Katherine (Molly Payton) is home alone. She hears strange noises and sounds outside of her house, but inside it’s not safe either. Seeing the content of her bathroom cabinet rearranged (all the products are upside down or lying sideways) gives us a taste of what’s coming for her and for Los Angeles.
Let’s see what the Trawler (this is the name of the serial killer envisioned by Bret Easton Ellis, author of the 2023 novel the TV show has been adapted from) has taken the time to mess with.
On the top shelf there’s a jar of Noxzema skin cream, which we will see in Bret’s bathroom later in the episode.
On the second shelf there’s a cardboard box containing Secret cream deodorant.
On the same shelf there’s a can of Barbasol shaving cream. The picture above comes from a 1980s commercial and shows exactly the can seen in the TV show.
On the third shelf the fragrance game finally starts.
The first bottle on the left is Ralph Lauren Safari For Men, a woody aromatic fragrance launched in 1992. Yes, let’s that sink in: 1992. The TV show is set in 1981, so this prop choice is historically inaccurate. Has it ever been a problem in the glossy fictional worlds created by Ryan Murphy? Absolutely not, so let’s just move on.
The green and white striped box hides a gem from the 1940s — Carven Ma Griffe, a chypre floral fragrance created by Jean Carles and launched in 1946. This is an unusual choice, but I’ll take it, because at least it’s historically accurate.
In the 1980s owning an Avon novelty bottle was an unwritten rule: it simply happened, whether one liked it or not. In this case, the white ceramic container is armoire-shaped and contains a perfumed bath oil.
The bottom shelf gives us other two perfumed products.
The tin bottle is a talcum powder shaker: it contains Avon Topaze.
There’s also a beautiful bottle of Nina Ricci L’air du temps eau de toilette. This floral fragrance, launched in 1948, was created by Francis Fabron.
The very last product is a spray can of Rayette Aquanet unscented hairspray.
There are Barbasol shaving cream and two bottles of Old Spice Original cologne in the Carmichaels’ bathroom.
A can of Barbasol shaving cream can be seen in Sam’s bathroom.
Miss Rayleen (Viola Davis) is the only employee of lawyer Ramsey Flint, a widower who lives in Georgia with his 9-year-old daughter Christmas and the Pomeranian dog Fluffy. Before leaving the office to go home, Rayleen retouches her make-up in the Flints’ bathroom, and Christmas keeps her company.
Rayleen puts on Maybelline Great Lash mascara.
Graham Dalton (James Spader) uses Barbasol shaving cream.
McReynolds (Tyler Hoechlin) and his house mates are getting ready for a night out. In the screencap above he’s using the woody fragrance Aramis For Men, created by Bernard Chant and launched in 1966. Other boys will end up using the same perfume.
On a counter there’s a can of Gillette Right Guard deodorant.
There are Estee Lauder Aramis perfume and Barbasol shaving cream on Big Pussy’s dresser.
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