Dollar Bin Horror Review:American Horror Story-"Birth"

By Eric Polk-
Well with one more episode until the season finale, I'm praying for a coherent valley to this schizophrenic storyline. And, to quote Stephen King, if wishes were pigs, bacon would be on sale.

1984
Nora cares for and protects a young Tate from the Infantata, whom she still refers to as her son, Thaddeus. She tells him that if he tells them to "go away," the ghosts will listen and leave him alone. Tate feels close to her, referring to her as his mother.

Present
Tate cannot promise Vivien's baby to Nora, for fear of revealing to Violet that he raped her mother. Nora is resolved to take the child anyway.
Ben picks up Vivien to take her from the ward to her flight to Florida, not understanding why Violet  refuses to leave with him. The doctor strongly warns Vivien and Ben that, despite only being six months in the womb, one of the twins is ready to be born any minute, telling them that the other twin is dying because the dominant twin is taking all the nutrients.

In the house, Violet and Tate encounter Chad  and Patrick  preparing a nursery and cribs, planning to take the twins. Violet objects, contacting Constance for help in stopping them. Constance and Chad confront one another. Constance offers Ben's twin to Chad, but demands her grandson for her own. Learning that Tate is the father of the other twin, Chad remains resolved to take both children. Constance and Violet enlist the help of Billie Dean , who senses Violet is dead, but keeps it a secret from Constance at her request. She tells Violet that she can banish a spirit if she burns one of its close possessions and recites the word "Croatoan". Tate obtains Patrick's ring when Patrick attacks him, screaming that he could have been "free" of Chad and the house if Tate hadn't killed him, which Chad overhears, heartbroken.

Ben enters the house to retrieve Vivien's bags and Violet. Violet tells him that she is dead from suicide and cannot leave the house, futilely urging him to take Vivien far away from the house and its ghosts before she gives birth. Ben, thinks she is on drugs and tries to take her to the car. Meanwhile, Vivien goes into labor in the car and Constance appears, taking her into the house against her will. The power goes out and ghosts destroy the car, forcing Ben and Vivien to have the babies there. Dr. Charles Montgomery  handles the pregnancy, with the 1968 nurses' ghosts attending. Constance urges Ben to accept the house's help with the birth.

In the basement, Violet burns Patrick's ring and Chad's watch, and recites the spell, but Chad mocks her, saying that "banishment spells" are all fake. When she asks why he is destroying the cribs, he explains that he now knows that Patrick no longer loves him and has given up. He then tells her that Tate killed him and Patrick and raped Vivien.

While Vivien gives birth, Ben helps her with her breathing, remembering the day Violet was born. The
first twin is stillborn, and Dr. Montgomery hands it to a happy Nora. Constance takes the second twin, and she and Moira gush over it, until Hayden appears demanding the child. Vivien begins hemorrhaging and Violet appears, apologizing to her and urging her to let go and join her. Ben, unaware of Violet's presence, urges Vivien to live, promising her that they can still have a happy life together. Vivien dies and Ben finds himself alone.

Violet confronts Tate, revealing that she knows all he has done and she forces him to remember the school massacre. Distraught, Tate begs for forgiveness, saying that Violet changed him. She believes him, but cannot forgive him because Vivien is dead and Ben is alone. She states he must be punished for it and that therefore, she cannot and will not be with him anymore. She forcefully banishes him by saying "go away" and Tate disappears. Violet, alone, cries, but is comforted by Vivien's ghost, who tells her she was brave and that she is proud of her.

For coherency, maybe we'll find out next week why the babies were taken away. I'm ticked that the only semi-likable character might their demise but at least this person can disappear in and out of the real world at will. Otherwise, wasn't a bad episode consider how fast the quality of the show has fallen.