My next choice in T.V. shows you should watch is a very interesting and diverse series American Horror Story. AHS as it will be known for the rest of this post is a special one in terms of this series of posts main due to the fact each series is a stand alone anthology story of 13 episodes and while some of the same actors are featured in all of the seasons, they don't play the same characters, the stories are completely different, the settings are different and also each season explores different themes.
- Series Name: American Horror Story (Murder House) Season 1, (Asylum) Season 2, (Coven) Season 3.
- No. of Seasons: 3
- Show Creators: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
- Original Network: FX
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk the men behind 'Nip Tuck' and 'Glee' each season is named in relation to its central story and theme, in order they are Murder House, Asylum and Coven. The first season, titled American Horror Story: Murder House, is about infidelity.The story takes place in 2011 and follows the Harmon family (Vivian, Ben and Violet) who move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivien the mother has a miscarriage and Ben her husband has an affair. The Harmon's move into a restored mansion and soon encounter the home's former residents, the Langdons: Constance Langdon, and her two children, Tate and Addie, and the disfigured Larry Harvey. The Langdon's and Larry frequently influence the Harmon's lives, as the family discovers that the home is haunted by the ghosts of anyone who has ever died on the property.
The second season, titled American Horror Story: Asylum, is about sanity. The story takes place in 1964 and follows the patients, doctors and nuns who occupy the Briarcliff Mental Institution, founded to treat and house the criminally insane. The wardens who run the institution include the stern Sister Jude , her protégé Sister Mary Eunice and the founder of the institution, Monsignor Timothy Howard. The doctors charged with treating the patients at the asylum include psychiatrist Dr. Oliver Thredson and the sadistic scientist Dr. Arthur Arden. The patients, many of whom claim to be unjustly institutionalized, include lesbian journalist Lana Winters, accused serial killer Kit Walker, and alleged murderer Grace Bertrand. Briarcliff's inhabitants are routinely subject to supernatural and scientific influences, including demonic possession and extraterrestrial abduction.
The third season, titled American Horror Story: Coven, is about oppression, specifically of minorities. It's been over 300 years since the Salem Witch Trials. Those who remain are almost extinct and in danger again. A school in New Orleans serves young witches to teach them how to blend into society and keep from being discovered. The long-absent Supreme arrives with a different mission to teach the burgeoning witches how to fight those who would oppress them. The themes include witches, witch hunts, incest, minorities, slavery, mothers and daughters, and witchcraft versus voodoo. The season is set in modern day, the early 1970s, and the 1830s.
The performances of it's actors is one of the main draws to this series, with Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Zachary Quinto and Lily Rabe especially notable. Each season brings something different not only in terms of story and themes, but also in terms of the style of horror, with supernatural, psychological and witch craft present. The fact each season is something different gives it a fresh edge that many other series don't have, while keeping the elements that make it so popular, and is a must watch not only for horror fans but also for anyone after something different than the usual T.V. offering.
