Review: American Horror Story, Season 1, Pilot Episode
Air Date: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 10PM E/P on FX
Rating
“What are you so afraid of?” This recurring question is asked throughout the pilot episode and begs to be answered honestly…if you dare. American Horror Story is a new kind of unconventional drama series that is entertainingly disturbing. Dark and edgy, this is a drama for those unafraid to explore their inner deviants *wicked grin*. Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Denis O’Hare, Taissa Farmiga, and Evan Peters give stellar and mesmerizing performances. American Horror Story is so engrossing…you’ll begin to crave it! AHS sings to the darker side of my heart.
We begin in 1978, where a young girl with Down’s Syndrome, Adelaide {young} (Katelyn Reed) warns two young brothers, Troy (Bodhi Schulz) and Brian (Kai Schulz) about their impending mortality should they enter the house.
Adelaide: “Excuse me; you are going to die in there.”
Troy: “Shut your mouth or we’re gonna kick your ass!”
Brian: “We got bats.”
As the boys vandalize the abandoned LA Victorian home, “Tonight You Belong To Me” by Patience and Prudence plays in the background giving the scene a very ominous feel. As they boys explore the decrepit looking home, they see a dead cat oozing blood on the floor. If the blood is still oozing, that means it’s a fresh kill, which begs the question, if the boys didn’t do it…who did? They continue their exploration into the dank basement adorned with strange jars filled with even stranger things, and as predicted by Adelaide, the boys perish…horribly.
L-R: Dylan McDermott as Ben Harmon, Taissa Farmiga as Violet Harmon and Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon
Fast forward to present day. The Harmon family—Ben (Dylan McDermott), his wife Vivien (Connie Britton), and their teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga)—move to Los Angeles to start fresh after Vivien’s terrible miscarriage and Ben’s infidelity shook the foundation of their family. When the family meets with the real estate agent, full disclosure forces her to reveal the reason for the low price. The last owners were killed in the home – a murder/suicide. Violet seems a bit ballsy.
Violet: “Where did it happen?”
Real Estate Agent: “The basement.”
Violet: “We’ll take it.”
If my adoration and love for American Horror Story seem overwhelming—my words flowing from my fingertips to the keyboard in a chaotic river of descriptive adjectives,—it is only to entice you to watch and discover a show so fascinatingly haunting, engrossing, and entertaining you’ll find yourself affixed in front of your television screen, unmoving until a commercial break. Even then you may not want to move for fear you’ll miss one second of the story unfolding before you.
I was pleasantly shocked to learn American Horror Story came from the minds behind Glee! It comforts me to know someone who can envision a happy-go-lucky musical series has such a complex and darker side, especially since I feel I am the same. Although, I don’t break out into song and wear bright colors (often).
Jessica Lange as Constance
The mysteries are just beginning to unfold and there is so much to tell. Constance (Jessica Lange) is Adelaide’s <Addie> mother. It seems, now older, Addie (Jamie Brewer) has a unique connection with the house and knows the spirits of the two boys killed in the basement linger, causing some disturbing effects. Vivien believes Addie is the one causing the mayhem and when she grabs her face to make her point, Constance patiently waits, like the Southern belle she is, until Addie leaves before unleashing her fury. “You touch my kid one more time and I will break your goddamn arm!” Lange is outstanding! Her performance is fluid and effortless. Her Southern swagger ripples throughout her portrayal of a woman who aspired to become an actress but whose high morals for nudity kept her away from the limelight. “I wasn’t about to have my green pastures flashed 70 ft high for every man, woman, and child to see.” I love how the writers are unafraid to speak frankly about a parent’s disenchanted views on having children. Constance calls Addie a “monster” and “mongoloid.” If you’ve ever seen Lange in a film called Hush, co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, her Constance is 1,000 times scarier and commanding, yet genuinely charismatic.
Ben is a psychiatrist and his young patient Tate (Evan Peters) seems to have a disturbing fondness for Violet. I don’t know why, but I feel like Tate may be something other than human. Or it could be he’s possessed. Either way, he’s channeling some serious rage and manic emotions. The “helter-skelter” prank he pulls with Violet’s help to scare, Leah (Shelby Young), a girl who’s been bullying Violet at school, is unnerving and just downright frightening.
Moira O’Hara (Frances Conroy and Alexandra Breckinridge) is the housekeeper. She’s the one who found the previous owners after the murder/suicide. I love Conroy’s nonchalant look and tone when she mentions how well she cleaned the mess, no one would know it even happened as if she simply broke a glass or something. But there is more to Moira than meets the eye, especially to Ben. Where Vivien sees a mature older woman, Ben sees a beautiful young temptress. I love the contrite answer Moira {senior} gives to Vivien regarding “cleaning up other people’s messes,” “We’re women, it’s what we do. I just get paid for it.”
L-R: Jessica Lange as Constance and Frances Conroy as Moira {senior}
Moira and Constance already know each other very well. When Moira catches Constance in the house trying on Vivien’s diamonds, she tells her not to touch them, “those belong to madam.” Constance replies, “Why is it that it is always the old whore who acts the part of a moralistic prude?…Don’t make me kill you again.” Interesting… Moira’s been killed once before yet here is she cleaning house again for the Harmons. Why was she killed and why did Constance kill her?
Dylan McDermott as Ben Harmon (sorry, they didn't have any partial nude photos)
I must now give thanks for the delicious nudity of McDermott as he exits the shower with only a towel covering his frontal bits leaving his chest, arms, legs, and ass all bare and glistening. The one thing about I like about American Horror Story is while there is some partial nudity, it’s mostly courtesy of McDermott. It’s refreshing to have the man showing some skin rather than the women all the time. Although, Moira {junior} does wear what is equivalent to a sexy French maid’s outfit. Ben is having a difficult time keeping his thoughts pure. After being caught cheating a year ago, Vivien hasn’t been exactly forthcoming with the love. When Ben explains he was hurting too after the miscarriage to which Vivien boldly replies, “And you buried your sorrow in some 21 year old’s pussy!”
The writing is clever and edgy. The plot is evolving, complex and cryptic. The acting by all is superb. The music is hypnotic and sets the tone for scenes words could never convey, like “Baby, You Ain’t Looking Right” by Powersolo. The prosthetics worn by Denis O’Hare who plays Larry Harvey aka Burnt Man, seem so real, you actually believe O’Hare is a burn victim. The entire premise is absolutely refreshing and I don’t think American Horror Story could have been born or released on a network other than FX simply because of its accessibility to a larger audience in addition to their “out of the box” attitude towards television. This stance makes it one of the most eclectic networks outside paid cable.
Of course, the story would not be complete without a little kinkiness, right? It comes in the form of the black vinyl dominatrix suit found in the attic. And I don’t think Ben was wearing it when Vivien goes for round two of the make-up sex. Ben is downstairs sleepwalking just as Larry/Burnt Man had experienced before he killed his wife and two daughters. I just wonder how Constance knows Ben is in the kitchen turning on the stove. Maybe Adelaide isn’t the only one with a connection to the house.
Tune into American Horror Story tonight at 10 PM E/P and every Wednesday only on FX.
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Photos © 2011 FX Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Judy Manning
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2 comments
i want to know this…If Constance and Adelaid and Tate lived in the house as a family( along with Dad and other siblings) why do we see Adelaide in front of the house warning the twins that they will die if they go in there. The house was clearly abandon during that scene. Tate lived there as a little boy and Adelaid was a little girl and i am not sure who is older( I think Adelaid)…Can someone explain?????
Author
Great point!! I totally forgot about that…I may have to rewatch a few episodes! Maybe they moved in AFTER the boys died? Seems strange but perhaps Constance moved in because of her other son Beau that she kept upstairs?? Again, I’ll really need to rewatch some episodes because this is a puzzle that’s now gnawing at my brain!