American Horror Story: Hotel – "Checking In” Review. Horror Noir.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY -- "Checking In" Episode 501 (Airs Wednesday, October 7, 10:00 pm/ep) Pictured: Kathy Bates as Iris. CR: Suzanne Tenner/FX

Iris holds down the fort in Hotel Cortez

Season 5, Episode 1

Airdate: Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 10:00 pm ET/PT on FX

Rating: ★★★★★

American Horror Story (AHS) debuted its fifth season, AHS: Hotel and I still can’t believe what I watched—I don’t think that’s entirely good. “Checking In” sets the pace for the season, taking viewers on a dark journey littered with sex, drugs, and murder. Although the AHS franchise contains plenty of gore and violent content, AHS: Hotel is different. As the title denotes, the season centers on a fictional Los Angeles hotel, the Hotel Cortez, and its guests. It is within the Hotel Cortez where dark deeds, bloodlust, and vices thrive behind closed doors. Many of the veteran cast of the AHS series return, including Kathy Bates who plays the front desk clerk, Iris. Newer cast members include the incomparable Lady Gaga who portrays The Countess and Cheyenne Jackson as Will Drake. In regards to casting, I can’t wait to see how the cast will embody their respective characters—if there’s one thing I love the most about AHS, it’s seeing the returning actors take on different personas. That said, what makes “Checking In” difficult to watch is some of the content and overall tone.

It’s All About Mood

Immediately, the opening scene, with its hypnotic music, and ornate set production, showcases the interior design of the Hotel Cortez. It takes viewers into a different world and I love it! Show creator Ryan Murphy, who manages to co-write and direct “Checking In,” wastes no time in setting the mood for the eerie landscape.

The beginning involves Iris showing two Swedish tourists, Agnetha (Helena Mattsson) and Vendela (Kamilla Alnes), to their room, which seems simple enough until things take a nasty turn. While in their room, the girls make a gruesome and smelly discovery forcing them to stay in what will become the infamous “Room 64.”

Now, I thought I was afraid of clowns but after “Checking In,” I don’t know how I’ll ever feel safe about staying in a hotel alone again. This situation reminds me of the real serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who designed a hotel to trap and murder innocent people in the late 19th century. I wouldn’t be surprised if episode writers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk drew inspiration from Holmes because there are many moments that appear to be an homage—from the carpet pattern matching that of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and the stunning 80s inspired wardrobe design of The Countess’ a la Tony Scott’s 1983 cult classic The Hunger. It’s these tiny details and the attention paid to them that I love about shows like AHS: Hotel.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY -- "Checking In" Episode 501 (Airs Wednesday, October 7, 10:00 pm/ep) Pictured: Max Greenfield as Gabriel. CR: Suzanne Tenner/FX

Some guests like Gabriel check in, but will he check out?

Sex and Violence

During the Television Critics Association (TCA) event, Ryan Murphy mentioned a disturbing scene would take place in AHS: Hotel. Well, wait no further because out of the plethora of graphic scenes AHS has shown in the past, the brutal rape of a key character is without a doubt the most horrific. I understand the intent of the scene, but the lengths director Murphy goes to sear the imagery into viewer’s minds is gratuitous. Was it important to show the sexual assault from different angles over a long period of time?

In total contrast, the scenes where The Countess and Donovan (Matt Bomer) take in their latest victims while engaging in an orgy illustrate a provocative approach—I swear, it was like watching a Lady Gaga music video. The varying demonstrations of how sex and violence represent different topics, such as drug addiction or sexuality, and these graphic scenes detract from the problems at hand in regards to the plot of AHS: Hotel revolving around a serial killer with ties to the Hotel Cortez and Det. John Lowe’s (Wes Bentley) case.

Overall

As much as I love AHS, some of the explicit content in “Checking In” comes across less artful and more like sensationalism in certain points. Whereas last season, American Horror Story: Freak Show (AHS: Freak Show) examined the cruelty humans inflict upon one another, AHS: Hotel takes an inward approach in showing the brutality we place upon ourselves through addiction. Most of “Checking In” is reminiscent of the first season, American Horror Story: Murder House (AHS: Murder House) in that the supernatural elements connect with the way a location can have a profound influence on a person. On the surface, “Checking In” appears to emphasize the gore and disturbing events at the Hotel Cortez for shock value. Taking a step back, I can see how some scenarios, such as the case with the rape scene, translate as a metaphor for the grappling effects of addiction, which may be a significant plot point throughout the season.

I’m not entirely sold on AHS: Hotel, but I’m waiting to see how the following episodes build upon the story lines established in “Checking In.” On that note, I love John’s story line and his search for the serial killer, as well as the scenes between Lady Gaga and Bomer, both of whom steal the show with their amazing onscreen chemistry. While “Checking In” is worth a look, hopefully there will be more attention paid to character development in the future, such as Iris’ connection to the hotel and its other resident, Sally (Sarah Paulson).