DISCLAIMER: This recap of the NOS4A2 episode “The House of Sleep” is rife with spoilers galore. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Welcome back, horror fanatics! NOS4A2 returned with its best episode to date. While it took a few episodes to cement us in the world of Vic McQueen, NOS4A2 has catapulted the action to new heights. The stakes (vampire pun intended) are higher, there’s less exposition and more scenes meant to maintain story momentum. Cummings was exceptional in this episode, and Quinto continued to establish himself as a formidable villain.
Alright, ready to delve into “The House of Sleep?” Let’s get to it.
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We open with a flashback: young Bing Partridge is enjoying his family Christmas in 1978. His father gifts him with a gas mask, so now we’re privy to the origins of said infamous mask. Bing’s father ridicules him, exclaiming that his mother will make Bing “soft.” The two pretend to play soldiers while Bing’s mother also participates. Flash forward a few years (maybe more) and we see an older Bing attaching Christmas lights via nail gun outside his house. His father continues to hurl insults at him. Suddenly, in a fit of rage, Bing shoots a nail squarely into his father’s forehead. His father instantly drops dead. Bing’s mother discovers the pair after Bing drags his father’s lifeless body into the garage. Thus begins a life rife with trouble.
Now, we’re in the present. Vic (Ashleigh Cummings) is standing outside Haley’s house in utter shock. The police are gathered round it. Maggie (Jahkara Smith) pulls up in her van. The medium cites the Wraith aka Charlie Manx as the perpetrator, the one who kidnapped Haley. Vic hops on her bike and channels her inscape – otherwise known as The Shorter Way bridge. As she speeds through the tunnel, Vic spots “The House of Sleep” scrawled on the side in neon green paint. She winds up in none other than Bing’s (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) front yard. Bing greets her from his porch, very much confused as to how she pinpointed his house. Vic feigns mistaking his home for Craig’s and proceeds to flee.
After Vic leaves, Bing retreats inside and brings a plate of Christmas sugar cookies downstairs for his new guest – Haley’s mother. She’s bound to a shabby recliner. He fastens the gas mask to his face and gases his victim.
Next, we see Manx (Zachary Quinto) speeding through his magical, snow-covered thoroughfare. Haley (Darby Camp) awakens in his backseat. Initially, she’s reticent to reveal anything she knows about The Shorter Way. Manx informs her that he’s whisking her off to Christmasland, a pitch perfect paradise for all children. After showing her a handful of tricks and regaling her with a story of his youth, Manx successfully weasels a name out of Haley. Haley reveals that Vic is the one who summons The Shorter Way. Manx decides to take a detour. Uh oh. Haley made a boo boo.
Meanwhile, Vic returns from her trip to Bing’s house. We see the bridge disappear once again. She informs Maggie of her findings, but she’s hesitant to name Bing as a kidnapper. Not sweet, innocent Bing! However, Maggie cites that Bing could be the Wraith’s lackey. Vic speeds back to her mother Linda’s (Virginia Kull) house. Linda takes her daughter in, notably worried after discovering Vic’s red and irritated eyes. She ushers Vic to her room and orders her daughter to rest.
Later, Maggie calls her sheriff friend from a library in Haverhill. She reveals that the Wraith has taken another young victim. Maggie urges him to file an Amber alert for said new victim. However, her sheriff friend doesn’t have police jurisdiction in Massachusetts. Makes sense.
Next, we see Craig (Dalton Harrod) arrive at Linda’s house to check on Vic. Linda shoos him away, under the impression that the pair are toking it up in the woods, hence Vic’s red eyes. Linda, don’t you know that marijuana is practically harmless compared to other considerably harsher drugs? Later, Vic reemerges after a good nap and grills her mother on her tumultuous relationship with Chris. When did Vic’s father start hitting Linda? Linda reveals a good point that we’d all be remiss to forget – everyone is good and bad. Humans are a morally gray race. Kull’s performances thus far have been subtly nuanced, proving that less really is more.
Then, after Linda leaves for work, Vic scoops up some of her comic books and makes a break for Bing’s house. Bing is hesitant to allow her inside but he does anyway. Bing is acting peculiar – more so than usual. He bestows Vic with vague answers, nervously twitches and tries to hide anything “unseemly” that’s out in the open. Vic reveals that he has a handful of her comic books and she’d like them back. He wanders outside to his car. Vic utilizes the brief respite to scurry down to Bing’s basement. However, Bing catches her before she can find anything incriminating…like a body. Vic withdraws her pocket knife and braces herself for action. Suddenly, the phone rings. Bing picks up the receiver and reveals that Manx would like to speak with her. Finally, our leads meet!
Now, Vic demands to know where Haley is. Manx reassures her that Haley is in perfect condition, although we see that the young girl is steadily weakening as Manx regains his youthful glow. Manx wants to inquire further of Vic’s inscape, and offers to meet her in person. Vic eagerly accepts said offer, hoping that she can snatch Haley back from the villainous Wraith. Vic flees Bing’s home after the phone call. Now time to hunt for Haley’s mother, which Bing alluded to as “dirty.” That’s not creepy or anything.
Next, we see another flashback of young Bing immediately after he kills his father. Bing’s mother is cradling her son, comforting him. Suddenly, he tries to kiss her. Oedipal complex, much? Bing emerges from the garage after, presumably, doing very naughty and unspeakable things to his mother. Yes, NOS4A2 went there. He proceeds to shoot her in the head with his trusty nail gun.
Meanwhile, Vic uses her inscape to find Haley’s mother buried in a plot in a field. We see she too has a nail protruding from her forehead. Bing’s signature death move. Vic falls to her knees and sobs. Now, Manx and Haley make a pit stop at a convenience store. Manx proceeds to clean the store out of their pine seeds. He’s a twisted Saint Nick, and Christmas isn’t Christmas without pine trees. The cashier receives an Amber alert regarding a missing girl – Haley.
Next, a woman outside the store also receives the alert and finds Haley in the backseat of Manx’s car. She attempts to elicit the young girl from said car, but Haley is now fully vampire thanks to Manx. She pulls the unsuspecting woman inside the car and feasts on her. It’s eating time! Manx returns to his car and looks like a proud papa as he leaves Haley to her human meal.
Later, Vic is sitting in the backseat of an ambulance as police and news vans surround the plot where Haley’s mother is buried. Linda gently ushers Vic into her car to take her home. Prior to her leaving the scene, Vic locks eyes with Maggie and the two exchange a knowing glance. The Wraith is at work here. We see Bing watching the breaking news in his home, realizing that his victim has been discovered. He begins to panic. Linda returns her daughter to Chris (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). Chris attempts to comfort his daughter, but words are not his strong suit. He reassures Vic that she’s safe with him, and he’ll do all he can to protect her. Vic is not hopeful that the police will track down Bing/Manx.
Now, Manx pulls up to what appears to be a Christmas wonderland. Well, Christmasland, to be exact. It’s a splash of brights reds and greens, twinkling lights and joyful displays of the holiday season. Haley and Manx emerge from his car. He deposits her at Christmasland and gives her free reign to wander as she pleases. He reassures her that she’ll have plenty of friends in Christmasland.
Of course Manx, on the other hand, has other affairs on his mind. We see Daniel (Asher Miles Fallica) greet Haley as the great doors of Christmasland open. He too is looking quite vampire-esque. Daniel presents Haley with a beautifully wrapped box containing a pair of scissors. “They’re for Scissors for the Drifter,” he reveals. It’s a game that he plans to teach Haley. This game sounds very murderous and macabre. Here’s hoping we see it in action.
RELATED: Read All NOS4A2 Recaps Here
NOS4A2 is finally hitting its stride. It’s been slow-going, but I feel “The House of Sleep” will act as a catalyst for the remainder of the season. Notably, Vic and Manx interacting for the first time. My hope is that we’ll get more backstory for Manx in future episodes. His past is shrouded in mystery save for the childhood memory he divulged to Haley. I also hope that the writers will find a way to integrate Vic’s parents into the overarching story without relying on the “troubled home” crutch. It’s an angle that’s starting to wear out its welcome. Perhaps they discover Vic’s abilities, or Manx puts them in danger. Regardless, I’m curious to see how it all unfolds.
Do you think Vic and Manx will meet face-to-face in the next episode? Will we see more of Christmasland? What steps will Vic take to find Haley? Join me next week as I recap NOS4A2, here on Geek Girl Authority.
NOSA42 airs Sundays at 10pm on your AMC affiliate.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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