American Horror Story

[Jeremy Blackman]

Can anyone offer redeeming opinions of this show? I know several people voted for it at the Xixax Awards.

I watched the pilot, and I could barely get through it because of the daughter, who is one of the most instantly obnoxious characters I have ever encountered in my life. I knew this literally 10 seconds after she was introduced. I'm not even going to get into it, except to say that I'm sick of lazily-drawn rebellious teenage girl characters, and this character is pretty much the worst incarnation of that archetype that you could possibly imagine. Absolutely unbearable. The cutting scene... seriously? Not the most nuanced or realistic depiction of self-harm, I dare say. This character immediately blew past self-parody into some kind of odious soul-sucking stereotype.

Keep in mind I'm only going off the pilot, so this could be unfair, but everything is so cartoonish and so rushed. The high school scenes were laughable, like The Virgin Suicides via Childrens Hospital. (Thinking of the slow-motion walkalongs set to classic rock.)

So... are there any especially standout episodes that I should check out? Because there are promising bits in the show and it definitely has an edge to it. Does the daughter die? If so, tell me where she dies so I can start on the following episode.

[Brando]

I have not seen the show but someone did suggest I watch it. With the mini series format, you could always skip the first season and go straight to season two which I heard was better than the first.

[MacGuffin]

Does the daughter die? If so, tell me where she dies so I can start on the following episode.

Won't matter. On this show about ghosts and spirits, even dead characters aren't killed off.

[Sleepless]

I've only ever watched the first ep of season two. Don't recommend it at all. Too ADD for me.

[diggler]

I liked Season 2 better overall, but Season 1 has a much better ending, it also has Connie Britton. It's not high art or anything but it's well shot and there are some inspired performances, especially from Jessica Lange.

[03]

i think i'm the only person on this board that religiously follows this show, so i'll make this kind of concise.

season 1 is garbage. season 2: asylum is brilliant, some of the best horror tv ever. season 3: coven was just a joke.
if anyone wants to defend season 3, i encourage you wholeheartedly, please. the first episode was amazing and then it just kind of shit itself to death.

so by that logic we can kind of assume season 4 will be awesome. but what this topic is really about is the fact that throughout season 3, hardcore fans were guessing what the fourth story would be, to the extent they made fan posters.
the fan posters depicted: "american horror story: circus", or "carnival".


 it became kind of viral, among fans. the shows creator would comment on this in interviews and say that this was just speculation by fans and didn't know where they got the idea from.  you can even verify that by the second image which lists the cast as the same as season 3, which they obviously didn't know, and just wanted some filler for effect.

but anyway, they release this shit today: http://www.avclub.com/article/american-horror-storys-season-four-will-be-set-car-202257
proving that everyone who made the fan posters was not just close, but exactly RIGHT.
so my question is, what do you guys think? did the writer steal this from his fans? was it just a publicity stunt and he knew from the beginning? or was this just bizarre luck?

[Drenk]

A circus is a great place for a horror show. I think about Freaks, Elephant Man and the TV show Carnivale. I think it's a bizarre coincidence.

[Mel]

A circus is a great place for a horror show. I think about Freaks, Elephant Man and the TV show Carnivale. I think it's a bizarre coincidence.

There is huge potential. Will they set new season in time of Great Depression? If they make intro for "American Horror Story" at least half as good as "Carnivale", I'll watch it:

[03]

am i the only one watching this season?

[modage]

You might be but I kinda wish I was. I watched Season 1 and enjoyed it but tried at least 3 times to watch Season 2 and could never muster the energy to get through it. This is partially due to the fact that my wife would watch S1 with me due to Mrs. Coach Taylor Connie Britton and without her in S2, she was like "nope" and attempts to watch it on my own haven't panned out. I liked it but it didn't compell me to keep watching. I'd like to catch up someday though cause I really like/respect what the show is doing format-wise.

[03]

mid season finale. i have so much to say about this season, and the ways this show has separated from the first two seasons, but i don't think anyone here has seen enough of it for it to even make a difference.

[03]

ok. no spoilers.

so the show returns this wednesday, and the teaser looks much better than the first half of this season:


NPH looks great and perfect for this, hopefully fixes this season.


my problems with this season are similar to how i felt about coven.
this shows production value is absolutely insane. the costumes, the look, the sets, everything is just bafflingly gorgeous.

BUT the writing tends to just float all over the place, not go anywhere, not tie up loose ends, not make sense, lose focus. a large ensemble of characters whose behavior and intentions are inconsistent and don't make a whole lot of sense half the time. and then there's this weird flashback editing.
they seem to be attempting to reinvent the mechanics of a flashback, or a flashforward.

you'll have to see the episodes to know what i'm talking about but there is one ep where they literally flashforward to something that DOESNT happen and makes no distinction that its a fantasy, and then immediately cuts to a flashforward that DOES happen while not showing that we are still in the present. confusing frustrating shit.

but its a marvelous universe that they keep creating with each season. everything is gorgeous and interesting and flamboyantly horrifying so i keep forgiving it.

[Tictacbk]

my problems with this season are similar to how i felt about coven.
this shows production value is absolutely insane. the costumes, the look, the sets, everything is just bafflingly gorgeous.

BUT the writing tends to just float all over the place, not go anywhere, not tie up loose ends, not make sense, lose focus.

I find this to be Ryan Murphy's calling card.  Everything just feels like a first draft to me.  I mean, look no further than his new show, American Crime Story.  It's a great idea for a show, but he's going with the OJ case for the first season?  C'mon, think this through a little, Ryan! 

[03]

AWESOME

[Korova]

AWESOME

YES. Fantastic casting. I also hope that Frances Conroy won't be wasted this time.