Review

Back in 1994 Larry was infatuated with Constance, to the extent of leaving his wife and daughters, well okay deciding they should go back to Iowa. Constance has had some bad news, seems the Authorities want to take Beau, one of her sons, into care due to parental neglect. Larry smothers Beau with a pillow at Constance's request due to Beau not being able to cope without his mother apparently. The deformed Beau is now haunting the attic, where he was chained up when he was alive, and scares the crap out of Violet, who is starting to see all the ghosts. Tate tells Violet she simply has to tell them to go away, sure that's going to work.

Meanwhile Vivian, while fanaticising during a masturbation session - clearly this is a family show, is seemingly attacked by the "Rubber Man". She's unnerved by the experience, and is in for further shocks when her Doctor happily informs her that she is pregnant with twins, both of which are normal and healthy. With Real Estate Agent Marcy Vivian is conducting a campaign to sell the house, but wants to give full disclosure to prospective purchasers, of which there are two, an Armenian developer and Larry. Ben, who does absolutely nothing it seems besides demanding the house is sold, learns of Larry's interest and confronts the dude. Larry is obsessed with the house as a way to get Constance back, like that's going to work. Vivian learns of the murder suicide of the Montgomerys, and receives a final shock when Violet shows her an old photo of Nora Montgomery. Vivian remembers Nora showed up to inspect the house back in episode three. Seems suddenly Violet isn't the only one seeing dead people.

I may have missed a few developments above, my apologises, go watch the episode to ensure you have the full skinny. The show certainly isn't slowing down and we're really getting jammed packed episodes full of revelations, strange twists, and character backgrounds. The season is starting to really flesh itself out, but I'm still not seeing an end play, besides Constance stating in no uncertain terms that the house works on people's weaknesses, it will take advantage of the emotionally disturbed, adding to its residents as it does so. Interestingly as yet we have no explanation for the house, why exactly it's a bad place? Asylum built on Indian burial ground perhaps? Anyone seen any demonic pigs in the neighbourhood.

Constance gives us the good oil, the house is a big place, it works on weaknesses

If you ever wonder how far exactly FX would allow their shows to go on the sexual front then Open House should have provided the answers with this episode. Vivian has the candles going, the music set to sensual, and is getting down to some heavy fanaticising. Included in her montage of partners are Luke, the security dude who helped setup the current security following the home invasion, Ben, apparently she still has lustful feelings towards her errant ex-husband, and the Rubber Man, who may or may not be actually there. Director Tim Hunter isn't leaving a lot up to the imagination here, and strides purposely into the taboo subject, at least in television land, of female fantasy. Topping off the evening's sexual pursuits we also have Moria, in younger mode, giving a prospective house purchaser a blow job! Don't think this episode is going to be recommended by the Rev Fred Nile any time soon.

Actually speaking of Moria and her achievements, trying to be somewhat tactful here and not resort to remakes like Moria polishing the mahogany, there are a couple of nice shots involved. The potential Purchaser of course views Moira the younger version as things go down, see what I did there, in surprisingly Violet's bedroom. As they leave we see the older Moira wiping her lips, simple setup but damned effective. Later in the episode, after Moira entices our unsuspecting victim into the cellar for a repeat performance of playing the bed flute, he sees the older Moira through the medium of a plastic bag. Sorry spoilers, trying to be slightly vague here people. It's effective stuff and certainly gets the job done, so to speak.

Open House gives us some background on Larry, the dude who was clearly involved in some sort of conflagration in the past, talk about your heavy scarring. He has a thing for Constance, not surprising, and has a whole bunch of issues, chief amongst them being somehow the winning of her affections is tied up in Murder House. While this gives great opportunity for Constance to voice what we have all been wondering, it's the house itself that works on people the ghosts are a by-product, it also left me wondering how exactly Larry was going to afford the house asking price. Clearly Marcia has his lack of funds sussed, though Vivian is being all tree hugger this episode. Larry, who we may remember took a shovel to Hayden, murdered Beau at Constance's request, showing he's not above murder to get what he wants. There's also the slight matter of Larry's wife and daughters dying in the house, we haven't seen their spectres yet, though Beau is making guest appearances up in the attic. There's clearly more to the Larry and Constance back story, which I guess will be revealed in due course.

Guess the big reveals of this episode however revolves around Vivian, the Writers are still being coy on the whole Violet situation, anyone not see where that's going considering the number of clues being dropped, she has evolved according to Tate? We learn that Vivian isn't in a sort of weird Rosemary's Baby situation, no hoofed feet, but is carrying twins! I'm not even going to go near the plot holes that revelation opens up considering Vivian is apparently stretching the U.S medical system in her ongoing quest to ensure her unborn situation isn't spiralling out of control. I'm sort of non-pulsed on the pregnancy thing, clearly it's going to be of major importance as we drive on into the final third of the season, but heck the Writers are chopping and changing the rules a tad too much for my comfort zone. We learn that Vivian only feels okay when she is in the house, leaving it makes her feel real ill, anyone else noting the dark clouds on the horizon with the hint of a major electrical storm, and some craggy dude in the basement limbering up on the pipe organ that played morbid horror themes! Modern medicine of course has the answers, maybe it's her body telling her to stay home, where was this Doctor when Regan MacNeil was having her tenancy issues, oh wait wouldn't have helped.

It's left to the final scene however for Vivian to really get a heart stopper. She recognises Nora Montgomery from an old photo as being one of the people who visited the house during what is apparently going to be numerous openings. Will Vivian now start to see more ghosts, recognise the ghosts she has been seeing as being ghosts, or will the new revelations lead to her having a complete mental breakdown. Some fun times to be had there in the next few episodes for sure. Don't think Nora mentioned her husband was running a backstreet abortion clinic, or that she has a few Roos bouncing around her top paddock when it comes to kids. Quite possibly pertinent information Vivian doesn't need, considering the house is going Amityville on the weak.

Open House managed a 3.06 million tune in for the first broadcast in North America. While that's not a season high it's still the second best result thus far for the season, indicating audiences are building. Most of the episode guide figures, well read all, are from U.S cable networks ergo the viewing figures might seem low in comparison to the potential audience in North America, but they involve pay for view audiences not the proletariat who are seemingly happy with the chaff being thrown on free to air. Very solid results through the first seven episodes for mine, clearly FX had very little issue with renewing the show for a second season.

Just an aside, cause that's how we roll here, a number of horror properties have received a green light for first seasons in North America in 2013/14 including ZombielandBate's Motel, and Hannibal, anyone else feel the waters are going to be diluted with sewage real soon now?

I'm not even going to bother with a recommendation, go watch the show and then come back and thank me for the introduction. If you are already dialled in, then hey high fives and enjoy the rest of the season. The only slight issues I have is with the Writers dropping the ball in the final third of the season and getting away from the wide eyed amazement they have managed to conjure up through seven episodes. Still a tad to go, let's see how it pans out.

ScaryMinds Rates this episode as ...