Favorite New Fall Show Poll – American Horror Story

This week, we at CliqueClack are asking you to vote for your favorite new fall shows to watch and for those that you would recommend to others. The winter hiatus is the perfect time to catch up on new shows you didn’t initially watch. Check out our previous write-ups for Up All Night and Revenge, now check out why Chuck picked American Horror Story!

When I first heard about American Horror Story, I wasn’t sure what to think. Then I saw that iconic artwork with the red room, the scantily clad woman on the floor and the guy in the rubber suit coming out of the ceiling. What the heck was this? It sure didn’t seem like any ghost story I’d ever seen before.

But I took the plunge with a little trepidation (especially after reading Keith’s preview post), and I was transfixed and mesmerized by the edgy, unnerving opening titles and music, the cast, the story and the house itself. Just like the Harmon family, I too was drawn into what is now known as Murder House. Yes, the show has been more weird than scary, but there have been many unnerving moments that have made me regret watching an episode before going to bed.

If you haven’t watched the show yet, the story so far is this: the Harmon family have fled Boston, mainly to get away from husband and father Ben’s indiscretion, and what better place to get away from it all than on the opposite side of the country? They find a grand, old 1920s mansion dirt cheap, then learn that the previous owners were found dead in the house, an apparent murder/suicide, with a little kinkiness thrown into the mix (and we’ve since learned the true nature of the deaths in a recent episode). The Harmons discover their house is part of a tour of famous crime scenes, and learn that there have been more tragedies inside the house than they were led to believe. Daughter Violet, however, is learning that all of the former residents of the house are still there, thanks to a developing relatonship with a patient of her father’s (he’s a therapist), young Tate Langdon (why they’re all still there is another question). The house also came with a housekeeper, a busy-body neighbor that used to live in the house, and a deranged, terminally ill, burned and scarred man who also used to live in the house. Only two of those three are living, breathing people.

And that’s what I’m really digging about the show. The Harmon adults, played by Dylan McDermott (Ben) and Connie Britton (Vivien), are capable actors, but for the moment they are probably the least interesting people on the show. Taissa Farmiga (Vera’s sister) has much more to do as she learns about the house and what lurks in the basement and attic, while the various flashbacks showing us the former residents, including a Frankenstein-like abortion doctor who built the house and the gay couple who were the last residents, give us more background information about the house, and it’s all the more thrilling when these spirits show up in the present to “mingle” with the unsuspecting Harmons.

What I really love about the show is the interplay between Jessica Lange‘s Constance (the neighbor) and Frances Conroy‘s Moira (the housekeeper). These two have a long, sordid history, and whenever they have a juicy scene together, it takes me back to the old Southern gothic movies like Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte. These two actresses are simply amazing, and I believe they should both get Supporting Actress Emmy nominations. And speaking of old movies, the film geek in me really gets a thrill as I pick out homages to various horror/thriller films from the past in just about every episode. What truly sold me on the show was the use of musical cues in the first two episodes from Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Psycho. Music from Bram Stoker’s Dracula has been used on a few occasions as we flash back to the doctor and his wife, and Tate’s theme song is from Kill Bill. With Vivien’s mysterious pregnancy, we practically got an entire scene (or two) from Rosemary’s Baby. The spirit that inhabits the attic bears a striking resemblance to the “geek” from the 80s horror film The Funhouse. I love that the producers and writers are having so much fun by acknowledging these classic films in clever ways that I’m not sure many have picked up on.

I’ve chosen American Horror Story as my favorite new series of the season because it’s so well done, the story has so many layers that are being revealed week-by-week, and it’s one of the few shows that I absolutely have to watch every week instead of letting it sit on the DVR. The subject matter, the shocking violence, the nudity, the disturbing imagery, and the twisted sexual game play may not be to everyone’s tastes, but I think if you enter with an open mind, just like the spirits in Murder House, you won’t be able to leave.

You can vote up to ONCE a day for 3 shows. The poll closes on Sunday, 12/4 at Midnight ET.

Clacked by Chuck Duncan
on Nov 30, 2011 @ 10:01 EST5EDT