American Horror Story (FX)
Premiered October 5 at 10pm
This probably is not the show for me, and that’s something of which I’m well aware. Nonetheless, I feel the need to review every pilot, and especially to check this one out due to the pedigree of creator Ryan Murphy and some of the cast members. What I can say is that this is an odd mixture of moods and themes, taking a haunted house story and giving it some rather eerie twists befitting of the man behind “Nip/Tuck.” There’s a very grungy, terrifying tone to the show, and it goes well beyond the history of murders and suicides in the house. Adelaide makes a serious case for the frightful nature of this series, but there’s a whole lot more worse than that. There’s also a big difference, in my mind, between Vivien’s somewhat freaky encounter with an unknown man in a rubber suit and that horrifying business in the basement which scared even Violet. The presence of Tate on this show speaks greatly to its tone, and it’s clear that he’s even edgier than Violet, and his scenes are among the most chilling. Christina Estabrook playing the realtor was an ironic choice given that this show is so very much unlike “Desperate Housewives,” where last she proved very friendly to her neighbors. What’s perhaps the most unsettling aspect of the show is Laura the housekeeper, played by Frances Conroy, but who appears as a much younger woman constantly in a state of undress for Ben. Jessica Lange’s Constance threatening to kill her again further complicates everything, alluding to the fact that there’s a majestic web of mysticism in this house. Add to that Denis O’Hare’s two-faced family-killer, and you have the recipe for one seriously disturbing and haunting show. If only it were a bit more solid and compelling, without just being scary. This is definitely a good follow-up role for Connie Britton for “Friday Night Lights,” giving her something extremely different to do, but I’m hardly as impressed with Dylan McDermott’s acting. If I can stomach the idea of watching more of this show, sheer curiosity may compel me to check out episode two.
How will it work as a series? The history of the haunted house should provide a good amount of frights and surprises to present themselves before the new tenants catch on to the fact that where they live is hardly paradise. Where it goes from there is a bit of a mystery, but this is a Ryan Murphy show, so presumably they’ll eventually come to terms with it and start appreciating their surroundings in some odd way.
How long will it last? The ratings weren’t as strong as some other FX premieres, but I don’t think that will be an issue since this is the kind of show that could only really work on FX, so I imagine they’re going to want to give it a chance, if not a second season renewal sometime soon.
Pilot grade: C+
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