Summary
When it comes to Ryan Murphy, the ever-busy producer is known for crafting some of the most memorable moments on the small screen. FromtheAmerican Horrorfranchise, to Fox’sGlee, Murphy has always pushed boundaries with his projects. His latest series forHulu,Grotesquerie, is no different. The series is the perfect watch during the Halloween season, and doesn’t bother to hold back on the gore. However, during the show’s first seven episodes, the series has showcased that not everything is exactly what it seems.
TheFX/Huluseries,Grotesquerie,which dropped two new episodes on Wednesday night, is a murder mystery of sorts, with Niecy Nash-Betts' Lois on the hunt for a serial killer known only as Grotesquerie. The series does a good job at presenting each character as the possible killer, making viewers question who is being honest and who is hiding something. With that in mind, we take a closer look at what character(s) could be behind the murders and why. More importantly, though, we determine if there truly is a killer following the events of Episode 7, “Unplugged.”
Breaking Down the Possible Killers in Grotesquerie
During the first six episodes ofGrotesquerie, the series was focused on finding themysterious killer known only as Grotesquerie. The mysterious murderer had left a trail of bodies in their wake, all of which weretied to various religious bits, suggesting the murderer had their own issues with the bible and God. With each new episode, Lois continued to explore the potential killers, with each character introduced having served as a possible candidate. Micaela Diamond’s murder-obsessed Sister Megan Duval seemed like a prime candidate, often showing up at crime scenes first and failing to show any sense of uneasiness in some of the most grotesque murder scenes. While Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s Father Charlie Mayhew always had a sense of uneasiness about him and seemed to suffer from his inability to completely give himself over to his faith and let go of his desires. Like Sister Duval, Father Mayhew was also obsessed with true crime and murder, something the duo bonded over during their time together. Then there wasTravis Kelce’s Ed Laclan, a character who first appeared as charming and harmless, but was far too mysterious to rule out. Each and every character the series introduced continued to show signs of being the potential killer, and each character has their own motives for potentially being the killer. Whether it be a love of true crime and the lore of famous serial killers, or even the desire to get under Lois' skin. Lois isn’t a likable character - she’s flawed, she’s frustrating, and she has a line of people ready to go after her. Who is to say the killer isn’t someone already in her life? However, Murphy and the writers of the series made it clear never to make viewers entirely sure, always throwing a wrench in the obvious pick.
Unfortunately, though, just as fans were trying to piece together who Grotesquerie was, the show changed everything in its seventh episode. So, who ended up being the killer in the series - at least, as of now? None other than Lois. The first few episodes were based on a reality she’d created in her mind while being in a coma. The characters we met were different versions of people in her real life, including her husband, Marshall as played by Courtney B. Vance. It’s Lois that ultimately kills off this reality when she kills Sister Duval in order to survive being taken off life support. Which begs the question: what is the truth about Grotesquerie? Especially now that viewers know everything we’ve been taught, thus far, has been a completely fabricated story.
The Impact of Episode 7 on the Future of Grotesquerie
Episode 7 ofGrotesquerie, titled “Unplugged,” successfully turned everything on its head. Mid-episode, it is revealed that everything we’ve seen thus far has all been due to a reality created by Lois while in a coma. Sister Duval is actually her co-worker who has been after Lois' job, while Father Mayhew is a doctor at the hospital she’s being kept at. Kelce’s Ed is actually her son-in-law, who she has been having an affair with, as she teased earlier in the episode, and her husband, Marshall, who is very much a cheater, but is the one who is ultimately ready to pull his wife off life-support - and not vice versa. She’s still incredibly unlikable within her true reality, with her husband ready to end her life, and her daughter struggling to forgive her for what she’s done. There’s still this sense of toxicity present that Lois crafted in her mind, but it’s now entirely different from what viewers have come to know. With nearly all the characters playing new versions of themselves, nothing is clear anymore, leaving fans in a daze as they try to make sense of the former whodunnit storyline. The surprising twist does leave a huge opening forGrotesquerieto truly do something special. However, with just three episodes left, the series has a lot to unravel in a limited amount of time.
CanGrotesqueriefind a way to make its latest twist work to its benefit? Will Lois and the concept of Grotesquerie come together as a metaphor for her own world and how she sees her life? Is she the so-called killer in her own story? After all, the series did focus on family and those involved in faith regarding the killings. Could Lois havecreated the idea of Grotesquerieas the villain of her own life? The way she sees her world crumbling around her? With three episodes left,Grotesqueriestill has plenty of surprises left in store. One can only hope the early episodes of the series serve a valid purpose and didn’t exist simply for the idea ofshock horror. IfGrotesqueriecan find the way to pull the series together within three more episodes, it could very wellprove to be a notable thriller.
Grotesquerieairsnew episodes on FXon Wednesdays, with the series hitting Hulu shortly thereafter.
