'Diabolical' - 666 Park Avenue, Season One

666 Park Avenue

Season One

Episode Six

'Diabolical' - 7.5

For four episodes there, this is kind of what 666 Park Avenue reminded me of. Are they being ironic?

After the wrath of Hurricane Sandy laid waste to the sets of the newest horror drama, the future of 666 Park Avenue is looking as bleak as the realm Gavin sends his traitorous colleague into - before decapitating him and delivering the head to his enemy. Honestly though, that would just make me sad, as 'Diabolical' actually brought the show that little step closer to actually proving that it is a GOOD show. There weren't any chills or any surprises, but there was a bit of suspense, some nice developments and a little acting magic that combined to make the episode almost as fun as last week's jarringly enjoyable instalment.

Much like American Horror Story, 666 Park Avenue is a loving testament to the horror movies of old, presenting the cold open as a pointless, but quite adequate redo of the famous Psycho shower scene. I was appreciative of the shot showing the slightly obscured axe-wielding psychopath moving towards Jane in the reflection of a shaving mirror, it was well done. We got a very similar sequence to that of the Psycho murder, if slightly stream-lined, and I was definitely impressed. The not-so-long-ago remake of the 1960 masterpiece showed that faithful frame-by-frame remakes kind of suck, so the beautiful montage that opening 'Diabolical' was a much more affectionate and praise-worthy. Even I can simply reshoot Psycho. 

I called it when I said that tonight would feature Jane's sanity coming into serious question, but I didn't realise the exact extent that that would go to. In just one episode she seems to lose Henry, gain a friend in a trusting and open-minded copper as well as discover her links to the ill-fated family from 1929. Turns out the little girl is her grandmother, which is no shock at all. In fact, I kind of assumed she worked that out a few episodes ago.

For Jane though, her storyline was improved by one thing; Rachel Taylor. For the first REAL time (screaming doesn't count) I can see why she was cast as the lead; she was damn good with Dave Annable as the two really fought and Henry eventually walked out. It had clearly been where the episode had been heading, and people outside of the relationship had been either intentionally or accidentally turning our heroes against each other. Henry's new advisor Laurel Harris worries that Jane will not be able to understand his ambitions, while one of the  detectives investigating the attempt on Jane sows seeds of doubt in her boyfriend's mind. This is of course aided by the fact that the Drake has hidden all evidence that the crime occurred, with even the dumbwaiter being made to look unusable. 

The theft of Gavin's box is handled as well as I hoped it would be, with the contents being hinted at being the soul of Olivia's abusive former lover. It isn't confirmed or anything though, all we know is that whatever is inside like sucked the essence out of the first guy who opened it, forcing the real big bad - Victor Shaw, one of Gavin's former victims I believe - to burn the resulting catatonic body, just as its eyes go funky. There is something very mysterious inside the box, something very powerful and very evil, and I am definitely excited to discover just what it is; if the show isn't axed.

The unfortunate fate of Gavin's colleague was enjoyable, with his soul at first doomed to traverse the never ending corridors of some hellish realm before Gavin simply shows up and cuts his head off, presenting it to Shaw as some warning. Honestly if I was the director I wouldn't have shown what was exactly in the gift box presented to the villain, because it was damn obvious. I guess that Shaw's reaction was worth it though, as all he did was give a very sly, confident smile as he looked at his co-conspirator's severed head. Very suitably creepy, and Nick Chinlund is very effective in the role, even if he is playing a typical, powerful and cold foil. He's still cool.

Perhaps the improvement in quality stemmed from the complete lack of Brian, Louise and Alexis, and the story managed to be more focused, with the main plots concerning only Jane and Gavin. Louise's dodgy doctor pal also gets some scenes to himself as he too falls prey to the Drake's conniving landlord and takes a $50,000 loan which he immediately squanders on a gambling habit. Unnecessary? Definitely, but he's forced allegiance to Gavin did put an old player back in the game, with Kandinsky apparently being freed by the manipulated doctor to help with Victor Shaw. This could be great, considering how unpredictable the Soviet maniac is.

So in the end 'Diabolical' didn't actually cause any sudden changes or make me shocked, as it was really an in-between episode that is sure to set up many massive plot developments down the line. Kandinsky's return will have violent implications for everyone, I'm sure, and now that we've met the perpetrator between the last episode's shenanigans Shaw will probably bring all kinds of hell down on the Drake, but I'm honestly more excited to see Gavin retaliating. He's already locked some guy in an eternal prison then chopped his head off, as well as releasing an unstoppable psychopath. Fun!