The TV Chick

I’ve heard generally negative reviews of American Horror Story, the new FX offering the creative minds behind Glee (Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Dante DiLoreto). So I was very hesitant when I popped in my screener. Also, I scare rather easily so that was another hesitation. But I actually enjoyed it. There was a ton of creepy stuff and some gross heads in jars and some very bizarre camera movements and storylines (I generally focus a lot on the visuals because I work in television), but overall, it intrigued me. I am curious to see more. And that is a sign of a television show I can get invested in.

The show centers around the Harmon family, Ben (played by Dylan McDermott), Vivien (played by the beloved Connie Britton), and Violet (played by Taissa Farmiga) who move to Los Angeles after Ben has an affair. They move into this crazy run-down looking house, that unbeknownst to them, is haunted. With the house comes a maid who looks young to Ben and old to Vivien (yeah, I’m not sure, either). Ben practices psychiatry out of his house and starts adopting bizarre habits. Violet has to acclimate to a new school environment and doesn’t exactly play well with others. Enter super super creepy next door neighbor, played by Jessica Lange, and her Down Syndrome daughter Adelaide who tells everyone who goes into that house that they are going to die. And apparently they have died, and now haunt the house. We think. There’s also Larry (a burn victim played by Denis O’Hare), a previous tenant, who tries to warn Ben to get out of the house. Clearly, the Harmon family is in for some terrifying times.

As I said before, there was some bizarre camera work and some very weird things that went down in the premiere episode that I can’t even begin to understand. There’s a graphic, strange sex scene that I’m still not sure about. However, I am still interested to find out what happens with the Harmon family. Can a show last if the family or some family members might inevitably die? Are they going to die? I would assume they aren’t planning on moving out any time soon because that would ruin the show. But I hope to learn more about what happened in the house in the past, why Adelaide seems to know so much about the house and how Jessica Lange’s character fits in to the equation. So, if you like horror stories, or the actors in American Horror Story, I suggest tuning in. It was interesting, different, weird and fairly creepy, but enjoyable nonetheless.

American Horror Story premieres tonight at 10 PM on FX.