“Tapeworm,” the most excellent episode of American Horror Stories Season 3, centers on an ambitious model who jeopardizes her health in order to gain notoriety and appear on a Vogue cover. As the young woman begins to lose her sanity, the drama descends into sheer terror with graphic imagery. Lisa Rinna, who plays a heightened version of herself similar to Kim Kardashian in American Horror Story: Delicate, makes a surprise appearance at a model agency. tvacute.com has a recap on exactly what went down in AHStories Season 3 Episode 3 titled “Tapeworm.”
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In “Tapeworm,” the fashion and film industries come under the spotlight, exposing the harsh realities that artists—especially models—often become enmeshed in. The protagonist of the tale is Vivian Lee Finch (Laura Kariuki), a young woman from a small town who aspires to become a supermodel. Her quest for recognition brings her to the glamorous and cutthroat world of New York City modeling agencies, where the bar for beauty is not just set high but also deceptively high.
Vivian’s aspirations abruptly come to an end when she encounters the harsh reality of the business and her girth is scrutinized mercilessly. Here, the imposing Sheila Klein (Lisa Rinna)—the head of a well-known modeling agency—introduces herself and gives us a severe lesson in fat-shaming. The episode reveals the disturbing truth that looks frequently takes precedence over aptitude in this competitive society. No matter how hard you work or how good you are, if you fit the mold, you are in.
Vivian resorts to drastic means in her desperation to satisfy the unattainable standards of the profession. She goes to Dr. Thaddeus Lau (Rob Yang), a dubious character, for assistance, and he gives her a medication called Mondify. Although it’s initially prescribed as a diabetes drug, Dr. Lau writes an off-label prescription for it to aid in Vivian’s quick weight loss. However, this medicine is by no means a good answer. Its users become hollow as a result of its internal breakdown, reflecting the industry’s desire for mindless conformists.
Vivian’s miraculous metamorphosis results in a second audition with Sheila Klein. Sheila is impressed by her quick weight loss and signs her without hesitation. It becomes clear that conforming to unrealistic standards—rather than skill or hard work—is what drives success in the fashion industry. Vivian’s trip is a reflection of the exploitation and manipulation that frequently underlie the glamorous world of fashion.
But Vivian’s journey to fame takes an unexpected and terrifying turn. She returns to Dr. Lau after losing consciousness and breaking her nose during a picture shoot. She makes a startling discovery regarding her health at this point, namely that she has neuromuscular scoliosis. Vivian receives criticism from Dr. Lau, who foolishly prescribed Mondify without doing a complete medical checkup. He warns her that the drug may result in fatalities or blackouts.
Seeking a more natural alternative, Vivian begs Dr. Lau to help her continue her ascent to fame. Taking her request literally, Dr. Lau informs her about “Taenia Asiatica,” a real Asian tapeworm that can be found in both people and pigs. Though absurd, this hideous fix is her sole hope of preserving her dwindling beauty.
A living beast that feeds on her passions and greed, the tapeworm takes over her mind. Like the tapeworm’s ravenous desire to consume her from the inside out, Vivian develops jealousy and paranoia and is unable to share anything with her friends and coworkers. She becomes a living skeleton as a result of the terrifying metamorphosis, a long cry from her aspirations of becoming famous.
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Vivian has the chance to be on the cover of Vogue as her fixation with her own career and image spirals out of hand. The photo session is canceled since by the time she gets to the location, she has reduced in appearance to a mere skeleton. Her desire for fame has given way to an insatiable lust for wealth and power. In a few of months, he goes from being an optimistic nobody to a vengeful and terrifying somebody.
In a desperate attempt to be clear of the tapeworm, Vivian returns to Dr. Lau’s clinic. Despite his dubious medical methods, Dr. Lau offers her a way to extricate the tapeworm from her body. Vivian consumes the solution, which causes the tapeworm to expel itself. When she removes the parasite from her body, it is seen to be a massive creature—a terrifying sight that not only kills her but also poses a serious risk to anybody nearby. Following Vivian’s terrifying metamorphosis and subsequent demise due to the tapeworm, Heather Billings falls prey to this pernicious entity.
The tapeworm’s vicious cycle resumes when it meets Heather Billings (Hazel Graye), who, like Vivian, loses weight and gains self-assurance as a result of harboring the parasite. Heather’s look changes as she takes on the role of the tapeworm’s new host, displaying the same self-assurance and trimness that the profession requires. This metamorphosis is a reflection of the sneaky ways in which the fashion industry, like the tapeworm, preys on human avarice and desires.
Although Heather’s destiny is left unclear in the episode, it is hinted that she would eventually share Vivian’s terrible fate given the pattern that has been formed. The fashion industry’s never-ending cycle of ambition and sacrifice, where pursuing fame and beauty frequently comes at a high cost, is symbolized by the tapeworm.
In a world where talent is not as important as beauty and where pursuing recognition can have terrifying results, “Tapeworm” provides a sobering look at the price some people are ready to pay to succeed in the fashion industry. It serves as a sobering reminder that chasing rapid success in the absence of skill and diligence frequently results in a tragic demise.
Finally, “Tapeworm,” the third episode of American Horror Stories season three, explores the dark side of chasing popularity at any cost as well as the unpleasant realities of the fashion industry. The story serves as a warning about the cost of achievement and the fatal nature of unchecked ambition in a society where beauty frequently conceals terrible truths. You’ll come away from “Tapeworm” feeling uneasy since it questions our assumptions about the entertainment and fashion industries.
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