024/http://www.local706.org/awards/2015-muahs-guild-award-winners/ |archive-date = February 21, 2015}}</ref>
| Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Make-up |Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Make-up
| Eryn Krueger Mekash and Kim Ayers |Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
| Mini-Series or TV Movie Period Special Make-up Effects |Mini-Series or TV Movie Period Special Make-up Effects
| Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash and Christopher Nelson <small>(petition)</small> |Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, Christopher Nelson {{small|(petition)}}
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
| Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Hair Styling |Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Hair Styling
| Monte C. Haught and Michelle Ceglia |Monte C. Haught, Michelle Ceglia
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
|rowspan=2|]
| rowspan=2| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visualeffectssociety.com/post/ves-awards-nominations-announced|title=VES Awards - Nominations Announced|at=visualeffectssociety.com|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 13, 2015|accessdate=January 14, 2015}}</ref>
| Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program |Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program
| Jason Piccioni, Jason Spratt, Mike Kirylo, Justin Bal and Eric Roberts <small>(for "]")</small> |Jason Piccioni, Jason Spratt, Mike Kirylo, Justin Bal, Eric Roberts {{small |(for "]")}}
| {{pending}} |{{win}}
|- |-
| Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program |Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program
| Tommy Tran, JV Pike, Rob Lutz and Matt Lefferts <small>(for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2")</small> |Tommy Tran, JV Pike, Rob Lutz, Matt Lefferts {{small|(for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2")}}
| {{pending}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| 62nd ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mpse.org/golden-reel-awards/2015-television/|title=2015 Golden Reel Award Nomination - Television Nominations|at=mpse.org|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 14, 2015|accessdate=January 16, 2015}}</ref> |62nd ]<ref>{{cite web |url = https://deadline.com/2015/02/golden-reel-award-winners-2015-full-list-from-the-motion-picture-sound-editors-1201373490 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150216152107/http://deadline.com/2015/02/golden-reel-award-winners-2015-full-list-from-the-motion-picture-sound-editors-1201373490/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = February 16, 2015 |title = 'Birdman', 'American Sniper' Top Golden Reel Awards: MPSE Winners List |publisher = ] |website = Deadline Hollywood |author = Erik Pedersen |date = February 15, 2015 |access-date = February 17, 2015}}</ref>
| TV Short Form Music Score |TV Short Form Music Score
| rowspan=2| Episode: "]" |Episode: "]"
| {{pending}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| 51st ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/?p=3796|title=Cinema Audio Society Announces Nominations for the 51st CAS Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for 2014 and the CAS Technical Achievement Award|at=http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/|work=]|publisher=]|date=January 13, 2015|accessdate=January 16, 2015}}</ref> |51st ]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/?p=3945 |title = 51st CAS Awards — Winners |at = http://cinemaaudiosociety.org/ |publisher = ] |date = February 16, 2015 |access-date = February 17, 2015}}</ref>
| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Television Movie or Mini-Series |Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – TV Movie or Mini-Series
|Bruce Litecky, CAS {{small |(Production Mixer)}}<br>], CAS {{small |(Re-recording Mixer)}}<br>Doug Andham, CAS {{small |(Re-recording Mixer)}}<br>Evan Daum {{small |(ADR Mixer)}}<br>Kyle Billingsley {{small |(Foley Mixer)}}<br>{{small |(for "Monsters Among Us")}}
| {{pending}}
|{{nom}}
|- |-
| rowspan=2| 6th ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://queermeup.com/cinema/gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-association-announced-dorian-award-winners/|title=Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association announced Dorian award winners - TV Musical Performance of the Year|date=2015-01-22|author=GUS|work=Queer Me Up|at=queermeup.com|publisher=InnOptum Enterprises|accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref> |rowspan=2|]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://queermeup.com/cinema/gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-association-announced-dorian-award-winners/ |title = Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association announced Dorian award winners - TV Musical Performance of the Year |date = January 22, 2015 |author = GUS |work = Queer Me Up |at = queermeup.com |publisher = InnOptum Enterprises |access-date = January 28, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150122131433/http://queermeup.com/cinema/gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-association-announced-dorian-award-winners/ |archive-date = January 22, 2015 |url-status = usurped |df = mdy-all}}</ref>
| TV Musical Performance of the Year |TV Musical Performance of the Year
| Jessica Lange {{small|(for "]")}} |Jessica Lange {{small |(for "]")}}
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|- |-
| Campy TV Show of the Year |Campy TV Show of the Year
| ''American Horror Story: Freak Show'' |rowspan=2|''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
| {{nom}} |{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=3|] 2015<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.fangoria.com/new/the-2015-fangoria-chainsaw-awards-winners-and-full-results/ |title = The 2015 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards Winners and Full Results! |work = ] |last = Gingold |first = Michael |date = June 1, 2015 |access-date = June 1, 2015 |archive-date = December 4, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161204005338/http://www.fangoria.com/new/the-2015-fangoria-chainsaw-awards-winners-and-full-results/ |url-status = dead }}</ref>
|Best TV Series
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best TV Actress
|Sarah Paulson
|{{win}}
|-
|Best TV Supporting Actor
|]
|{{draw |2nd place}}
|-
|rowspan=3|]
|]
|Jessica Lange
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
|{{nom}}
|-
|] 2014<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/news/celebrity/2015/02/03/glamour-women-of-the-year-awards-2015 |title = Glamour Awards 2015: Full Winners List |work = ] |at = glamourmagazine.co.uk |date = June 3, 2015|access-date = June 10, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150802051715/http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/news/celebrity/2015/02/03/glamour-women-of-the-year-awards-2015 |archive-date = August 2, 2015 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all}}</ref>
|International TV Actress
|Jessica Lange
|{{nom}}
|-
|36th ]<ref>{{cite news |title = 2015 Nominations & Results |url = http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms36x.html |at = youngartistawards.org |publisher = ] |access-date = May 9, 2015 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150911221457/http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms36x.html |archive-date = September 11, 2015}}</ref>
|Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actor 15-21
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|SXSW Film Design Awards 2015<ref>{{cite news |title = 2015 SXSW Film Awards: Excellence in Title Design |url = http://www.artofthetitle.com/news/2015-sxsw-film-awards/ |at = artofthetitle.com |publisher = ] |access-date = April 11, 2015 |date = March 18, 2015}}</ref>
|Excellence in Title Design
|rowspan=2|''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=4|]
|Most Bingeworthy Show
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Jessica Lange
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Finn Wittrock
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Sarah Paulson
|{{win}}
|-
|rowspan=3|] 2015<ref>{{cite news |title = Oscar-Winning Composer Alexandre Desplat Honored as BMI Icon at 2015 Film/TV Awards |url = http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/2015_bmi_film_tv_awards |publisher = ] |date = May 14, 2015 |access-date = September 18, 2015}}</ref>
|rowspan=3|BMI Cable TV Music Awards
|Mac Quayle
|{{win}}
|-
|Charlie Clouser
|{{win}}
|-
|César Dávila-Irizarry
|{{win}}
|-
|rowspan=8|]
|]
|''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Jessica Lange
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2|]
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Finn Wittrock
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=3|]
|Sarah Paulson
|{{nom}}
|-
|Angela Bassett
|{{nom}}
|-
|Kathy Bates
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Ryan Murphy {{small|(for "Monsters Among Us")}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=12|]
|]
|Monte C. Haught, Michelle Ceglia, Daina Daigle, Amy Wood, Sherri B. Hamilton
|{{win}}
|-
|]
|Ryan Murphy, ], Lee Nelson, Nadia Tzuo
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
|Jason Piccioni, Justin Ball, Jason Spratt, Tim Jacobsen, David Altenau, Tommy Tran, Mike Kirylo, Matt Lefferts, Donnie Dean {{small|(for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2")}}
|{{win}}
|-
|Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series, or Movie
|Lou Eyrich, Elizabeth Macey, Ken van Duyne {{small |(for "Monsters Among Us")}}
|{{win}}
|-
|Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie
|Bruce Litecky, Joe Earle, Doug Andham, Evan Daum {{small |(for "]")}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie
|Michael Goi {{small |(for "Monsters Among Us")}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
|Gary Megregian, Timothy A. Cleveland, Paul Diller, Steve M. Stuhr, Lance Wiseman, Jason Krane, John Green, David Klotz, Noel Vought {{small |(for "]")}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|], Eric Dawson, Meagan Lewis
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or Special
|Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, David L. Anderson, Justin Raleigh, Christopher Nelson, Kim Ayers, Luis Garcia, James MacKinnon
|{{win}}
|-
|]
|Mac Quayle {{small |(for "]")}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Make-up for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-prosthetic)
|Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Lucy O'Reilly, Michael Mekash, Christopher Nelson, Jillian Erickson
|{{win}}
|-
|Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program
|"American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists"
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=19|19th Online Film & TV Association Awards<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.oftaawards.com/tv-19th-annual-television-award-winners/ |title = TV: 19th Annual Television Award Winners |at = oftaawards.com |publisher = Online Film & Television Association |date = September 6, 2015 |access-date = December 13, 2016}}</ref>
|Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|Jessica Lange
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2|Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Denis O'Hare
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=4|Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|Angela Bassett
|{{nom}}
|-
|Kathy Bates
|{{win}}
|-
|]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Sarah Paulson
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Miniseries
|rowspan=12|''American Horror Story: Freak Show''
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Music in a Non-Series
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Editing in a Non-Series
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Cinematography in a Non-Series
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Costume Design in a Non-Series
|{{win}}
|-
|Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-Series
|{{win}}
|-
|Best Sound in a Non-Series
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Visual Effects in a Non-Series
|{{win}}
|-
|Best New Titles Sequence
|{{nom}}
|-
|2016
|31st ]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/2016 |title = 2016 Artios Awards |at = castingsociety.com |publisher = ] |date = January 21, 2016 |access-date = December 13, 2016}}</ref>
|TV movie or Mini-Series
|], Eric Dawson, Carol Kritzer, Meagan Lewis {{small|(Location Casting)}}, Becky Silverman {{small |(Associate)}}
|{{nom}}
|}

== Home media ==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|- style="background:#095457;"
| colspan="3" | <span style="color:white;"> '''''American Horror Story: Freak Show – The Complete Fourth Season'''''</span>
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
| style="width:400px;" colspan="2"| '''Set Details'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="2"| '''Special Features'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* 13 Episodes
* 4 Disc Set (DVD)
* 3 Disc Set (BD)
* English 5.1 Dolby Digital & Spanish 2.0 Surround
* Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
* Runtime: 648 Minutes
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* Getting Freaky: A Peek Inside the Tent
* Two Heads are Better Than One: Learn More About Bette and Dotte Tattler
* Twisty: Behind the Mask of Terror
* Freaklore: Edward Mordrake: The Mysterie of the Two Faced Man
* Extra-Ordinary Artists: Interviews with the Real-Life Cast "Freaks"
* The Premiere: The Red Carpet Premiere with Cast
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| '''Release Dates'''
|-
|style="text-align:center;"| ]
|style="text-align:center;"| ]
|style="text-align:center;"| ]
|- style="text-align:center;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|-
| colspan="1"| {{Start date|2015|10|6}}<ref name="DVD1">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/American-Horror-Story-Freak-Show/dp/B00OQUZQZO/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=american+horror+story+dvd&qid=1626087699&sr=8-9|title=American Horror Story: Freak Show |website=Amazon.com|date=July 12, 2021}}</ref>
| colspan="1"| {{Start date|2015|10|26}}<ref name="DVD2">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/American-Horror-Story-Season-Freakshow/dp/B00PFVQIO6/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=american+horror+story+dvd&qid=1626087972&sr=8-52|title=American Horror Story - Season 4: Freakshow |website=Amazon.co.uk|date=October 26, 2015 |access-date=July 12, 2021}}</ref>
| colspan="1"| {{Start date|2015|10|13}}<ref name="DVD4">{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com.mx/American-Horror-Story-Freakshow-Temporada/dp/B014CP0QUW/ref=tmm_dvd_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1626088423&sr=8-11|title=American Horror Story: Freakshow Temporada 4 |website=Amazon.co.mx|access-date=July 12, 2021}}</ref>
|} |}


==Soundtrack== ==Soundtrack==



===Digital singles===
Every cover song performed in ''Freak Show'' was released by ] in ]s following the broadcast of the episode in which it appeared, except the cover of ]'s ], performed by ] in "]."
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! width=4%| Year
! width=20%| Song ! scope="col" |Song
! scope="col" |Original artist
! width=15%| Performer
! scope="col" |Covered by
! width=24%| Episode(s)
! scope="col" |Performed in
! width=37%%| Notes
! scope="col" |Release date
|-
| rowspan="5"|2014
| "]"
| ]
| "]"<br />"]"
|
*Originally performed by ]
*Released on October 9, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/life-on-mars-from-american/id928134353|title=Life on Mars?|last=American Horror Story Cast|first=The|authorlink2=Jessica Lange|last2=Lange|first2=Jessica|date=October 9, 2014|work=]|at=itunes.apple.com|publisher=]|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|- |-
! scope="row" | "]"
| "]"
| ] |]
|]
| "]"
|"]"<br>"]"<br>"Curtain Call"
|
|October 9, 2014<ref>{{cite web |url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/life-on-mars-from-american/id928134353 |title = Life on Mars? |last1 = American Horror Story Cast |first1 = The |author-link2 = Jessica Lange |last2 = Lange |first2 = Jessica |date = October 9, 2014 |work = ] |at = itunes.apple.com |publisher = ] |access-date = November 13, 2014}}</ref>
*Originally performed by ]
*Released on October 15, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/criminal-from-american-horror/id930103271|title=Criminal|last=American Horror Story Cast|first=The|authorlink2=Sarah Paulson|last2=Paulson|first2=Sarah|date=October 15, 2014|work=iTunes|at=itunes.apple.com|publisher=Apple|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|- |-
! scope="row" |"]"
| "]"
|]
| Jessica Lange
|]
| "]"
|"]"
|
|October 15, 2014<ref>{{cite web |url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/criminal-from-american-horror/id930103271 |title = Criminal |last1 = American Horror Story Cast |first1 = The |author-link2 = Sarah Paulson |last2 = Paulson |first2 = Sarah |date = October 15, 2014 |work = iTunes Store |at = itunes.apple.com |publisher = Apple |access-date = November 13, 2014}}</ref>
*Originally performed by ]
*Released on October 22, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gods-monsters-from-american/id932516559|title=Gods and Monsters|last=American Horror Story Cast|first=The|last2=Lange|first2=Jessica|date=October 22, 2014|work=iTunes|at=itunes.apple.com|publisher=Apple|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|- |-
! scope="row" |"]"
| "]"
|]
| Jessica Lange
|rowspan="2" |Jessica Lange
| "]"
|"]"
|
|October 22, 2014<ref>{{cite web |url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gods-monsters-from-american/id932516559 |title = Gods and Monsters |last1 = American Horror Story Cast |first1 = The |last2 = Lange |first2 = Jessica |date = October 22, 2014 |work = iTunes Store |at = itunes.apple.com |publisher = Apple |access-date = November 13, 2014}}</ref>
*Originally performed by ]
*Released on November 12, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/september-song-from-american/id934472951|title=September Song|last=American Horror Story Cast|first=The|last2=Lange|first2=Jessica|date=November 12, 2014|work=iTunes|at=itunes.apple.com|publisher=Apple|accessdate=November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|- |-
! scope="row" |"]"
| "]"
| ] |]
|"]"
| "]"
|November 12, 2014<ref>{{cite web |url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/september-song-from-american/id934472951 |title = September Song |last1 = American Horror Story Cast |first1 = The |last2 = Lange |first2 = Jessica |date = November 12, 2014 |work = iTunes Store |at = itunes.apple.com |publisher = Apple |access-date = November 13, 2014}}</ref>
|
*Originally performed by ]
*Released on November 19, 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/come-as-you-are-from-american/id938291015|title=Come As You Are|last=American Horror Story Cast|first=The|authorlink2=Evan Peters|last2=Peters|first2=Evan|date=November 19, 2014|work=iTunes|at=itunes.apple.com|publisher=Apple|accessdate=November 20, 2014}}</ref>
|- |-
! scope="row" |"]"
| colspan=6 width=100% style="font-size:8pt" align="center"| Note: All songs released by ].
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|November 19, 2014<ref>{{cite web |url = https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/come-as-you-are-from-american/id938291015 |title = Come As You Are |last1 = American Horror Story Cast |first1 = The |author-link2 = Evan Peters |last2 = Peters |first2 = Evan |date = November 19, 2014 |work = iTunes Store |at = itunes.apple.com |publisher = Apple |access-date = November 20, 2014}}</ref>
|} |}


==References== ==References==
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==External links== ==External links==
{{wikiquote |American Horror Story/Freak Show |American Horror Story Season 4}}
{{Portal|Horror fiction|Television}}
{{Portal |Speculative fiction/Horror |Television}}
*{{Official website|http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/american-horror-story/episodes}}
*{{Official website|https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/american-horror-story/ahs-freak-show}}
* {{Imdb episodes|1844624|American Horror Story}}
* List of at ] * {{IMDb episodes|1844624|American Horror Story: Freak Show|season=4}}


{{American Horror Story}} {{American Story|4}}
{{American Horror Story episodes}}


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Latest revision as of 00:21, 23 December 2024

Fourth season of American Horror Story

Season of television series
American Horror Story: Freak Show
Promotional poster and home media cover art
ShowrunnerRyan Murphy
Starring
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkFX
Original releaseOctober 8, 2014 (2014 -10-08) –
January 21, 2015 (2015 -01-21)
Season chronology
← Previous
Coven Next →
Hotel
List of episodes

The fourth season of the American horror anthology television series American Horror Story, subtitled Freak Show, is set in 1952 Jupiter, Florida, telling the story of one of the last remaining freak shows in the United States and their struggle for survival. The ensemble cast includes Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Michael Chiklis, Frances Conroy, Emma Roberts, Denis O'Hare, Finn Wittrock, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange, with all returning from previous seasons, except newcomers Chiklis and Wittrock. The season marks the first not to be strictly anthological, with Lily Rabe, Naomi Grossman, and James Cromwell reprising their roles from the series' second cycle, Asylum.

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX, the series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Freak Show was broadcast between October 8, 2014, to January 21, 2015, consisting of 13 episodes. Like its predecessors, the season was met with positive reviews and consistently strong ratings. The premiere episode attracted a series high of 6.13 million viewers, making it the most viewed episode of the series. It ultimately became FX's most-watched program ever, surpassing its previous installment, Coven. The season garnered a total of twenty Emmy Award nominations, the most for any season of American Horror Story to date, including nominations for Outstanding Limited Series, and six acting nominations for Lange, O'Hare, Wittrock, Paulson, Bassett, and Bates. In addition, Paulson won for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series at the 5th Critics' Choice Television Awards.

Cast and characters

Main article: List of American Horror Story cast members

Main

Freak Show main castSarah PaulsonEvan PetersMichael ChiklisFrances ConroyEmma RobertsDenis O'HareFinn WittrockAngela BassettKathy BatesJessica Lange

Special guest stars

Recurring

Guest stars

Episodes

See also: List of American Horror Story episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
391"Monsters Among Us"Ryan MurphyRyan Murphy & Brad FalchukOctober 8, 2014 (2014-10-08)4ATS016.13
In Jupiter, Florida, in 1952, conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler are taken to a hospital after a milkman finds them injured in their home, near their mother, who was brutally murdered. News spread of the twins' existence, leading local carnival freak show owner Elsa Mars attempting to recruit them to join her troupe. Although skeptical, the twins agree. Elsa's troupe of freaks include Jimmy Darling, a boy with syndactyly, and his mother Ethel Darling, a bearded lady. Meanwhile, Twisty, a killer clown, murders a teenage girl's boyfriend and a young boy's parents and imprisons the young boy and teen girl in an old bus. Jimmy kills a detective after he threatens to arrest the twins for their mother's murder. Elsa's group puts on their first show with Bette and Dot as "The Siamese Twins," there are only two attendees, a wealthy but shallow socialite Gloria Mott and her dangerously disturbed son Dandy. Dandy bargains with Elsa to buy Bette and Dot, but the twins refuse. Elsa later tells Ethel that she brought the twins aboard to get more attention for the show and boost her fame. As Elsa prepares for bed, it's revealed that she is an amputee, legless below the knees.
402"Massacres and Matinees"Alfonso Gomez-RejonTim MinearOctober 15, 2014 (2014-10-15)4ATS024.53
The police arrive at the freak show to investigate the detective's disappearance and inform Elsa that a curfew is now in place in Jupiter following the string of murders. Meanwhile, the carnival strong man Dell Toledo, Jimmy's father, and his three-breasted hermaphrodite wife Desiree arrive and ask Elsa for a job. Elsa makes Dell head of security but soon realizes her mistake after Dell schedules a matinee against Elsa's orders, attacks Jimmy, and frames another performer, Meep, for the murder of the detective after Jimmy tried to frame Dell. Meep is arrested by the police and murdered by inmates in jail. His body is returned to the freak show, where the fellow freaks gather around and mourn. Elsewhere, Dandy asks Jimmy if he can join the freak show, as he dreams of being on stage, but after Dandy accidentally insults Jimmy, he is rebuffed and sent away. After falling into a fit of rage, Dandy returns home to find that his mother, Gloria, has hired Twisty the Clown to cheer him up. However, Twisty storms off after Dandy tries to look inside his clown bag. Dandy follows Twisty back to his trailer where the two children Twisty is holding hostage attempt an escape but are recaptured by Twisty and Dandy.
413"Edward Mordrake (Part 1)"Michael UppendahlJames WongOctober 22, 2014 (2014-10-22)4ATS034.44
On Halloween, a young clairvoyant fortune-teller named Maggie Esmerelda joins the troupe. Maggie is a con artist working with a man named Stanley, who wants to sell freaks to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Ethel learns that she has cirrhosis of the liver and a limited time to live. Meanwhile, Dandy becomes more obsessed with Twisty and goes trick or treating in a homemade Twisty costume. After attempting to kill his maid, Dora, and backing off after she calls him out, he visits Twisty's trailer and torments the children being held captive. Twisty stalks a family with a daughter scared of clowns and kidnaps her teenage brother. Later, the freak show troupe refuses to perform on Halloween due to the superstition surrounding an English freak from the 1800s named Edward Mordrake. Elsa refuses to believe this, practices on stage, and Mordrake appears, looking to take a soul from the saddest freak to join his spiritual troupe in Hell.
424"Edward Mordrake (Part 2)"Howard DeutchJennifer SaltOctober 29, 2014 (2014-10-29)4ATS044.51
Mordrake learns the past of Ethel, Legless Suzi, Paul the Illustrated Seal, and Elsa. After revisiting her memories, Elsa begs Mordrake to take her, but he decides to continue. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Maggie stumble across Twisty's trailer. After freeing the children and phoning the police, Maggie hides as Twisty tries to murder Jimmy. Mordrake finds Twisty and listens to his backstory. Mordrake, seeing the pain and grief Twisty has suffered, kills Twisty and adopts him into his spiritual troupe. A distraught Dandy takes Twisty's mask and returns home, where he murders Dora. As the town learns that Twisty is dead, the curfew is lifted; and many residents of the town visit the freak show to thank Jimmy. Elsa announces her grand premiere to the town, and tickets sell out. Stanley arrives at the freakshow, where he poses as a Hollywood agent.
435"Pink Cupcakes"Michael UppendahlJessica SharzerNovember 5, 2014 (2014-11-05)4ATS054.22
Stanley attempts to recruit Elsa by making deals with her about her possibly having her own television show. Jimmy finds a drunk Desiree while searching for Dell, and while the two bond, Jimmy begins pleasuring Desiree with his hands. However, she begins bleeding from her vagina and later discovers she had a miscarriage. The doctor also reveals to Desiree that she is fully female. Dell meets with his regular lover, Andy. The two fight and Dell leaves. Dandy finds Andy and the two go to Twisty's bus, where Dandy kills him. Gloria receives a call from Dora's daughter, Regina Ross, who asks to speak with her mother, but Gloria lies and tells her that she will not be able to contact her mother for a while. Elsa sees Stanley taking the twins on a picnic, which makes her jealous and angry. Later, she lies to the twins saying she is taking them to a fitting but drives them straight to Gloria and Dandy's mansion.
446"Bullseye"Howard DeutchJohn J. GrayNovember 12, 2014 (2014-11-12)4ATS063.65
Elsa brings out an old spinning wheel and begins throwing daggers at it to prepare for her upcoming TV show. The night of her birthday party, she learns of the troupe's suspicions of her involvement with Bette and Dot's disappearance. Elsa reminds them that none of them would be here without her, and they should be grateful for her saving them. To prove their loyalty, Elsa demands that one of them be strapped to the wheel while she does her routine. Paul reluctantly volunteers, and Elsa purposefully hits him in the gut and refuses to call a doctor. Dandy declares his love for the twins and wants to marry them. Dot learns of a pair of conjoined twins that have been separated for the first time and thinks Dandy could pay for the surgery. Stanley pressures Maggie into leading Jimmy to a barn and killing him. However, she suggests Ma Petite instead, but she can't go through with it. She begs Jimmy to leave town with her immediately, but Stanley confronts her angrily, telling her they need the hands of Jimmy no matter what.
457"Test of Strength"Anthony HemingwayCrystal LiuNovember 19, 2014 (2014-11-19)4ATS073.91
The twins leave Dandy after Dot learns that he read her diary, and Dandy becomes furious. Upon returning to the freak show, Jimmy confronts Elsa for selling the twins. Still, they tell Jimmy he misunderstood and lie for Elsa, eventually blackmailing her for 50% of the box office returns in the process. After caring for Paul, Penny returns home to tell her father that she is moving out, but he knocks her out and has his "artist friend" tattoo her face and head and give her a forked tongue. Meanwhile, Stanley sees Dell at the gay bar and threatens to out him unless he delivers him the body of a freak. While trying to kill Amazon Eve, Dell underestimates her size and strength and is beaten up by her. Jimmy later tells Dell that he knows Dell is his father, and they bond. Later that night, Dell sneaks into Ma Petite's tent and brings her a pretty dress. She tries it on, and he hugs her until he crushes her, breaking her spine in the process. He delivers the body to Stanley, who sells it to Lillian Hemmings from the Museum of Morbid Curiosities, where Ma Petite's body is shown on exhibition.
468"Blood Bath"Bradley BueckerRyan MurphyDecember 3, 2014 (2014-12-03)4ATS083.30
Ma Petite's bloody dress is found in the woods, along with some bones, and the troupe assumes that she has been mauled and eaten by a wild animal. However, Ethel accuses Elsa of killing Ma Petite, and a flashback reveals that Elsa was carried from the aftermath of the snuff movie to a doctor who crafted the legs for her. While Ethel prepares to shoot Elsa in the head for lying and betraying her, Elsa throws a knife into Ethel's head, killing her. With the help of Stanley, they fake Ethel's suicide. The troupe mourns Ethel while Jimmy falls into a depression and casts Maggie away. In response, he falls into the arms of a new recruit of the troupe, a morbidly obese woman with the stage name Ima Wiggles. Meanwhile, Dora's daughter Regina visits the Mott household to investigate her mother's disappearance and refuses to leave without seeing her. Gloria tricks Dandy into visiting the therapist and he becomes enraged when he realizes what is going on. Upon returning to the house, Dandy shoots Gloria in the head and bathes in her blood.
479"Tupperware Party Massacre"Loni PeristereBrad FalchukDecember 10, 2014 (2014-12-10)4ATS093.07
After killing his mother, a deranged Dandy visits Maggie at the freak show to receive a reading. Maggie assures Dandy that there may be some trouble in his future, but he will prevail. More confident than ever, Dandy leaves to continue his work but is stopped by an extremely drunk Jimmy. Jimmy accuses Dandy of having something to do with the twins' disappearance and threatens Dandy. With the truth of his sexuality and guilt over Ma Petite's murder becoming too much for Dell, he attempts to hang himself but is later saved by Desiree. Once Jimmy leaves a Tupperware party, Dandy shows up and murders the whole group of women. Regina confronts Dandy and tells him she has contacted the police about her mother but is shocked when Dandy openly admits his murderous streak. He lets Regina escape, but she soon returns with Detective Colquitt. Dandy promises the detective one million dollars if he kills Regina, and Colquitt shoots Regina in the head without hesitation. A drunken Jimmy goes back to his caravan, only to find Dot and Bette waiting for him. Dot declares her love for Jimmy and says they can live happily together, with Bette agreeing, but Jimmy declines their advances, claiming he is in love with someone else. Later, police cars show up at the freak show and arrest Jimmy for the murders of the Tupperware party women.
4810"Orphans"Bradley BueckerJames WongDecember 17, 2014 (2014-12-17)4ATS102.99
Pepper's life is shattered when she finds that her husband, Salty, has died in his sleep. Elsa reveals to Desiree that she began her troupe after noticing the freaks were not being treated as they should be. Elsa found Pepper at an orphanage and recruited Ma Petite to act as Pepper's child and later found Salty. Desiree suggests returning Pepper to her elder sister. Meanwhile, Stanley convinces Elsa to let him take care of Salty's body after telling her he would have the pinhead cremated, but he chops off the head and sells it to the Museum of Morbid Curiosities. Maggie confesses to Desiree that she and Stanley are con artists. The two visit the museum and are shocked to find Ma Petite's body, Salty's severed head, and Jimmy's hands on display. Elsa tracks down Pepper's sister, Rita, and convinces her to take in Pepper. Nine years later, Rita gives birth to a deformed baby, and her husband convinces her to frame Pepper for the baby's murder. After committing Pepper to Briarcliff, Sister Mary Eunice has Pepper assist her in the library sorting magazines. While doing so, Pepper finds a magazine with Elsa on the cover.
4911"Magical Thinking"Michael GoiJennifer SaltJanuary 7, 2015 (2015-01-07)4ATS113.11
Stanley convinces Jimmy that the only way to pay for a lawyer is to sever one of his hands and sell it. After smuggling Jimmy out of prison, Stanley puts him under. Jimmy awakens to find both of his hands have been removed. Dell visits him in the hospital and realizes Stanley double-crossed Jimmy. Bette and Dot set out to find someone to deflower them when they meet a traveling salesman named Chester. Chester dreams of performing his magic in front of an audience with his Dummy named Marjorie. Bette and Dot seduce Chester and sleep with him. As the cops are transporting Jimmy back to prison, Eve throws a brick through the windshield, and she and Dell kill both officers and rescue Jimmy. A flashback reveals that Chester's wife, Lucy, had an affair with a woman named Alice, and in a jealous rage, he murdered the two, believing that Marjorie committed the murders. Maggie tells Elsa about Ma Petite's true fate. Once Dell confesses his crime of smothering Ma Petite to Desiree, Elsa shoots him in the head from behind.
5012"Show Stoppers"Loni PeristereJessica SharzerJanuary 14, 2015 (2015-01-14)4ATS122.94
Maggie reveals to Stanley that she outed him as a con artist and a murderer. Stanley pleads with the troupe to let him live and tells them that Elsa murdered Ethel. However, they ignore him and mutilate him to resemble Meep. Elsa introduces Jimmy to Massimo Dolcefino, who offers to make him a pair of wooden prosthetics to replace his missing hands. The twins inform Chester they no longer want to be his assistants, and Maggie volunteers in their place. Chester places her into the box, and while seeing the faces of his deceased wife and her lover, Chester saws Maggie in half without realizing, killing her. Chester "murders" Marjorie in a rage and hands himself over to the police. Dot and Bette warn Elsa that she needs to leave immediately, as her freaks intend to avenge Ethel's murder. Desiree declares justice for Ethel, but they find Elsa is already gone. Elsa meets Dandy before she leaves town and receives $10,000 in exchange for the freak show. In the final scene, Massimo delivers Jimmy his prosthetics, revealing wooden replicas of Jimmy's lobster claws.
5113"Curtain Call"Bradley BueckerJohn J. GrayJanuary 21, 2015 (2015-01-21)4ATS133.27
In a psychotic rage, Dandy massacres the freaks. Jimmy returns and finds everyone but Desiree dead. Dandy kidnaps Bette and Dot, and they agree to marry him. At dinner, Dandy is drugged by Desiree with the help of the twins and Jimmy. Dandy awakens to find himself locked in Hardeen Houdini's Chinese water torture cell. Desiree, Jimmy, Bette, and Dot watch on as he drowns. Meanwhile, Elsa arrives in Hollywood and meets Michael Beck, the Junior vice-president of casting, and they later marry. In 1960, Elsa receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is later confronted by her husband and the president of WBN that a copy of the snuff film has surfaced. Realizing that her career is nearly over, Elsa agrees to perform on Halloween, knowing this will summon Edward Mordrake. As Elsa performs, Desiree, now with a family of her own, is shown watching the broadcast, along with a pregnant Bette and Dot, who are happily married to Jimmy. Mordrake and his coterie appear and take Elsa to the afterlife, and she is greeted by Ma Petite and all her other deceased freaks, including Ethel, who welcomes her back.

Production

Development

"It feels like a Douglas Sirk movie; it's very 1952 presentational and then the horror is an unexpected jab. As opposed to last year, which was crazy camera work and comedy. This year feels different."

–Series co-creator Ryan Murphy on the fourth season

In November 2013, FX announced that the show had been renewed for a fourth season. Series co-creator Ryan Murphy hinted that clues about the fourth season would be hidden in the final episodes of the third season. In March 2014, the season was revealed to be set at a carnival, according to co-executive producer/writer Douglas Petrie. It was also revealed that Lange would be playing a role similar to Marlene Dietrich. Murphy revealed that the season would take place in 1950, adding: "If you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there's some more clues in that year. It's a period piece. We try and do the opposite of what we've done before. Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent, so I'm very excited!" Murphy indicated that this season drew inspiration from Tod Browning's Freaks and Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. This season featured the largest set ever constructed for American Horror Story, with Murphy stating: "We had to build an entire city. We built an entire huge compound, and then we had to build the interior of all those buildings on set. It's all, period. And it's all based on Mark Worthington's immaculate research."

Casting

Ryan Murphy confirmed that Jessica Lange would be returning for a fourth season, although said to be in a reduced capacity. She portrayed Elsa Mars, the owner of the freak show. In November 2013, Murphy said he approached Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett to return. Bassett later confirmed in an interview with Access Hollywood that she would be indeed coming back. They portrayed Ethel Darling and Desiree Dupree, respectively. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sarah Paulson revealed she would be returning, possibly for a main role, which was later revealed to be the conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. It was announced at the PaleyFest 2014 that the cast members present at the panel would all be returning for the fourth season in some capacity, including Denis O'Hare (Stanley), Emma Roberts (Maggie Esmerelda), Frances Conroy (Gloria Mott), Evan Peters (Jimmy Darling), and Gabourey Sidibe (Regina Ross). Jamie Brewer was also added to the present roster, although Murphy later indicated Brewer may not appear during the season. She was later confirmed to portray the ventriloquist dummy Marjorie after appearing in a promo for the final episodes. Additionally, Michael Chiklis was announced to play the father of Peters' character and ex-husband of Bates' character, the strongman Dell Toledo. Finn Wittrock was the last lead actor joining the cast. He portrayed the psychopathic Dandy Mott.

In July 2014, TVLine reported that Wes Bentley would appear in the season' two-part Halloween episode as Edward Mordrake. At the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that John Carroll Lynch would portray one of the central antagonists during the season, Twisty the Clown. In August 2014, R&B singer Patti LaBelle joined the cast for a four-episode story arc as the mother of Sidibe's character, named Dora, the Motts' housekeeper. Also in August 2014, it was revealed that Matt Bomer would be guest-starring in one episode as Andy, Dell's secret lover. Murphy took to his Twitter account to announce that the world's smallest woman Jyoti Amge has joined the cast as Ma Petite. Murphy had written a role specifically for Coven alum Leslie Jordan, but he did not appear on the show due to scheduling conflicts.

In September 2014, it was reported that Asylum alum Naomi Grossman would return to portray Pepper, which marked the first time a character appeared in multiple seasons of the series. Lily Rabe also reprised her Asylum character Sister Mary Eunice McKee in the tenth episode, "Orphans". Mare Winningham made an appearance in the same episode, as Pepper's sister Rita. Neil Patrick Harris guest starred in two episodes as Chester, who takes over the freak show when Elsa leaves for Hollywood. Harris' husband, David Burtka, appeared in the season finale as Elsa's husband.

Filming

"There's something going on there that is so non-American but totally American, so sexy and dark but there's hope everywhere."

–Co-creator Brad Falchuk on shooting in New Orleans, Louisiana

At Paley Center for Media's 2014 PaleyFest event, Ryan Murphy announced that the season's filming would take place again in New Orleans, Louisiana, although the show's setting is in Jupiter, Florida. The premiere episode was directed by co-creator Murphy, his first effort since the pilot. Principal photography for the season began on July 15, 2014. Production on the season concluded on December 19, 2014.

Marketing

A video released in July 2014, entitled "Fallen Angel", was reported by many news sources to be an official Freak Show trailer. The video – which featured the American Horror Story title card – was later taken down after FX confirmed it was fan-made. Before the debut of the fan-made video, FX had not released any official trailers concerning the upcoming season. The first official teaser was released on August 20, 2014, entitled "Admit One".

As with previous seasons, FX released a series of teaser trailers on the show's YouTube page. FX also used the marketing hashtag #WirSindAlleFreaks in the German language, and its English translation #WeAreAllFreaks.

Reception

Critical response

American Horror Story: Freak Show has received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it scored a 69 out of 100 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 77% approval rating with an average rating of 7.29/10 based on 35 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, Freak Show still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast."

American Horror Story (season 4): Critical reception by episode
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Season 4 (2014–15): Percentage of positive critics' reviews tracked by the website Rotten Tomatoes

Awards and nominations

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Main article: List of awards and nominations received by American Horror Story

In its fourth season, the series was nominated for 76 awards, 21 of which were won.

Year Association Category Nominee(s) Result
2015 46th NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Angela Bassett Nominated
Outstanding TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
72nd Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Miniseries or TV Film Jessica Lange Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or TV Film Kathy Bates Nominated
19th Satellite Awards Best TV Series – Genre American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or TV Film Sarah Paulson Won
41st People's Choice Awards Favorite Cable Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress Jessica Lange Nominated
26th PGA Awards Outstanding Producer of Long-Form TV Brad Buecker, Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, Joseph Incaprera, Alexis Martin Woodall, Tim Minear, Ryan Murphy, Jennifer Salt, James Wong (also for Coven) Nominated
19th ADG Awards TV movie or Mini-Series Mark Worthington (for "Massacres and Matinees") Won
17th CDG Awards Outstanding Made for TV Movie or Mini-Series Lou Eyrich Won
Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards 2015 Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Make-up Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers Won
Mini-Series or TV Movie Period Special Make-up Effects Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, Christopher Nelson (petition) Won
Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Hair Styling Monte C. Haught, Michelle Ceglia Won
13th VES Awards Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program Jason Piccioni, Jason Spratt, Mike Kirylo, Justin Bal, Eric Roberts (for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2") Won
Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal/Live Action Broadcast Program Tommy Tran, JV Pike, Rob Lutz, Matt Lefferts (for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2") Nominated
62nd MPSE Golden Reel Awards TV Short Form Music Score Episode: "Monsters Among Us" Nominated
51st CAS Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – TV Movie or Mini-Series Bruce Litecky, CAS (Production Mixer)
Joe Earle, CAS (Re-recording Mixer)
Doug Andham, CAS (Re-recording Mixer)
Evan Daum (ADR Mixer)
Kyle Billingsley (Foley Mixer)
(for "Monsters Among Us") 		Nominated
6th Dorian Awards TV Musical Performance of the Year Jessica Lange (for "Life on Mars?") Nominated
Campy TV Show of the Year American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards 2015 Best TV Series Nominated
Best TV Actress Sarah Paulson Won
Best TV Supporting Actor Finn Wittrock 2nd place
41st Saturn Awards Best Actress on TV Jessica Lange Nominated
Best Guest Starring Role on TV Neil Patrick Harris Nominated
Best Syndicated/Cable TV Series American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Glamour Awards 2014 International TV Actress Jessica Lange Nominated
36th Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series - Guest Starring Young Actor 15-21 Dalton E. Gray Nominated
SXSW Film Design Awards 2015 Excellence in Title Design American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
5th Critics' Choice TV Awards Most Bingeworthy Show Nominated
Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series Jessica Lange Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Finn Wittrock Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series Sarah Paulson Won
BMI Film & TV Awards 2015 BMI Cable TV Music Awards Mac Quayle Won
Charlie Clouser Won
César Dávila-Irizarry Won
67th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie Jessica Lange Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited/ Anthology Series or Movie Denis O'Hare Nominated
Finn Wittrock Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie Sarah Paulson Nominated
Angela Bassett Nominated
Kathy Bates Nominated
Outstanding Directing for a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie Ryan Murphy (for "Monsters Among Us") Nominated
67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie Monte C. Haught, Michelle Ceglia, Daina Daigle, Amy Wood, Sherri B. Hamilton Won
Outstanding Main Title Design Ryan Murphy, Kyle Cooper, Lee Nelson, Nadia Tzuo Nominated
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role Jason Piccioni, Justin Ball, Jason Spratt, Tim Jacobsen, David Altenau, Tommy Tran, Mike Kirylo, Matt Lefferts, Donnie Dean (for "Edward Mordrake: Part 2") Won
Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series, or Movie Lou Eyrich, Elizabeth Macey, Ken van Duyne (for "Monsters Among Us") Won
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie Bruce Litecky, Joe Earle, Doug Andham, Evan Daum (for "Magical Thinking") Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie Michael Goi (for "Monsters Among Us") Nominated
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special Gary Megregian, Timothy A. Cleveland, Paul Diller, Steve M. Stuhr, Lance Wiseman, Jason Krane, John Green, David Klotz, Noel Vought (for "Curtain Call") Nominated
Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or Special Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson, Meagan Lewis Nominated
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie, or Special Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, David L. Anderson, Justin Raleigh, Christopher Nelson, Kim Ayers, Luis Garcia, James MacKinnon Won
Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Mac Quayle (for "Orphans") Nominated
Outstanding Make-up for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-prosthetic) Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Lucy O'Reilly, Michael Mekash, Christopher Nelson, Jillian Erickson Won
Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program "American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists" Nominated
19th Online Film & TV Association Awards Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Jessica Lange Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Michael Chiklis Nominated
Denis O'Hare Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Angela Bassett Nominated
Kathy Bates Won
Frances Conroy Nominated
Sarah Paulson Nominated
Best Miniseries American Horror Story: Freak Show Nominated
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Nominated
Best Music in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Editing in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Cinematography in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Costume Design in a Non-Series Won
Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-Series Won
Best Sound in a Non-Series Nominated
Best Visual Effects in a Non-Series Won
Best New Titles Sequence Nominated
2016 31st Artios Awards TV movie or Mini-Series Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson, Carol Kritzer, Meagan Lewis (Location Casting), Becky Silverman (Associate) Nominated

Home media

American Horror Story: Freak Show – The Complete Fourth Season
Set Details Special Features
  • 13 Episodes
  • 4 Disc Set (DVD)
  • 3 Disc Set (BD)
  • English 5.1 Dolby Digital & Spanish 2.0 Surround
  • Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
  • Runtime: 648 Minutes
  • Getting Freaky: A Peek Inside the Tent
  • Two Heads are Better Than One: Learn More About Bette and Dotte Tattler
  • Twisty: Behind the Mask of Terror
  • Freaklore: Edward Mordrake: The Mysterie of the Two Faced Man
  • Extra-Ordinary Artists: Interviews with the Real-Life Cast "Freaks"
  • The Premiere: The Red Carpet Premiere with Cast
Release Dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
October 6, 2015 (2015-10-06) October 26, 2015 (2015-10-26) October 13, 2015 (2015-10-13)

Soundtrack

Every cover song performed in Freak Show was released by 20th Century Fox TV Records in online music stores following the broadcast of the episode in which it appeared, except the cover of David Bowie's "Heroes", performed by Jessica Lange in "Curtain Call."

Song Original artist Covered by Performed in Release date
"Life on Mars?" David Bowie Jessica Lange "Monsters Among Us"
"Pink Cupcakes"
"Curtain Call" 		October 9, 2014
"Criminal" Fiona Apple Sarah Paulson "Massacres and Matinees" October 15, 2014
"Gods and Monsters" Lana Del Rey Jessica Lange "Edward Mordrake (Part 1)" October 22, 2014
"September Song" Walter Huston "Bullseye" November 12, 2014
"Come as You Are" Nirvana Evan Peters "Test of Strength" November 19, 2014

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External links

American Story
American Horror Story
American Crime Story
Other series
American Horror Story episodes
Murder House
Asylum
Coven
Freak Show
Hotel
Roanoke
Cult
Apocalypse
1984
Other seasons
Related
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