S05.E01: Checking In

[DB in CMH]

Bryan Fuller really needs to sit Ryan Murphy down for a loooong talk.

 

No kidding. Hannibal season 2 was beautiful filmed, but also packed full of dense plot. It IS possible. Murphy seems to have no idea how to do it.

[Chaos Theory]

Rape in itself is a horror story.  I am not going to put my personal opinion on rape in television because it is long and complicated.  The short version is like everything else...if it fits with the story or the setting then i am fine with it.  All of the incarnations of AHS had rape in it in ore form or another.  Asylum and Coven were the most necessary for the story.  Murder House was more implied then seen.  As for Freak Show and Hotel the rapes were in large part for shock value and that itself is part of the horror and part of the story which is why it works for me....at least for now.  

 

I still maintain I am looking forward to the season.  If it keeps up with the creepy psycho sexual tension I will not be disappointed.  

Edited October 8, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Avaleigh]

I checked out the first episode just to make sure RM hadn't somehow righted this ship back to the first two seasons before I totally dismissed it, and I was right in my assumption. I felt like I needed a shower after watching... the only word I can use to describe the amped up level of violence, sexual and otherwise, without a sufficient amount of plot to justify it is "vulgar." I won't be tuning back in after this episode.

I understand why people obviously feel disturbed to see rape being depicted but I'm having trouble getting how this season seems more violent and over the top than earlier seasons.

[Nutjob]

I understand why people obviously feel disturbed to see rape being depicted but I'm having trouble getting how this season seems more violent and over the top than earlier seasons.

Because of what I wrote here:

 

without a sufficient amount of plot to justify it

This episode had almost no plot. Add to it no characters to like or root for (I'm not sure if it's an acting choice on Bentley's part, but Lowe seemed part robot) and nothing to lighten the mood at all, and it was all just torture, porn, and torture porn. My opinion, of course, but previous seasons started with at least one or two characters I thought I might want to see succeed. These "people" could have all been sucked into a vortex and I would have been just as happy, Lowe and his sad-sack wife included.

[RazzleberryPie]

I get the impression that at least some of the assorted monsters lurking about aren't actually vampires. And, of course, the vampires themselves don't tick all the Hollywood trope checkboxes; no fangs, no obvious supernatural powers beyond immortality, dislike sunlight but don't seem harmed by it.

I tuned out right after the rape scene. My husband kept watching. Said he started the episode, so he had to finish. His impression is that the Mattress Monster and Sarah Sally Paulson are metaphors for Drugs and Addiction. Mattress Monster is whatever substance they're shooting up, Sarah is the addiction luring them, and the whole rape was basically drugs/addition teaming to take someone's life. 

 

He said there was some mention of the two girls at the beginning having drugs on them, and that's why the monster attacked. He said Kathy Bates son did some kind of drug with Sarah, too. Said the little weird vampire kids played/were addicted to video games and candy later on, wasting lives, but thinking they were happy. Hubby is now trying to convince me to watch the whole thing, and said it got better in the last half hour when they brought in Kathy Bates son, and that Dennis whats his name was most likeble character on there. They really do need someone likable. If you have no protagonist, it's just depressing and sad. 

 

I still hated all the sexual violence at the beginning. Just too graphic, and not horror spooky, just.....ewww. I've never been a Vampire fan or a Gaga fan (I think she wastes her talent and ruins her message of acceptance by being so violent and gross).

 

Oh, and Ryan Murphy saying over and over that he'd NEVER do Vampires. Well, liar, liar, pants on fire. Again.

Edited October 8, 2015 by RazzleberryPie

[Brattinella]

I can't imagine anything worse than getting raped, oh yeah, getting raped to death.

 

^^^^ THIS.  ^^^^

[Avaleigh]

I see. I guess I disagree about this episode having no plot or likeable/rootworthy characters. I actually already like the Wes and Chloe characters more than the characters Dylan and Connie played in Murder House.

I agree though that there could be more humor to lighten things up.

Edited to get the show name right.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Avaleigh

[iMonrey]

I'm sort of torn on this. I feel like AHS sort of blew its wad on Asylum and has been grasping at straws for the past couple of seasons, and so far nothing here has convinced me otherwise. This looks to be another hodge-podge mess of style without substance like Coven and Freak Show.

 

On the other hand, I'm intrigued by the idea of Wes Bentley being the main character, and Matt Bomer being weekly regular, and Cheyenne Jackson - just wow. Kathy Bates so far seems like she could be about 50% less annoying than she was in Freak Show (although I enjoyed her in Coven), Denis O'Hare is camping it up all over the place, and we've still got Finn Whitrock and Evan Peters somewhere in the pipeline, so I'll probably just keep watching for the actors who seem to be having a ball. 

 

If you sort of give up any expectation of a cohesive story and just watch for the sheer fun of seeing great actors chew the scenery to their heart's content, it's a lot easier to enjoy.

[Avaleigh]

I'm sort of torn on this. I feel like AHS sort of blew its wad on Asylum and has been grasping at straws for the past couple of seasons, and so far nothing here has convinced me otherwise. This looks to be another hodge-podge mess of style without substance like Coven and Freak Show.

 

On the other hand, I'm intrigued by the idea of Wes Bentley being the main character, and Matt Bomer being weekly regular, and Cheyenne Jackson - just wow. Kathy Bates so far seems like she could be about 50% less annoying than she was in Freak Show (although I enjoyed her in Coven), Denis O'Hare is camping it up all over the place, and we've still got Finn Whitrock and Evan Peters somewhere in the pipeline, so I'll probably just keep watching for the actors who seem to be having a ball. 

 

If you sort of give up any expectation of a cohesive story and just watch for the sheer fun of seeing great actors chew the scenery to their heart's content, it's a lot easier to enjoy.

Bingo. I've been doing this since season 2.

With Nip/Tuck I had to bail but with AHS being anthology style in addition to there being a fantasy element to the series it's easier for me to get over certain things. I've also resigned myself to the fact that I will dislike the season finale. I've disliked each one (Asylum probably had the best finale IMO) so I doubt this seasonwill be the exception.

[Mabinogia]

I've got to say, that first half hour or so was funnier than anything they've done on Scream Queens yet. I think this is what Ryan Murphy expected Scream Queens would be in that it was a total over the top send up of every overplayed horror movie trope ever. The particularly funny bits, all of the "horror" stuff. That thing coming out of the bed, the foursome of death, the drilldo, all of it was ridiculously over the top and way more funny than scary.

 

Unlike Scream Queens, this show made me laugh out loud.

 

I'm in for a while, if only for the eye candy both human and structural (that lobby is stunning!)

[Adusk81]

I feel like I saw a different show than all of you who hated it. It was amazing. Dark, sexy, violent, weird. I don't feel that leaving a negative review noting that it was too violent or gory is valid at all. The word horror is in its title. It's a horror show. And Damn if it wasn't the best episode since asylum. The last 2 seasons along with most pg-13 horror movies of late have been waters down and boring. If you got shocked or offended by this, good. That means it's effective. I was ready to give up after the girl power and friends stick together seasons but this was highly entertaining. And Matt Bomer never needs to put clothes on again. Hopefully he and Cheyenne will have a sex scene. Can't wait for next week.

[Avaleigh]

I feel like I saw a different show than all of you who hated it. It was amazing. Dark, sexy, violent, weird. I don't feel that leaving a negative review noting that it was too violent or gory is valid at all. The word horror is in its title. It's a horror show. And Damn if it wasn't the best episode since asylum. The last 2 seasons along with most pg-13 horror movies of late have been waters down and boring. If you got shocked or offended by this, good. That means it's effective. I was ready to give up after the girl power and friends stick together seasons but this was highly entertaining. And Matt Bomer never needs to put clothes on again. Hopefully he and Cheyenne will have a sex scene. Can't wait for next week.

Love this post. I agree that it's appropriate for people to feel horrified when watching a horror show.

I definitely like the overall look of the show and love the hotel setting.

[Free]

I actually already like the Wes and Chloe characters more than the characters Dylan and Connie played in Asylum.

 

Connie actually left to go to Nashville after S1 and Dylan's character doesn't kick in until the latter half of the show and even then he was pretty much the designated killer character by that point with limited screen time, unless you're referring to the first season.

 

I'm sort of torn on this. I feel like AHS sort of blew its wad on Asylum and has been grasping at straws for the past couple of seasons, and so far nothing here has convinced me otherwise. This looks to be another hodge-podge mess of style without substance like Coven and Freak Show.

 

It did, that was definitely its peak.  It's just cheap shock value at this point.

 

This episode had almost no plot. Add to it no characters to like or root for (I'm not sure if it's an acting choice on Bentley's part, but Lowe seemed part robot) and nothing to lighten the mood at all, and it was all just torture, porn, and torture porn. My opinion, of course, but previous seasons started with at least one or two characters I thought I might want to see succeed. These "people" could have all been sucked into a vortex and I would have been just as happy, Lowe and his sad-sack wife included.

 

Agreed, it was just cheap shock value after another.  As for Lowe, he seems like he could fit into last season of True Detective, that and it doesn't help that most of the male characters look a like.

[Petunia13]

I see. I guess I disagree about this episode having no plot or likeable/rootworthy characters. I actually already like the Wes and Chloe characters more than the characters Dylan and Connie played in Asylum.

I agree though that there could be more humor to lighten things up.

Connie Britton wasn't in Asylum and Dylan McDermott was only in the second half and a deranged killer mimicking his father not likable at all.

[Avaleigh]

Connie Britton wasn't in Asylum and Dylan McDermott was only in the second half and a deranged killer mimicking his father not likable at all.

Sorry, I meant Murder House and will correct the post. I just remember the Dylan character in Murder House being a cheater who cried a lot. The Connie character was okay but not particularly interesting IMO.

[Fable]

If they give the characters some story, it might be okay.  If it turns out to be a bunch of shockers, I probably will not bother. The only season I watched from start to finish was season 1 which I initially liked but seemed like it fell flat toward the end.  I did eventually finish S2 but not until long after it aired, but it did end up being my favorite.  I got halfway through season 3 and only 2 episodes in season 4.

 

I'll stick around for another episode or so…It is Halloween time, and I like the eerie, and the male eye candy has been upped, so there is always that! Plus give me Denis O'hare in earrings and cascading gown…he needs his own mini series, STAT!

Edited October 9, 2015 by Fable

[editorgrrl]

It doesn't help that most of the male characters look alike.

The Countess Elizabeth has a type in men as well as kids? (But despite what Dr. Alex said, Holden looks nothing nothing like his dad.) Or the men are related?

The Swedish fish were hard to tell apart, too.

[mack6986]

That was...interesting. I didn't hate it, but it was definitely my least favorite premiere of any of the seasons. The rape and violence didn't bother me at all, since - as others have pointed out - those things are horrifying and fit right in on a horror show.

Gaga was good as long as she wasn't speaking. She looked both glamorous & menacing and had presence, but her line readings were stilted at best. Her delivery of the line about Matt Bomer's jawline was especially bad.

None of the guys really do anything for me.

Sarah Paulson was great, as always.

Emma Roberts will be showing up at some point, right? I'm hoping it's sooner rather than later, because she's been my favorite part of the last two seasons. Her characters always shake things up. I'm really looking forward to Angela Bassett and Finn Wittrock returning, too.

Edited October 9, 2015 by mack6986

[Free]

Sorry, I meant Murder House and will correct the post. I just remember the Dylan character in Murder House being a cheater who cried a lot. The Connie character was okay but not particularly interesting IMO.

 

Thanks, I was confused by that, but this makes more sense.

[Petunia13]

I think visually the style, costumes, and set were a dream. I literally dreamed I was in the hotel this early morning at the mercy of the Countess : )

[Brattinella]

NOOOOOOOO!!  Not Emma Roberts!!

[Christi]

Ok so, the first 20 minutes or so were just so fucked up, I almost checked out. I just...did not expect to see rape by whatever the fuck that was in the first like, 15 minutes. Who the hell came up with starting the show like that?

But the last half actually had me intrigued. And yeah, great use of Hotel California. This show, for better or worse, does make pretty good use of music.

Who am I kidding? I am just as much of a pathetic addict as half the characters in this thing. I`ll keep coming back, no matter how stupid/fucked up it gets, just for the few moments of actually creepiness or intrigue.

Ditto

I'm addicted :/

[WhosThatGirl]

I don't know how I feel about this yet. The first half really threw me off. Also I am a person who unlike many of my friends loved Murder House. Others didn't like it much. I also liked Asylum as well. I think what coven and freak show did was that all of a sudden they were able to land more guest stars and whatnot and wanted to use them, no matter how big the cast got and what got lost.

Also I think I miss JL more than I thought I would.

[SpaghettiTuesdays]

NOOOOOOOO!!  Not Emma Roberts!!

I didn't see her. Was she in the promos for he season?

[WhosThatGirl]

I didn't see her. Was she in the promos for he season?

I didn't see her in promos but I do remember seeing some headline a week or so ago about her character so she will be on. I did not read the article but I saw the link and RM does love her so, not all that surprised. 

[JakeyJokes]

At the fair where Holden (is that the detective'a son's name?) went missing I got a distinctly Lost Boys vibe.

it reminded me very much of Heavy Rain. "Jason! Jason!... Jason!"

 

 

So much this. For the uninitiated, "Heavy Rain" is one of the most cinematic video games ever made and the beginning centers on a child being lost (and accidentally killed) at a busy shopping mall. If you don't have a PS3, clear your schedule and see if it's still available to watch on YouTube, because it is amaaaazzzzzinnnngggg.

 

Anyway, I was lucky enough to skip the first half hour and walked in right during the SlimeRape (but I had read the Entertainment Weekly article before so I kind of knew what to expect). If they're full-on going to use it as a metaphor for addiction, I can appreciate it, but I agree with the sentiment that it seemed to be trying to be as violent, gory and sexual as possible. Season 2 was often difficult to watch, but I could appreciate it because they were discussing horrors that actually HAPPENED (forced institutionalization, the Holocaust, conversion therapy) and you could make that argument to an extent about all previous seasons. This one has to prove itself a little bit more.

 

That being said, I did like that they tied it all together at the end, and while I knew they would play "Hotel California", that instant cut to black at the line "You can check in any time but you can never leave" was genius (yes, I know that's the end of the song, but they still made it an instant cut).

 

Dear Matt Bomer, I would like to know your workout regimen which I will probably attempt for five minutes and then just go home and watch "Magic Mike" and sit on my cell phone waiting for it to vibrate. Love, Jakey.

It doesn't help that most of the male characters look alike.

The Countess Elizabeth has a type in men as well as kids? (But despite what Dr. Alex said, Holden looks nothing nothing like his dad.) Or the men are related?

 

 

They look so much alike that my roommate thought Wes Bentley and Matt Bomer were the same character and was very confused.

Edited October 9, 2015 by JakeyJokes

[lucindabelle]

What's with all the 80s music?

Instead of seeming menacing it makes me smile nostalgically for old goth.

I'm intrigued,

I got bored by coven and checked out of freak show after two episodes. Fingers crossed.

[Anela]

Sorry, I meant Murder House and will correct the post. I just remember the Dylan character in Murder House being a cheater who cried a lot. The Connie character was okay but not particularly interesting IMO.

I liked her. She was grounded, and didn't take any BS, but did her best to be polite (until pushed). I thought the family were a good base. like the family in "Medium" - responding to the craziness the way the viewers might, and I did root for them (the husband, not so much, until the end). 

I've never really liked the really over-the-top parts of the show, but there were other elements that kept me around. I even liked more of Freak show than most seem to have. But the previews, the little snippets of things that end up not being in the actual show, were more interesting to me with Coven, and Freak Show. I prefer spooky, and menacing (sometimes) to outright gore. I hated the Hostel movies. That just isn't my thing. 

 

I'm going to watch the premiere again. I liked Se7en, and watched it a couple of weeks ago (the story, not the disgusting visuals - I turned away for those). The only part that I really liked of this, was the girl's walk down the hall, with the kids appearing, and the chatty maid. I'm just not sure if I'm up to it this year.

[JellyFishQueen]

I was kinda bored by the premire, not allot talking allot music montage. It felt like it long premire but not allot happen?

 

 

Does anyone know if the red head from season 1 will be on this seaosn? The maid from murder house, I loved her. She was great actress and always sad she had one scence in Coven.

[editorgrrl]

I didn't see [Emma Roberts]. Was she in the promos for the season?

According to this September 24, 2015, article, she liked Ryan Murphy's proposed storyline, but nothing had been finalized: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/09/23/emma-roberts-american-horror-story-hotel

“I want to tell you so bad, because we went to dinner the other night, and he told me his idea,” says Roberts. “And it’s just everything you could dream of and more. Everything you could nightmare about and more. Granted, things over there are always changing, but I definitely want to go back to it. If it still stands, what Ryan told me, everyone’s in for a great shock.”

So, is he literally making it up as he goes along?

Edited October 9, 2015 by editorgrrl

[darkestboy]

That was pretty insane. Loads of cool and seriously messed up stuff happened in this episode.

 

Some great music choices in this one as well.

 

Gaga is starting off well enough as the Countess. Quite liked her scenes with Donovan and Will and the orgy scene was pretty intense. She might be more interesting than expected.

 

Iris is just a nasty bitch but a good character for Bates to play. Her torture of those girls though was a bit much, even if they were portrayed as idiots. Liked that her backstory with Sally, Donovan and the Countess was quickly revealed too.

 

Sally is another horrible character but well played by Paulson though, so there's that.

 

Do we really need two different killers though? I think it would be better if it was just one rather than two of them.

 

Bodies in the mattress are disturbing.

 

John and Alex are the Harmons of this season. Not the most exciting of characters but you need some normal ones thrown in with the madness though.

 

Quite liked Miss Evers and Liz Taylor despite their limited screen time, 8/10

[obxchick]

NOOOOOOOO!!  Not Emma Roberts!!

Totally agree with this statement. I'd much rather see Taissa Farmiga check into the hotel, so to speak, than have to deal with Emma again.

[Boilergal]

So, what have we got so far, rip off/ Murphy Bingo wise?

 

Ripping off: The Hunger, The Shining, The Chelsea Hotel, Seven, Village of the Damned.

 

The one guy with apron and thing on his head looked like a mix between Hostel and Hell Raiser.

 

I was excited to see they actually incorporated things from the teasers into the show.   

 

Thank Goodness Kathy Bates is not using some stupid accent this year - and I do not miss Jessica Lange at all.

 

20 min - i thought Aaaaaaand there's the rape scene

 

I'm hopeful, but as I've learned with Coven and Freak Show this can go very bad very quickly.  We re-watched Murder House a couple weeks ago and remembered how awesome this show can be.

 

There's 1 main storyline right now...The Commandment Killer.  Then side stories of and selling the Hotel and the missing kid.  Hopefully he can keep the train on the tracks and take the stories to the end instead of taking detours that take us nowhere like he has done in other seasons.

 

RM's story telling is like a dog that you BUNNY are trying BALL to teach SQUIRREL to sit.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Boilergal

[Avaleigh]

That was pretty insane. Loads of cool and seriously messed up stuff happened in this episode.

 

Some great music choices in this one as well.

 

Gaga is starting off well enough as the Countess. Quite liked her scenes with Donovan and Will and the orgy scene was pretty intense. She might be more interesting than expected.

 

Iris is just a nasty bitch but a good character for Bates to play. Her torture of those girls though was a bit much, even if they were portrayed as idiots. Liked that her backstory with Sally, Donovan and the Countess was quickly revealed too.

 

Sally is another horrible character but well played by Paulson though, so there's that.

 

Do we really need two different killers though? I think it would be better if it was just one rather than two of them.

 

Bodies in the mattress are disturbing.

 

John and Alex are the Harmons of this season. Not the most exciting of characters but you need some normal ones thrown in with the madness though.

 

Quite liked Miss Evers and Liz Taylor despite their limited screen time, 8/10

I agree that Alex and John are the equivalent of the Harmons. (Thanks for jogging my memory on the character names.) Dr. Harmon tried with Violet, John tries with his daughter and even though it was too absurd for words that he brought her with him to that crime scene I don't think this makes him a bad guy that I should be rooting against. Maybe I'm easy to win over but he scored major points with me for his reading ritual with his daughter. I also liked the scene where they went out for sushi and talked about Holden. There's clearly a strong bond there and I responded to that.

I agree with those who think there is a plot. We have John trying to solve these murders and the killer is taunting him, kind of like in Seven. (Which makes me worry for poor Alex's head.) His marriage with Alex is suffering because of what happened with their son and we know of course that the son is trapped in the hotel and seems to have been turned into a kind of vampire.

Alex is a doctor who is going around helping people and contributing. I don't see her as a "sad sack" because she's still hurting over the loss of her little boy. I'dsay she definitely falls under the likeable column for me. I also like how honest she was when she told John that she actually wants him to go. I thought she really sold how complicated and conflicted things are for them and agree with the poster who said that this is a testament to Chloe's skills as an actress since Wes and that kid playing Holden don't look a thing alike but in the moment that didn't even cross my mind.

I actually think this season is the one that is most similar to Murder House. The hotel seems to have a similar thing going for it like with Murder House where people who die get trapped. Sally is the main evidence for this but I think it's likely that there are others like Mare and possibly Liz Taylor.

Other similarities- -

Creepy frozen in time children having the run of the place? Check.

Infantata/Drilldo

Couple with marriage issues as the center, they have a daughter, one of the couple is a doctor

LA setting

The previous residents don't like the idea of the new people coming into the house/hotel

The hotel has a long history like the house and we even get flashbacks to the same year as the Tate stuff

A mother who is attached to the place because of love of her son who is a jerk to her and is also frozen in time but in a different way

Disturbing rape scene in the pilot

Creepy maid who knows stuff

Sinister seeming blonde diva

The realtor

References to other films for both shows? Check check, check

[Chelsea girl]

Yeah I'm done with this show. I wanted to turn it off after the rape but figured I had to finish it. Lady gaga can't act and Sarah Paulson looks like she's wearing a really bad costume. only character I liked was Liz Taylor but it's not enough to hold me over. It's a real shame that people seem to be so desensitized by rape that they don't even flinch,and can justify it as a plot device.

[JohnnyGilda]

Mr. J-G and I watched this show with a houseguest from a foreign land who'd never seen an ep (or even a clip) of AHS: 1-4.  Interestingly, he found the premiere shocking to the point of being pretty appalling (the torture of the Swedish girls), and, probably because he's the father of two tow-headed tykes, he actually chose to leave the room when the detective's daughter started wandering around inside dark, disembowelment mansion.  

 

TBH, the fact that our guest found the show so disturbing struck me--a horror fan and regular AHS viewer--as a win for the show on the base level of Is All This Suspense, Dread and Terror Actually Scaring Anybody.  I tend to find realistic depictions of junkies shooting up to be far more disturbing than ghosts, so I also experienced moments of extreme discomfort--but we kept watching, and I'll be back for more next week.  (Meanwhile, we all laughed heartily at the Paranormal Activity ad that features characters being attacked by...CGI inkblots?  Is that horror to some people?)

 

On another note, I have loved Sarah Paulson's performances in every season so far, but I wasn't buying her Sally at all.  Oh well.  Still so many other luscious actors and elements to watch and look forward to...including what appears to be a much more pivotal role for Chloe Sevigny than she had in Asylum.  She, Denis O'Hare and Kathy Bates were my MVP's in this premiere.

[Free]

So, is he literally making it up as he goes along?

 

Yes, it's part of why the last seasons have been super messy.

 

It's a real shame that people seem to be so desensitized by rape that they don't even flinch,and can justify it as a plot device.

 

I still am, but mostly I'm concerned that they're laying on the cheap shock value scenes thicker than usual.  Usually it's more balanced like the first 2 seasons.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Free

[JenE4]

I feel like I saw a different show than all of you who hated it. It was amazing. Dark, sexy, violent, weird. I don't feel that leaving a negative review noting that it was too violent or gory is valid at all. The word horror is in its title. It's a horror show. And Damn if it wasn't the best episode since asylum. The last 2 seasons along with most pg-13 horror movies of late have been waters down and boring.

I was one of those people who noted that the first hour was nothing but gore and no plot or character development until the last half hour. I get your point that horror is in the title, but every other season was more character and plot development and the horror came out of that, so when it was just nonstop blood and gore and drilldos and monsters with NO plot it was like, what the hell happened to the nuanced show?! Granted, we're used to 37 different plots throughout the COURSE of the show, but I think they just gave us EVERY plot all at one time: And then we're going to have a serial killer and a rapist monster and a mattress monster and a creepy lady who locks up people and some vampire swingers and Shining twins and 15 other plots! I was just like what is happening and why?! I get the feeling they just gave us EVERYTHING right upfront so when (speculation) the mattress monster emerges halfway through the season, we'll be like, oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that one!

[Avaleigh]

Yeah I'm done with this show. I wanted to turn it off after the rape but figured I had to finish it. Lady gaga can't act and Sarah Paulson looks like she's wearing a really bad costume. only character I liked was Liz Taylor but it's not enough to hold me over. It's a real shame that people seem to be so desensitized by rape that they don't even flinch,and can justify it as a plot device.

Chelsea girl, you have pinpointed perfectly why I've felt compelled to speak up about this issue of rape repeatedly being depicted on the show and in this episode.

I don't personally feel like I'm desensitized to the horror of rape. I just don't feel the need to quit the show over it because to me it's a work of fiction at the end of the day. I felt horrified when I saw it but it doesn't go any further than that for me and I don't personally feel insulted by the showrunners for including the scene nor am I upset at the lack of censorship.

I actually think it's a strong message about the horror of what drugs do to people.

The other thing I've always found interesting is how rape can takeover the discussion of a show more than any other horrifying topic. It's happened on every show that I watch save Mr. Robot. Game of Thrones, hell, even freaking Downton Abbey. With Downton Abbey I understood that some people see it as family viewing and why it wouldn't be appropriate. A show with the history of AHS though I'm willing to cut some slack because it's a show that makes no apologies that it's trying to disturb people.

I accept that this show is trying to horrify me. I don't feel that this makes me a screwed up person who is desensitized to rape and murder.

As far as the plot device comment, one of the chief complaints in connection to depicting the rape is that there's supposedly no plot to justify it. I disagree and think there is a plot I just don't think everyone responded to the plot in a positive way. At the moment I see two major plotlines with various side stories thrown into the mix as usual.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Avaleigh

[Dobian]

I still have to watch the last half hour, I wasn't up to watching a 90-minute show last night.  First impressions are that it was part The Shining, part Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I kept waiting for Dr. Frankenfurter to make an appearance and to have my bag of rice ready.  Kathy Bates for some reason reminded me of Roger Ebert.  There was a lot of great visual style, like Lady Gaga and her boyfriend in the bloody tableau on the bed with the murdered couple.  This is definitely the weirdest beginning of any season to date.  The problem with being weird is that if you get too weird you stop being scary.  Why is it in L.A. again?  Was hoping for another new location.  San Francisco would have been great for an old hotel setting.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Dobian

[Avaleigh]

I agree that San Francisco would have been great for a hotel setting.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get a Western of some kind one season.

I wonder why the Countess is more interested in turning children? Is it because she can't have any?

[coppersin]

I wonder why the Countess is more interested in turning children? Is it because she can't have any?

Possible, but considering the Bathory inspiration I'm guessing her reasons are more practical than sentimental.

 

Maybe they're livestock? Don't know if she could feed on her own kind, but judging by Donovan and Holden, you don't age once you're turned, so maybe this is her way of maintaining a constant source of pure young blood without kids constantly disappearing. Or maybe kids are just more malleable than adults and she's using them as minions - they certainly seemed zombie-like in the game room.

 

I'm sure we'll find out via Lachlan - I'm interested to see when/if he's "turned" since his father seems attentive (though the standard for AHS parental skills is less than stellar, so that could change).

Edited October 9, 2015 by coppersin

[iMonrey]

 

This episode had almost no plot.

 

You know, that's a very good point. Both Murder House and Asylum had very basic structural plots: family moves into haunted house, chaos and horror ensue; reporter infiltrates mad house to interview serial killer, gets committed against her will, chaos and horror ensue. Even Coven had a basic premise - young witches arrive at a school and compete for title of Supreme. But the premise quickly fell apart, and Freak Show really had no plot to speak of. Hotel seems to be following in the same path as Freak Show - just a bunch of freaky characters doing freaky things for the sake of being freaky. 

[Mya Stone]

Eh, I see the premiere as having the bones of a plot.

1. Detective Sexy's Se7en Adventure, complete with Mysterious Past that relates to Hotel Cortez.

2. Misery-filled Kathy Bates lives in purgatory just to see her son every day. Bonus points that the person she holds responsible for her son dying (and thus killed) is literally haunting her daily. It all comes back to Hotel Cortez.

3. Lady Gaga and her Village of the Damned. (Including Donovan in this.) Welcome to the all you can feast on Bomer's ass buffet. Party of yum. See it at Hotel Cortez.

4. Cute fashion designer buys said hotel. He has a son. Son is not blonde...but is brought into the inner Gaga Child Sanctum.

The Swedish girls were set dressing to the world of the hotel.

So really, the main character is the hotel, and all of the horrors it contains.

[Captanne]

I had no problem seeing a plot -- as a matter of fact several -- all interwoven.  It reminded me most of Murder House but has evolved through Asylum, Coven, and Freakshow.  

 

It's grotesque and violent and depraved -- of course it is, it's a horror story.

 

My only concern was that I can see Lange in every move Gaga makes.  (Except that Gaga is hit-or-miss on the acting chops.  When she misses she's awful and when she hits she's great.)

 

ETA:  I've also seen a trend of folks on all sorts of threads say things like "This show is sick and so is anyone who watches it!"  If I want to see people criticize each other, I'll go on Facebook.  I come here to talk about the shows.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Captanne

[Cindylou]

 

That Lady Gaga/Matt Bomber/couple sex scene. 

Their Chemistry was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!  OMG, just them eye F**king each other was hot.

I'm in, I always give a show 4 episodes to draw me in before I give up, but the acting, set an costumes on this show will keep me coming back. The story may now be 100% but it entertains me.

 

one question,  did anyone else think the cop was gonna find is wife in the house super glued to some rando she was cheating on him with and the little girl was gonna walk in on that (instead of the two disemboweled dudes)?  I was a bit surprised it wasn't his wife he found.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I get the feeling they just gave us EVERYTHING right upfront so when (speculation) the mattress monster emerges halfway through the season, we'll be like, oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that one!

If this show is being shot more or less in sequence, giving us all that stuff up front is how they'd have it for promos up front.

[WordsWordsWords]

Oh well. I enjoyed the first seasons of this show. I quit on it last season. This week I got 35 minutes in, checked the time, said, "What? It's only 35 minutes done?" and quit. I love horror. I write horror. I don't care for horror that's nothing but blood and cheap shocks -- and that's what I saw in the first half hour of this episode. I love Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, and several of the other actors in this revolving troupe of actors. They are not being well-served by the writing and show-running on this series. I'm done.

Edited October 10, 2015 by WordsWordsWords

[TrininisaScorp]

I tend to like the seasons where it is a bit more of a weird slow burn to start (Murder House  and Asylum) and then we get to the nutty shit, so we'll see how this 0 to 100 season goes.  I'm intrigued by what the deal is with all the characters, like, are they vampire types in some way and some are ghouls?  Did they make a deal with the devil to stay forever young and hot in exchange for shedding blood?  What's the deal with the bed things?  What exactly are those children now?  

 

Cheyenne Jackson, Matt Bomer and Wes Bentley are pretty much the hot brunette brigade and even if I wasn't feeling it, I'd be back for more of them. "Your boy has jawline for days." Yeah, girl.  Yeah.  

 

And Denis O'Hare.  He had me with the flowing caftan, makeup and heels.  Honestly, I LOVED that shot as he's walking Wes down the hall.  Werkin' it.

 

Imma need them to stop the fish eye lens.  This isn't a Missy Elliot video in 2001.  Stop.  It's a useless effect.  Stop. It.

 

Personally, I love Kathy Bates.  I love the dark humor she naturally brings to a scene.  Bless her.

 

Can't wait to see Evan Peters and Angela Bassett.  They were among my favs from Freak Show.

[peacefrog]

I thought it was ok, better than Coven!

I agree that all the male actors look alike, dark good looking etc.

I admit that when Kathy Bates was mixing that drink for the Swedish women I was expecting it to be used as an enema because, well this show!

Anyone else think the killer is the detective's wife or to obvious?