ACS Versace 2x04 - House by the Lake - My Thoughts
The 4th episode of ACS Versace was an incredibly sad and emotional episode. I came to care so much for David Madson, and though I knew he would be killed wished fervently he wouldn’t until the very end. As Andrew lay next to David’s slain body, I could stop the tears. I wanted to reach into my TV and physically move Andrew away. A very powerful episode.
Cody Fern was fantastic. I teared up during the scenes with his father, “the coffee with my son” touched me, the “I love you more than my life” made me want to weep. And that final scene, the minute they showed his father in the cabin, I knew David got shot. That scene was utterly heartbreaking. The writing, direction and Cody’s powerful acting, truly captured the kind of person David was; hardworking, kind, honorable and loving. Everything Andrew was not.
I’m glad they took the time to show David’s relationship with his dad. The cop telling his father that he would be surprised by what they found, not realizing that he already knew his son was gay and he still loved him more than his own life. I just want to cry. That poor man.
Another powerful scene that crushed me was the shower. The entire time David was shaking I felt it too. Andrew was so gentle one could almost describe him as caring. What a contrast from the man that was bashing in his friend’s face just minutes before. It’s truly unbelievable. I’m not kidding I was shaking for 20 minutes. You truly can never know a person. It’s terrifying.
The cops pissed me off so much this episode (as per usual it seems). I’m still shocked that they left a crime scene to go get a search warrant. They didn’t break into the apartment the owner of the complex opened the door with her keys, saw the body and then called them. Every episode we see so many mistakes made by the cops. I would love to hear people’s opinion on this. Was it homophobia? Were they just incompetent? What? I’m just…. They lost precious hours and the world lost David, Lee, William, and Gianni. That makes me want to cry too.
I know some folks are frustrated with the nonlinear story telling but I’m finding it fascinating. We already know he kills 5 people and some even know details. But by going backwards it’s like we are peeling the layers of why. We are not seeing Andrew descend into madness. He is already quite mad when we meet him, but each episode gives us more and more clues. It’s heightens the suspense. Plus, when I watch the scene such as Jeff’s mentioning his stolen gun, I nod yup that’s where he got the gun. Little pieces of the puzzle that won’t be complete until the final episode…because we are going backwards. Then Lee Miglin is mentioned in this episode and another puzzle piece snaps in place.
I’m going to take this moment to praise Darren’s brilliant acting. We saw so many faces of Andrew Cunanan in this episode. Andrew excited when they leave David’s place and as he turns on the car he is almost giddy like they were going on a fun road trip while David sits quietly crying and shaking next to him. WTF! Andrew crying at the restaurant then holding David’s hand tightly for comfort. Andrew singing in the car again and eating a sandwich – what is it with this guy? This is his first kill and he isn’t affected at all. How did he get this way? Andrew using homophobia as an argument why David shouldn’t call the cops then just pulling out the gun as his face goes from caring to deadly. Andrew talking about Mexico and the hotels, making more money than ever. Andrew eye’s menacing, threatening to run a woman off the road for glaring at David. He truly is a manipulative, lying sociopath.
I think David was right, Andrew hid in his lies. He hated when people figured him out or maybe it scared him? Either way it truly angered him when folks called him on his BS. I found it so interesting that he was trying to live the fantasy with David and scorned when Lee wanted the fantasy last week. Maybe that’s why he understood Lee’s need and that’s another reason he wanted to rid him of the fantasy by covering his face with tape, torturing and mutilating him. I wonder if he planned to kill David or if he really thought they could live together in Mexico. He obviously intended to kill Jeff, as he stole his gun to lure him there and then made David go answer the phone so he could attack immediately. It will be interesting to see if he went to Minneapolis to kill them or maybe the argument with David (they eluded to it) triggered his violence. I’m really looking forward to digging into the next few episodes.
Was Jeff the only face Andrew was looking at when he murdered? He shot David in the back, William and Gianni in the back of the head (well side of the head) and covered up Lee’s entire face before killing him. He also shot David in the eye. Jeff was unrecognizable when he got done bashing his face. He’s not just killing them, it’s like he wants to erase them, or erase a part of them. But Jeff and Lee were by far the most gruesome and violent.
I didn’t know how to feel during that restaurant scene. I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry or any real emotion towards Andrew. I mean maybe if the story was linear I might have felt something, but I recall all too clearly Jeff’s brutal murder, William’s senseless one, Lee’s mutilation and Gianni’s slaying. David is right there shaking in fear and anguish, his father is worried, I remember Marilyn’s pain, I’m thinking of William’s son who will never see his father and Antonio’s face so lost and alone. Yes, none of it has happened yet, but to me it has. Another interesting aspect of the non-linear story telling. It’s mindboggling to think about it.
The word disgrace was brought up this episode. It’s an ongoing theme in the series. Last week Andrew asked Lee which he feared more disgrace or death. And this week David feared that was how he would be remembered. What a completely heartbreaking episode.
