FX: American Horror Story

[EricMontreal22]

soapfave06, on 23 Oct 2013 - 9:45 PM, said:

Yeah, I know they like to kill off characters on AHS, but Madison is not gonna stay dead if she's killed off in episode three.

I admit, this is the only Ryan Murphy show I like (I found the first season just so/so but overall loved last year and am enjoying this year.) And I have no real defence since much of the WTF moments would piss me off on any other show--I do think now that Tim Minear who did much of the best Angel stuff and Firefly is co-showrunner since Murphy's so busy with other projects, that might help. Their episode of Inside the Writer's Studio with the whole staff was actually kinda enjoyable (except when Murphy with his eternally grumpy face would interrupt the others.)

Too much of season 1 seemed predictable, like the daughter being a ghost from early on, etc. Asylum was maybe too dark and bleak, but I just found it--sometimes despite myself--a lot more fun to watch and I loved the ending episodes (whereas I thought season one sorta got into a rut by the very end.) Different strokes I guess.

But while I sorta guessed and could handle the incest bit, I admit the Queenie with the Minotaur was badly done. I sorta blame the actress--who I have never liked that much--but the writing more so. And no it wasn't just cuz she suddenly started jerking off, but it came out of NOWHERE--the character is probably the least underwritten, she seemed genuinely scared, she's a virgin, and while she had every right to assume correctly that the minotaur pre minotaur hadn't raped the daughter, she HAD just been told that and seemed to believe it. It did a 180 WAY WAY too quickly. Or maybe half animals are her one big sexual fantasy and that's why she'd never had sex before?

And don't get me wrong--I LOVE Jessica Lange camping it up and chewing the scenery, and enjoy all of her performances. But her character from season to season is increasingly seeming--despite vastly different character descriptions--as kinda the same (again, I blame the writing as much as anything--they know what they like seeing Lange do.)

Oh, and while I can accept nearly any WTF moment in AHS, like I said, I did find it too much of a stretch that they break into a huge city morgue, in daylight, and there didn't seem to be any security (until near the end) or people working or anything. Morgues usually are fairly busy places at least during the day.

In terms of the way the actresses are credited, I read a cynical piece about how that has to do with Emmy nominations--ie wasn't Jessica Lange in the guest star category or something ridiculous? (I still find it silly that they count the show as a miniseries though I sorta get why...)

[Ann_SS]

Poor Cordelia. Her mother is a cold stone murderer, her husband is a crazy monster murderer, and she gets acid thrown in her weirdly stretched face. I think the black robed covered woman is connected to her husband, maybe one of his victims. That said, every time I see Sarah Paulson, I long for American Gothic which I loved. Shaun Cassidy should do a remake on cable. It will e a major hit today.

If Madison was the Supreme, why is Fiona badgering Cordelia about who she thinks is the Supreme? I wonder if Nan is the Supreme. She might have been the one who set the curtains on fire, not Madison. Nan can read minds so maybe she realizes that Fiona is a threat to her so she is hiding.

I thought Angela Bassett's spell was going to have major consequences, raising the dead was so boring.

That butler guy is so freaking weird. I thought Madison would rise from the dead, but maybe her corpse is all that is left.

Zoe and Kyle are boring.

[EricMontreal22]

They usually do two parter Halloween episodes, so I'm sure FrankenKyle will somehow show up (and help?)

I was kinda annoyed that Cordelia's husband turned into a killer--but I really should have expected it at this point from AHS. It just seemed oddly predictable with partners who initially seem loving on his shows (well on AHS and Nip/Tuck.)

Madison wasn't the supreme--she had health issues which proved she wasn't. I would be shocked if we can't guess who is--but I've been surprised by the show before.

I suspect Madison is kinda a living doll at the moment and that wasn't just a corpse. Again judging on past episodes, I think the butler saved her because after all these years he's resented not having Fiona's love.

It was an OK episode, but a bit of a let down after all the past craziness. I'm surprised Minotaur man seems to be dead (though he did blink) because the implication was that would be the "monster of the season" like Leatherman and No Face or whatever he was called last year. Then again, as I said most Halloween episodes are two parters--and I remember thinking the second parts (especially in season 1) were much better.

[teplin]

I like this season much better than last -- even with all the blood and death, it's much lighter (and campier). I found last year really disturbing, and not in a good way. Though "The Name Game" was one of the highlights of the TV season for me. But I agree with Eric on Queenie and the Minotaur, that was badly written.

I actually think a number of things don't make much sense, but I decided way back in the second season of Nip Tuck to approach Ryan Murphy shows differently. The characters and their motivations tend to be inconsistent (that's an understatement), the plots don't hang together well, and the dialogue is often painfully bad. But there are so many great individual moments in Nip/Tuck and Glee and AHS that I keep watching.

[EricMontreal22]

teplin, that is precisely the same way I take Ryan Murphy shows. I just give up on worrying about characterization and motivation (as that changes episode to episode, or even moment to moment) and other aspects... I admit, it's grown tired for me on Glee, and I gave up on Nip Tuck in its final seasons because I thought it became just too mean spirited, but those aspects don't bug me on a show that's meant to be gonzo (and horror) and changes each season like AHS. As I've also said, I think adding Tim Minear into the writing mix has helped. I really liked season 2, but I will agree it was unrelentingly bleak and dark--they consciously tried to change that this year and despite gang rapes, incest and bestiality, I think they have. In that Sundance tv show In the Writers Room about AHS, Tim Minear said when Murphy went over their storylines he drew the line at killing a cat - which made the other writers laugh a bit since they had already done incest, matricide, etc.

[Cheap21]

Did you'll see the cut footage of Queenie interacting with her twin sister, Precious?

LMAO!

[SouthOfSoap]

I like this show for what it is - escapist fun. I learnt never to get invested in actual storylines because the only way 95% of the storylines get resolved is through death. One may argue it is the horror genre, so that is to be expected, but it also rather uncreative and dare I say lazy.

I loved season 2 but it was about 3 episodes too long. After Sister Mary Eunice died, the rest was just a really long epilogue.

A big difference this season for me thematically is that the setting is not a character. In season 1, we had death house and season 2 had Briarcliffe. Is season 3 meant to be New Orleans? That's too diluted to build a mythology around imo.

[ChitHappens]

Finona offering to make Queenie "a Supreme of Color" had me in tears. I love that witch! Jessica Lange is everything!

I'm a bit confused with Queenie's reluctance to do what they did because she's always threatening to cut a bitch. That didn't make much sense to me at all. I'm really liking her relationship with Delphine.

[EricMontreal22]

SHe's always threatening, but I think that's all it usually is -- unless someone is in danger.

OK this is mean but I laughed when the poor, often ignored, chubby black girl was told she would be the a Supreme! I wanted her to burst out with "I'm Telling You" From Dreamgirls...

THe episode was good but disjointed. I know I can't look for reality here but the fact that the hospital was dirty, had broken lights, and left a poor woman screaming beside her still born baby was quite something.

I know they've said DePalma's 70s work was a big influence on the show (last year specifically borrowed a lot of shots from Carrie and even used some of the music) so loved that they aped the famous Dressed to Kill shot where she sees the reflection in the elevator mirror just as it closes.

[ChitHappens]

It was hilarious!

[ChitHappens]

Ryan Murphy ‏@MrRPMurphy 5h

Guess who's visiting the Coven? The legendary Stevie Nicks!

I've died and gone to a place far greater than heaven

[Juliajms]

Did the red headed witch actually throw the acid or was it the rival voodoo witches?

[Ann_SS]

Well, Madison has been found.

[Ann_SS]

So that is why Cordelia's husband killed that woman.

[Cheap21]

Good twist with the husband being a witch Hunter hired by AB's character. Didn't see that coming. Also glad Madison is back and look forward to seeing Fionna see that