American Horror Story 2011

This is arguably several different shows. When I think about how strong out of the gate this landed, it feels like I'm on an entirely different planet when I think about what's transpired in later seasons. I don't know how to consider it "horror." It's in the title, sure, but there's nothing fear-inducting. There's not even gimmicky jump scares. Avant garde comes to mind? It's not precisely camp, but it stopped being concerned about what any actor was really doing ages ago.

I struggle to remember what happens in any given season, let alone episode anymore. The plots are so simplified and told is some of the most needlessly convoluted ways, I get the feeling that the writers are bored. Had this brand died out after 3 or 4 seasons and kept the quality, this would be like a TV staple that people would still be talking about in the vein of quality and emotional movement. Now? Can it even help but to mock itself?

There's scenes and vibes from this series that stay with me, like the opening for the Freakshow season. I think there's some of the most memorable and cast-cohesion things you'll see on screen with the likes of Peters and Lang. I really want to know the tone of the producers' voices and people in the background keeping things like this zombified. Everyone wants a job and to keep the easy-enough money, but like, you kinda wish they'd tell you that the creatives and keepers of the soul of something have moved on precisely because they recognized it's no longer what they signed up for first.

I'm left this with completionist habit and confusion writing an imprecise and wanting digression precisely in the spirit of what this conjures.