Since the words, "The following story is based on true events." flashed across my screen, I've been wondering -- could a true story really include rain showers of teeth?
Like the season's theme, whether or not it is a true story remains shrouded in mystery. The statement could simply refer to the season's dramatically different format -- which mimicks a Lifetime TV or Investigation Discovery special, complete with talking heads and dramatic re-enactments. The storytelling method Murphy and his team have chosen this year, points to the 'true story' dramas which have come to embody current narratives of American crimes, or horrors.
The statement could also be an ode to the true happenings of the Roanoke colony, whose disappearance occurred in the 1600's. Interestingly enough, the auctioneer says the house was built sometime in the 1800's, a good two centuries after John White returned to a deserted colony. More on that later!
I'm leaning towards a definitive NO, for the story actually being based in reality, but the story still is based in reality. Yes, you read that right, the fake American Horror Story reality, of course.
It seems like despite prior theories about this season being an anthology within an anthology were wrong; however, it will indeed be a show within a show. Season 6 of American Horror Story is officially titled, American Horror Story: Roanoke -- yet every time we cut to commercial during the episode, a logo for "My Roanoke Nightmare" appeared on the screen.
That being said, Roanoke, North Carolina is a real place -- but we have confirmation that the old farmhouse is not. In fact, it was built especially for the season, in a secluded forest in California. So there you have it, in real life -- it's not true, in AHS life, it is true.
A blog all about the best horror show on TV, American Horror Story -- complete with character analysis, research and dissection of the many clues.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
SEASON 6
So, the long awaited season 6 American Horror Story has premiered! As well as, my not-as-anticipated return to blogging! :)
Murphy & Co. kept us on our toes this season, not revealing the theme until minutes into the first episode. As the premiere progressed, I couldn't help but wonder if this season was kept a secret due to it possibly being similar to Murder House in some thematic ways, including the importance of the house itself. In looking at older blog posts from Season 1, I was struck by a comment from Murphy during an interview that each season would focus on some sort of building or entity -- which has held true. Season 1 was obviously the Murder House, while Season 2 is clearly the Asylum. Season 3 focused on the Coven's school house, while Season 4 was primarily based in the grounds of the Freak Show. Season 5, again, based in a hotel. I'm seeing a theme -- are you? That being said, I'm not as disappointed that this first episode seemed so strikingly similar to the Murder House story -- after all, there's so much more to dissect!
Anyway, like many seasons do, we have opening scenes in Los Angeles. The couple falls victim to a gang-related game of knock-out and subsequently tragically miscarries. Like many of our protagonists from seasons past, they decide on a life change and up and leave LA for the country. But wait, before we get into the plot, we need to discuss the back and forth style of the episode!
I personally really enjoyed the mash up of interview and dramatic re-enactments scenes, but that may be my love for Investigation Discovery becoming apparent. I'm also a fan of Cuba Gooding Jr being added to the cast, but I digress. Someone suggested in an article that the entire season may be a combination of various stories surrounding the house, with different characters taking turns being the focus -- essentially an anthology within an anthology. Possible, but doubtful considering the episode ended on a cliff-hanger. I am interested to see if the format with the "dramatic re-enactments" continues, as opposed to the year flashbacks we've become accustomed to in past seasons. The style provides interesting perspectives on the events and seems to be chock full of foreshadowing. A press release indicates that the next five episodes will be titled "Chapter 2," "Chapter 3," and so on, fueling the theory that the storytelling format will last through the season.
The episode centers around Shelby, a yoga instructor, and Matt Miller, a traveling salesman. As we hear from the 'real life' Matt and Shelby (Andre Holland and Lily Rabe, respectively) -- we're treated to dramatic re-enactments depicting the past events, played by Sarah Paulson (a true TV gem) and Cuba Gooding Jr. Essentially, after a series of unfortunate events, the couple up and leaves LA for the east coast, settling in North Carolina. Worth noting, the opening story strikingly resembles the story of the Harmon's moving from Boston to LA in the first episode -- including the miscarriage and need to 'start over.'
Once in North Carolina with Matt's family, the incredibly-in-love couple stumbles upon a centuries old farmhouse, which happens to be up for auction. For a cool 50K, the Millers snag the house and move in immediately. And so it begins...
The creepy comes on full force after this point -- with weird screams in the middle of the night, a damaged lawn, flying trash can, rain shower of teeth -- probably one of the STRANGEST things to ever grace our televisions during AHS, and that's certainly saying a lot. At this point, like many of you, I would be running for the door, not reassuring my husband that I'll be fine as he leaves me alone for three days! But of course, where is the fun in that?
While Matt is away, Shelby decides a soak in the eerie hot-tub is just the ticket to relax her. At some point, she is held underwater, and unfortunately, we are unable to catch a glimpse of her attacker -- the only clue? The torches surrounding the hot tub when she comes to. Matt rushes home, and is greeted by the town's police force, who seems to think Shelby has imbibed a bit too much that evening.
Matt has his concerns about Shelby's mental state, until he finds a dead pig on their front porch, which he promptly buries and hides from Shelby. I'm thinking this is an important part of the story -- though it seems inconspicuous. During the talking-heads, Matt makes a point to tell the audience that he didn't want to tell Shelby about the pig and upset her more. One of my biggest gripes about the Murder House season was, didn't any of the Harmon's talk to each other? Like Violet never came home from school and was like "Hey ma, I think our house is haunted!" Hopefully, this is a way to cover bases -- as it plays out further in the next scenes, with the introduction of Lee, Matt's sister, a former cop with an addiction problem. Both her and Shelby are pitted against each other by someone or something -- with the mysteriously moving knife and tempting bottle of wine.
While Matt is away on business, he sends his sister to stay with Shelby. As the two get into an argument over the aforementioned wine and knife, Matt is alerted by his fancy new security system that someone has entered not only the area, but the house --- and they are none other than pitchfork and torch wielding crazy people. Matt is unable to get a hold of the women, who are lured into the basement by strange noises. They find a TV playing what seems to be a home video of a very scared man who is filming some sort of pig/man being.
When they finally emerge from the basement, the foyer is decorated in some Blair Witch Project-esque angels made of sticks. Shelby freaks out after Matt rushes home to save them, from apparently nothing. She takes off and ends up hitting a woman on the road, as she distracted by Matt's incessant calls. Many have suggested that this woman is indeed the one and only Kathy Bates. Regardless of actress, the woman is dressed in colonial garb. She dusts herself off and takes off into the woods. In one of her worst decision-making moments, Shelby rushes after her, only to get lost in the thick of the forest. Something to keep in mind -- obviously, we don't know how far Shelby got, but we are told when the Millers purchase the house, that it comes with 10 surrounding acres, upon which they cannot build any further. Chances are Shelby didn't make it out of their 10-acres and is still on the 'estate.'
As she runs for her life, she loses sight of the woman she hit, but does find a tree decorated with the same stick-angels, as well as an angry mob of colonists, again with pitch forks and torches. Interestingly enough, the last line of the episode is present-day Shelby saying, "I don't know what it was, and it's still a mystery to me."
On that note, until next time.
If you're wondering why there's been no mention of the Roanoke colony or Billie Jean's infamous Season 1 speech, I'll being address that in detail in an upcoming post. I'm back and I'm here to stay ladies and gentlemen, let's enjoy this scary ride together!
Murphy & Co. kept us on our toes this season, not revealing the theme until minutes into the first episode. As the premiere progressed, I couldn't help but wonder if this season was kept a secret due to it possibly being similar to Murder House in some thematic ways, including the importance of the house itself. In looking at older blog posts from Season 1, I was struck by a comment from Murphy during an interview that each season would focus on some sort of building or entity -- which has held true. Season 1 was obviously the Murder House, while Season 2 is clearly the Asylum. Season 3 focused on the Coven's school house, while Season 4 was primarily based in the grounds of the Freak Show. Season 5, again, based in a hotel. I'm seeing a theme -- are you? That being said, I'm not as disappointed that this first episode seemed so strikingly similar to the Murder House story -- after all, there's so much more to dissect!
Anyway, like many seasons do, we have opening scenes in Los Angeles. The couple falls victim to a gang-related game of knock-out and subsequently tragically miscarries. Like many of our protagonists from seasons past, they decide on a life change and up and leave LA for the country. But wait, before we get into the plot, we need to discuss the back and forth style of the episode!
I personally really enjoyed the mash up of interview and dramatic re-enactments scenes, but that may be my love for Investigation Discovery becoming apparent. I'm also a fan of Cuba Gooding Jr being added to the cast, but I digress. Someone suggested in an article that the entire season may be a combination of various stories surrounding the house, with different characters taking turns being the focus -- essentially an anthology within an anthology. Possible, but doubtful considering the episode ended on a cliff-hanger. I am interested to see if the format with the "dramatic re-enactments" continues, as opposed to the year flashbacks we've become accustomed to in past seasons. The style provides interesting perspectives on the events and seems to be chock full of foreshadowing. A press release indicates that the next five episodes will be titled "Chapter 2," "Chapter 3," and so on, fueling the theory that the storytelling format will last through the season.
The episode centers around Shelby, a yoga instructor, and Matt Miller, a traveling salesman. As we hear from the 'real life' Matt and Shelby (Andre Holland and Lily Rabe, respectively) -- we're treated to dramatic re-enactments depicting the past events, played by Sarah Paulson (a true TV gem) and Cuba Gooding Jr. Essentially, after a series of unfortunate events, the couple up and leaves LA for the east coast, settling in North Carolina. Worth noting, the opening story strikingly resembles the story of the Harmon's moving from Boston to LA in the first episode -- including the miscarriage and need to 'start over.'
Once in North Carolina with Matt's family, the incredibly-in-love couple stumbles upon a centuries old farmhouse, which happens to be up for auction. For a cool 50K, the Millers snag the house and move in immediately. And so it begins...
The creepy comes on full force after this point -- with weird screams in the middle of the night, a damaged lawn, flying trash can, rain shower of teeth -- probably one of the STRANGEST things to ever grace our televisions during AHS, and that's certainly saying a lot. At this point, like many of you, I would be running for the door, not reassuring my husband that I'll be fine as he leaves me alone for three days! But of course, where is the fun in that?
While Matt is away, Shelby decides a soak in the eerie hot-tub is just the ticket to relax her. At some point, she is held underwater, and unfortunately, we are unable to catch a glimpse of her attacker -- the only clue? The torches surrounding the hot tub when she comes to. Matt rushes home, and is greeted by the town's police force, who seems to think Shelby has imbibed a bit too much that evening.
Matt has his concerns about Shelby's mental state, until he finds a dead pig on their front porch, which he promptly buries and hides from Shelby. I'm thinking this is an important part of the story -- though it seems inconspicuous. During the talking-heads, Matt makes a point to tell the audience that he didn't want to tell Shelby about the pig and upset her more. One of my biggest gripes about the Murder House season was, didn't any of the Harmon's talk to each other? Like Violet never came home from school and was like "Hey ma, I think our house is haunted!" Hopefully, this is a way to cover bases -- as it plays out further in the next scenes, with the introduction of Lee, Matt's sister, a former cop with an addiction problem. Both her and Shelby are pitted against each other by someone or something -- with the mysteriously moving knife and tempting bottle of wine.
While Matt is away on business, he sends his sister to stay with Shelby. As the two get into an argument over the aforementioned wine and knife, Matt is alerted by his fancy new security system that someone has entered not only the area, but the house --- and they are none other than pitchfork and torch wielding crazy people. Matt is unable to get a hold of the women, who are lured into the basement by strange noises. They find a TV playing what seems to be a home video of a very scared man who is filming some sort of pig/man being.
When they finally emerge from the basement, the foyer is decorated in some Blair Witch Project-esque angels made of sticks. Shelby freaks out after Matt rushes home to save them, from apparently nothing. She takes off and ends up hitting a woman on the road, as she distracted by Matt's incessant calls. Many have suggested that this woman is indeed the one and only Kathy Bates. Regardless of actress, the woman is dressed in colonial garb. She dusts herself off and takes off into the woods. In one of her worst decision-making moments, Shelby rushes after her, only to get lost in the thick of the forest. Something to keep in mind -- obviously, we don't know how far Shelby got, but we are told when the Millers purchase the house, that it comes with 10 surrounding acres, upon which they cannot build any further. Chances are Shelby didn't make it out of their 10-acres and is still on the 'estate.'
As she runs for her life, she loses sight of the woman she hit, but does find a tree decorated with the same stick-angels, as well as an angry mob of colonists, again with pitch forks and torches. Interestingly enough, the last line of the episode is present-day Shelby saying, "I don't know what it was, and it's still a mystery to me."
On that note, until next time.
If you're wondering why there's been no mention of the Roanoke colony or Billie Jean's infamous Season 1 speech, I'll being address that in detail in an upcoming post. I'm back and I'm here to stay ladies and gentlemen, let's enjoy this scary ride together!
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