Grotesquerie Season 1 may have ended with a big twist and a push for a potential second season, but many questions were finally answered about Detective Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash-Betts) and her comatose visions.
After a twisted first go around with Lois, Megan Duval (Micaela Diamond), Marshall Tryon (Courtney B. Vance), Dr. Charlie Mayhew (Nicholas Alexander Chavez), Merritt (Raven Goodwin), Redd (Lesley Manville), and Ed (Travis Kelce), Season 1 came to a close by revealing that Lois’ terrifying dreams were coming to fruition in the form of horrific murders at the hands of an unidentified killer.
While Episode 7 (“Unplugged”) revealed Lois to have been in a coma for the entire show up until that point, it was Episode 10 (“I Think I’m Dead”) that showed viewers the Ryan Murphy series is far from fully revealing itself to the audience, especially when it comes to who is behind the crimes.
After following Lois and Sister Megan (the dream version of Detective Megan Duval) investigate a series of heinous murders throughout the first seven episodes — and unveiling Charlie and Megan to be the killers — viewers saw several of the crimes recreated in the final two installments, leading Lois to conclude that even after being awakened from the coma, she was still dreaming or in an “otherworld,” separate from reality.
Episode 9, “The Stinging Aroma of Sulfur,” featured a triple homicide that bore an uncanny resemblance to a murder from Lois’ dream state back in the first episode. The combination of that crime mixed with Marshall and Redd offering to shack up with her (throuple, anyone?) and Megan gaslighting her into believing they didn’t kill her abusive boyfriend, Justin (Spenser Granese), Lois checks herself into the hospital. The woman has been through it.
Inside, Dr. Witticomb (Santino Fontana) diagnoses her with Cotard’s Syndrome, also referred to as “walking corpse syndrome,” which occurs when a living person believes they are dead and not really experiencing the things happening around them.
It’s during her session with Dr. Witticomb accuses Lois of being the responsible party for the murder in Episode 9, saying that while “hundreds” of people have had access to the files in which she shares a recollection of her dreams and the Grotesquerie murders. His case: Occam’s Razor would point to her as the killer. What’s more, he doubts there has even been a triple homicide and claims that Lois is slowly losing her mind.
The combination of factors causes our heroine to surround herself with padded walls until Megan comes to the rescue and confesses that she lied to Lois and they did, in fact, kill Justin. Megan says she was trying to protect Lois from the repercussions of killing him but that she now has to come clean because something terrible has happened. Shock! While Dr. Witticomb managed to convince Lois that the triple homicide was in her head, Megan confirms that is not the case and they are really dealing with a serial killer who has struck again.
Megan takes Lois to a church where they look upon the horrific scene which features Dr. Charlie hung upon a cross and several unhoused individuals molded to form the spitting image of The Last Supper — another recreation from Lois’ dream.
So what does it all mean? Well, one of two things.
Either Lois is now a psychic with the ability to see into the future (less likely). Or that someone who Lois shared her dreams with is now acting out her worst nightmares as a way to call her out directly (more likely). On top of the recreation of the recreation of The Last Supper â how very Inception of you, Grotesquerie â the sickening art display also features Mary Colsby, a student who accused Marshall of sexual assault earlier in the finale. That accusation led him to a men’s rights group packed with just about every man who had come into contact with Lois throughout the season. We’re sure this will play a big role in Season 2 so keep this in mind.
At the scene of the crime, Lois triumphantly admits that she knows who the killer is and that the entire team should meet her in her office in an hour. Being that this proclamation came in the literal final moment of the episode, we will have to wait until FX gives the show a second season to get to the bottom of the case. We can predict, however, that it will probably not be the person we suspect the most, a.k.a. Marshall.
After attending the men’s rights group and seemingly getting his groove back following the sexual assault allegation and having his estranged wife and girlfriend both dump him, Marshall has the most motivation to commit such a crime. The incentive for killing Mary is obvious but maybe he killed Dr. Charlie for not unplugging Lois earlier and ending his suffering. It all seems too neat and tidy — this is a Ryan Murphy show, after all.
Grotesquerie Ending Explained: So, Who Is The Real Grotesquerie?
Truly, anyone could be the real Grotesquerie. Given that Murphy is keen on going for shock value, we would not be surprised if Lois is the mysterious murderer and Dr. Witticomb is right. I know what you’re thinking: Wasn’t Lois in the hospital when the killer created the devious Last Supper display? Sure, that’s what they want us to think.
Then again, maybe it’s Megan who is responsible and sees it as some sick and twisted way to help Lois get back out there, handing her a case only she can solve. Cards on the table? We have no clue and it’s possible not even the creators do, either! We do strongly believe, however, that Lois is now fully awake and reconciling with the horrors of her dreams.
Regardless, without a Grotesquerie Season 2 over on FX, we will have to wait to get the true answer as to the killer’s identity. As for whether or not that second season will happen, the jury is still out but it does seem like the cast is on board for more twisted tales.
Decider asked Diamond and Nash-Betts if they would ever want to come back for more if FX were to give them another season and they could not be more excited at the prospect.
“Would I ever? Yes, of course, I would want to come back. I feel like Iâm on a team with a bunch of star players, and Iâd love to keep playing,” Diamond shared.
“I would love to continue,” agreed Nash-Betts. “I have been hearing some things and so if we are lucky, we will get another go around and see what happens.”
All episodes of Grotesquerie Season 1 are currently streaming on Hulu.
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