American Horror Story (Season 2)

Show: American Horror Story

Nickname/Common Name For Season: American Horror Story: Asylum

Season: 2

Episodes: 13

Created By: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk

Released: 2012-2013

Rating: 3.5/5
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The Alien Subplot
By the end of this season I had a love/hate relationship for this particular subplot. At the beginning, though, I was firmly against it. American Horror Story should be about the supernatural horrors. Mind you, at the start of the season, I was still getting used to the fact that Season 1 has a completely different story and set of rules from Season 2. By the end I didn't hate the alien subplot, but I did find it unneeded. As someone pointed out: one of its purposes seemed to be bringing back dead characters. At the end of the season we aren't any closer to knowing who they are or what they want. Yes, the alien children are 'special' and do good things. But it still doesn't show the aliens' end game.

Lana Winters Goes Through Extreme Character Changes
Let me start off by saying I'm not against character development. It's good to see characters going through changes and being different at the end than they were at the beginning. HOWEVER, this doesn't mean all changes done to a character will be a good thing. Especially when there seems to be no reason to do so and the changes make no sense. I am referring to the change Lana goes through after she leaves Briarcliff. Sorry for the slight spoiler.

The Last Three Episodes
This season had its up and downs. But it did have a nice conclusion to all of it major plot lines and then there were two more episodes. To me the conflicts in the last two episodes were there to fill out two more episodes. Mind you I liked the outcome of what happened to the Son of Bloodyface, but some of the characters seemed to act out of character for the sake of conflict.

Final Thoughts
I think this season was much better put together than the first one. I especially like the fact that the finale actually felt like a finale. Not like that there were going to be more episodes. The highlight during this season was Lily Rabe's character of the possessed Sister Mary Eunice. I also like that a character I liked at the end I didn't see any way of liking during the beginning. The second season continued in the tradition of messed up stuff happening. So it is with that I warn those easily offended to not watch this. Oh, yeah, and I liked "The Name Game" music number which I can't see how people can't like it.

Fringe (Season 5/The Final Season)

Show: Fringe

Season: 5

Episodes: 13

Created By: J.J. Abrams

Released: 2012-2013

Rating: 4.5/5
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The Device They Spend All Season Building
Turns out to be unused by the end. Why am I not saying what the device does here? I like to keep my written reviews mostly spoiler free. MOSTLY being the key word. So in the beginning of the season Walter has forgotten his plan (due to Windmark torturing him at the start) and so must find the tapes hidden randomly in his old lab. So in nearly every episode Walter, Peter, Olivia, and Astrid find a tape and do what it says. For the majority of the season you are left in the dark as to what this device will end up doing. Luckily, during the last few episodes, you find out what it does. However, one part doesn't work so they have to go to Plan B.

It Ends Where It Begins
One of the best things about this season is that it starts and ends at the same point. While I would've wished to see where other characters (like Astrid and Broyles) ended up, I thought it was nice and sweet that it ended at the beginning. If you took the epilogue without the feelings of what happened previously, it was a happy ending which the two love birds (Peter and Olivia) more than deserved.

All the Information About the Observers
Throughout the first four seasons of Fringe the Observers are shown to be mysterious alien beings from the future! Here and there we were given bits and pieces of who (and what) they really were. By the end of this season the majority of questions about these beings were answered. Some of them (like why there are no women Observers and why the Observers wear the old time clothing) aren't answered. But enough are to leave you satisfied. And it's the Observers' past/future that becomes the whole basis of Walter's Plan.

Final Thoughts
This being the end of the Fringe saga (unless they continue it in other media forms, which I hope they do), made me sad as the Season went on. By the time the final few moments of Fringe came and went, I felt LOST. I felt completely heartbroken. Don't worry, it wrapped all the major plot lines up nicely. The season played out well, though there were a few slow moments. Like the psychic/anomaly that Olivia encounters when she goes to pick up the magnet. One character's death was very sad but I felt the character was killed off a little too quickly. However, there were some great moments such as the Monty Python Tribute (in the episode "Black Umbrella") or when Walter gets his redemption (in the episode "Enemy of Fate"). This was a fun season and I am going to miss not tuning into Fringe every Friday (well, I usually had to DVR it so actually every Saturday at the earliest). Thank you JJ Abrams for a great ride for 2 years (yes, Fringe was on the air 5 years but I've only kept up with the show for 2 of them).

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