Series cast summary: | |||
Evan Peters | ... | James March / ... 95 episodes, 2011-2021 | |
Sarah Paulson | ... | Lana Winters / ... 86 episodes, 2011-2021 | |
Denis O'Hare | ... | Spalding / ... 60 episodes, 2011-2016 | |
Kathy Bates | ... | Madame Delphine LaLaurie / ... 58 episodes, 2013-2018 | |
Frances Conroy | ... | Myrtle Snow / ... 53 episodes, 2011-2021 | |
Jessica Lange | ... | Constance Langdon / ... 53 episodes, 2011-2018 | |
Lily Rabe | ... | Misty Day / ... 52 episodes, 2011-2021 | |
Angela Bassett | ... | Desiree Dupree / ... 48 episodes, 2013-2018 | |
Emma Roberts | ... | Madison Montgomery / ... 46 episodes, 2013-2019 | |
Cheyenne Jackson | ... | Will Drake / ... 43 episodes, 2015-2018 | |
Physical and psychological horrors affect a decomposing family, workers and residents of an insane asylum, a coven of witches, a cast of circus freaks, the employees and guests at a struggling hotel, a family who moved into a mysterious farmhouse, the members of a small suburb in Michigan, the surviving members of the Apocalypse and the counselors of a creepy summer camp in this haunting anthology series, focusing on the themes of infidelity, sanity, oppression, discrimination, addiction and exploitation.
A dysfunctional family moves into an old house, a house with a history of horror. For the main characters, history is what the first episode is all about: the husband's history of infidelity, the wife's history of having a bloody stillbirth, the daughter's history of cutting herself -- for each a long history of pain and resentment and longing for change, though it quickly becomes apparent the only change coming will leave them hysterically screaming to the sudden, violent, gory end. The one sure thing this show promises is that people will die horribly, and we will all be terrified by it.
The characters are not likable; they may not even be redeemable. Even the suffering wife is bitter and cold and hateful. But do they deserve what horrible things will assuredly happen to them? Nope. Which means their fight is our fight, and their fear is our fear.
American Horror Story is interesting, entertaining, suspenseful, and ambitious. After watching the first episode, I want to watch some more.