REVIEW: American Horror Story, Episode 701
After a lot of anticipation, creepy teasers and the promise of a great season, American Horror Story is back with its seventh season, more specifically with “Election Night”, which is the title of this first episode.
The season did promise to get very political and that did not disappoint. Right in the first seconds we were able to relive some of the moments of the campaign of Both Clinton and Trump and that led us to election night and to the surprising announcement of Donald Trump’s victory. It is in this moment that we meet the leads of the season: Kai Anderson, who couldn’t be happier with this; and Ally Mayfair-Richards, who couldn’t be more shocked and pissed at everyone. These two definitely represent the extreme of both parties. Kai now feels very powerful and like he can do anything he wants, while Ally feels like this is all the most stupid joke of all time, not sure how she is supposed to survive for the next 4 years.
Fear is quite an effective tool, and that is something else this season promises to deal with. After election night, Ally’s phobias are back, stronger than ever, and she now sees clowns pretty much everywhere she looks. It sure seemed for most of the episode like she was going crazy and seeing things that weren’t there, but closer to the end, her son Ozzy also saw clowns murdering the neighbors. Are they both crazy? Did Ally’s fear start affecting her son in a similar way? Or is this all part of a major conspiracy? Nothing is black and white in this show, and so maybe the answer to all these questions could be “Yes”.
Meanwhile, Kai also seems very interested in fear. I really liked the speech he gave to that little counsel about how fears run the world and how we love it. The reason why I liked it is probably because it is true. A bit extreme, but true. What was also a bit extreme was his reaction when they pretty much ignored him, because it seemed like he thought they would actually listen to that. “There is nothing more dangerous in this world than a humiliated man”, and Kai really seems invested in making everyone see that he is right.
Of course that this couldn’t be a season about clowns if our favorite murderous clown from American Horror Story didn’t show up, but, as promised, he did. Twisty the clown is back with more murders and even though he is just a comic book character for now, that doesn’t make it any less great nor terrifying. Thanks to the clown sightings last year and to the upcoming remake of Stephen King’s It, clowns are getting more and more creepy, and it would definitely be very hard to find a better moment in time to present people with a season like this.
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One thing that seems great about this season is that it doesn’t seem like supernatural is going to be a big part of it. Sure that ghosts, aliens, witches, vampires and spirits (which is what was featured in previous seasons) can definitely provide a few scares, but in the end of the day they aren’t real (or are they?). But the same can’t be said for people who want to rise to power at all cost, no matter if they have to make everyone lose their minds to get it (like Kai said). This is definitely the perfect season for the supernatural to be sidelined, because talking about something devastating and controversial that took place 40 years ago (for example) sure that it hits close to home, but it is still at the neighbor’s house. Talking about something that is happening right now will totally hit straight at everyone’s homes and if monsters were added to the equation it would lose a lot of significance and connection to reality.
Another great thing about this season is that there doesn’t seem to be many major characters, maybe only a hand full of them, and that will make everything much easier to understand. There is Ally, Ivy, Kai and Winter: these seem like the most major characters so far. There only seems to be two others who will maybe be more relevant than they did in this episode and those are Dr. Rudy and Detective Samuels.
This was definitely a very nice episode that set up the season in a very satisfying way. I am sure that if Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters continue to go down the road they started in this premiere, they are sure to make way to the Emmys next year. I am giving this episode an 8.5/10.
As satisfactory as this episode was, it was just the beginning and I am sure that more clowns and craziness is coming towards us. The second episode of American Horror Story: Cult will premiere next Tuesday and it is entitled “Don’t be Afraid of the Dark”.
PREVIEW: American Horror Story, Season 7
If there is a show that could last forever and still always be interesting, that is American Horror Story. After almost a year break (it feels much longer though), this famous creepy show is back next Tuesday. I am very excited to start watching it because this new season looks great, and this show needs that because Seasons 4 and 5 weren’t, in my opinion, very good. Season 6 felt like a rise, but still far from the show’s peak.
With a new season, comes a new theme and this year the show will focus on Cult. The season will be the aftermath of the newest USA election results, and will have Sarah Paulson as the main character, which makes the audience (or at least me) more and more eager to watch this season, since she is an amazing actress. She will play Ally Mayfair-Richards, a New-Yorker who has three weird phobias: fear of blood, anxiety for irregular patterns in objects with holes or bumps (yes, apparently that’s a thing) and fear of clowns.
Speaking of clowns, you will probably be terrified every minute of all episodes if you share Ally’s last fear. This Cult’s favorite outfits seems to be a clown-like figure and Ryan Murphy will most certainly use that against us all. Like bees, these clowns are always around and in groups. Plus, the famous Twisty the Clown is coming back for more creepy appearances. Even though, as I said, I didn’t like Freak Show very much, Twisty was my favorite part of it and so I am glad (and terrified) he is back. If you want to know what he has been up to, I suggest you click here.
To make things a bit more terrifying, this season will have, as usual, a little bit of truth and history behind it. Aside from the present leader of the Cult, Kai Anderson, we will see other cult leaders, among them Charles Manson, David Koresh and Jim Jones; all of these played by the American Horror Story star Evan Peters. But these characters aren’t the only ones Peters will be playing this season. To join the list, we will also see him as Andy Warhol, a pop art creator who was shot by Valerie Solanas, who we will also see in our screen played by Lena Dunham in episode 7.
Aside from these actors, there will be others who are returning, like Cheyenne Jackson as Dr. Rudy Vincent, Ally’s psychologist; Adina Porter as Beverly Hope, and Emma Roberts as Serena Belinda, both reporters; and even Frances Conroy, but her character wasn’t yet revealed. There will also be some new comers like Alison Pill as Ivy Mayfair-Richards, Ally’s wife; Colton Haynes as Detective Samuels; Billie Lord as Winter Anderson (notice the family name is the same as Kai’s); among others. Unfortunately Kathy Bates, Lady Gaga and Jessica Lange will not be returning this season.
Season 7 definitely seems like one that will be comparable to the first 3 seasons (the best ones in my opinion) and I really hope I don’t come out disappointed. And I am not the only one saying this. There are already some reviews of the first few episodes and people are loving it. It also seems like it will have a big impact because it will mess with USA’s new president which is a more and more discussed subject around the world. I am glad they are not casting people to play Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. It could be nice, depending on what they would do, but it has more impact like this.
If you want to get ready for this season, why not watch (or rewatch) this trailer, some teasers, the new Intro and even this that is kind of a mixture of a trailer and a teaser. If you are looking for something (else) to creep you out and want to have a taste of Billie Lord’s character, why not watch this video.
The first of eleven episodes of the seventh season of American Horror Story will premiere next Tuesday, September 5th and the season premiere is entitled “Election Night”. Don’t forget to check both the episode and my review.
FX Renews American Horror Story: Freak Show Sets Ratings Record
FX has announced the fifth season renewal of American Horror Story. The 13-episode Season 5 will premiere in October 2015.
The news comes after the series reached new heights with the Season 4 premiere which is subtitled Freak Show. Overnight ratings showed that the premiere was watched by 6.1 million viewers and a 3.1 18-49 rating — both franchise highs. With Live+3 DVR playback now factored in, Freak Show‘s season premiere was viewed by 10 million total viewers, with 6.5 million landing in the 18-49 demo, becoming the most watched telecast in FX’s 20-year history.
H/T: TVLine