By Quinn Newland
By now, you’ve more than likely heard of “American Horror Story” in some way, shape, or form. The horror anthology based TV series has quickly worked its way into mainstream pop culture, and become an icon of horror cinema. The question of course is, does it deserve this status? The answer is a resounding yes.
It all starts with brilliant writing; not too silly, not too serious. It knows what it is, and it wants to be taken seriously, but at the same time it’s not afraid to have a little fun with itself. Whatever joke there is to be had, you can be sure AHS is in on it. It’s a lot like “Cabin in The Woods,” just not as blunt and obvious with its pokes and prods.
It is actually scary too, unlike a lot of recent horror films and shows. Its got a nice mix of jump scares, gross out imagery, tension, and just outright creepiness. This is evident in the first season, and especially the absolutely incredible second season. A lot of the scariness disappears from the third season and the beginning of the fourth season however, replaced with a darker feel to it. It’s still just as enjoyable, just worth mentioning if you’re specifically looking for something that’s pure horror all the way through.
Of course with that being said, there is a definite ranking in terms of quality to the seasons. It applies to every other tv show, so this one is no exception. The good news is that you can skip around to whatever season you like, since none are connected in terms of story and character. If you really want to get right to the good stuff, start with Season 2. It is the most masterful, and terrifying, out of all of them, and there is surely something to terrify everyone somewhere inside.
A scary TV show is certainly not the traditional halloween fare, but in this case it may just be better. It has better writing, acting, and production values than most scary movies you’re bound to find, so I’d suggest giving it a try, and falling in love just like everyone else.
