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* The50s: This season takes place in 1952.



* TheFifties: This season takes place in 1952.



* SeeminglyWholesomeFiftiesGirl: The women at the Tupperware party. They are discussing the wonders of Tupperware... as well as their husbands' PTSD. While one of them is getting fingered in the other room one at a time.

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* SeeminglyWholesomeFiftiesGirl: SeeminglyWholesome50sGirl: The women at the Tupperware party. They are discussing the wonders of Tupperware... as well as their husbands' PTSD. While one of them is getting fingered in the other room one at a time.
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Disambiguated.


* DaylightHorror:
** Twisty attacks his victims both at night and in broad daylight.
** Notably, Dandy's final act of retribution is [[spoiler:to shoot each and every last freak in the head]], also in broad daylight, all while [[TranquilFury calmly walking around the camp]] and [[SoundtrackDissonance humming]] "[[Theatre/TheNutcracker The Nutcracker Suite]]."

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renamed


* QuestionableCasting: InUniverse example. Dell tried to make it big by having Ethel perform Shakespeare's plays. As you can imagine, the part of Juliet as played by a bearded lady with a thick Baltimore accent wasn't something many people were interested in.



* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: InUniverse example. Dell tried to make it big by having Ethel perform Shakespeare's plays. As you can imagine, the part of Juliet as played by a bearded lady with a thick Baltimore accent wasn't something many people were interested in.

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* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: InUniverse example. Dell tried to make it big by having Ethel perform Shakespeare's plays. As you can imagine, the part of Juliet as played by a bearded lady with a thick Baltimore accent wasn't something many people were interested in.
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crosswicked childish villain mature hero

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* ChildishVillainMatureHero:
** Elsa Mars is a WhiteDwarfStarlet and AntiHero, but she's also a responsible businesswoman who [[AFatherToHisMen genuinely cares]] about the "freaks" in her Cabinet of Curiosities, treating them with respect and kindness even as she uses them to pursue her dreams of fame. Her opposite number, Stanley, works as an agent for another freak show, the Museum of Morbid Curiosities, but he's a petty, scheming man who sees freaks as toys to be collected rather than human beings, to the point where he's out to kill and stuff as many as possible just to make a quick buck. He also resorts to blackmail and mind games to get the freaks to work for him, while Elsa, though slightly underhanded, offers the freaks a good home and is transparent about her plans.
** The ultimate trio of heroes for the season--conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler, "lobster boy" Jimmy Darling, and Desiree Dupree--are mature, responsible people with dreams of building a better life outside of the freak show. They're also hard workers who take their jobs in the show seriously and help to protect the other freaks, especially those who can't help themselves. By contrast, BigBad Dandy Mott is the very definition of a PsychopathicManchild: he lives in a gigantic playroom full of toys, has a mother who [[SpoiledBrat endlessly pampers him]], and thinks that his money allows him to do whatever he wants without any consequences, including trying to buy Bette and Dot to be his personal girlfriends (apparently not realizing that you can't ''buy people'').
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* TerrorAtMakeOutPoint: Twisty attacks a young couple, killing the boyfriend and kidnapping the girl while they're making out during their picnic.

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Death By Sex is no longer a trope per this TRS thread Zero Context Examples and examples that do not fit existing tropes will be deleted.


* DeathBySex: Twisty’s first on-screen victim is a young man who is about to have sex with his girlfriend. [[spoiler: Said girlfriend is then taken prisoner by Twisty.]]


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* SexSignalsDeath: Twisty’s first on-screen victim is a young man who is about to have sex with his girlfriend. [[spoiler: Said girlfriend is then taken prisoner by Twisty.]]
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* AluminumChristmasTrees: [[http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/from-the-archives-edward-mordake-poor-edward/ Edward Mordrake was not invented for the show]].
** Also present in the most literal of senses for the episodes around Christmas, given the era in which the show is set.
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Nice Hat is no longer a trope


* NiceHat: This being the 50s, many characters have a requisite NiceHat.
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TRS cleanup


* AbsenteeActor: Not anywhere near as bad as ''Coven'', but the main cast was introduced over the first three episodes, and consequently Dell and Desiree did not appear in the pilot, and Stanley and Maggie did not appear in the first two episodes. Also, the eighth episode did not feature Creator/SarahPaulson, notable only because it's the first episode since the ''first season finale'' in ''2011'' in which she does not appear.
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** Creator/JohnCarrollLynch is [[Series/{{Carnivale}} once again tangling with a travelling show.]] Similarly, [[Film/{{Zodiac}} it's not the first time that he (allegedly) preyed after couples on picnic retreats]].

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** Creator/JohnCarrollLynch is [[Series/{{Carnivale}} once again tangling with a travelling show.]] Similarly, [[Film/{{Zodiac}} [[Film/Zodiac2007 it's not the first time that he (allegedly) preyed after couples on picnic retreats]].
Tabs MOD

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Kill Em All was renamed Everybody Dies Ending due to misuse. Dewicking


* EverybodyDiesEnding: [[spoiler: In the finale, Dandy enacts ritual execution of all the freaks. The only survivors are Pepper, The Twins, Jimmy, and Desiree, with the last four killing Dandy themselves]].



* KillEmAll: [[spoiler: In the finale, Dandy enacts ritual execution of all the freaks. The only survivors are Pepper, The Twins, Jimmy, and Desiree, with the last four killing Dandy themselves]].
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Dewicked trope


* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: This season has the largest cast of characters to date.
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* NightmarishNursery: Dandy Mott is so coddled by his mother that his room at the Mott estate is essentially an adult-sized nursery where he plays with his toys. Already disconcerting on its own, it becomes steadily creepier when Gloria brings Twisty the clown home to entertain her son. [[spoiler: Later, Dandy butchers Gloria and an unfortunate Avon lady, then sews them into a life-sized marionette and makes it perform for him in the nursery.]]

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* MoodWhiplash: While never PlayedForLaughs, Dandy's childish and evil nature, and Gloria's borderline ridiculous attempts to deny that there's anything wrong with her son are so over-the-top that it makes him sometimes fall into LaughablyEvil territory...then "Blood Bath" happens, in which Gloria acts much more realistically like the parent of a mentally unstable person. [[spoiler: Dealing with Dandy has turned her into a chain-smoking nervous wreck, and by the episode's end, she appears to have completely lost her will to live, as she just stands there and allows Dandy to kill her.]]



* RealityEnsues: While never PlayedForLaughs, Dandy's childish and evil nature, and Gloria's borderline ridiculous attempts to deny that there's anything wrong with her son are so over-the-top that it makes him sometimes fall into LaughablyEvil territory...then "Blood Bath" happens, in which Gloria acts much more realistically like the parent of a mentally unstable person. [[spoiler: Dealing with Dandy has turned her into a chain-smoking nervous wreck, and by the episode's end, she appears to have completely lost her will to live, as she just stands there and allows Dandy to kill her.]]
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* BigBadEnsemble: Though they do not interact and only share a single non-speaking scene together, [[PsychopathicManchild Dandy]] and [[ConMan Stanley]] are the only two villains shown to be unambiguously evil, and who never seek redemption.

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* BigBadEnsemble: Though they do not interact and only share a single non-speaking scene together, [[PsychopathicManchild Dandy]] and [[ConMan Stanley]] are the only two villains shown to be unambiguously evil, and who never seek redemption. [[spoiler: Stanley is a DiscOneFinalBoss in the penultimate episode, while Dandy takes over the show and massacres the performers.]]
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[[ProductionPosse Returning cast members include]] Creator/JessicaLange, Creator/SarahPaulson, Evan Peters, Creator/FrancesConroy, Creator/DenisOHare, Emma Roberts, Creator/AngelaBassett, and Creator/KathyBates, with guest appearances by ''AHS'' alumni Creator/GaboureySidibe, Jamie Brewer, Creator/LilyRabe, Naomi Grossman, and Mare Winningham. New cast members are Creator/MichaelChiklis, Creator/JohnCarrollLynch, and Creator/FinnWittrock, with Patti [=LaBelle=], Creator/MattBomer, Creator/NeilPatrickHarris and Creator/WesBentley as guest stars that would appear throughout the season.

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[[ProductionPosse Returning cast members include]] Creator/JessicaLange, Creator/SarahPaulson, Evan Peters, Creator/FrancesConroy, Creator/DenisOHare, Emma Roberts, Creator/AngelaBassett, and Creator/KathyBates, with guest appearances by ''AHS'' alumni Creator/GaboureySidibe, Jamie Brewer, Creator/LilyRabe, Naomi Grossman, and Mare Winningham. New cast members are Creator/MichaelChiklis, Creator/JohnCarrollLynch, and Creator/FinnWittrock, with Patti [=LaBelle=], Music/PattiLaBelle, Creator/MattBomer, Creator/NeilPatrickHarris and Creator/WesBentley as guest stars that would appear throughout the season.
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* CerebusCallBack: Dandy's puppet show in the second episode is rather comedic. However, his interest in puppetry as well as his line, "I like ''real'' puppets," [[spoiler: serve to set up a horrifying scene in a later episode where he turns his mother's corpse into a [[DeadGuyPuppet giant marionette puppet with Penny's head sewn on next to hers to make her resemble Dot and Bette.]].]]

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* CerebusCallBack: Dandy's puppet show in the second episode is rather comedic. However, his interest in puppetry as well as his line, "I like ''real'' puppets," [[spoiler: serve to set up a horrifying scene in a later episode where he turns his mother's corpse into a [[DeadGuyPuppet giant marionette puppet with Penny's an unnamed lady's head sewn on next to hers to make her resemble Dot and Bette.]].]]
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* TarAndFeather: The fate of [[spoiler: Penny's father.]] While the freaks chose not to kill him after, the way they tar and feather [[spoiler: his head, neck, and groin]] means he may well die from the wounds anyway.

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* TarAndFeather: TarAndFeathers: The fate of [[spoiler: Penny's father.]] While the freaks chose not to kill him after, the way they tar and feather [[spoiler: his head, neck, and groin]] means he may well die from the wounds anyway.
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Not sure whose head it actually was, change if it's incorrect


* CerebusCallBack: Dandy's puppet show in the second episode is rather comedic. However, his interest in puppetry as well as his line, "I like ''real'' puppets," [[spoiler: serve to set up a horrifying scene in a later episode where he turns his mother's corpse into a [[DeadGuyPuppet giant marionette puppet]].]]

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* CerebusCallBack: Dandy's puppet show in the second episode is rather comedic. However, his interest in puppetry as well as his line, "I like ''real'' puppets," [[spoiler: serve to set up a horrifying scene in a later episode where he turns his mother's corpse into a [[DeadGuyPuppet giant marionette puppet]].puppet with Penny's head sewn on next to hers to make her resemble Dot and Bette.]].]]
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** Dandy's "I'm surrounded by amateurs!" line is a shoutout to ''Disney/TheLionKing''

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** Dandy's "I'm surrounded by amateurs!" line is a shoutout to ''Disney/TheLionKing''''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994''
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Addition of "Candy Striper" to Tropes List

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* CandyStriper: In the first episode, Elsa Mars enters the hospital where Bette and Dot are being treated under the pretense that she's looking for her sick aunt. She charms information on the twins' room from a Candy Striper named Penny, inviting Penny to visit the show. Elsa then infiltrates the secure wing having disguised herself as a Candy Striper (complete with uniform, goody-cart, and balloons).
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[[caption-width-right:350:''Freak Show'' cast.[[note]]From the top, left to right: [[ConjoinedTwins Bette & Dot Tattler]], [[ConMan Stanley]], [[GirlsWithMoustaches Ethel Darling]], [[MultiBoobage Desiree Dupree]], [[MyBelovedSmother Gloria Mott]], [[WorldsStrongestMan Dell Toledo]], [[ItsAllAboutMe Elsa Mars]], [[IJustWantToBeNormal Jimmy Darling]][[/note]]]]

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[[caption-width-right:350:''Freak Show'' cast.[[note]]From [[caption-width-right:350:Come one, come all, for the fright of your life![[note]]From the top, left to right: [[ConjoinedTwins Bette & Dot Tattler]], [[ConMan Stanley]], [[GirlsWithMoustaches Ethel Darling]], [[MultiBoobage Desiree Dupree]], [[MyBelovedSmother Gloria Mott]], [[WorldsStrongestMan Dell Toledo]], [[ItsAllAboutMe Elsa Mars]], [[IJustWantToBeNormal Jimmy Darling]][[/note]]]]
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* BloodyHorror: Dandy's [[spoiler: murder of Andy in Episode 5]] certainly counts, as he [[spoiler: first repeatedly stabs him, shooting blood everywhere, and then cuts his arms (and presumably the rest of his limbs) off and dumps them in an acid filled bathtub. The way Dandy rises up at the end makes even his blood-spattered tighty-whiteys a little frightening.]]

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* BloodyHorror: Dandy's [[spoiler: murder of Andy in Episode 5]] certainly counts, as he [[spoiler: first repeatedly stabs him, shooting blood everywhere, and then cuts his arms (and presumably the rest of his limbs) off and dumps them in an acid filled bathtub. The way Dandy rises up at the end makes even his blood-spattered tighty-whiteys tighty-whitey briefs a little frightening.]]



** There is also [[spoiler: Dandy being in his tighty-whiteys with Andy. The scene immediately turns to FanDisservice when Dandy starts killing Andy and is covered in his blood.]] Not that there probably weren't some people who felt that was straight fanservice...

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** There is also [[spoiler: Dandy being in his tighty-whiteys tighty-whitey briefs with Andy. The scene immediately turns to FanDisservice when Dandy starts killing Andy and is covered in his blood.]] Not that there probably weren't some people who felt that was straight fanservice...

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* TheFreakshow

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* TheFreakshow{{Foreshadowing}}:
** When Maggie pretends to read Elsa's future in her crystal ball, she tells her that a suave-looking man will come along, see her performance, and make her a star. In the finale, said man turns out to be [[spoiler:Edward Mordrake, who kills Elsa during her performance. And after she dies, she becomes the star she dreamed of being in the afterlife]].
** When Maggie reads Jimmy's palms, she tells him that if he leaves the Freak Show, he'll end up having a happy life, but sadly, Maggie won't be in it. In the finale, [[spoiler:Jimmy [[EarnYourHappyEnding earns his happy ending]] married to the Twins, while Maggie dies in the penultimate episode]].
** In "Edward Mordrake, Part 2," Dandy tries to saw Maggie in half after trapping her in a box. [[spoiler:Guess how she dies in "Show Stoppers"?]]
* TheFreakshow: The main premise revolves around a traveling freak show trying to survive in a prejudiced community.
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* ProstheticLimbReveal: Elsa Mars, the seemingly only non-freak in the titular show, is revealed several episodes in to have two prosthetic legs that she hides. They were hacked off in a snuff film she was "cast" in and the amputation was intended to kill her.

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* ProstheticLimbReveal: Elsa Mars, the seemingly only non-freak in the titular show, is revealed several episodes in at the end of the first episode to have two prosthetic legs that she hides. They were hacked off in a snuff film she was "cast" in and the amputation was intended to kill her.
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** In ''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', and ''Coven'', Evan Peters plays characters who end up in a three-way relationship. Here, Creator/EvanPeters [[spoiler: ends up in a three-way relationship with the conjoined twins Bette and Dot.]]

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** In ''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Asylum'' and ''Coven'', Evan Peters plays characters who end up in a three-way relationship. Here, Creator/EvanPeters [[spoiler: ends up in a three-way relationship with the conjoined twins Bette and Dot.]]
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* BloodyHorror: Dandy's [[spoiler: murder of Andy in Episode 5]] certainly counts, as he [[spoiler: first repeatedly stabs him, shooting blood everywhere, and then cuts his arms (and presumably the rest of his limbs) off and dumps them in an acid filled bathtub. The way Dandy rises up at the end makes even his blood-spattered tightie-whities a little frightening.]]

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* BloodyHorror: Dandy's [[spoiler: murder of Andy in Episode 5]] certainly counts, as he [[spoiler: first repeatedly stabs him, shooting blood everywhere, and then cuts his arms (and presumably the rest of his limbs) off and dumps them in an acid filled bathtub. The way Dandy rises up at the end makes even his blood-spattered tightie-whities tighty-whiteys a little frightening.]]
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None


** There is also [[spoiler: Dandy being in his tighty-whities with Andy. The scene immediately turns to FanDisservice when Dandy starts killing Andy and is covered in his blood.]] Not that there probably weren't some people who felt that was straight fanservice...

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** There is also [[spoiler: Dandy being in his tighty-whities tighty-whiteys with Andy. The scene immediately turns to FanDisservice when Dandy starts killing Andy and is covered in his blood.]] Not that there probably weren't some people who felt that was straight fanservice...
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A reprisal is a retaliatory attack; this is now Role Reprise. It's also Trivia.


* RoleReprisal:
** Naomi Grossman returning as Pepper marks the first time on the show that an actor has played the same character in multiple seasons.
** In the tenth episode of the season, [[spoiler:Lily Rabe]] reprised [[spoiler:her]] role as [[spoiler:Sister Mary Eunice]].
** [[spoiler:John Cromwell]] reprised his role as [[spoiler:Young Hans Gruper]].

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