FX’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story returns after taking a week off with episode six airing on February 28, 2018. The episode begins with a flashback to La Jolla, California in 1996. Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) arrives at a gorgeous mansion after a day of shopping, heading outside to gaze at the Pacific Ocean naked before diving into the pool. Later, he carefully wraps a present before selecting items from a huge closet filled with expensive clothing.
It’s now one year before the murders of Jeff Trail, David Madson, Lee Miglin, William Reese, and Gianni Versace.
Andrew, striding through the house as if he owns the place, helps Norman (Michael Nouri) greet their party guests. It’s obvious Norman’s friends don’t like him, but fortunately, Andrew’s friends are also in attendance. Andrew confides in Elizabeth (Annaleigh Ashford) that he didn’t want Norman’s friends at his party and sort of admits he’s decided he’s gay. He confesses to being really into this guy David from San Francisco, and David’s supposed to show up soon.
He tells Elizabeth there’s nothing sexual going on with Norman; he’s just helping him out. Andrew can’t stop lying, and now he claims he’s an interior designer who curates Norman’s art. He thinks David is his future and wants to be someone David can love.
Jeff (Finn Wittrock) arrives as the party’s in full swing. Andrew takes him into a bedroom and gives him something to wear plus the gift he wrapped earlier. He wants Jeff to pretend it’s the gift he bought him for his birthday. Andrew explains it’s to impress David and make him believe he has good friends. He really wants Jeff to look the part, claiming he’s helped Jeff with countless guys. Jeff finally agrees, only because it’s Andrew’s birthday.
Andrew has one final lie he needs Jeff to go along with. He wants Jeff to say he’s still an officer in the Navy, even though Jeff has left that behind. Jeff reluctantly agrees to wear the shoes, but not the uniform.
David (Cody Fern) arrives and it’s like time freezes for Andrew. David flew in from Minneapolis just for the party, explaining he wanted to see where Andrew lived since Andrew’s so mysterious. Elizabeth joins them to praise Andrew in front of David, and it’s obvious David’s overwhelmed by the mansion and Andrew’s lifestyle.
Jeff plays the part by handing Andrew the gift in front of David. Jeff and David meet and when David says, “You’re the Naval officer,” Jeff doesn’t confirm that’s true. Instead, he says it’s a long, sad story. Elizabeth intrudes to move them to the terrace.
Andrew leaves them for a minute to snort cocaine. He’s caught by one of Norman’s friends who hates everything about Andrew. Norman just lost his partner to AIDS and his friend doesn’t want him to get hurt again. He doesn’t trust Andrew. (Smart man!)
Andrew spies Jeff and David laughing outside and breaks into their conversation to ask about Jeff’s boyfriend. Andrew also throws in the lie that he’s got a place in New York when David asks about where he sleeps in Norman’s house. David apparently hasn’t made sleeping arrangements and Jeff volunteers his couch. Andrew puts an end to that discussion by saying Jeff’s couch is dirty.
Lee Miglin (Mike Farrell) interrupts to wish Andrew a happy birthday. Andrew pretends not to remember Lee until Jeff and David walk away. Andrew’s angry Lee approached him in front of his friends, and Lee explains he couldn’t help but stare at Andrew with lust. Lee wants to give him a birthday gift in private, and Andrew puts him off and says they can do it later.
Andrew wants a photo alone with David but everyone, including Jeff, Lee, and Norman join the photo. Andrew’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes as Elizabeth snaps the photo.
The next day Andrew presents Norman with a list of demands including an increased allowance, first-class flights, and a Mercedes. Plus, he wants to be Norman’s sole heir since they’ve been together for over a year. Andrew reminds Norman he sacrificed everything to be with him, including his parents’ love. Andrew has told Norman his parents are millionaires who disowned him, but Norman surprises him by saying he’s checked on Andrew’s background. He knows Andrew isn’t Andrew DeSilva – he’s really Andrew Cunanan – and that he recently worked in a Thrifty’s Drug Store. Norman knows how much Andrew made and that he lived in a little condo with his mom, MaryAnn. Andrew is speechless and doesn’t have a comeback. All he can do is walk away.
Finally, Andrew and Norman admit they investigated each other. Norman reminds him they haven’t been intimate in three months, and Andrew assures him if he gets what’s on his list of demands, sex will become more regular.
Norman agrees to increase his living allowance but doesn’t agree to first-class flights. Norman wants Andrew to go back to college and get a degree, but Andrew again threatens to leave unless he gets what’s on the list. Norman assures Andrew he can have this life if he works for it, but Andrew’s upset he can’t have love if he lives this way. He thinks he lost David because of Norman, and Norman tells Andrew that if he makes him his heir, he must share his life only with him. Norman knows Andrew is already dreaming of the time when he’s not around. “If I can’t have love, I want that list,” replies Andrew. Norman says no and Andrew smashes a glass table. He then announces, again, that he’s leaving.
Andrew moves into a studio apartment in a lower-class neighborhood.
Jeff gets a phone call from his dad describing a postcard Andrew sent him that was signed, “Love, Drew.”
Jeff shows up at Andrew’s apartment, aware of what happened with Norman. Jeff’s upset about the postcard Andrew sent to his dad, but Andrew doesn’t own up to it. The postcard also mentioned Jeff bought Andrew expensive shoes, something that confused Jeff’s dad since he didn’t know his son is gay. Jeff took this as a threat and slams Andrew against the wall, demanding Andrew stay away from his family.
Jeff reveals he’s leaving San Diego to work at a propane gas company in Minneapolis. Andrew puts two and two together and realizes Jeff is going there to be with David. Andrew accuses him of trying to steal the one guy who likes him. However, Jeff says he’s doing it because he’s tired of being unhappy. As leaves, Andrew warns him to stay away from David.
Andrew (sounding incredibly hyper) calls David and invites him to accompany him on a business trip to Los Angeles, all expenses paid. Andrew says he already bought the plane ticket, but David is reluctant to meet up with him.
Andrew arrives in LA and checks into the penthouse of a 5-star hotel. He orders flowers and a car, and when David arrives Andrew is posing on the balcony. Andrew flew him out first class and David’s obviously impressed. Andrew claims to be done with his work, hinting that what he was working on has a lot of stars interested. He changes the subject and takes David shopping. He wants David to dress like the country’s most successful architect and he buys him an expensive suit which David wears out of the store.
Back at the hotel, room service delivers a gourmet dinner. David says this is all too much and offers to pay for half. He tells Andrew he’s not “the one” and apologizes. Andrew, getting emotional, tells him he is the one; he’s sure of it. “David Madson, you are the only one I have ever really truly loved,” says Andrew.
David admits there was one great night in San Francisco and he knows that can be life-changing. David thinks this weekend’s like recreating their first date, and he wanted to see if they could take the next step. David isn’t sure they can. Andrew tells him he’ll do what he wants, and David wants to get rid of the fancy meal. They take off their jackets and get down to the truth.
David asks about Andrew’s parents, and Andrew continues his lie about his dad running pineapple plantations. He says his mom ran a literary publishing house in New York. He claims they gave him everything he wanted when he was growing up, including the master bedroom.
Andrew asks about David’s parents and he reveals they run a small hardware store. Andrew interrupts David’s story to tell more lies about his childhood, not really listening to or interested in what David has to say. David ends the discussion by claiming he’s tired and ready for bed.
“David, I’m a good person who wants to be good to you,” says Andrew. David responds by telling Andrew that one day he’ll make someone very happy.
Back from the trip to LA, Andrew sits on his small bed in his tiny apartment and looks at the bill from the hotel. He charged over $2700 at the hotel during his weekend with David.
Later, Andrew tells a bartender about his trip and he can’t stop himself from lying. He reveals David agreed to spend the rest of his life with him. Andrew then buys drugs from a guy at the club, shoots up, and has a drug-induced dream about being fitted for a suit by Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez). Andrew tells Versace there’s no difference between them except that Gianni got lucky. Gianni argues the difference is he’s loved and Andrew’s not.
Back at the club, Andrew tells the same bartender he just took a trip to Paris with David. (The bartender knows he’s lying.) Andrew tells his drug dealer he needs more time, but the drug dealer tells him he needs more money.
Andrew heads over to Norman’s place and tries the doors and windows. They’re locked and he sees through a glass door that Norman’s inside. Andrew tries his keys in the front door, but they don’t work. Norman doesn’t let him in and instead calls the cops.
No choice left, Andrew shows up at his mom’s place. She’s surprised but happy to see him and confesses she thought he was in Milan. She helps him into the bath, singing a special lullaby as she washes his back. She asks why he smells bad and says he no longer smells like her son. She starts bathing him roughly, trying to scrub away the smell.
Andrew’s mom serves him food while going on and on about a friend of Andrew’s who can’t get a job. She tells him how she’s been telling this young man’s mother, a woman who looks down on her, about all the places Andrew has been traveling to across the globe working with Gianni Versace as a costume designer for Italian operas. She’s happy the woman is so jealous of Andrew’s life.
His mom says she wishes he could stay but she knows she must share him with the world. She gives him a big hug by his car and is surprised when he says the next city he’s visiting is Minneapolis. She kisses him and Andrew, clearly depressed, drives away.
More on The Assassination of Gianni Versace:
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 1 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 2 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 3 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 4 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 5 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 7 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 8 Recap
– The Assassination of Gianni Versace Episode 9 Recap
