Bob denounces Beverly's sensational spins on stories. Beverly insists that the tape of Serena's murder be aired and Bob fires her. She counters with a threat to reveal his sexual relationship with Serena. Winter briefs fellow followers of Kai on her informal tracking of Kai's voter awareness. They debate making the clown murders more shocking to increase the fear factor. Beverly informs Kai that Bob refuses to air Serena's murder and Kai resolves that Bob be murdered in the most scandalous way possible. Ivy arrives to the meeting late and asks the group what she has missed, revealing her involvement. Ally tells Rudy that she has been envisioning bugs boring into holes in her neck. Rudy asserts that her fear of holes correlates with voids in her life. She is not coping well with her separation from Ivy and Oz and is distraught that she is alone in a house marked by the clowns. Ally explains to Rudy that she can't stay in a hotel because her finances are locked with Ivy's. Ally notes that she feels as if Ivy planned the separation. Rudy suggests that Ally focus on things she can control. Kai, Beverly, Winter, Ivy, Harrison, Detective Samuels, Gary, and R.J. don clown attire and invade Bob's home. Bob, after suffering some blows, whines that he has a captive gimp in his attic. Kai and his followers head up to the attic to find the gimp suspended by hooks. Kai stabs the gimp, the hooks rip open his skin, and he falls to the ground. Winter comforts Ivy after she darts out of the attic to vomit. The remaining clowns drag a bound and gagged Bob to the attic and they take turns stabbing him on camera. Beverly concludes his torment by cleaving him in the head with an axe. Beverly confides to Kai that she feels that their following has a weak link. The two leaders resolve to sever that link to bring the others to heel. Kai declares to his gathered followers that they are going totake care of R.J., gagged and tied to a chair. Ivy begs Kai to relent and he hands her a nail gun. R.J. pleads through his gag as Ivy reluctantly drives a nail into his head. Harrison, Gary, Beverly, Samuels, and Winter each take a turn shooting him thereafter. Kai finishes him off. Ally observes Harrison via telescope toting a shovel and a nondescript bag into his house. She also witnesses him kiss Detective Samuels. Ally investigates the Wilton residence and finds Meadow in a dug-up hole in the backyard. She then flees home and calls 911. She calls Ivy after being put on hold and Ivy dismisses her. Meadow bangs on the window, pleads to Ally for safety, and lets it slip that she has excommunicated from a “sick cult” that Ivy is a part of before she is caught and dragged away. Beverly probes Kai about the whereabouts of his parents. Kai recounts his paraplegic father questioning his mother angrily about her infidelity. One day soon after, his mother shot his father and then herself. Rudy, revealed to be Kai and Winter's brother, taking into account the damage a parental murder-suicide could do to his budding career, helped Kai cover up their parents’ deaths by mummifying their bodies with lye and sealing them in their bedroom. Kai admits that he visits their remains and communes with them.
Reception
"Holes" was watched by 2.20 million people during its original broadcast, and gained a 1.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, "Holes" holds an 86% approval rating, based on 14 reviews with an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4 out of 5, saying "American Horror Story finds its scares in likely and unlikely places. The real world is much scarier than the supernatural one, especially when society is being shaped in a monster’s image by a monster politician. It’s easy to control the population through fear. American Horror Story has a formula that runs arc-wide. We’ve learned who the conspirators are and now we will get to see the conspiracy. It feels like the trap that’s been set for Ally will be pulled soon." Kat Rosenfield from Entertainment Weekly gave the episode a B+, and appreciated that it was "connecting some very important dots". Moreover, she enjoyed the reveal of Kai's backstory as well as the twist on the identity of his brother. Vultures Brian Moylan gave the episode a 4 out of 5, indicating a positive review. He praised in particular the character of Kai Anderson, and the twists of the episode. Finally, he gave a positive comment on the overall structure of the season, calling it "much better and more logical" than the past seasons. Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a 7.8 out of 10, with a positive review. He said "Cult found solid footing with "Holes" and its angle focusing on the villains' side of the mass hoax, but it's best we don't linger here too long. Repetitive ruts have been American Horror Storys bane for years now as the show operates best when it's not delivering the same thing week after week. It's what sunk Roanoke, ultimately."
