'American Horror Story: Roanoke' Episode 4 Review
Episode 4 gave us an introduction to the witch that seduces Matt during the end of episode 3 as well as the true events of the "disappearance" of the Roanoke colony. Shelby is furious at Matt for having sex with the witch, but Matt truly has no recollection of the act, as he was seemingly put under a spell. Shelby believes Matt and forgives him.
The couple is once again attacked in their home by a spirit wearing a pig's head, but are saved by Dr. Cunningham, who randomly shows up in the house. He goes on to divulge more information about the supernatural happenings and a detailed history of all of the past homeowners. There is a connection with the "blood moon" and a 6-day cycle where the spirits are able to kill, as The Butcher's pact with the witch has tethered them all to the land. Dr. Cunningham leads Matt and Shelby to Flora, but is killed by a volley of arrows let loose by spirits in the woods.
The Butcher's involvement with the witch was really intriguing, as she murdered every single person in the colony in order to enslave their souls for eternity. We also got to see the witch's backstory, as she is depicted as a Druid girl that has dealings with ancient gods that give her her power. Though we're not told what her motivations are for any of the events, her nefarious nature should be a lot of fun to uncover moving forward.
The real crux of the episode came when Cricket returned to the house to help find Flora. After his deal with The Butcher fel through, he tries to broker another deal, but is captured and disemboweled in front of Matt and Shelby in a truly brutal scene. Priscilla is able to help free Flora, as she is now with Matt and Shelby, but the message is clear that they are all next on the kill list.
Though I enjoy learning the backstories of each character, it also takes away from the mystery and suspense at the same time. I think the season would have been better served saving the reveal of the witch for a later episode. Revealing all of this information so early, for me, was a bit deflating. Good horror leaves that sense of wonder up in the air, inciting the viewer's imagination to run wild and developing the fear that will ultimately lead to the reveal of the villain or monster. I feel like they gave us way too much information only 4 episodes in, but I still have faith that there are plenty of more twists and turns to come.
My rating: 7 out of 10
