The first half of the season is over and the veil has been
lifted. This episode shocked viewers
into the “reality” of making a reality type program. The question is, how do the viewers continue
with the series believing anything that’s presented to us as fact? “Found footage” has factored into tonight’s
episode but again, whom can the viewer believe?
The episode opens with script stating “My Roanoke Nightmare”
finale was a huge ratings success, outperforming The Walking Dead, football and
Empire. Like any success, the creators
of the series are hoping to keep the money flowing by the creation of a sequel.
Sidney, (Cheyenne Jackson) instructs the
cameraman as he enters in for a meeting with the network big wigs, “The camera
never stops!”
Sidney and Diana enter a meeting to pitch the sequel idea. Sidney recounts the success of Roanoke in
terms of ratings, advertising and social media buzz. He introduces the sequel’s name; Return to
Roanoke, 3 Days in Hell. The plan is to
have the original cast and re-enactors to stay at the Mott mansion during the
October Blood Moon. Sidney is confident
the “Big Brother” type situation will be a hit with viewers. The corporate boss brings up the negative
reactions to “Nightmare” because viewers believed Lee to be responsible for
Mason’s murder. (This was a comment I
was noting in other recaps and comments.)
Sid reveals he owns the Roanoke home, having purchased it from Shelby
for pennies on the dollar. The series
will be thirteen episodes; the only problem is Shelby has not agreed to
participate.
Sid and his entourage visit Shelby at her yoga studio. Shelby agrees to an interview. She laments the
hate directed at her after the show; she receives threats such as cleavers left
in the door of her business. Shelby
thought the show would be “healing” for her and Matt after the trauma they
experienced. However, the stress of
“reliving it” caused them to separate. (Like many reality television couples,
Jon and Kate, Jessica and Nick, etc.)
TMZ footage is shown, capturing Shelby going out with “Dominic” (Cuba
Gooding Jr.) Shelby admits she and
Matt’s re-enactor had a brief affair.
Shelby doesn’t really want to do the show, but agrees to for a chance to
reunite with Matt. After the meeting,
Sid confirms that Dominic has agreed to return for the sequel. (Shelby won’t be
pleased.)
Sid and Diana are on location at the Roanoke mansion in
North Carolina. Sid instructs the
cameras to be somewhat hidden in hopes the cast will forget them. A man shows them some “special effects” he’s
rigged up in the kitchen. The sink
faucet shakes, the water turns on and then a shower of water erupts while
cupboard simultaneously jump open. The
smell of sulfur will be released to heighten the terror. The man brags he has many more “surprises”,
like the windows blowing out. Sidney smiles and drawls, “That’s a call back to
Cricket’s séance!” (As a viewer, do you feel a little outraged that you
believed any of the “paranormal events” which were presented in the first five
hours of this season?)
The special effects man shows them a television he has
rigged in the living room to go off with a video of a “victim” of the mansion. This recalls the video Shelby and Matt
discovered in the basement of Elias. Diana
questions whether they want the sequel to be a series of cheap “jump scares.”
(This is a problematic issue in most horror today; relying on jump scares
rather than develop a plot.) Sid
dismisses her concern. His plan is to
use fear as a way to break Lee down into a confession of killing Mason. (Just
like the Jinx achieved with Robert Durst, if you haven’t seen it, I highly
recommend the series.)
Sid chides Diana for not hiding the production trailers in
the woods. His goal is to have the cast
feel isolated, alone and afraid. A crewmember
motions Sid and Diana over to nearby tree. At the base of the tree is a ring of fetal
pigs covered in blood. This display is unexpected and Diana wonders if the
Polk’s could have done it but its stated that the hillbilly family is “in the
wind.”
The production crew heads to a retirement home to visit the
Butcher re-enactor, a woman named Agnes. Sid interviews her. Agnes states she’s grateful for “the role of a
lifetime.” Her performance was nominated
for a Saturn award. Sid notes the
viewers “loved to hate” her character. Agnes
beams it was a “Privilege to play a historic figure.” Sid prods her about the toll the role took on
her mental health. Agnes concedes that playing the Butcher was “extremely
taxing.” Sid addresses the “elephant in
the room.” The viewers are shown footage
of Agnes, dressed as the Butcher on Hollywood Boulevard wielding a cleaver. As a result, Agnes spent six months in a
mental facility, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and charged with
assault. Agnes promises all her problems
are in the past and that she is doing well with a medication regime. Sid confronts her with the picture from the
set of the fetal pigs. Agnes denies involvement. A police officer appears to serve her a
restraining order, banning her from the set. Sid antagonizes her further by stating “only
real” characters are allowed on the current set. Agnes follows the entourage out of her
building, speaking in the Butcher’s brogue. “You can’t keep me away!”
Diana is upset after their visit. She warns Sid that they may not be able to
control her. Sid smirks, “I hope not!” The whole purpose of their visit was to
antagonize Agnes and hopefully increase the drama in the series by having this
mentally unstable woman crash the set.
(All in the name of ratings.) Sid
may be the worst villain we’ve encountered this season. The template for the new series is displayed
for the first time; it’s the house, covered in blood with the title, “Roanoke,
Return to Hell.”
E-News interviews Lee in her opulent home. Lee confirms her participation in the sequel. The interviewer asks her about her custody
battle with her in-laws for Flora and the murder accusations. Lee states the custody battle is her true
“Roanoke nightmare.” She confirms with
the interviewer she is receiving a large sum to take part in the sequel. Lee claims she’s just a single mom trying to
provide for her child. (Kate Gosslin defense!)
Sid meets with the corporate boss to go over liability
insurance for the series. The boss notes
the actress that played Lee in the re-enactments, Monet Tuteslime, has had
problems with alcohol and has been in and out of sobriety. Sidney is dismayed they might have to
restrict her from “knowingly” drinking.
Sid quips, “We all know alcohol is the secret sauce of reality shows.”
Sid and Diana are called back to set with the news of a
“horrific accident.” An ambulance in on
scene, a body bag on the stretcher with a disturbing head sized lump in the
middle. The video of the “accident” is
very confusing. A man using a chainsaw inexplicitly
turns it on himself resulting in decapitation.
Sid confers with the union representative on-site. She states its up to him whether to keep the
crew working for the day. The cast is
due to arrive in three hours. Sid
decides to press on, casually stating, “Shit happens!” Diana is shocked. “Something horrifying is happening in this place!”
She enters her car and leaves the set. This scene mirrors two scenes from earlier in
the season. Like Mott, Sid dismisses
deaths surrounding the home. Diana, like
Shelby, is sensitive to the negativity surrounding the property and flees.
Diana records herself as she drives off in anger. She reports that it’s October 12th
at two fifteen in the afternoon. She
states she’d rather be known as a “crazy bitch” then continue to be involved.
“Too much creepy shit is happening! I’m
not going to get killed making this show!” She sees a woman dressed in “colony era”
clothing on a nearby hill. She becomes
upset further, stating she doesn’t even want to know why that woman is
there. Suddenly, the Pig-Man rises from
the back seat and attacks Diana viciously.
The text on the screen informs us, “Footage from Diana
Cross’s camera was found three months later by police. Her body has not been found.” Where and how this footage was found is not
explained. Is this “real?”
Shelby’s re-enactor introduces herself on the set’s red
velvet lined “confessional” booth. “My
name is Audrey Tindall,” she says in a markedly English accent. A flashback of the “Nightmare” series is
shown when Shelby and Matt were escaping through the tunnels with Mott. In the clip she falls and is helped up by the
Mott re-enactor. He shyly asks her out
on a date. “Mott” joins Audrey in the
confession booth. He introduces himself
as Rory in a faux English accent and announces they are engaged. (Like the real
Evan Peters and his co-star from seasons 3-4 Emma Roberts!)
A clip accredited to “Wedding Keepsakes” shows the wedding
of Audrey and Rory. Audrey wears an old fashioned white dress with an empire
waist. She offers a heartfelt vow to her
new husband. Rory seems more casual, with
fiery red hair. He promises to “Love the
shit out of her!”
Audrey and Rory are the first couple on set and they claim
the largest room, which belonged to Matt and Shelby. Rory explains he may have to leave for a bit
to “go back and do a screen test with Brad Pitt.” The Roanoke cast is not supposed to leave the
set. Audrey tells the camera she trusts
her new husband, even if their careers force them to live apart. Audrey walks through the dark kitchen. A shadow figure moves across a window. Rory asks Audrey if she saw it, which she
denies. Suddenly, the Butcher appears
and the window breaks. There is a knock
on the front door; Shelby opens it to let Sid and some members of the cast and
crew inside.
Audrey, shaken by seeing the Butcher, questions Sid. “Did you do this?” Sid denies doing anything and Audrey proclaims
that Agnes was on set. Audrey is upset,
“I won’t go through this again, she’s crackers!”
A 911 call from March 20th 2016 is played. Audrey calls for assistance, explaining to the
dispatcher, “She’s outside my house with a huge knife trying to steal my
Saturn!” The dispatcher thinks she means a car but Audrey clarifies it’s her
Saturn award which she won instead of Agnes.
Sid denies Agnes is on set.
Shelby takes a moment to congratulate Audrey and Rory on their recent
nuptials. Shelby takes heart although
her marriage fell apart, another one was created. Audrey’s experience has proven to Shelby “It’s
never too late.” Audrey is offended at
Shelby pointing out the age difference between the pair and Shelby tries to
explain she was referring only to herself.
Matt and Lee enter the room, causing an awkward silence.
Sid gives everyone a phone for recording individual videos. The casts’ real phones have been confiscated.
(As is done on many reality shows like the Bachelor to increase the cast’s
sense of isolation.) Sid encourages them
to video themselves as well as any “paranormal” activities. Tension arises when Sid informs Matt he will
be sharing a room with Shelby. He
refuses, insisting on sleeping in the basement.
Lee lashes out at Shelby, accusing her of being “weak and
self involved” and blaming her for the continued suspicion regarding Mason’s
murder. “’Cause of you, everyone thinks I’m a cold-blooded murderer!” Shelby admits turning in her sister-in-law to
police was a “mistake” but she’s tired of apologizing for it. Shelby directs her anger at Matt as well,
stating she’s “Done being punished for being weak and human one time.”
(Referring to her affair with Dominic.)
Audrey coos, “Fiery and pathetic, exactly how I played her!”
Rory applauds his new wife’s
performance. They laugh. Shelby overhears the rude comments and heads
upstairs. Audrey goes on to say that
nothing out of the ordinary ever happened when they filmed the series so
obviously the Matt and Shelby’s account was false. Matt asks what time of year
was the series shot. Audrey replies in
the summer. Matt opens the current and
implores her to look out upon the Blood Moon. Unimpressed, she and the other re-enactors
laugh.
The text on the screen explains, “Over the next three days
during the Blood Moon, every participant in the series died under mysterious
circumstances, except one. The show planned by producers never aired. This is the assembled “found footage.”
Again, the show is asking the viewer to accept the found
footage as real, when it may be just as created as the “original series.”
Audrey and Rory enjoy the hot tub. Shots of the spiraling staircase are shown,
giving the feeling of a vast space between the characters. Matt sets up his lonely post in the basement.
Monet drinks vodka alone in her room. Lee walks down the hallway. A severely burned man passes behind her, she
senses but does not see the man.
Audrey leaves Rory to go take a shower. Shelby slinks behind her sister-in-law in the
kitchen to reach the basement. Once
downstairs, Shelby implores Matt to come and join her upstairs, noting they are
still married. Shelby is confident
staying in the house this time because there are so many people and cameras
watching. Matt disagrees, “It will
happen again, and this time, I don’t know if we will survive.”
Lee and her doppelganger have an awkward meeting in the
kitchen. Lee chides Monet for drinking
and doesn’t think they look alike. The
actress fires back, “You are the reason I’m drunk!” Monet thinks Lee is guilty of killing the
father of her child.
In the basement, Matt suggest to Shelby they just leave. There is a knock at the door, Matt’s
re-enactor Dominic has arrived. Matt wastes
no time confronting the man and soon there is a physical altercation. Rory and Lee enter the fray to separate the
two men. Shelby stares directly at a
camera, “Fuck you Sidney!”
Audrey showers but hears something and calls out for
Rory. Lee tends to her brother’s wounds
in the kitchen. Exiting the shower,
Audrey stares at her reflection in the steamed up mirror, she sees the Pig-Man
behind her. Audrey runs through the
house screaming, angry with Sid for “Sending someone to scare me!” Dominic hugs her and Rory goes back up to the
bedroom to investigate. Rory finds
nothing in the bathroom, and looks around the bedroom carefully. While inspecting the armoire, the murderous
nurses appear and murder Rory with knives.
Matt takes a video of something in a downstairs room; on the
wallpaper is the completed word “MURDER” in red spray paint. Matt enters the room where the re-enactors are
comforting Audrey. He tells them
cryptically, “’R’ is for Rory.”
It seems the final episodes will continue to play with these
notions of what is “real” and what is part of the “reality show.” The preview shows the characters declaring,
“This is real!” But at the same time, the viewer is shown that Sid is thrilled
with the “results” of the sequel. Were
the cast really murdered? Who do you
guess is the lone survivor of the season? (Lee or perhaps Matt?) Has the magic
ended this season now we’ve met the “Wizard behind the curtain?” Are we really
supposed to believe they would ever release footage of people being murdered
one by one? There are no ends to the
questions of reality and imagination in Roanoke.
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