The Assassination of Gianni Versace Recap: ‘Ascent’

Andrew Cunanan sets his sights on the good life while the Versaces’ grapple with Gianni’s illness.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace continues to tell its story in a backward fashion, taking us further back in time to tell Andrew Cunanan’s story. As the audience is now aware, the series is meant to focus on Cunanan’s journey to killing Versace–rather than Versace himself. While the title may be misleading, it is genius. The assassination of Gianni Versace didn’t just happen, a series of events, moments, and breakdowns led to that very tragic moment on Versace’s doorsteps. That is the purpose of the season and while admittedly slow at times, the series is intriguing and alluring based on this fact alone.

This week’s episode takes us back just a tad bit further to the moments where Andrew meets Norman and David. But before that, we see Andrew working at a local pharmacy flipping through the pages of a Vogue magazine. This is our first look at the ease with which Andrew lies to a customer about going to college and completing his P.h.D. Meanwhile, we finally see some more of Versace this episode circa 1992 as he grooms Donatella to be a big part of his business. He pushes her to embrace her talent because she is his legacy.

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While at a gay bar, Andrew realizes that his talent for attracting older, gay men is far more superior than his ability to connect with men his own age. And that is the demographic he must target if he is to live the life he has always dreamed of. However, he still lives with his lonely mother, who clings onto Andrew every time he is home. We begin to understand more of Cunanan’s mindset because of how he treats his mother–with very little respect. She is his number one fan and builds him up even though he has achieved very little.

Andrew decides his way in with the elderly crowd is to become an escort. However, the lady at the agency doesn’t approve of his background and tells him that it won’t please the crowd of men they service. Now it is up to Cunanan to make it happen. Cue, Norman. Andrew goes to a French play after specifically researching who would be in attendance. His target? Norman.

After a night out with Norman and his friends, he finds his way into Norman’s life, but not before spending a night with one of Norman’s friends first, through whom he gets an allowance and expense account. Andrew uses this money to take out his friends and live a lavish life that he claims is a result of his own hard work. On a night out with friends, Andrew sees David at the bar for the first time and falls head over heels for him instantly. They share an intimate night together–but we all know where that leads.

Versace continues to persuade Donatella to step into the spotlight and own it. During the 1996 Met Gala, Donatella decides to wear the dress her and Versace designed together, with the world’s eyes on her. While the dress is an overnight hit, it is deemed too risque for the general population to wear. Versace is angered by the resistance the dress has met and begins to break down, but a moment of anger transforms into a moment of panic as Gianni claims he can’t hear anything. This leads us to the moment we learn he has ear cancer. Due to this, Donatella takes over the Italian operations and Gianni heads to Miami to recuperate.

There is a very sad moment in this episode between Cunanan and his mother. He tells her he is off to travel to the world’s operas alongside Gianni Versace. Overjoyed by her son’s “success”, she assumes she will join him on the adventure. When Andrew tells her no, she has an intense emotional reaction which is cut short by Andrew shoving her back and fracturing her shoulder blade.

Remember Andrew’s elderly sugar daddy, Lincoln? Well, while Andrew is off splurging his money, he is beginning to take notice–and he is not happy. Lincoln tells him their relationship is over, meaning the money is no longer his to use. When Andrew goes to Lincoln’s home, he realizes he is there with another man. However, this man does not seem ready to embrace his homosexuality and reacts violently when Lincoln tries to be intimate with him.

He kills Lincoln by bashing his head in with a statue, to which Andrew becomes a witness to. There is a hidden societal lesson embedded in this moment. In the 90’s homosexuality was so taboo that any crime against a gay individual would not be given much attention because it was “their fault”. This is something Andrew picks up on very quickly and clings onto (as we are all very aware of).

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These series of events brings Andrew closer to Norman, who he convinces to move to San Diego from Phoenix, promising to help him build a home beyond his wildest dreams. In the last moments of the episode, Cunanan and Norman head out to the balcony of Norman’s new home. Cunanan takes in the moment and states, “If they could see me now.” When Norman asks who, Andrew responds by saying, “Everyone.”

The Assassination of Gianni Versace airs on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. EST on FX.

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