REVIEW: ‘The Terror: Infamy,’ Episode 7 – My Perfect World

The Terror: Infamy is the second season of AMC’s horror anthology series, The Terror. Centered around Chester Nakayama (Derek Mio), a first-generation Japanese American and his community during World War II, this season has blended historical horror with traditional Japanese horror cinema to craft a deep story of identity, loss, and history.

As the focus, Chester has been the nexus of this. Having joined the Army as a translator, Chester has faced racism from those who were supposed to have his back. He’s seen the violence inflicted on his father at the hands of the military. The othering he experiences at the hands of white Americans makes him feel like part of a whole but the discovery that his parents aren’t his real parents, in the last episode, further alienates him from the world.

Now in episode seven, “My Perfect World,” Chester continues his struggle, having seemingly vanquished the bakemono Yuko (Kiki Sukezane), who was his birth-mother. He hasn’t been able to forgive his parents for keeping the secret from him. As he tries desperately to get back to Luz (Cristina Rodlo) after she returns all his letters, Yuko remains on his trail, but only after throwing the camp into turmoil from her rage. It’s in this turmoil that The Terror: Infamy takes on one of its darkest turns, with Amy (Miki Ishikawa) and Ken (Christopher Naoki Lee) at the center of it.

“My Perfect World” provides the audience with some great horror moments, specifically in Yuko’s entrance in the opening of the episode, as she piecing together skin to create a new body for herself. The squishing of flesh being pulled and stitched together was extremely disgusting the way body horror should be. In addition, Yuko’s kills showcase how she’s retained her power even after the Nakayama’s attempted to exorcise her. That said, when she creates a sickness that is sweeping the camp, Ken is pushed to confront the major in order to save the sick and elderly sure to die due to the camp’s negligence and lack of proper doctors.

It’s here that the episode rains terror on you. The history of Japanese American internment has not only been the backdrop for The Terror: Infamy but it has also been the most powerful source of horror. By using history, “My Perfect World” showcases the monsters of the camp aren’t only the yūrei, but the military running the camp who both dehumanize and humiliate the Terminal Islanders in their “care.”

We’ve seen the abuse that Henry (Shingo Usami), Chester’s father went through. We’ve seen Yoshida-san, Amy and Walt’s father die by their hand. And now, the camp takes another victim. While Yuko may have started the events that lead to their death, the evil is American-made terror. It’s clear as the episode wraps that nothing it going to be the same.

In the end, “My Perfect World” is easily my favorite of the season so far, if only for how emotionally devastated it left me. In addition, we also get to experience more of Luz’s Mexican American family and the Spanish used felt real and not like a Google translation, as is the case with many non-Latinx projects. With Chester finding Luz again, there was some hope, but Yuko chasing him and the camp reeling, The Terror: Infamy is bleak. But it’s in that bleak and raw feeling of emptiness left by the execution of one of the Terminal Islanders that we’re pulled into the real horror of the season.

The Terrror: Infamy airs every Monday night on AMC at 8PM/9PM CT.

Photo Credit: Ed Araquel and AMC