This episode is all about the evolving relationships between the characters, the hierarchies and groupings that create alliances and loyalty.

Details

• The strong man (Michael Chiklis) and the three-breasted woman (Angela Bassett) join the freak show.
• Dandy (Finn Wittrock) is upset with his life and wants to join the freak show, but Jimmy (Evan Peters) won’t let him. Dandy believes that even without a physical deformity, he belongs with them.
• The tent settings show how vibrant and encompassing the freak show world is. The town settings are bland with low ceilings. This contrast is evident when the freaks try to go to the diner.
• The freak show and town are further contrasted with Twisty’s miniature freak show, a small bus with a couple of townsfolk. Since he kills so many people, it’s weird that he chooses some to keep.

Big Question

What space do you inhabit, and who are your allies?

Impact

Our spaces and allies are partly our doing. We can decide who and how we live. We can build big tents to house our love. Then again, we all start at different places, and as this episode shows, it’s hard to cross boundaries, for better or worse.