'American Horror Stories' Season 2 Episode 5 Release Date, Title, and Cast

July 2024 · 4 minute read

Another installment of American Horror Stories heads to Hulu this week. The American Horror Story spinoff tells a different tale with every episode, and many fans are hooked on the second season. And though AHS is notorious for keeping episode details under wraps until they premiere, the show has dropped a few hints about the next episode’s plot and its cast. Here’s what we know about American Horror Stories Season 2 Episode 5, plus a recap of episode 4.

[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for American Horror Stories Season 2 Episode 4, “Milkmaids.”]

‘American Horror Stories’ Season 2 Episode 4 recap: ‘Milkmaids’

The latest episode of American Horror Stories puts heavy emphasis on the gross factor. Season 2 episode 4, “Milkmaids,” takes viewers back to New England in 1757. Smallpox is a dangerous killer, and the people of a small village will do anything to stop it. Celeste (Julia Schlaepfer), a milkmaid and prostitute, has developed several smallpox boils but hasn’t gotten sick. She believes the pus from her boils has a healing power from Saint Lazarus. According to Celeste, all the men who have fed on her boils (yes, really) have also survived smallpox and became immune to the disease.

During an appointment with the new pastor, Pastor Walter (Seth Gabel), Celeste tries to convince him of her healing powers. He’s not buying it, but he has an equally sick smallpox cure of his own: cannibalism. He turns the town against Celeste and convinces them that eating the hearts of the dead will keep everyone safe.

While hiding from the angry townsfolk in a barn, Celeste meets a kind woman named Delilah (Addison Timlin). The two fall in love, and Delilah starts believing that Celeste’s boil pus may have a scientific reason for its healing properties. She eventually discovers that it’s actually bloody cow’s milk that could be healing. Unfortunately, the men would rather keep eating hearts than believe anything a milkmaid has to say.

Pastor Walters goes after Celeste and ends up getting killed. Viewers also learn from Thomas (Cody Fern), the husband of a woman who died of smallpox, that Celeste is the biological mother to his son, Edward (Ian Sharkey). He wants to protect Celeste until he sees her kissing Delilah. Celeste is the last one standing after another altercation. She goes to be with her son, but he ends up killing her and eating her heart because “nothing is so unclean as a woman who lives with beasts.”

‘American Horror Stories’ Season 2 Episode 5 release date and title

The next episode of American Horror Stories will premiere on Thursday, Aug. 18. As always, Hulu will release season 2 episode 5 at 12 a.m. PT, which converts to 3 a.m. for viewers on the east coast. And if the title of the episode is any indication, fans may not want to watch this one in the middle of the night.

According to IMDb, American Horror Stories Season 2 Episode 5 is called “Bloody Mary.” Aside from being a refreshing tomato juice cocktail, Bloody Mary is also the name of a folk tale and a game commonly played at sleepovers. According to legend, a spirit named Bloody Mary appears in a mirror in a dark room when someone chants her name three times. Depending on the version of the tale, the spirit may have a deadly interaction with the chanter.

Given American Horror Stories’ reputation for big twists, “Bloody Mary” will likely show an altered version of the legend, as it did in episode 3. Fans will have to tune in to find out what the story holds.

‘AHS’ Installment 2 Episode 5 cast list

American Horror Stories shared the cast list for episode 5 on Wednesday, as seen in the tweet above. It looks like there won’t be any American Horror Story alumni in this installment. However, the episode does include some known stars, such as Dominique Jackson of Pose and Quvenzhané Wallis of Annie and Black-Ish. Other cast members include Raven Scott, Kyla Drew, and Kyanna Simone.

New episodes of American Horror Stories drop every Thursday on Hulu.

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