American Horror Story Discussion (Spoilers)

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

I haven't watched either, but between the BBC show Bedlam and this, which show do you guys suggest I watch?

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

Wanted to give this one a chance but about 20 minutes into the pilot I just couldn't give a damn anymore.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

Wow, that was a LOT of fun! It's like they said, let's get a bunch of good actors and have them do some really CRAZY shit. Sure, it's a mess and there's too much ridiculous haunted-house BS. I was laughing more than I was hiding behind a pillow, but laughing means I'm being entertained, right?

Considering how DULL DULL DULL the new TV shows are on broadcast, AHS is a real breath of fresh air, the one new show where I know I won't be bored.

My favorites are Jessica Lange and Evan Peters (I remember spotting him in a nothing role on Invasion and thinking, "that kid really has something, even if he's being wasted here.") But everyone is interesting.

Kudos to the writers for having kid characters who don't make me want to throw the TV out the window every time they come on screen. Terra Nova, take note.

I'm amazed the dog survived the episode. I wonder if the dog's continuing survival will become a running joke?

I'm sure we'll all get sick of him wagglin' his butt around and they'll have to stop it. Eventually.

Too true. I wonder how they'll handle the plausibility problem when the ghosts issue become too severe even for white people to ignore.

Maybe something like, Vivien has to keep living in the house or she'll have another miscarriage. Sure, that's stupid but the great thing about this story is, stupidity isn't a fault because it's all pretty stupid already.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

I am doing both. both are different shows but both are awesome Horror.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

This is the perfect description for the show.

They should use it in ads.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

Ratings are good, not spectacular.

But I have a feeling this show will hang onto its audience, being a guilty pleasure and one that is not replicated elsewhere on TV. It may even gain viewers by word of mouth. Anyway, if its demo is higher than SoA's, it should do fine, because SoA isn't going anywhere either.

Look at the Facebook comments below the story. Even people who kinda didn't like it, or thought it was a mess, are interested and will keep watching. It's pretty good when you can lock in viewers who know they shouldn't be watching - that's how reality TV thrives!

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

^
Those ratings don't look good compared to the other FX shows that failed. Here's seeing if FX will stick by it if the ratings don't improve but stay about the same.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

It's the #1 cable show for its night and it's generating a lot of buzz for FX as being shocking and edgy, which seems like exactly how FX wants to be buzzed about (good for brand building).

I think it's perfectly safe unless the ratings crash.

However, I checked Sons of Anarchy's recent demo, and it is higher - 1.9 vs 1.6 for AHS - (it's also #1 for its night, excluding sports which really doesn't count). FX must be pretty pleased having two shows ranked so high, and both good for their brand.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

Having watched both, if I could watch only one, it'd be "Bedlam." Yeah, it's familiar territory, but it's scary and more comprehensible so far.

As for AHS, the characters are annoying. Yeah, what the wife went through with her pregnancy was bad and it took time to deal with things, but if her husband was really trying (before his affair), then she's going to have to work with him. And I don't necessarily mean have intercourse, but they could have had some physical intimacy. The husband was a damn fool for screwing around and appears to refuse to walk away from situations potentially threatening his marriage (copping a fell on the maid). And having a truly troubled patient IN YOUR HOME?! Idiocy! The daughter is just plain annoying, but then most teens are (at least on tv). Don't like the neighbor or her girl, Adelaide, either. Overall, it's pretty easy to see that I won't be a regular watcher. As both husband and black-suited figure bopped the wife, I suppose wife is pregnant by the mysterious person.

Oh, and I'd be out of that house so fast.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

Well, I hope it maintains or perhaps can improve its ratings. I wonder how the ratings will fare for the second episode? I would like to see it hang around long enough to see if it can rein in its excesses and produce something genuinely unsettling.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

I expect the ratings to drop some, since that's normal for a second episode. It's not out of the question that they might rise if word of mouth spreads that it's a great guilty-pleasure show.

But I wouldn't wait for the show to stop being an ungodly mess. Either the ratings will keep it going, which will send the message to the showrunners that what they're doing is working, or the ratings will fall and it will be cancelled.

My experience is that series premieres are usually a good indication of what the show is going to like for its lifetime. They might improve some, but they don't radically change character (The Vampire Diaries for example - the writing improved but if you weren't into the teen angst thing at the start, you still won't be into it in S3).

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

What an utterly ridiculous show. Sort of amusing how they took a lot of bad editing aspects of modern horror and turned the dial to 11. Want to see what's happening with the daughter at school? Okay, here's her story in a few 15 second scenes. And don't worry, if you aren't interested with what's going on right this second, wait until the next second where there's a good chance it will be totally different.

I'm not saying I disliked it. In fact I won't even rate it yet because I just don't know. It was absurd. There's no way for me to take any of it even the littlest bit seriously. There is a chance I will end up enjoying it as a comedy, because that's what it felt like most to me - take horror films from the last decade, amp it up and when you think you are done amping it up then amp it up more. That scene with the burned man chasing Dylan first in his car then on foot then Dylan grabbing him - the way that was edited was just, I don't know, are they trying to make me feel like I'm on a crazy new drug? It was funny. It was silly. It was creative. Not really sure if it's good but that almost doesn't matter.

I haven't read anything about the show (hadn't seen any previews before watching either) but I am now curious about the creator's intent. There is a definite echo of Nip/Tuck in that both shows often made me laugh at things that I could never entirely be sure were supposed to be funny.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

^
With the Nip/Tuck comparison I just think the premise of N/T was more sustainable for a multiyear series than American Horror Story. And despite N/T being over-the-top at times it felt more grounded. AHS went from 0 to 60 already in the pilot and the longer this family stays in the house the less sympathy I think the audience will feel for them. The show's creators are going to have to come up with a damn good reason to keep them in that house.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

They could only stay in the house for one season then be off on another adventure for season 2. Keeping them in the house long-term seems pretty impossible if they want the house to maintain a sense of danger.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

AHS gets big bump in DVR ratings.

Speaking of ad-zapping, I only fleetingly noticed the ads, but are they more calibrated to AHS' content than you'd normally expect? Maybe this week I'll watch all the ads, too.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

I finally got around to watching this tonight, and now I really wish I hadn't bothered. This was an awful, awful mess.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

The second episode was a lot less hectic. The editing wasn't as crazy and in a way gave you more of an idea how they might see extending the premise or running the show in general. The main story was in a way a MOTW sort of thing with arc elements worked on a bit.

I have mixed feelings about this because it was a little easier to handle and worked more as a tv show but it felt like it was missing some of what made the first episode so unusual. I guess I sort of like this show so far. I'm not connecting with the characters but it's keeping me entertained.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

This week's ep was too mundane, which made the lack of relatable characters and engaging story more obvious. This show needs its insane gimmicks.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

I liked the second episode much more. It was more creepy as opposed to in your face.

 

Re: American Horror Story (FX) 1x01 Pilot (Grading/Discussion)

second episode was awesome. I am just currious if the killer in the flash back is still alive?