"At its core, Se7en is a gripping crime-psychological thriller that dips into the realm of neo-noir with a chilling horror undertone, thanks to its grotesque body counts and a menacing, elusive killer. While it has been frequently compared to the 1980 film Cruising, particularly in the latest season of American Horror Story, which often mirrors the movie scene for scene, its closest kin may be Fincher's 1995 masterpiece. Both share a common thread of moral decay in NYC, where a murderer's work symbolizes a larger, metaphorical project. However, with the demise of the Mai Tai Killer, the season now has a brief respite to breathe new life into its narrative.
While being reminiscent of Se7en is not a negative thing – the storyline surrounding the Mai Tai Killer was indeed captivating – his arc may have reached its natural conclusion. As the seventh episode opens with Patrick, Gino, and Henry trapped in the killer's lair, it was either them or Mai Tai who had to go. In those few moments before his demise, Mai Tai sheds more light on the purpose of his creation, The Sentinel. It's not just an aesthetic Frankenstein's monster but a functional one that he believes will come to life. The thought of this vision being realized was almost bittersweet in his passing.
Later in the episode, Gino writes an op-ed for the paper, where we get a glimpse into his fantasized version of what The Sentinel could have accomplished. He envisions it defending a homeless man from random attackers, saving a sex worker from a corrupt cop, and beating a hypocritical politician who calls for criminalizing homosexuality despite his own indulgence. The addition of The Sentinel as an actual character would have been a fruitful and satisfying contribution to the season, adding to the AHS-y vibe. I hold out hope that we haven't seen the last of him.
Nevertheless, with Mai Tai's death, the season now focuses on unraveling the mysteries of the illness and Big Daddy. Episodes seven and eight hint at their deep connection, though how exactly they are linked remains unclear. Hannah reveals to Adam that half of those who have presented symptoms have disappeared, including Adam's roommate who went missing early in the show when we first saw Big Daddy. Whether it's Big Daddy or the illness that's responsible, it doesn't bode well for most characters in the show who don't already have at least one symptom.
Yet, few seem genuinely concerned about their own mortality except perhaps Hannah. Gino is concerned about his life and safety but for other reasons. Episode eight takes us to Fire Island, where Gino and Patrick had booked a vacation home and planned to enjoy themselves. However, upon arrival, Gino is unable to keep his commitment and is instead paralyzed by the sense that things still aren't right despite Mai Tai being dead. 'Fear is an indicator that something is wrong,' he pleads to Patrick. This itself is one of the season's compelling through-lines: the lingering and unplaceable sense of dread and doom that has been present from the very start. The anticipation is almost worse than whatever 'thing' is coming – the fear itself is unraveling them just as much as their actual reality."
