S06.E01: Chapter 1

[Anela]

31 minutes ago, Pixel said:

Quoting myself here because I just read something (not a spoiler) that makes me think I've got it backwards. Did anyone notice a title in the talking head parts that said reenactment?

I might watch it again tonight, I'll check.

[TexasGal]

36 minutes ago, Watermelon said:

It's kind of hilarious how few are mentioning the man with the cracked skull who ran up to Shelby. 

I thought it looked like he had been scalped.

[Watermelon]

36 minutes ago, Last Time Lord said:

That's so ho-hum for this show, though.

That's not what I mean. I've seen maybe one other person mention it at all. It's weird to me that it didn't even seem to register, let alone register as scary 

[txhorns79]

I enjoyed the episode, and think the season may have promise.  I know it's all a matter of taste, but I found the scene where they were stuck in the basement with all the noise going on above them to be terrifying.  I thought the live stream of the people marching towards the house was very creepy.  I also kind of loved Real Lee just being so over Shelby.  

[Kromm]

Despite the fact that the story is set in North Carolina, and North Carolina is currently facing backlash for its anti-LGBT legislation, and Ryan Murphy happens to be gay, I'm sure the fine folk of North Carolina will be shown in the best of lights. I look forward to learning much about them. So far I've learned they dislike interracial couples, only recently got rid of the Confederate flag, have poor dental hygiene, and enjoy macramé.

Ehem. I'm kinda expecting some monstrous inbred-nightmare type horror stuff coming up. Because you know that's a cliche.

[Anela]

6 minutes ago, Kromm said:

Ehem. I'm kinda expecting some monstrous inbred-nightmare type horror stuff coming up. Because you know that's a cliche.

I associate it with California, too. We once ended up in a tiny town (population: 19), when I was a teenager. I think everyone in town was in the place we stopped to look for a bathroom, and something to eat. They were probably lovely people, but it was creepy when they all turned to look at us. 

[LittleIggy]

You think people would know better than to buy an extremely underpriced old house. Don't they watch horror movies? ;-)

[RedheadZombie]

I'm liking it so far.  I contemplated not watching because I really disliked Hotel - I know RM always does style over substance, but Hotel had no soul. 

Comedy is always welcome in horror to cut the tension, but it needs to be deliberate.  I could almost hear the banjos playing when the hillbillies were on screen.  And the guy with the very bad teeth prosthetic looked right out of The Hills Have Eyes.  It took me right out of the moment.

I liked the random choice of a mixed race couple, but when AB showed up, I thought it was simply a device to allow AB and SP to be trapped in a house together.  I haven't seen Blair Witch, and I hope it's not required reading.  Looks like there's some Big Foot lore, substituted with a pig head.  And was it strange for Matt to bury the pig?  Why not dump it where animals can scavenge?

Sometimes it's the trivialities, but Sarah's wig is bothering me.  Why does the character need long flowing hair?  And Lee seemed to lose her career and daughter too easily.  Where was her union rep?

I'm extremely suspicious of the lack of next week's preview.  It leads me to believe it's going to set up a different group of characters, or even a different story or period.  Like an origins episode in the 1500s.  No spoilers, but I'm wary.

22 hours ago, mirrorrim said:

But only 3 bedrooms! Thought that was a weird design decision. 

The house interior is confusing.  When Shelby saw the two figures walk by, the camera pulled back and the hall was reminiscent of The Overlook Hotel in The Shining.  There looked like there were five or so doors lining down the hall.

[LittleIggy]

I don't want them to get a dog because in these kind of stories the dog always gets killed.

[hatchetgirl]

I thought they had lost the first character when Cuba Gooding Jr showed up.  I was like "what the hell?  did the first actor die and the brought him in quickly?" because I couldn't get the sense of the "re-enactments."  That is so poorly done and they have a zillion shows on TV that do it EVERY SINGLE DAY so how could they screw something that simple up?

[Zanne]

8 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I think ghosts are drawn to chandeliers and crown molding; crappy 1980's particle board repels them.

8 hours ago, iMonrey said:

And popcorn ceilings! You never have to worry about hauntings if your house has popcorn ceilings. That's just science.

I don't know about that. During my relatively recent house hunt, my realtor told me the previous sale had fallen through because the buyers' psychic had told them them house was haunted. Trust me, the only way that house could have had more popcorn in the decor was if they had glued the actual Orville Redenbacher to the ceiling. Heck, maybe he was the one haunting the house.

[Watermelon]

33 minutes ago, RedheadZombie said:

I'm liking it so far.  I contemplated not watching because I really disliked Hotel - I know RM always does style over substance, but Hotel had no soul. 

Comedy is always welcome in horror to cut the tension, but it needs to be deliberate.  I could almost hear the banjos playing when the hillbillies were on screen.  And the guy with the very bad teeth prosthetic looked right out of The Hills Have Eyes.  It took me right out of the moment.

I liked the random choice of a mixed race couple, but when AB showed up, I thought it was simply a device to allow AB and SP to be trapped in a house together.  I haven't seen Blair Witch, and I hope it's not required reading.  Looks like there's some Big Foot lore, substituted with a pig head.  And was it strange for Matt to bury the pig?  Why not dump it where animals can scavenge?

Sometimes it's the trivialities, but Sarah's wig is bothering me.  Why does the character need long flowing hair?  And Lee seemed to lose her career and daughter too easily.  Where was her union rep?

I'm extremely suspicious of the lack of next week's preview.  It leads me to believe it's going to set up a different group of characters, or even a different story or period.  Like an origins episode in the 1500s.  No spoilers, but I'm wary.

The house interior is confusing.  When Shelby saw the two figures walk by, the camera pulled back and the hall was reminiscent of The Overlook Hotel in The Shining.  There looked like there were five or so doors lining down the hall.

I definitely thought an LA yoga instructor with a gluten allergy would totally have long hair in tricky ponytails

[ShadowHunter]

I did miss the opening credits and theme song.

[BK1978]

I did not watch the show live (Mr. Robot beats this show in my personal battle of shows) and I honestly was not sure I was even going to bother with this season.  I stopped watching last season half-way through because it was just bad and there was no inclination of it getting better.  I had also read some reviews that this episode was very lackluster. 

However, with Big Brother not on tonight I decided to check this episode OnDemand and I must say I loved what I saw thus far.  Maybe it is because I am a big fan of the Destination America ghosts shows but I thought the concept was brilliant and I really enjoyed the episode.  I just hope I am not let down part way through like I was with last season.

Edited September 16, 2016 by BK1978

[Snookums]

Quote

I think everyone in town was in the place we stopped to look for a bathroom, and something to eat. They were probably lovely people, but it was creepy when they all turned to look at us. 

I'm sure they were delightful, kind to animals and tidy with litter, but this made me think of one of Bill Bryson's travel books where he's driving around the continental US, and describes one out of the way place as reminding him of a Richard Matheson story where the inhabitants wait for a stranger to come to town so they can roast him for their annual barbecue. "These people looked at me with barbecue eyes."

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski. It's fantastic and about a house that is demonstrably bigger on the inside then out, with doors and hallways appearing and disappearing. Here's the Wikipedia on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves. 

This book remains the only one that has ever given me nightmares and I highly recommend it. His sister is the musician Poe, and she did a whole companion CD for it.

[Fable]

I'm intrigued so far and looking forward to more.  The atmosphere was creepy and the gore was minimal.  Hopefully the wheels don't fall off the bus. 

It was good to see Lily Raby back.  I wish that she had a meatier role because she is fantastic at the eccentric and the quirky, but it's only episode 1, so things could change.  

[candall]

4 hours ago, Snookums said:

I'm sure they were delightful, kind to animals and tidy with litter, but this made me think of one of Bill Bryson's travel books where he's driving around the continental US, and describes one out of the way place as reminding him of a Richard Matheson story where the inhabitants wait for a stranger to come to town so they can roast him for their annual barbecue. "These people looked at me with barbecue eyes."

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski. It's fantastic and about a house that is demonstrably bigger on the inside then out, with doors and hallways appearing and disappearing. Here's the Wikipedia on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves. 

This book remains the only one that has ever given me nightmares and I highly recommend it. His sister is the musician Poe, and she did a whole companion CD for it.

I remember being a little kid and reading that Matheson story in an oversized "Alfred Hitchcock Anthology" book that was too big to hold in my lap.  "The banner said, "BARBECUE TONIGHT' "  LOL

Ha, loved scaring myself silly then; still do.  I'm going to track down this wonky house in House of Leaves.

Wait. . . leaves?  I won't wind up feeling anxious about trees, right?

[jenrising]

I second the House of Leaves recommendation. It's super bizarre and creepy. 

[txhorns79]

Quote

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski. It's fantastic and about a house that is demonstrably bigger on the inside then out, with doors and hallways appearing and disappearing.

I don't know.  I think that concept long pre-dates a book from 2000.  I mean, heck, just off hand, Harry Potter also features buildings and homes that appear bigger on the inside, and have their interiors shift and change, etc.  The first of those stories appeared in 1997.   

Quote

I'm extremely suspicious of the lack of next week's preview.  It leads me to believe it's going to set up a different group of characters, or even a different story or period.  Like an origins episode in the 1500s.  No spoilers, but I'm wary.

 

I found this.  It looks like the story they are currently telling will continue.

[tricknasty]

11 hours ago, Anela said:

I loved Session 9, too. That really creeped me out. I saw it years ago, and then watched it with my parents when it was on Netflix, on New Years Eve, a few years ago. 

So far, all we've seen is people losing their children in two different ways (miscarriage, and losing custody?), which are awful for the people who go through that. I can't think of what he might have up his sleeve - I remember the teaser with the teeth hanging over a crib. they already went the Rosemary's baby route, in a sense, in the first season. 

Time Warner Cable? I have that, and recorded it last night (I wasn't in the mood for it). I had to search for it on the guide myself, though - the DVR didn't pick it up automatically. Are you picking up the repeat? 

Yes. Time Warner Cable. I'm not able to view it til 9/21 which is the first airing of the episode

[Chaos Theory]

9 hours ago, ShadowHunter said:

I did miss the opening credits and theme song.

No you didn't.  There wasn't one.  The opening was RM introducing the show.  Not sure if that will last or if it was just a pilot conceit. 

 

11 hours ago, ridethemaverick said:

I have no idea who Lily Rabe is even after googling but she seems well cast. LOVE seeing Angela Bassett and Sarah Paulson again. I can't stand Cuba so meh, but the actor who plays the real him is cute so yay.

Lily Rabe was on the first three seasons.  She was a standout on Asylum which was season 2.  I am not sure how to recommend Asylum but I think it's the best of the lot but preferences vary.

[sugarbaker design]

She also played Aileen Wuornos in Season 5.

[luna1122]

lily rabe is a goddess, honestly. talented like her mom, but even more beautiful. I love sarah Paulson, think she's brilliant, but I have a serious girl crush on Rabe. even in just her talking heads, she's very affecting, I think.

Cuba was grossly miscast as OJ, but I don't think he's a bad actor, and I think he seems fine here, so far.

[MaggieG]

Cuba butt!

It was interesting seeing Marcia Clark And OJ Simpson be married and having sex.

I only watched about 3 or 4 episodes of Hotel, so I was weary jumping back in. I didn't even pay attention to the teasers. But when I read that they were possibly doing something related to the Lost Roanoke colony, I was intrigued. I really like this first episode. I wasn't annoyed and I wasn't bored like I was with Hotel. Hopefully the rest of the season doesn't go down the tubes, but I have hope. I love my girl Sarah!

[Boilergal]

18 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I. In fact, I watched one the other night on my computer (a horror movie from 2007 that, despite a heavy advertising budget at the time and release date, never got a release at ALL) and while there was zero CGI or technical effects I think it's the scariest film I have ever seen. And I no longer really get *that* scared anymore. 

 

Please share with the rest of the class!! 

Sent a PM

Edited September 16, 2016 by Boilergal

[Anela]

10 hours ago, BK1978 said:

I did not watch the show live (Mr. Robot beats this show in my personal battle of shows) and I honestly was not sure I was even going to bother with this season.  I stopped watching last season half-way through because it was just bad and there was no inclination of it getting better.  I had also read some reviews that this episode was very lackluster. 

However, with Big Brother not on tonight I decided to check this episode OnDemand and I must say I loved what I saw thus far.  Maybe it is because I am a big fan of the Destination America ghosts shows but I thought the concept was brilliant and I really enjoyed the episode.  I just hope I am not let down part way through like I was with last season.

I was going to watch Mr. Robot, too, but ended up saving them both for yesterday afternoon.

I'm going to have to look up Richard Matheson, now. The name sounds familiar. 

[Indigo Luna]

18 hours ago, mamadrama said:

The ones that stand out to me as being "scary" are the ones that don't rely on much gore or heavy special effects. In fact, I watched one the other night on my computer (a horror movie from 2007 that, despite a heavy advertising budget at the time and release date, never got a release at ALL) and while there was zero CGI or technical effects I think it's the scariest film I have ever seen. And I no longer really get *that* scared anymore. 

Are you by chance talking about The Poughkeepsie Tapes? I remember seeing the trailer for it when I saw The Mist way back when! I remember looking it up out of boredom a few months ago and finding out it never got released. 

 

Anyways I thought the premiere was miles ahead of Hotel. I did miss having the theme song in the episode so I hope that it shows up next week. And as a resident of NC I'm dreading how RM portrays the locals. 

[Bruinsfan]

Matheson wrote I Am Legend, What Dreams May Come, and Stir of Echoes.

 

18 hours ago, Anela said:

I read that Shelby was transported to another time, at the end of the episode. I hadn't realized that. 

It seemed like it with the scalped guy and all. But if Kathy Bates is playing a late 16th century colonist, why the hell would she be so nonchalant about getting knocked out of her stockings by a shiny metal wagon with super-bright lanterns and no horses? That can't be something she encounters every day...

17 hours ago, BengalKitty said:

I have to agree with everyone - get a dog!  And I had to chuckle at the outdoor hot tub.  That thing had to have yucky with years of mosquito infested water.  So she is going to take a relaxing soak while all alone knowing there are some odd people living nearby?  Hmm, ok.

A guy I used to know lived out in the middle of the woods in what was effectively a lodge and his outdoor hot tub was a horror show. Also, big-ass spiders would drop out of the trees in his lawn at night, which was not a sight that made one want to go wandering in the woods where they were even thicker.

12 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

You think people would know better than to buy an extremely underpriced old house. Don't they watch horror movies? ;-)

I can see Shelby refusing to let that sort of negative energy into her crunchy granola life. This is someone who goes for a dip outside all alone while drinking when she knows the cast of Deliverance is wandering around nearby!

[WhosThatGirl]

 a Twitter user seems to think Gaga was in the background of a scene with Kathy, I think in a scene from the extended previews of the season. I screenshot the tweet but I can't put it here it's too large. I'll try to link it

 

eta: 

Edited September 16, 2016 by WhosThatGirl

[PradaKitty]

I would most surely have had outdoor lighting installed around the house no matter what the cost!  (There wasn't even one measly porch light...) .  I hate unlit country roads and am frantically looking for an excuse not to attend an evening wedding later this year on a farm in the middle of nowhere with unlit  winding country roads...

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

American Horror Story Drops You In A Roanoke Nightmare

And that's why you never buy an 18th-century farmhouse in North Carolina. ...Oh, there are going to be more episodes after this? Cool. Cool cool cool.

[tennisgurl]

23 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

 

Edited September 16, 2016 by tennisgurl

[tennisgurl]

13 hours ago, Snookums said:

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski.

Please ignore my last post, sorry!

I third the recommendation for House of Leaves. One of my favorite books ever, and the scariest thing I have ever read. Very long and dense, but absolutely worth it. Its the ultimate haunted house tale, and the most interesting use of the Story within a Story trope I have ever seen, as well as several other things that might be spoilers. It might be an interesting companion to this season, if its going the way I think it could be going. 

9 hours ago, candall said:

Wait. . . leaves?  I won't wind up feeling anxious about trees, right?

I dont think so, but you might get wary about hallways...

Edited September 16, 2016 by tennisgurl

[rubinia]

5 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

No you didn't.  There wasn't one.  The opening was RM introducing the show.  Not sure if that will last or if it was just a pilot conceit. 

I think they meant that they missed seeing the opening credits because they enjoy them. I do, too. Sometimes they're the scariest part of the whole show.

I second whomever pointed out that the guy at the end was scalped. Seems pretty obvious, given the Croatoan/Croatan connection.

[Mayadog]

The credits listed that character as "Scalped Man" so yeah, lost settlement of Roanoke, here we go!

[RedheadZombie]

1 hour ago, Mayadog said:

The credits listed that character as "Scalped Man" so yeah, lost settlement of Roanoke, here we go!

I was just speculating next episode is going to be a different era.  I'm not sure how I feel about it. 

[mamadrama]

6 hours ago, Boilergal said:

Please share with the rest of the class!! 

Sent a PM

Man, I didn't think that would drum up that much interest! I've sat here this afternoon and answered about 2 dozen messages. :-) I'll just go ahead and say it here. The movie is called THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. It was an MGM movie that was financed, made, and marketed...and then shelved. Never saw the light of day. The trailer is on You Tube and the movie can be found on various online outlets. It never even made it to video, however, so the quality varies. 

If you liked the way this style of AHS was done, you might appreciate it. The main difference is that this AHS season looks like it is going to rely on reenactors and interviews, while TPT is strictly filmed in a documentary style without any reenactors. It's a disturbing, creepy film that actually bothered me on a lot of levels. 

I will probably keep up with AHS for at least 3 episodes to see how it's going to progress. I don't know if they can keep up with this style throughout the whole season without it falling flat, but I'd like to give them the chance. There are sooo many things that can be done with the Lost Colony subject manner so I am interested to see what they do with it. I've seen other films and read books where theories are mentioned (like Dean Koontz "Phantoms") and I enjoy learning the various creative theories people come up with. 

I am with some of you all though...girlfriend was already a little spooked so what made going outside, in the dark, to "relax" in her hot tub sound like an ideal plan? The other part of me thought it was funny that the house still looked a little rough to me (like it was livable but could still use some renovations) yet they immediately installed a fancy hot tub. 

The imagery of the pitchfork people creeped the hell out of me. Something about them noiselessly slipping through the dark forest, flashes of lanterns held high, grim expressions...if I'd seen that in person I probably would've passed out. 

[Anela]

1 hour ago, mamadrama said:

 

The imagery of the pitchfork people creeped the hell out of me. Something about them noiselessly slipping through the dark forest, flashes of lanterns held high, grim expressions...if I'd seen that in person I probably would've passed out. 

You've just reminded me of the teaser with the pitchfork. That's two things from the teasers (like the falling teeth). I wonder if anything else will be included. 

[J-Man]

Quote

So I actually had to Google this, and the whole Roanoke thing is a deliberate mislead. The famous Lost Colony of Roanoke Island was indeed located on Roanoke Island, in North Carolina. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony Virginia Dare, the first white child born on the continent, was one of the lost colonists.

Not sure how this is a "deliberate mislead." The story of the failed lost colony of Roanoke Island (which preceded Jamestown as the first English settlement in the colonies) should be familiar enough to most Americans. But it appears many people were confused.

Quote

I'm having a hard time reconciling OJ and Marcia Clark being married, myself.  

Keep telling yourself, "it's only a re-enactment, it's only a re-enactment."

Speaking of which -- the one thing that bothered me was that the three main re-enactment actors (Paulson, Gooding, and Bassett) appear to be substantially OLDER than their three "real life" counterparts. What's up with that? Aren't the re-enactment types on reality shows usually younger, better-looking, and more obviously actors?

Edited September 17, 2016 by J-Man

[Mabinogia]

I hope the whole "re-enactment" this is temporary because I can't sit through a whole season of that. I was bored at the 22 minute mark, at least that is when I finally vocalized how boring this was and that I was barely paying attention. I just can't get into the dual actor thing. Every time things would start getting even moderately creepy they would cut to the "real" people and totally kill any momentum the story was gaining. Bad call IMO. Also, I am not a fan of Sarah Paulson. I just don't get what is so great about her so the whole time I was watching her I was wishing it was Lily Rabe. The opposite was true for Lee. Every time they had that other woman who seemed like she was doing her best Angela Bassett impression I kept wishing it was just Angela Bassett. Don't care either way about the two playing the husband.

So far this is the least engaging premiere of this show, and given how this show tends to get worse as the seasons progress, I'm not optimistic. I might have to sit this one out like I did Freak Show which really just didn't do anything for me either. I'll pop in to see if they abandon the re-enactment part of it at some point. Then I might come back. IDk, after all the secretive hype this was a HUGE MASSIVE disappointment.

[Granimal]

I found the episode to be predictable from A to Z . Well obviously! They did pull out the oldest cliche in the book with the whole "sinking their savings into a strange house they stumble upon while walking in the woods." But even the whole cop gets into painkillers and someone who deserves it is shot, badge is lost. When was the last time we saw a cop on TV that didn't have a drinking or substance abuse problem? (Law and Order doesn't count.) Even the dialogue of "We were the couple that everyone wanted to be, they argued in their car..." blah, blah. CA yoga teacher with gluten allergy and hubby with no substance that has a job that takes him away for long periods of time. Law enforcement that ignores the problem. Anyways, you all know what I mean.

That being said I enjoyed watching it. I would watch Angela Basset read a phone book at this point. I wanted more between Angela and Sara Paulsen(son?)

The stick thing I saw recently in another show (not Blair Witch)- same thing all strung up around the house (I won't spoil it, but there was some mythology behind it in the show that was kind of interesting.) I think that kind of lessened the impact for me.

Loved the format.

Miss "There's nothing wrong with getting the hell out of the way", fight or flight response runs into the dark woods after a creepy figure, and says nothing to her husband on her phone? Leaves her phone in the car? ARGH! It wouldn't be horror if the characters didn't run towards danger at all costs I suppose. But at least tell your husband there's been an accident!

I found the episode to be predictable from A to Z . Well obviously! They did pull out the oldest cliche in the book with the whole "sinking their savings into a strange house they stumble upon while walking in the woods." But even the whole cop gets into painkillers and someone who deserves it is shot, badge is lost. When was the last time we saw a cop on TV that didn't have a drinking or substance abuse problem? (Law and Order doesn't count.) Even the dialogue of "We were the couple that everyone wanted to be, they argued in their car..." blah, blah. CA yoga teacher with gluten allergy and hubby with no substance that has a job that takes him away for long periods of time. Law enforcement that ignores the problem. Anyways, you all know what I mean.

That being said I enjoyed watching it. I would watch Angela Basset read a phone book at this point. I wanted more between Angela and Sara Paulsen(son?)

The stick thing I saw recently in another show (not Blair Witch)- same thing all strung up around the house (I won't spoil it, but there was some mythology behind it in the show that was kind of interesting.) I think that kind of lessened the impact for me.

Loved the format.

Miss "There's nothing wrong with getting the hell out of the way", fight or flight response runs into the dark woods after a creepy figure, and says nothing to her husband on her phone? Leaves her phone in the car? ARGH! It wouldn't be horror if the characters didn't run towards danger at all costs I suppose. But at least tell your husband there's been an accident!

[cbosdell]

Maybe I'm in a minority but this is the first time since I started watching in season 2 (could never get into season 1) that the first episode didn't keep my attention or interest me.  It seemed very slow and I'm not a fan of the documentary thing they were going for.

[Dobian]

Let's see if they can top season two for most themes and derivations.  So far we've got reality ghost re-enactment tv shows, The Hills Have Eyes, and Blair Witch.  Looks like they're going more for straight-up scares this season than horror drama.  I hope Lily Rabe isn't stuck just doing commentary all season for Sarah Paulson's re-enactments.  That would kind of suck, especially with what she's capable of, like in Hotel last season.  The other thing is, it has the potential to be scary until you realize you are watching actors re-enact something.  Actually, the most outrageous and unbelievable thing wasn't vengeful ghosts getting caught on camera, it was a cop getting fired for a substance abuse incident.  In the real world, we're looking at a suspension and mandatory drug treatment while the union keeps them on the payroll.

Edited September 17, 2016 by Dobian

[txhorns79]

Quote

Miss "There's nothing wrong with getting the hell out of the way", fight or flight response runs into the dark woods after a creepy figure, and says nothing to her husband on her phone? Leaves her phone in the car? ARGH! It wouldn't be horror if the characters didn't run towards danger at all costs I suppose. But at least tell your husband there's been an accident!

In hindsight it looks bad, but I could understand in a moment of panic when you believe you just hit someone with your car, you aren't going to be thinking straight. 

Quote

It seemed like it with the scalped guy and all. But if Kathy Bates is playing a late 16th century colonist, why the hell would she be so nonchalant about getting knocked out of her stockings by a shiny metal wagon with super-bright lanterns and no horses? That can't be something she encounters every day...

 

I kind of think it was a ghost thing.  Shelby wasn't transported back in time, but was witnessing a scene from the past.   The ghost might be stunned because it was removed momentarily from whatever it would normally be doing if it hadn't been hit by a car, but then it recovered and fell back into whatever past scene was unfurling. 

[Captanne]

On September 16, 2016 at 1:15 AM, Snookums said:

I'm sure they were delightful, kind to animals and tidy with litter, but this made me think of one of Bill Bryson's travel books where he's driving around the continental US, and describes one out of the way place as reminding him of a Richard Matheson story where the inhabitants wait for a stranger to come to town so they can roast him for their annual barbecue. "These people looked at me with barbecue eyes."

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski. It's fantastic and about a house that is demonstrably bigger on the inside then out, with doors and hallways appearing and disappearing. Here's the Wikipedia on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves. 

This book remains the only one that has ever given me nightmares and I highly recommend it. His sister is the musician Poe, and she did a whole companion CD for it.

Amazing book.  I can't get through Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (also a Millennial cult novel) but I read House of Leaves in a fortnight.  Couldn't stop.  Still haven't gone back to it but it's such a mental and physical maze that someone could get literally lost in the book for years.  (I mean "literally" literally.  You'll understand when you open the book and look at the typeset.)

[Captanne]

I watched this AHS installment yesterday through the haze of a full-blown head cold.  (Editorial:  Ugh.)  I enjoyed it but found it kind of full of extraneous stuff that didn't necessarily drive the plot.  I'm not the biggest fan of the blonde (Susan or Sarah Paul?) or of Gooding (have never liked his acting) but I think it's interesting that we have a clear varsity and junior varsity who are relegated to sides of the narrative timeline.  The varsity is playing the "movie dramatization of the story" while the junior varsity is playing the actual talking heads.  The reason I bring that up is that I find the "junior varsity" (Lily Rabe and the young man) to be much better than the varsity (the blonde and Cuba Gooding Jr.)  The exception to that rule is that the sister (the African American cop) is much better in the dramatization than the one in the talking heads.  I've always loved the actress playing the cop in the dramatization (she was the voodoo queen in the southern one.)  (I'm so sorry -- normally I'm better with names but today I'm still in head-cold city and my mind isn't helping me remember anything.)

[goodbyeglittergirl]

So far I'm very meh about this season. I enjoyed the hailstorm of teeth, and I'm glad to see Lily Rabe and Tara's mom from True Blood. I was NOT jazzed that Cuba Gooding Jr is in this season, as he was the weakest link in the OJ Simpson show and I wasn't happy to see him here.

I've lived in NC for 20 years so I anticipate a lot of eye rolling about things like pronouncing Raleigh RALLY instead of RAWLLY and talking about the infamous coastal hillbillies which don't exist, because hillbillies are, imagine that, in the foothills. I know there's not a chance of AHS shooting in NC due to our asinine governor and his backwater ways but at least maybe they could have done some research. 

I also missed the opening credits and hope that was an episode 1 issue that will be remedied. 

On the offtopic of "Who would not enjoy the song 'Jolene'" - me. My husband just left me after a torrid affair with his millennial coworker and so I can't with "Jolene" right now.

[SoSueMe]

I would be interested to get the actual minute count of the episode. All the normal, much too numerous commercials and then it seemed like there were many, many, "special preview" type promotions.

[Andromeda]

On 9/14/2016 at 7:38 PM, mamadrama said:

To make it look like a real documentary. In shows like Paranormal Witness you have the real people telling the story and the reenactors reenacting the story. 

Exactly. Except for Paranormal Witness/A Haunting/The Haunted/etc. etc. etc., the real people are not as pretty as the actors. In this case, the only one who meets that criteria for me is Angela Bassett.

I LOVED IT. I watch a lot of those kinds of true-life shows, so I got it right away, that probably helps. Very Americana-haunting. Reminded me of The Witch with it's tone in some places. (Awesome movie). And of Blair Witch, of course, with its creepy handicrafts...

Quote

As for the confusingly laid out farmhouse mansion, I am wondering if the whole "bigger on the inside" is some kind of tribute to the without peer horror novel House of Leaves, by  Mark Z. Danielewski. It's fantastic and about a house that is demonstrably bigger on the inside then out, with doors and hallways appearing and disappearing. Here's the Wikipedia on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves. 

I thought of that, too. It seemed ridiculously large, with endless The Shining hallways...

Edited September 17, 2016 by Andromeda

[Granimal]

9 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

In hindsight it looks bad, but I could understand in a moment of panic when you believe you just hit someone with your car, you aren't going to be thinking straight. 

I kind of think it was a ghost thing.  Shelby wasn't transported back in time, but was witnessing a scene from the past.   The ghost might be stunned because it was removed momentarily from whatever it would normally be doing if it hadn't been hit by a car, but then it recovered and fell back into whatever past scene was unfurling. 

Very true. It seemed out of character for Shelby to run off into the woods after seeing the woman get up and walk away. It seems out of character for anyone Shelby-ish (opposed to Angela Bassett's character) to be on the phone with their husband- hit someone, and not scream, "Oh my God I just hit someone!" But everyone does act differently and unexpectedly in emergencies/ shocking situations. If I were in that situation, I'd be scared out of my mind and be calling the police ASAP. Daytime is one thing, but nighttime + woods + previous scary incidents that caused me to flee my home in the middle of the night= aw hell no! Or at least I'm grabbing my cellphone!

Plus, we had to advance the plot somehow.

Edited September 17, 2016 by Granimal