KK (TV SHOW REVIEW): 1. THE AMERICAN HORROR STORY (SEASONS 1 & 2)

I just finished back to back two seasons of The American Horror Story. I must confess I was not aware of this series until I saw many articles and many updates of the show on my social networking accounts, when it was in its Season 4: The Freak Show. It sounded very interesting, the title of season 4. So it was then that I decided to have a look at the show.

The American Horror Story is an anthology, meaning that no two seasons have any prior connection with each other. This was something that gave me the liberty to watch any season I want first. But still, I am like Sheldon Cooper, I like closures. For a better closure, it is a good idea to follow a proper course.

                                 

The Theme

The theme is common for all the seasons. It has an eerie score that gives you little goose bumps. As Ryan Murphy said, the spectacle of the theme will be understood only after watching more than half the show. I still doubt it for the second season, but hey! Who cares? The show is great.

The Murder House (Season 1)

When I first heard what the show’s real name was, I knew there will be a haunted house. It is quite obvious actually and it was indeed the fact. This was obviously followed by the thought that what is there for us left to see in a theme like that? Another valid thought I guess. But then I read about the reception of the show. I was amazed to see the rating at IMDB and Metacritic. I mean getting 62 at Metacritic with such a lame theme, hats-off and a must see for me.

Let’s discuss what all I found in the first season of the anthology, The American Horror Story:

1. Was the show different?

Yes, it was. I must say, Ryan Murphy tried to bring a sense of difference in the whole run of the mill haunted house sagas. It was different and was presented differently. There were not much of levitations, not much of blasting lights and not much of sudden shrieks or cheap tricks to startle you and not scare you. It was genuine and was presented decently. The changes in timelines and the twisted stories of the twisted characters were the underline for the story.

2. What about the performances?

First and foremost, it is really important to mention here that Jessica Lange is the one of the few casts who appears in all the seasons of the series. Her performance in the show speaks the reason for this. Her complex, avenging, faking and moaning in pain character portrayal is beautiful. She is harsh, she is soft, she is opportunist, she is heartless and she has no remorse. So many qualities in one character and I must say, Ms Lange has done a very good job. Another character in the show portrayed by Peter Evans (QuickSilver from X-Men: Days of Future Past; also a regular cast) is of a twisted teenager who is a sociopath and a chronic liar. The portrayal is again done tremendously well. Besides these characters, portrayal of Frances Conroy as a mysterious, maternal and testing maid is eye-catching. Coming now to the Harmon Family, the owners of the haunted house, the portrayals of Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton and Taissa Farmiga is good.  While McDermott has shown very less expressions even when it was expected more from him Britton has managed to show little more expressions than was needed. Farmiga has performed very well as a struggling teenager who is trying to find meaning in her life even when she has a shrink in her father. Still it was not her best (I am saying after watching few episodes of season 3).

3. What about the story?

The story starts with an unfortunate event of twins entering the house (and never returning of course) and then the story begins with how Harmon family come to be the owners of the house in order to save their breaking marriage. The whole season is not about only one story. It has many stories and all are linked with a single house (which I recently learned is out for sale at USD 32 million). It is a story that began with Dr Montgomery family and ended with Dr Harmon family. In between there are many stories, but in most of the stories, the problem shown is related to having/conceiving a child. Constance Langdon (who lived in the house and survived) story, Chad and Patrick story and Dr Montgomery family story all are stories which have children issues. Then there is another common background shared by the families and characters, it is the story of hate and betrayal. Every story has betrayal in it. What this does for the show is that it makes every episode a fresh story and then it all converges to become one by the time the season ends. Overall the story is full and complete and HAS a story (which many horror flicks or shows miss).

4. Is it really scary?

No. I must say, though there is a story, awesome performances and beautiful cinematography, but there is no “HORROR”. Still, the show has its moments, show has its twists and there are instances when you will feel that it is little disturbing, but there is no “OH MY GOD!” moment. You might feel disgusted to see gory births and brutal college massacres but they are certainly not scary.

The Asylum (Season 2):

It is always eerie and fearful when you hear the word asylum. You start to see weird people, doing weird activities, enduring weird pains and are punished by weird doctors. This is why to be frank I was more excited with the title of this show than with the previous one. I literally bought ACT-II popcorn for the show and thought of finishing it in a single day (though I failed). I checked out the cast list and was excited to see that most of the cast was coming back. Mainly, I was excited to see Jessica Lange again… and I was not disappointed.

Let’s discuss what all I found in the second season of the anthology, The American Horror Story:

1. Was the show different?

 Yes and no. It was different in many ways, for example it was all demons, madness, betrayals and serial killer in one show. It was not-so-different in a way that it seemed much inspired by the movie The Exorcist, by the incidence of infamous Jack the Ripper and common alien abduction flicks. I mean even in one of the many spectacles of the theme, the famous spider walk was shown. I believe it was a sort of tribute or else, please Ryan we all know where that came from.  Besides this, the show is also about Bloody Face (inspired by Jack the Ripper perhaps) and has a tadka of alien invasions as well.

2. What about the performances?

As expected, the central character of the show is a troubled nun (Sister Judy Martin) who sort of hates and loves being a nun. And of course for such a complex character, they needed a person who can do justice to the role: Jessica Lange to rescue. She again has mesmerised me with her acting. Frances Conroy returns to the show as the Angel of Death. Her role was not utilised properly and that is what I felt at least. Sarah Paulson portrayal of an ambitious reporter seeking to win fame and Pulitzer price is more than okay. Zachary Quinto returns to season 2 of the show as Dr Oliver Threadson, a mysterious yet benevolent psychiatrist. He, according to me has done full justice with the character. Known name, James Cromwell has done, as expected, tremendous job in portraying a twisted doctor Dr Arthur Arden. This was a complex role and he performed it so easily that he has found a new fan in me. Evan Peters is little more than mediocre in portrayal of his character Kit Walker (not the 21^st Phantom), while Lily Rabe has been spot on in portrayal of attention seeking nun who becomes independent and powerful as the show progresses. Dylan McDermott returns as Johnny Morgan for 5 episodes, but I personally felt his performance was stronger in this season than the previous one.

3. What about the story?

The story is original (at times direction is questionable). It is a cocktail of many urban stories of alien invasion, demon possession, and weird experiments on humans and mind numbing serial killer on the loose. The story is about an Asylum (yeah! Yeah! No rocket science there) named Briarcliff where crazy people are kept under the supervision of God who can heal their souls. The asylum has head nun Sister Judy Martin who is very similar to King Draco when it comes to cruelty and an evil doctor Dr Arthur Arden (“No he is Hans!!”), who loves to do little this and little that on humans. The asylum in under the abled supervision of Monsignor Timothy Howard, who is ambitious and wants to become a Pope one day. Under the façade of charity work, Briarcliff was infamous for the fact that once you come to Briarcliff, there is no way out. An ambitious reporter miss Lana Winters, decides to visit Briarcliff to take an interview with a serial killer known as Bloody Face. But as the circumstances guide her fate, she finds herself as one of the many unfortunate patients of the asylum. The story becomes supernatural when one day a kid is brought to Briarcliff who is thought of being possessed by the devil himself. Yes! It will all make sense, when you will watch it. Of course, I am not telling everything so that this does not become a spoiler.

4. Is it really scary?

Yes and no. The first season was all about ghosts and yet was not much scary. This season, however, was scarier. I must confess, no matter how much times that The Exorcist demon act is repeated, it is scary. The mystery revolving Dr Arthur Arden and even with Dr Oliver Threadson is mind numbing. I personally felt that the show grew as it entered season 2. The cheerful song by dancing nuns “Dominique” is not so cheerful considering the events that occurred while it was being played every time. One of the classic examples of how you can turn something so cheerful into something so sadist (portrayal of jokers is another such example).

All in all The American Horror Story has got the title right:

It is all American,

It is related to supernatural and weird events, and can qualify as horrific,

But important aspect is that it does have a story.