Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag

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"Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag"
American Horror Story episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 7
Directed byRachel Goldberg
Written by Crystal Liu
Production code7ATS07
Original air dateOctober 17, 2017 (2017-10-17)
Running time44 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Winter of Our Discontent"
American Horror Story: Cult
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"Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag" is the seventh episode of the seventh season of the anthology television series American Horror Story . It aired on October 17, 2017, on the cable network FX. The episode was written by Crystal Liu, and directed by Rachel Goldberg. [1]

Contents

Plot

A news report unveils that Meadow has been identified as the shooter and Ally has been arrested. Harrison reads a prepared statement in regard to Meadow's actions, inciting Trump's victory as her motive. Kai is polling ahead and is the apparent winner of the city council seat.

Beverly, Ivy, and Winter meet a woman named Bebe Babbitt, former lover of radical feminist Valerie Solanas. Valerie sought to murder all men with the exception of gay men, deemed "gender-traitors". Among her attempted victims was iconic artist Andy Warhol. Valerie's shooting of Warhol launched a series of attacks by SCUM (the Society for Cutting Up Men) on couples, making a statement to women that "partnering with men would only get you killed". These attacks were accredited to the never-identified Zodiac Killer by the police and the media. Valerie discovered that gay male SCUM member Bruce wrote and sent the Zodiac Killer letters to the press. SCUM dismembered Bruce in retaliation. Valerie eventually presented herself to the police to take credit for the Zodiac killings but she was dismissed as delusional. Her schizophrenia began to intensify afterwards and SCUM disassembled as a result. Valerie's legacy became tied with shooting Warhol.

The day after, Winter finds Kai communing with their mummified parents. Winter tells Kai that she is not content with every action of his but that she still loves and supports him. Kai questions her loyalty and asks her about a copy of the SCUM Manifesto that he had found in her room. She dismisses it as an old college textbook. Kai tells her that the book inspired him to come up with his own acronym: FIT (Fear Is Truth). He notes that Harrison came up with MLWB (Men Lead, Women Bleed). That night, Beverly, Ivy, and Winter lure Harrison to the Butchery and Ivy dismembers him with a chainsaw.

Beverly reports on Harrison's corpse and suggests to the public that Kai's promise of law and order is not being kept. Kai and Bebe watch Beverly on the news together in his basement, revealing that Kai has been manipulating the others all along.

Reception

Lena Dunham's portrayal of Valerie Solanas received mixed reviews from critics. Lena Dunham 2012 Shankbone.JPG
Lena Dunham's portrayal of Valerie Solanas received mixed reviews from critics.

"Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag" was watched by 2.07 million people during its original broadcast, and gained a 1.0 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. [2]

The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, "Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag" holds an 86% approval rating, based on 14 reviews with an average rating of 7.0 out of 10. [3]

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode a 3.5 out of 5, saying "Fear is trust, after all, and American Horror Story: Cult puts its trust in historical hijackings to scare us into bringing the past into the fiction. "Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag" is a departure in that it's a flashback, but it shows all manifestos are one manifesto and it's pretty scary how both sides can use the same book. It is an educational episode, but after last week's explosive making of an assassin, it slows the momentum." [4]

Kat Rosenfield from Entertainment Weekly gave the episode a A−, and particularly praised Frances Conroy's presence in the episode. However, she mentioned that some flashbacks were a bit long, but that Dunham's performance made them worthwhile. She also enjoyed the last scene and its plot twist. [5] Vulture's Brian Moylan gave the episode a 2 out of 5, with a negative review, and called it "the weakest episode of an otherwise strong season." He criticized the flashbacks, saying they were "jumping through narrative hoops in order to accommodate a famous guest star", and was bored by the rest of the scenes. However, he praised the twist at the end, calling it "the only thing that saves this episode." [6]

Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a 7.0 out of 10, with a mostly positive review. He said "American Horror Story broke away a bit from its central narrative to bring an entirely new, and competing, cult into the mix. Using (too many) flashbacks, featuring Lena Dunham as SCUM Movement leader Valerie Solanas, Cult officially worked to separate Kai from all of his followers in an ultimate mind game meant to drive him toward world domination. It was an interesting detour but it made for a stifling episode that needed a few more scenes in the present to sell us on everyone believably adopting a new killer ideology." [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Solanas</span> American radical feminist (1936–1988)

Valerie Jean Solanas was an American radical feminist known for the SCUM Manifesto, which she self-published in 1967, and for her attempt to murder artist Andy Warhol in 1968.

<i>SCUM Manifesto</i> 1967 radical feminist manifesto by Valerie Solanas

SCUM Manifesto is a radical feminist manifesto by Valerie Solanas, published in 1967. It argues that men have ruined the world, and that it is up to women to fix it. To achieve this goal, it suggests the formation of SCUM, an organization dedicated to overthrowing society and eliminating the male sex. The SCUM Manifesto has been described as a satire or parody, especially due to its parallels with Freud's theory of femininity, though this has been disputed, even by Solanas herself.

<i>I Shot Andy Warhol</i> 1996 biographical drama film by Mary Harron

I Shot Andy Warhol is a 1996 biographical drama film about the life of Valerie Solanas and her relationship with the artist Andy Warhol. The film marked the feature film directorial debut of Canadian director Mary Harron. The film stars Lili Taylor as Valerie, Jared Harris as Andy Warhol, and Martha Plimpton as Valerie's friend Stevie. Stephen Dorff plays Warhol superstar Candy Darling. John Cale of The Velvet Underground wrote the film's score despite protests from former band member Lou Reed. Yo La Tengo plays an anonymous band that is somewhat reminiscent of the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Harron</span> Canadian film director (born 1953)

Mary Harron is a Canadian film director and screenwriter.

<i>Women in Revolt</i> 1971 American film

Women in Revolt is a 1971 American satirical film produced by Andy Warhol and directed by Paul Morrissey. The film stars Jackie Curtis, Candy Darling, and Holly Woodlawn, three trans women and superstars of Warhol's Factory scene. It also features soundtrack music by John Cale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zodiac Killer in popular culture</span>

The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California from at least the late 1960s to the early 1970s. His identity remains unknown. His crimes, letters and cryptograms to police and newspapers inspired many movies, novels, television and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Brewer</span> American actress and model

Jamie Brewer is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles in the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story. In its first season, Murder House, she portrayed Adelaide "Addie" Langdon; in the third season, Coven, she portrayed Nan, an enigmatic and clairvoyant witch; in the fourth season Freak Show, she portrayed Chester Creb's vision of his doll, Marjorie; in the seventh season Cult, she portrayed Hedda, a member of the 'SCUM' crew, led by feminist Valerie Solanas; and she also returned to her role as Nan in the eighth season, Apocalypse.

<i>American Horror Story: Cult</i> Seventh season of American Horror Story

The seventh season of the American horror anthology television series American Horror Story, subtitled Cult, takes place in the fictional suburb of Brookfield Heights, Michigan, during the year 2017, and centers on a cult terrorizing the residents in the aftermath of Donald Trump winning the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The smallest ensemble cast of the series, it includes Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Cheyenne Jackson and Alison Pill, with all returning from previous seasons, except newcomers Lourd and Pill.

"Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" is the second episode of the seventh season of the anthology television series American Horror Story. It aired on September 12, 2017, on the cable network FX. The episode was written by Tim Minear, and directed by Liza Johnson.

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"Mid-Western Assassin" is the sixth episode of the seventh season of the anthology television series American Horror Story. It aired on October 10, 2017, on the cable network FX. The episode was written by Todd Kubrak, and directed by Bradley Buecker.

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Up Your Ass, or, From the Cradle to the Boat, or, The Big Suck, or, Up from the Slime is a radical feminist play written in 1965 by Valerie Solanas. According to writer James Martin Harding, the play is "based on a plot about a woman who 'is a man-hating hustler and panhandler' and who ... ends up killing a man."

"Slashdance" is the third episode of the ninth season of the anthology television series American Horror Story. It aired on October 2, 2019, on the cable network FX. The episode was written by James Wong, and directed by Mary Wigmore.

References

  1. ↑ "American Horror Story - (#707) "Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag"". TheFutonCritic. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (October 18, 2017). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Tuesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.17.2017". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  3. ↑ "American Horror Story: Cult - "Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag"". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  4. ↑ Sokol, Tony (October 18, 2017). "American Horror Story Season 7 Episode 7 Review: Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins". Den of Geek . Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ Rosenfield, Kat (October 17, 2017). "American Horror Story: Cult recap: 'Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  6. ↑ Moylan, Brian (October 18, 2017). "American Horror Story: Cult Recap: Scum of the Earth". Vulture.com . Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  7. ↑ Fowler, Matt (October 17, 2017). "American Horror Story: Cult - "Valerie Solanas Died for Your Sins: Scumbag" Review". IGN . Retrieved October 17, 2017.
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