Every season I look forward to the premiere of American Horror Story. I'm usually disappointed... I feel like Ryan Murphy and his shows are a bit like Lucy and that football. Just as I'm excited for a touchdown, Murphy yanks that football away leaving me disappointed. It's not that Murphy doesn't create some incredible TV, he is brilliant at bringing concept to the screen and creating riveting first seasons. Sustaining quality however, is usually the issue. Murphy does well when he puts his focus on one season and one concept as he did with last years Feud.
McDermott and Peters on set for Apocalypse
I loved the first three seasons of AMS, Coven, and especially Murder House and Asylum were my favorites. I love the characters and cast (Evan Peters in particular) and the story driven horror each story and setting created. Re-watching a few episodes of Murder House recently reminded me how slowly and thoughtfully the story was unveiled with the violence a way to drive it forward.
McDermott in Murder House
By the time Freak Show aired, it felt the writers and producers were relying more on gratuitous violence and shock more than real terror from the circumstance created by story. I expect violence from AHS, I have no issue with it. The mass shooting at the end of Freak Show however seemed a manipulative and easy way to ensure the season ended with a bang. It also undid all of the good work that led up to it.
There has been a mass shooting in almost every season of AHS, and the cruelty and torture elements were off the charts last season in Cult. So much so, I stopped watching after about the third episode. AHS always blended a bit of comedy and wit, along with fascinating characters and great writing. Evan Peters acted his ass off, but the show itself was to me, unwatchable.
But... again this season I am heading back to give kicking that football a chance. I am (was) excited about the merge of Murder House and Coven and revisiting old characters and places I enjoyed in previous seasons. The title Apocalypse , and the preview that I saw however, tells me the show is more than just a group of interesting witches visiting a hot guy in a fetish leather suit....
Peters in Asylum
I am happy Peters is back, along with old favorites Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton and Jessica Lange are back but I am still wary. I'm tempering my expectations and time will tell whether this season will be a touchdown, (like almost every first season of a Murphy show) or a foul, (Popular season 2 anyone?) only time will tell.
Peters in Coven
3 comments:
Tye -
Love the Lucy & the football metaphor, perfection!
PS Dylan McDermott came to a play I was in. He is even hotter in person.
I wasn't even aware the new season started.
I've grown tired of Evan Peters. He's just been overused in the series. I'm glad to see McDermott, Britton and Lange back, but unless they writing has improved, I doubt I'll see much of this season. I could only get through one episode last season, and was done. The previous season (with Cuba Gooding) started out interesting, but I missed the final shows. Freak Show bored me. The first 3 seasons were the best, but Hotel was pretty good. The eye candy has been lacking. It's good as showing off Peters and other young men, but I'd like to see more scenes like McDermott's in House. Still pissed that they didn't get Michael Chiklis to show some skin in Freak Show (even though I didn't watch all of it -- I do know he had no nude scenes).
I love Evan Peters, for me he was under used in Coven, Hotel and Roanoke. He had a lead last season, but an unwatchable season for me. Glad he is front and center again this season. If any actor is overused, for me it is Sarah Paulsen. Love her, but hope she is more a supporting character this season.
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