Fans Think American Horror Stories ‘Lake’ Has The Worst Ending

Key Takeaways

• Fans criticize the ending of “Lake” in American Horror Stories, finding Jeffrey’s passive response to the zombies odd.
• Viewers expected a more satisfying conclusion to the episode, questioning Erin and Finn’s lack of action against the evil threat.
• Despite a compelling setup involving a mysterious lake, the flat ending of “Lake” left fans disappointed and wishing for more.

Since its premiere in 2021, the horror anthology series American Horror Stories has revealed unexpected villains, investigated common tropes, and provided plenty of scares. Some episodes, like “Leprechaun,” are sad, and others are disturbing and unsettling. No matter what, fans know they’ll get at least a few surprises, whether there’s a good twist halfway through the episode or in the final shot.

Although viewers keep coming back for more creepy characters and storylines about monsters under the bed, strange robots, and an evil hospital (and that’s just the most recent season), there is one episode that stands out thanks to its awkward and unbelievable ending. Fans just can’t buy one American Horror Stories ending.

Why Fans Don’t Like The Ending Of The American Horror Stories Episode “Lake”

In a Reddit thread, fans talked about the disappointing ending of American Horror Stories season 2, episode 8, “Lake.” When Erin (Alicia Silverstone), her husband Jeffrey (Teddy Sears), and their daughter Finn (Olivia Rouyre) are spend time at their family lake house, Jeffrey shares that he is a member of the Prescott family. They realize that the zombies who live under the lake have been waiting to get revenge on Jeffrey since the Prescotts killed them and built a dam years ago. The zombies swarm Jeffrey and kill him, and Erin and Finn stand there looking shocked and sad.

While the ending of “The Thing Under The Bed” is dark, viewers have at least been given all the necessary information about the villain. They know Mary acts the way she does based on something that happened to her in the past. In “Lake,” Jeffrey simply allows the zombies to force him to drown, which seems odd. Redditor @ChelseaCola wrote that it’s strange that Jeffrey is so passive during this conclusion. The fan wrote:

“The dad didn’t even really fight in the end, as he was being dragged into the lake he was kinda just crowd surfing.”

Redditor @Shannonam agreed that the other characters should do more in this scary situation. They wrote, “imagine just standing there watching lake skeletons kidnap and kill your husband or father, and just accepting it without a fight.” The premise of “Lake” is as gripping as the American Horror Stories season 4 teaser as fans wanted to know why this lake is so mysterious and dangerous. But, unfortunately, the ending doesn’t deliver.

Redditor @kgal1298 expressed what many viewers feel: while the beginning and middle of the American Horror Stories episode “Lake” is compelling, the ending is flat. When streaming American Horror Stories, “Lake” stands out thanks to the beautiful setting. Fans expected to hear about secrets hidden at the bottom of the lake, and that’s exactly what happened. Learning that the Prescotts were evil when they built the town is a logical and satisfying way to wrap up the episode. But why did it end like this? Couldn’t Erin and Finn have fought the zombies even a little bit?

The Redditor shared how they felt about getting to the final scene:

“Okay I liked where it started because I think it’s fun to talk about underwater ghost towns, but it really ended on a thud.”

Redditor @stewaycol made a good point that speaks to the real problem with the American Horror Stories “Lake” ending: wouldn’t Jeffrey’s wife and kids know about his family background? It doesn’t make sense that the characters would have no idea that Jeffrey is a Prescott. Although sometimes a reveal that comes out of nowhere can be an exciting plot twist, this one truly came out of nowhere. It does seem hard to believe that Erin, at the very least, would have no idea about her husband’s family. When thinking about American Horror Stories seasons 1 and 2, “Lake” has the most frustrating ending. It would have been more interesting and logical if Erin had shared that she knew Jeffrey’s secret all along.

What Is The American Horror Stories Episode “Lake” About?

The American Horror Stories episode “Lake” is mostly about a family grieving the loss of their son. After Jake (Bobby Hogan) dies in the lake, his sister Finn spends some time in a treatment center as she has been having a hard time. When Finn comes back home, Erin tries her best to help her daughter readjust. Erin sees strange things happening in her house, from the kitchen tap turning on by itself to the water in her bathtub turning green.

While Jeffrey ignores his wife and daughter to work all the time, Erin and Finn can tell that something is wrong. They investigate what’s going on in the lake, which leads them to their shocking conclusion about who Jeffrey really is. Like the sympathetic main character in the American Horror Stories episode “Bestie”, it’s easy to feel badly for Erin and Finn, but Jeffrey is definitely a less likable character, even before the big reveal. All in all, American Horror Stories “Lake” is a fun watch, but it’s hard not to wish for a better ending.