THE WALKING DEAD has really learned how to master the pre-credit sequence. No exception, “Hounded” sets the tone from the word “go”. Merle and some good ol’ boys from Woodbury are on a hunt for Michonne and as they discover, Michonne is hunting back. She gives them the straight up Viet Cong guerrilla treatment, first with a message written in downed walkers and then a brutal ambush where she takes down half the hunting party with her katana. Merle does manage to wound her, but it’s beyond clear she isn’t helpless prey.

The swooping highs and lows of this series–often within the same episode—would of course lead to the Anne Frank two-parter differing greatly in quality. Taking in stride the lackluster and ludicrous first half (aside from Lana’s supremely tough aversion therapy), AMERICAN HORROR STORY aired one of its best episodes in “I Am Anne Frank, Part 2,” a tale in which almost our entire main ensemble got out of Briarcliff and into much worse circumstance.

There was a panic in the fan community of THE WALKING DEAD when it was revealed showrunner Frank Darabont and several writers were not going to be continuing on the show. Would it rise or fall without them? Five episodes into season three and I think the question has definitively been answered.

Proving to be AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM’s most focused, unrelenting episode yet, “Nor’easter” saw two storms hit Briarcliff, and bring all manner of violent shame with them. Sister Mary Eunice, now with the Devil in her, takes command of the proceedings as the asylum prepares for some hellish weather. Everyone else, dissolved into chaos. Guilt! Shame! Sacrifice!

Everybody was psyched up to see what happens next at the prison, especially more of Rick’s continued slide down a dangerous slope. Instead, they pulled the rug out from under us and gave us an episode which focused entirely on Andrea and Michonne.

A comparatively minor episode in light of its packed premiere “Tricks and Treats” still managed to be everything both wonderful and frustrating about AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM. The second outing sought to fit an exorcism, a blackout, revealing kinks, additional bare behinds, more clumsily delivered exposition/social commentary and best of all, begin its slow reveal that Lily Rabe is, in fact, the Kate Mara of this season. That is to say, the main reason for watching.

It remains to be seen if Kit Walker’s encounter with that one, grotesquely overlong extraterrestrial hand was in fact the result of neuroses, but with one season of AMERICAN HORROR STORY behind—and considering all they crammed into one house of horrors there—the premiere of AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM certainly felt in line with the tone and energy Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk hath previously set.