Season 8: Apocalypse Spoilers & Speculation

[uncanny]

Here we can discuss news and spoilers for season eight, subtitled Apocalypse.

Premiere: September 12, 2018

Theme: This season is set 18 months in the future following "the end of the world" and combines the stories of Murder House and Coven.  

Cast: Sarah Paulson is playing three characters -- the returning Cordelia Goode and Billie Dean Howard and new character Venable; Jessica Lange is returning as a guest to portray Constance Langdon from Murder House; Kathy Bates is returning in an undisclosed role; and Evan Peters is playing a hairdresser with Joan Collins playing his grandmother.

Much of the Coven crew including Emma Roberts, Taissa Farmiga, Gabourey Sidibe, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy and even Stevie Nicks.

Cult cast members Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Cheyenne Jackson and Billy Eichner are back. There's also some new blood: Cody Fern is playing Michael Langdon (a grown-up antichrist from Murder House); and there's UnReal's Jeffrey Bower-Chapman and The Path's  Kyle Allen popping up as guest stars. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Murphy is talks with Anjelica Huston for an unspecified role. 

Edited August 7, 2018 by uncanny

[Mr. Sparkle]

Anybody see this yet? Looks cool, like the opening credits. 

[Mabinogia]

I'm actually excited about everything except Paulson playing three freaking roles. I just don't get his hard on for her at all. She's not a terrible actress but she's not all that. UGH! I'm thrilled with the rest of the cast though. I hope he gets Anjelica Houston. LOVE HER!!!! I am also curious about the callback to Coven and Murder House. I've always wanted them to go back to Murder House, which I still think was the best season hands down.

[uncanny]

I'm curious if there will be any callbacks to Hotel considering its connections to both Murder House and Coven. Before this latest Coven cast announcement, the thought did occur to me that if they're resurrecting Madison Montgomery then the same could potentially occur with Misty Day or Queenie, who was gratuitously killed by Ramona Royale at the Hotel Cortez. Wonder if that's a potential option for Angela Bassett to return in some capacity. 

[ShadowHunter]

19 hours ago, uncanny said:

I'm curious if there will be any callbacks to Hotel considering its connections to both Murder House and Coven. Before this latest Coven cast announcement, the thought did occur to me that if they're resurrecting Madison Montgomery then the same could potentially occur with Misty Day or Queenie, who was gratuitously killed by Ramona Royale at the Hotel Cortez. Wonder if that's a potential option for Angela Bassett to return in some capacity. 

Well Mr.March was the one who stabbed Queenie then Ramona stepped in. Yes I wonder if she is a ghost at the Hotel Cortez? 

Since we are getting Michael do we get to see his parents Tate and Vivian? 

[Valny]

Paulson's new character revealed.

[Valny]

Connie Britton(yay!) and Dylan McDermott returning this season.

[Anela]

On 8/8/2018 at 2:02 PM, ShadowHunter said:

Well Mr.March was the one who stabbed Queenie then Ramona stepped in. Yes I wonder if she is a ghost at the Hotel Cortez? 

Since we are getting Michael do we get to see his parents Tate and Vivian? 

Yep. I saw a picture of them with the creator of the show. 

[uncanny]

Some photos from the Murder House set courtesy of Ryan Murphy, including stills of Tate, Madison Montgomery digging up some bones in the backyard (Moira, Hayden?), and the previously mentioned return of Vivian and Ben. 

Edited August 28, 2018 by uncanny

[ShadowHunter]

Tate and Vivian had no real interaction in S1 minus the Rubber Man stuff. It would be nice and interesting to see if they interact now. 

Not really a fan of Emma Roberts so her having a bigger role this season is a drag but I am here for more Murder House. It will probably be 1 or 2 episodes and that is it.

Joan Collins confirmed in a new TV interview with an LA show she will be playing two roles as well.

[TheGreenKnight]

Not interested in more of Connie Britton, but... *shrug*. I am happy about Joan Collins though.

[peacheslatour]

I didn't know Joan Collins was still alive.

[Valny]

Full trailer is up!

[AngelKitty]

OK, that was cool. I'm in. I couldn't watch the Cult. I actually liked Coven and Murder House so really looking forward to seeing those characters again. I need to talk Mr. AngelKitty into watching Murder House, a re-watch for me, he started watching Freak Show with me and then neither one of us liked Cult.

[peacheslatour]

Wow, Joan Collins looked pretty damned good. So great to see Cathy Bates again. 

[Anela]

Kathy Bates - I couldn't remember her name earlier (and couldn't believe that I'd forgotten it). I was telling my dad that I loved that Ryan Murphy brought these older actresses into his show, over the last seven years. Joan Collins, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange. Others over 40. 

the boy (grown up) looks more like Lily Rabe, to me, than either of his parents. 

Oh, boy. It looks like another cult, too. 

[sashayshante]

I'm beyond jazzed for this season, but still managing my expectations. AHS always careens off the tracks after episode 4 or 5, with the exception of Murder House. Not getting why he keeps giving Emma Roberts work when she beat Evan Peters, but okay. I didn't like Coven at all. Murder House was just so pitch perfect all the rest pale in comparison.

After watching the trailer, my hunch is that the black snake and rubber man are both Michael and he's going to try and impregnate someone. Cody Fern is going to be a welcome addition to the Ryan Murphy Canon. If he's half as good as Michael as he was as David on ACS Versace, we're in for a real treat. Choosing to play a gay man for your first big/breakout role is a bold move, regardless of his actual orientation. He was robbed of an Emmy nomination. 

I think the "crossover" aspect of Murder House/Apocalypse will be some scenes from the past showing Michael interacting with Tate and Vivian and finding out he's a child of rape.

 

THREE MORE DAYS!

[SimoneS]

The trailer is really good. I will be watching.

[Mr. Sparkle]

3 hours ago, sashayshante said:

THREE MORE DAYS!

For some reason, this fact did not dawn on me until I read your post. I'm glad I just updated my DVR! 

[AngelKitty]

8 hours ago, Superclam said:

I'm glad I just updated my DVR! 

Me too. I had taken it off because of Cult.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Mine has "American Horror Story: Cult" listed, but it wouldn't have recorded this because of the different name. 

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

I kept seeing some previews but no preview date.... yipee - usually I am a day late and a dollar short, not this time bitches ... :)

[sashayshante]

In one of the trailers, they have a pic of Dylan McDermott lighting a match looking dazed. That's from Season 1 when he gets lured downstairs so Rubber Man can go to the bedroom and rape Vivien.

I really hope that don't don't take the lazy way out and have the coven witches go back in time to stop Michael from being born, but I think that's what's going to happen. Not only is that lazy, but it essentially erases the whole first season.

[Keywestclubkid]

its either tate's antichrist tater that is going outpost to outpost killing them all to find a "mate" or the whole Antichrist thing is a misdirection and someone else maybe Timmy is the true antichrist but doesn't know it yet.. I mean i thought the Anti Christ was supposed to be all loved and a great deceiver in the bible why do they make him a Vampire looking wanna be that saw Interview with the vampire one to many times? And whose side are the witches on exactly I know they haven't popped up yet but in coven i know they didn't worship the devil but they didn't exactly worship anyone

Edited September 13, 2018 by Keywestclubkid

[Anela]

I wonder if Sarah Paulson's character will assume that she will pass, and be take  care of, but she'll end up being killed by Michael. 

I wonder if Constance will be alive, or a ghost at the house. I figure ghosts would still be around, and that might be how the Harmons show up, unless the witches do go back in time to fix things. 

[sashayshante]

The "Michael is the Anti-Christ" thing feels more and more like a misdirect. There's a clip floating around on Instagram of Sarah Paulson directing an episode. In the clip, she's directing Dylan McDermott, who looks to be in Murder House. He's crouched down and wearing a baseball mitt and directing someone off screen - likely a child, since he's crouched down -  to throw him a ball. Since the ghosts don't appear to age after they die, who's Ben playing catch with in that scene? It could be Michael since Vivien is his mother, but would they be playing with The Anti-Christ?

My gut says Timothy was checking his DNA because he suspected he was adopted, and that he's the Anti-Christ. Constance gave him up because he was murdering people and she couldn't cover it up. As for how Michael could age if he died in the house, I suspect he didn't actually die.  I think the Collective is out to find the Anti-Christ and that's why Michael is at Outpost 3. I'm even more convinced there's a misdirect because of the teaser trailer where the devil hand slices open some kind of fruit and two scorpions - good and evil - crawl out from the make-shift womb and battle it out.

Edited September 14, 2018 by sashayshante

[JenE4]

Oh, boy, reading these theories makes me think I better rewatch Murder House to remember what’s going on. Well, I suppose I have you fine folks to point out any connections and jog my memory. Who the heck is Timothy?

[sashayshante]

12 hours ago, JenE4 said:

Oh, boy, reading these theories makes me think I better rewatch Murder House to remember what’s going on. Well, I suppose I have you fine folks to point out any connections and jog my memory. Who the heck is Timothy?

Timothy is the young teen who just got into UCLA and taken from his family because of his special DNA. Many are saying they think he and Emily - the other woman taken to the bunker with Timothy - are going to be descendants of Kit Walker from Asylum. Totally extra but it's Ryan Murphy, so...

 

Either way, I definitely think Michael isn't the antichrist. According to the bible, Michael was the angel that led the army against Satan.

[littlemommy]

I’m going to speculate that Michael’s Murder House twin is Rubberman. He can’t age into an adult, being stuck as a baby ghost (if I’ve ever written a stupider sentence I’m not aware of it :S ) so he’s learned to project his consciousness into a Rubberman thingy. He and his living twin brother travel the earth as a chaos creating duo.

Is screamy Violet from Murder House coming back, too? 

[JoeyCrown]

Help! Do I need to be caught up on every season to start this one? Thanks.

[I Love Me]

Perhaps the sanctuary Michael keeps mentioning is Miss Robichaux's Academy?  Maybe that is what brings Coven into this season?  I think it's an interesting theory and, currently, is based solely on the Steve Nick's music as they panned over to Michael in Episode 2.  Would also go towards supporting Michael = Anti-Christ is a misdirection.  Unless Cordelia has taken a super dark turn over the last few years I can't see her wanting to provide sanctuary to evil.      

[coppersin]

1 hour ago, JoeyCrown said:

Help! Do I need to be caught up on every season to start this one? Thanks.

So far, no. You'll get more out of the story if you know the background of certain characters but you will probably be okay treating this entire season like a standalone. I suspect they'll reference or give flashbacks for at least some of the old storylines to help viewers along. If you do decide to watch previous seasons, AFAIK you'll only need to watch Season 1 (Murder House) and Season 3 (Coven).

[Female83]

1 hour ago, I Love Me said:

Perhaps the sanctuary Michael keeps mentioning is Miss Robichaux's Academy?  Maybe that is what brings Coven into this season?  I think it's an interesting theory and, currently, is based solely on the Steve Nick's music as they panned over to Michael in Episode 2.  Would also go towards supporting Michael = Anti-Christ is a misdirection.  Unless Cordelia has taken a super dark turn over the last few years I can't see her wanting to provide sanctuary to evil.      

The sanctuary could also be the Murder House or an unknown building. 

[sashayshante]

9 hours ago, I Love Me said:

Perhaps the sanctuary Michael keeps mentioning is Miss Robichaux's Academy?  Maybe that is what brings Coven into this season?  I think it's an interesting theory and, currently, is based solely on the Steve Nick's music as they panned over to Michael in Episode 2.  Would also go towards supporting Michael = Anti-Christ is a misdirection.  Unless Cordelia has taken a super dark turn over the last few years I can't see her wanting to provide sanctuary to evil.      

I think he's testing everyone to see who is evil and who isn't. I'm definitely seeing Michael as a warlock working with the coven to save humanity.

[sashayshante]

I'll put tags on this just in case. This was posted on Redditt. So far, most of the spoilers I've seen there have turned out to be true, but who knows/

Spoiler

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE FINALE: Michael will try to pit the witches against each other so he could watch them die by their own hands. He is going to promise Madison a safe place by his side if she kills them. Dinah ends up in Hell with Madame Delphine DeLaLaurie, Papa Legba and Marie Laveau. Constance will end up NOT killing herself thanks to Mallory. The final scene reveals that Michael is not the real Antichrist. The real one is hiding in plain sight.

[Rap541]

Interesting and relatively plausible.

[sashayshante]

I think based on the spoiler, The Sanctuary is Hell.

[TheGreenKnight]

Spoiler

I had questioned throughout the season if Michael was really the Antichrist at all. Maybe it's Mallory? Maybe they reveal it to the viewers at the very end when Cordelia has passed and she's officially the head of the coven, with all the witches celebrating the new Supreme. The Antichrist would pretend to be kind and work "miracles" similar to what she did with the deer rather than act openly, blatantly evil the way Michael has.

[Stallion12]

Read some of them. Kinda disappointed if they are true. It kinda males the season pointless.

[Primal Slayer]

Already watched it so for anyone interested:

Marie Laveau returns to help Cordelia.

Madison gets her head blown off buying time for Cordelia and co. to get away from Michael and do the travel spell.

Mallory gets stabbed by whatshisname and basically dies which forces Cordelia to kill herself so Mallory can come into her full powers and gain a personality.

Constance returns since we're in the past and she kicks out Michael after killing a priest. 

Mallory kills Michael by running over him multiple times. She returns to the academy and gets street cred with the peeps in hell so they allow her to bring Nan/Misty Day back to the living but she leaves Madison in hell!

All of this just so the two pretty kids from the first 2 episodes can boink one another and for some reason give birth the the NEW anti-christ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? and end season.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Primal Slayer

[Mr. Sparkle]

Thanks. Now I can wait until tomorrow and watch on DVR. 

[Valny]

oops,wrong thread

Edited November 15, 2018 by Valny

[llewis823]

So, I didn't know which thread to put this in but IMHO, I think AHS has went downhill because the two creators had spread themselves too thin. They are writing for 9-1-1 now and that show has really come into its own now.