Ep 10. Smoldering Children

In American Horror Story season 1 episode 10, entitled "Smoldering Children," the tensions between Ben, Vivien, and Tate come to a head as the truth behind the Harmon family's haunted house is finally revealed. The episode begins with a flashback to 1983, where we see the former owners of the house, the Montgomery's, carrying out grotesque experiments in their basement. This backstory ties together the various ghosts and hauntings in the house, and explains the burned, smoldering children who have been haunting the Harmons throughout the season.

As the episode unfolds, we see Ben and Vivien try to come to terms with the fact that Tate is a ghost who has been manipulating them all along. The uneasy alliance between them is shattered as the true motive behind Tate's actions is revealed, and the tense atmosphere in the house grows increasingly hostile. Meanwhile, Constance (played by the inimitable Jessica Lange) makes a shocking decision that will have major repercussions for all of the characters.

Throughout the episode, the tension is palpable as the Harmons come to realize that the house they've been living in is not just haunted, but cursed. The various ghosts haunting the house are revealed to be interconnected in surprising ways, and the stakes grow higher as the Harmons realize that they may not be able to escape the horror that surrounds them. The episode is filled with gruesome and unsettling imagery, as the violence and depravity of the Montgomery's is brought to light.

As the episode draws to a close, the various subplots and character arcs are brought to a satisfying (if disturbing) conclusion. The true horror of the season is fully realized in "Smoldering Children," and fans of the show will be left reeling from the countless twists and turns that pepper the episode. With its excellent performances, creepy atmosphere, and mind-bending plot, "Smoldering Children" is a standout episode of American Horror Story's first season, and sets the stage for the seasons to come.