"American Horror Story"
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Premieres: October 5, 10pm on FX
Stars: Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga, Frances Conroy, Denis O'Hare, Evan Peters (more)
Plot: In an effort to recover from a heartbreak that nearly destroyed their marriage, Vivien and Ben Harmon (Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott) move from the East Coast to an old Victorian house in Los Angeles with their awkward teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) and their adorable little dog. In case the show's title was not enough of a hint for you, the house also turns out to have a dark history, not to mention bizarre neighbors who seem to know plenty about its past but aren't moved to warn the current occupants. Soon enough, life for the Harmons quickly takes several odd and very sinister turns.
Why We're Excited: FX and series producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have gone to great lengths to preserve the mystery surrounding "American Horror Story," only describing it as a psycho-sexual thriller and listing horror giants such as Rosemary's Baby and The Shining, as well as the less-celebrated Don't Look Now, as main influences. They've also designed a promotional campaign fueled by a series of incredibly strange clips that have served as viral marketing catnip to horror fans. Indeed, the less you know about this series, the more excited you are bound to be.
Why We're Not: Some TV reporters have seen the pilot, and after the final frame, words failed us...and not because it was successful. Instead of being influenced by seminal horror classics, it comes off as derivative of many of their imitators. Murphy and Falchuk threw every single horror movie standard into that initial episode including body parts in jars, creepy children, ghosts, milky eyes, weird old ladies, a deranged teen, dirty dolls, a creepy basement - and a pleather gimp costume, because heck, why not? The result is a stew that overwhelms the palate as opposed to making us hungry for more. Nevertheless, some horror fans are going to absolutely love "American Horror Story" because of its everything-and-the-blood-in-the-kitchen-sink approach. Even a number of its detractors will be curious enough to come back for another episode, if only to see how long the dog lasts (and whether Murphy and Falchuk throw in an ode to Pet Sematary).
Trivia: Recently, Murphy told TV reporters that his grandmother used to force him to watch "Dark Shadows", "even when I was sobbing and screaming." When he was bad, she would make him watch "The Waltons."
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