Every week we’ll be recapping the newest episodes of “AHS: NYC.” Read at your own risk, spoilers ahead!

Episode 3: Smoke Signals

The third episode “Smoke Signals” picks up on the Downtown Native writer, Fran, and Dr. Hannah Wells having a late-night rendezvous at a diner. As an ex-lab assistant, Fran shared top-secret information about a mission code named “Operation Paperclip” — a 1952 post-World War II program where the U.S government employed Nazi scientists against Russians during the Red Scare. On Plum Island, they mixed animal diseases with human ones to target their enemies. Fran warned Hannah that the government has been experimenting on “golden oldies” such as homeless people, prisoners and drug addicts. 

A light bulb goes off in Hannah’s brain as she connects symptoms experienced by Operation Paperclip’s victims to the patients in her waiting room with mysterious skin rashes and parasitic stomach problems. Is this why the deer from the first episode collapsed on Fire Island? Fran encourages Hannah to report this information to the press since her life is on the line. But how will she present this situation without any scientific proof? Hannah must dig through countless amounts of research to present a clear case to the press. 

Another victim, Stewart, lands at the police station and reports last night’s captivity at Sam’s sadistic sex dungeon. He ended up in the dungeon after answering a pay phone outside a leather bar called The Ditch. Patrick confronts Sam at his apartment as his rich friends are snorting lines of cocaine with Blondie’s “Rapture” blasting in the background. Ryan Murphy’s abundant use of Blondie’s discography shines throughout this season and audiences are living for it!

Before Patrick investigates Sam’s sadistic tendencies, Sam threatens to expose his sexuality to the chief of police. Patrick backs down fearing that Sam’s willingness to out him could put his detective job at risk. Patrick’s attitude portrays how closeted gay men during the 1980s feared coming out during a vulnerable time with an influx of disappearances within the queer community. 

After Gino’s constant nudging, Patrick decides to investigate the mysterious payphone call and ends up at the same payphone next to The Ditch. Countless cigarettes later, he receives a phone call from Mr. Whiteley who sends him to an unspecified location. Instead of catching the killer, Patrick proceeds to cheat on Gino with the Mai Tai killer’s alleged worker dressed in leather bondage. That same night Patrick finds viral lesions on his bicep – perhaps as karma for lying to his lover? This infection indicates that the deer disease has officially infiltrated the main character’s circle! 

The narrative shifts to Adam’s point of view, where he’s invited to another members-only club with expensive gilded-framed paintings and stained glass windows. He is anonymously served a mai tai adorned with a red paper umbrella on top, indicating the impending doom that awaits him. It appears that the doors have been locked, which sends the crowd into a panicked frenzy. Adam notices Mr. Whiteley’s sinister-like hovering over the crowd. The doors open to “Big Daddy,” the leather-clad killer, who effortlessly throws a Molotov cocktail into the space with flames ravaging through the crowd. The collective screams emerging from the crowd send a chill down audiences’ spines, worried for who will make it out alive. 

The episode wraps up with an injured Adam and his photographer boyfriend, Theo, at the hospital awaiting answers about the arson incident. The fire only killed four people, which Murphy barely brushes on. Gino and Patrick chase Mr. Whiteley around the hospital floors like they’re in an endless labyrinth. He leads Gino into the morgue refrigerator room, where he traps him in a temperature-controlled steel drawer. In this scene, viewers are shaken up by Joe Mantello’s acting, as his eyes are filled with terror in an airless, soundproof space. His muffled screams are limited in this confined morgue drawer since nobody can hear him from a hundred yards away. 

Episode 4: Black Out

The fourth episode reveals an agitated Gino screaming for his dear life in the morgue fridge, kicking the door with all his strength. As predicted, Patrick arrives to the rescue and rolls an unconscious Gino out of the morgue fridge. The next day, Gino makes an appearance at Kathy Pizzazz bathhouse bars after hours. There is a determined Patti Lupone drag queen on stage, impersonating her iconic persona with her staple hairstyle, a brunette bob and her “Broadway” belting voice. The scene is quite funny and is the only comedic relief that exists in this catastrophic season so far. 

Gino confronts Patti’s character about her silence regarding the disappearances of gay men in the community, calling her a “false friend to our readers, the customers that you bleed dry.” He encourages her to speak out against police negligence and the growing silence around the vanishing of gay men. 

Patrick receives a call at the station about a rotting corpse at an apartment. He discovers the death of the mime, Hans, at the exclusive candle-lit party in episode 2. His discolored corpse has been rotting in the same bed for days with a trail of gorging rashes running down his body. Kudos should be given to the set designer and lighting director in this scene, as they emulated the unpleasantness in Hans’ bedroom with his clutter. There is a yellow hue portrayed in this scene, which signifies the looming hazard steering characters away from the decomposed body. 

With tensions rising around the murders, a blackout has swept over the city and invites more chaos to ensue. Can the main characters catch a break for once? Patrick receives a menacing phone call from Mr. Whiteley, insinuating that he’s using this blackout as an advantage to carry out his gruesome murders. Mr. Whiteley unfolds his villain origin story to Patrick, explaining why he’s wreaking havoc on New York City’s gay community in the first place. He was discharged from the military for his sexuality and names his murderous sprees as a way to honor the community. Huh, is that really all of it? Mr. Whiteley leads Patrick to his secret hiding spot in Central Park’s The Ramble — a popular cruising site for anonymous sexual encounters and an ideal murder ground for the Mai Tai killer. 

Patrick is face-to-face with “Big Daddy” who is swinging around a morning star weapon, aiming at his head then disappearing into the abyss. This leads to multiple fan theories surrounding Big Daddy’s persona, and what it means in Murphy’s universe of supernatural entities. He may just present himself as a non-human entity since he disappears often and never reveals his face. Could his persona represent the looming shame surrounding the gay community during the time? There is no definite answer to his significance in the season, and audiences are bewildered by the excessive amount of villains in this season. Hopefully, Murphy will have a chance to connect ties between all the villains in future episodes.