S12.E01: Multiply Thy Pain

[AnimeMania]

After multiple failed attempts of IVF, actress Anna Victoria Alcott wants nothing more than to start a family. As the buzz around her recent film grows, she fears that something may be targeting her - and her pursuit of motherhood. 

Premiere Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023      FX      10pm 

Edited September 21, 2023 by AnimeMania

[Starchild]

I just watched this on broadcast cable. Did anyone else get the sense that there were too many commercials? There seemed to be as many ad minutes as show minutes. It was so excessive, with the same few ads repeating over and over for what must have been at least 10 minutes, that I thought they were having technical problems. And that happened a couple more times, though not for as long.

If that's the way this is going to be, not sure I can watch, especially since I generally avoid shows that are all about an isolated person being gaslighted by everyone they trust. I truly hate that trope, have never rewatched Rosemary's Baby because of it. I thought maybe Murphy is bringing something new, worth suffering through it, but if the hour is going to be half ads, I don't think I can stand it.

That being said, this first episode was nothing new or special. I was thinking it might be nice to see Emma Roberts play something other than bitchy, but she's too far in the other direction with this character, too insecure and subservient. And for me the husband is already unlikeable even before he inevitably shows his literal evilness.

I'll check it out next week I guess.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Starchild

[EtheltoTillie]

I will give it more time too. I agree with you on the Rosemary’s Baby vibe. That’s a hard movie to rewatch. I was actually enjoying Kim K in this. 

[rhofmovalley]

I found Kim K. to be almost unbearable. I don't believe her as the main character's "best friend" and her forced use of the "f" word just made her seem more lackluster.  Her acting makes wood seem lively and brought Emma Roberts' acting down (although I don't think she's a terrific actress either). Again, IMO. 

I hope this isn't a Cult retread where the primary character is being gaslighted (gaslit?) by everyone and is stumbling around completely clueless. 

[Avaleigh]

11 hours ago, Starchild said:

That being said, this first episode was nothing new or special.

I feel the same. I can understand exploring familiar territory and paying homage to films in the genre, but at the end of the day is AHS supposed to be darkly humorous? I didn't really find much humor here just a story that feels incredibly predictable. There's Rosemary's Baby and a little of films like The Mephisto Waltz and the (terrible) remake of The Omen.

I guess they think they're being clever having Kim K's character talk about the downside of fame, but I haven't found any of the commentary on that topic to be particularly insightful. 

I'm fully prepared for this to be the weakest entry in AHS to date. 

31 minutes ago, rhofmovalley said:

Her acting makes wood seem lively and brought Emma Roberts' acting down (although I don't think she's a terrific actress either).

It doesn't help that Kim can't move her face. At least Emma Roberts can emote for the most part. 

[txhorns79]

46 minutes ago, rhofmovalley said:

I found Kim K. to be almost unbearable. I don't believe her as the main character's "best friend"

I didn't believe that either.  She doesn't seem like the kind of person you would confide in, or even hang out with under normal circumstances.  I also didn't really believe an agent would have her client going along with the weird fan requests like to have her sign the stomach of that doll. 

[tennisgurl]

They are really leaning into the Rosemary's baby vibes this season, right down to the long shots of apartment halls and the ties to the entertainment industry. I usually enjoy this shows shout outs to popular horror movies and tropes, but this feels like like an homage than a carbon copy. This episode was fine, it wasn't an absolute hot mess like some first episodes of AHS, but it felt boring and by the numbers instead. I hope that Emma Roberts character can have some actual agency in this story and she doesn't spend the whole season being manipulated by everyone in her life just pinballing around the plot looking scared. 

The obsession over the husbands dead perfect wife also gives me some Rebecca vibes, I know that she's going to figure into this. Are they trying to somehow bring his dead wife back via his new wife's womb? We all know that this wouldn't be the most ridiculous thing this show has done, we had a season not long ago where two guys got knocked up by an alien. 

I know how much RM loves his campy stunt casting, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, but I do not buy Kimmy K at all. You would think she could pull from her real family a bit more as to how to be a fast talking talent manager, but all of her scenes are awkward. Some of that might be because I am sure she's in on whatever the evil plan is, but mostly it just feels cringe. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by tennisgurl

[Avaleigh]

1 hour ago, txhorns79 said:

I didn't believe that either.  She doesn't seem like the kind of person you would confide in, or even hang out with under normal circumstances.  I also didn't really believe an agent would have her client going along with the weird fan requests like to have her sign the stomach of that doll. 

Right, I thought that was supposed to clue the audience in that the publicist isn't on the up-and-up. I'm not spoiled, my guess is that she needed her to sign the doll for some cult related reason. 

She might also be behind the account that's dedicated to trashing Anna. This is probably one of those situations where everybody is in on it, but I won't be surprised if Kim's character Siobhan is the primary big bad. The way they mention how her fertility journey ended up being unsuccessful, it made me think that her end game is to take Anna's baby. 

 

[Avaleigh]

34 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

The obsession over the husbands dead perfect wife also gives me some Rebecca vibes, I know that she's going to figure into this. Are they trying to somehow bring his dead wife back via his new wife's womb?

Yes about the Rebecca vibes. Interesting idea about potentially trying to bring the first wife back to life. Yes too, that this would by no means be the craziest storyline this show has ever come up with. (For me Roanoke and Cult were by far the most batshit seasons.) 

Regarding the husband, I get the impression that his career is taking off due to whatever deal he's made without his wife's knowledge. The way he's all possessive of his time in the spotlight and doesn't want his famous wife present for his big moment was pretty telling. It's also pretty stupid if he's seeking extra attention. Surely his wife's presence will give his work even more exposure?

 

[voiceover]

When Rosemary’s Baby did it (and later, Stepford Wives), it was truly the most horrifying moment in both movies — though Charles Grodin’s doctor’s phone call wasn’t meant as a betrayal, and Paula Prentiss’s Bobby was a victim, not a villain.

But yeah, the “Everyone is in on it” thing has been done to death.  Since I already know how this story ends, why watch?  My fault for being lured in by that creepy trailer.

[Lily H]

15 hours ago, Starchild said:

It was so excessive, with the same few ads repeating over and over for what must have been at least 10 minutes, that I thought they were having technical problems.

I was thinking the exact same thing! I was watching on FX in Canada, and there was one point where I really wondered if they were stuck in some kind of loop, because there were commercials, then a fairly lengthy show promo, then more commercials, then the promo again, then more commercials.

I knew the husband was a dick when he just left her in the lobby of the doctor's building. The stuff he did later just confirmed it.

And all the trolling comments about how ugly and old Anna is. I don't know why she would let those bother her for a second. Emma Roberts looked absolutely gorgeous! (I thought she was way more beautiful than what we saw of dead first wife).

[Hedgehog2022]

This was awful...C- for acting especially Kim K.  D- for the storyline. I think that Ryan Murphy is just phoning it in now. He seems to be leaning heavily on the plot for Rosemary's Baby and other horror films...gaslighting husband, weird doctor vibes and nightmares. Did Murphy think we are stupid wouldn't see all the glaring similarties between AHS Delicate and other horror movies?

Won't be watcing the remainder of the episodes..so many other things to watch on streaming services that are 10 times better then this mess.

[Snazzy Daisy]

I haven't watched AHS in ages. Tuning in this season only for Matt Czuchry.

Between Kim. K and Cara Delevingne, it's hard to determine which one is the worst actress.

Kim is lowkey playing her mom. 😆😆😆

[Starchild]

1 hour ago, Lily H said:

I was thinking the exact same thing! I was watching on FX in Canada, and there was one point where I really wondered if they were stuck in some kind of loop, because there were commercials, then a fairly lengthy show promo, then more commercials, then the promo again, then more commercials.

Yeah, FX Canada. Thing is, it wasn't just more commercials, it was the same 3 or 4, over and over and over.

Frustrating.

[iMonrey]

This didn't really grab me. Even some of the worst seasons of AHS had decent premier episodes that piqued my interest but this one really didn't. It just seemed very cliched and predictable, and I agree about the comparisons to Rosemary's Baby and Rebecca. 

As an outlier, I didn't think Kim K. was bad at all, acting-wise. God knows I've had to put up with Billie Lourd and her flat effect in multiple seasons of AHS and other Ryan Murphy shows. I hope he is done trying to make her happen. Compared to her Kim K. was a regular Meryl Streep. That said, her unnaturally puffy lips were distracting. I can't imagine why anyone thinks that looks good.

I sort of groaned at the inclusion of Andy Cohen, that wonky-eyed freak. I suppose he and Murphy are pals. I can't think of any other reason to pretend his show is on par with The Tonight Show or The Late Show. It's strictly a Bravo fan service show.

I also thought the set designs were over the top and as subtle as a sledgehammer. All the hazy neon blue and pink everywhere Anna went, even the restaurant bathroom.

17 hours ago, Starchild said:

I just watched this on broadcast cable. Did anyone else get the sense that there were too many commercials?

I watched on Hulu. It was short. I'm sure they needed a lot of ads to fill up a full hour. 

[Madding crowd]

This was based on a book I read Delicate Condition and I’m hoping the show would be better than the book because I wasn’t crazy about it. Rosemary’s Baby is one of my favorite movies and I liked the little call backs like Dr. Hill. It does appear to be about gaslighting which is always frustrating to watch.

[Shrek]

Just over 41 minutes without commercials which is about the norm for all hour long programs nowadays. 

[Starchild]

Well I'm glad to hear I probably didn't miss anything.

Still, I wish they'd vary the ads a bit, or not put so much of it together. Maybe I'll see if I can record it then FF past commercials. I just upgraded to IPTV so I'm not sure what's allowed when it comes to that.

[iMonrey]

4 hours ago, Shrek said:

Just over 41 minutes without commercials which is about the norm for all hour long programs nowadays. 

Not for this show, though - or most other FX shows. They generally go over an hour (with commercials). It was strangely short for a season premier. 

[Anela]

The comments about her being old and washed up, are the types of comments that are typical on the internet, especially if the husband has fans (for some reason). If they loved his first wife, or just hate this actress. 
going by comments here, I wonder if his wife died after attempting to have a baby in the same way as they are now. He could have lied when he said that they didn’t try. 

“This is my night.” What a dick.  

[sadie]

I read the book, so I’m just watching to see how they compare.

That said , why does Murphy have to overdo and over work this stuff? It’s like he can’t just rely on a good story. Their apartment looked like a parking garage, I guess because it had to feel really cold and harsh, who would live there?. The doctors office and exam room were ridiculous. We get it Ryan, we get it, it’s all creepy and off putting. Isn’t it better to put someone in a normal surroundings to contrast with the slightly sinister things happening? No, he has to hit us over the head with “mood”.
 

And the stunt casting is always awful, although Kim K wasn’t as bad as Kai Gerber, but not by much. 

[luna1122again]

Minority opinion, obvs, but I thought Kim K was shockingly good. As in, I am pretty much a Kardashian family hater, and everything I've ever known about any of them has pretty much never been by choice, but just by sheer oversaturation in the media. I groaned when I read about her casting. So I was definitely prepared to find her terrible, laughable, awful. 
 

So I was shocked to find that she was none of those things, at least in my eyes. No, it's not some bravura piece of acting, but she was funny, warm, and perfectly at ease. She held her own with Emma Roberts, who I don't like but who is a perfectly competent actor, and handled several lines of clunky, expository dialogue with ease. I don't know how much range it will turn out she has, if she turns into this season's big baddie (mere speculation, I have no idea) but for now, I couldn't find much to criticize her for. And objectively, no matter how much artifice goes into her looks, she's drop dead gorgeous. 

I liked this first episode just fine. AHS usually starts out pretty well and then goes all to hell, so I expect not much more here, but I'll keep watching. 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I don't think KK is any worse than some of the actors that have been on this show. I'll save the Razzie for Billie Lourd, who I find as wooden as a 2 by 4. 

The first episode was ok, but I can just about predict what's going to happen. There may be a few surprises, but I expect it to rip off a few movies and concepts that probably did it better. 

[iMonrey]

3 hours ago, sadie said:

That said , why does Murphy have to overdo and over work this stuff? It’s like he can’t just rely on a good story. Their apartment looked like a parking garage, I guess because it had to feel really cold and harsh, who would live there?. The doctors office and exam room were ridiculous. We get it Ryan, we get it, it’s all creepy and off putting. Isn’t it better to put someone in a normal surroundings to contrast with the slightly sinister things happening? No, he has to hit us over the head with “mood”.

I was struck by this too. All the sets looked like they were on some alien planet. Talk about overkill.

1 hour ago, Superclam said:

I don't think KK is any worse than some of the actors that have been on this show. I'll save the Razzie for Billie Lourd, who I find as wooden as a 2 by 4. 

Agreed. Stunt casting has been a thing on this show for several seasons now, but compared to Billie Lourd, Kaia Gerber or Gus Kenworthy, Kim K. wasn't half bad. 

[AstridM]

Kim simply makes me so sick that I could never consider watching this show. I doubt I’m the only one. 

[Dobian]

I couldn't get into this.  We just finished a season in New York, and now we're back in the worst part of New York - soulless, pretentious, provincial NYC society.  And the focus is on my least favorite AH actor, Emma Roberts.  The Rosemary's Baby plot doesn't grab me.  I don't relate to these characters.  I did like the style and the cinematography.  KK was competent in a role that doesn't exactly demand much, at least so far.  I'll give it one more episode.

Edited September 23, 2023 by Dobian

[Anela]

5 hours ago, AstridM said:

Kim simply makes me so sick that I could never consider watching this show. I doubt I’m the only one. 

I don’t follow them, I only vaguely know things about them, but I’m thinking about bowing out for other reasons.

this episode was also really nothing compared to past premieres. 

[iMonrey]

20 hours ago, AstridM said:

Kim simply makes me so sick that I could never consider watching this show. I doubt I’m the only one. 

I get it, I have the distinct advantage of never having seen a single episode of any Kardashian show or anything else Kim has ever been in. I know of her, of course, but I've never really seen her in anything and have no strong opinion about her one way or another. On that level, I thought she was fine here. But I get that she has a lot of baggage.

[Shrek]

Anyone else have a problem with the sound on FX? I had to double the usual volume level on my tv just for this and anything else on FX (I checked later).

[Terrafamilia]

I'm going to be disappointed if we don't end up with a spider-baby. 🤪

 

[Simba122504]

On 9/21/2023 at 9:01 AM, rhofmovalley said:

I found Kim K. to be almost unbearable. I don't believe her as the main character's "best friend" and her forced use of the "f" word just made her seem more lackluster.  Her acting makes wood seem lively and brought Emma Roberts' acting down (although I don't think she's a terrific actress either). Again, IMO. 

I hope this isn't a Cult retread where the primary character is being gaslighted (gaslit?) by everyone and is stumbling around completely clueless. 

They haven't learned anything since Paris Hilton. Stop putting these people in Hollywood productions!  I actually stopped watching this show after Roanoke. Returned for 1984, then left again,  then returned for this season. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Simba122504
ETA

[rhofmovalley]

I loved NYC because not only had I lived through that era but I found for the most part the acting was superior to other seasons.

I just see Kim K. and not her alleged character. It's distracting.

[Ceindreadh]

21 hours ago, Terrafamilia said:

I'm going to be disappointed if we don't end up with a spider-baby. 🤪

 

 

Dougal has it covered. 

[Mattipoo]

Like others have said, this season premiere is the most boring and lacklustre one yet. There is nothing exciting about it and the premise feels like a retread of every cliched Netflix horror film from the last 10 years. There is even a "American Horror Stories" episode with Billie Lourd (!) that even has the exact same story.

Kim Kardashian's acting is better than I expected, but I literally had my bar set on the ground. Ironically, she is the best part of the show for me right now, since everything else is so gray and beige and nothing.

This may turn out to be the worst AHS season yet.

[Tachi Rocinante]

Hopefully it gets better, because there wasn't one original idea anywhere in this premiere. Blatant ripoffs of Rosemary's Baby, Gaslight, Dead Ringers, and more.