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divineruler · 3 years

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//SPOILERS FOR AHSS//

Just my thoughts and feelings on the episodes!! Continue at your own risk, you have been warned.

So I just finished watching the first two episodes of American Horror Stories, and I have some thoughts and feelings. I'm not just going to shit on it because it wasn't everything I hoped it was going to be. I prefer to talk about my opinions and give constructive feedback.

Firstly, I thought the performances were pretty solid all the way through. I tried to keep in mind that an actor is only as good as what they are given. I thought that Sierra McCormick did an impressive job of portraying a complex, dynamic character. Especially considering she was only given two episodes to work with. I thought Matt Boner and Gavin Creel's characters provided a refreshing comic relief and felt well established through both episodes.

I think that the story's major downfall was that It was only two episodes. The main characters, especially Scarlett and Ruby, felt very underdeveloped. They both had complex backstories and tragic childhoods that shaped them into the characters we see on screen. But we aren't given enough time with the characters before their past trauma is revealed, to truly feel the emotional weight of their baggage. We are introduced to the characters, then all of a sudden, we are drowned in a wave of backstory with no time to process it because the show needs to move on to the next shocking scene due to its two-episode run-time. In Ruby's case, her character's introduction was her tragic childhood. So her character felt defined by only her past because we have no other information about her or the things she stands for or cares about. The characters feel very flat, and their character arcs, especially Scarlett's, felt very rushed and underdeveloped. This is frustrating because if there's one thing Ryan Murphy is good at, it's getting you so profoundly connected to the characters that you feel personally affected by their trials and tribulations. I found myself not caring when a character was distressed or put in a tense situation because I didn't have enough time to learn and understand the motives and reasoning behind their actions.

Now I understand that the show is an anthology and that each episode stands alone. I know writing an in-depth character that only has maybe an hour of screen time is very challenging. But there are ways to make your audience form a deep connection to a character even when their story only has a sixty-minute run-time. Look at Black Mirror, for example. Charlie Brooker is an excellent example of someone who knows how to write complex characters that the audience falls in love with, despite the short run-time of every episode. I think the major downfall is that they tried to fit way too much into a two-episode special that could have been perfect for a maybe six-episode limited series. It was a fun and engaging story, but it was stunted by its run-time.

I'm not going to go too deep into the writing. I thought It was a bit silly, but I think that was the intention. It felt very Ryan Murphy to me. He does a great job at writing very intense and mature dialogue. But I think it's fun when he gets to work on projects with a little more leniency regarding the writing. It felt very 'teenage slasher film,' which can be fun and add a level of absurdity to a bleak theme when done well. It was very reminiscent of its source material in terms of writing. I think they did an excellent job at maintaining the same level of tasteful absurdity that can be felt in seasons like Murder House (of course), Coven, and Apocalypse. Altogether, it felt very authentically Ryan Murphy.

I was very impressed with the camera work. There were a lot of unique shots. I thought the limited use of the fish-eye lens was a fun touch and brought me back to a lot of the camera work seen in Coven. I thought Loni Peristere's talent as a director could be felt through the individualistic nature of the camera work and the more gory scenes, which I thought were shot perfectly. He also directed iconic episodes like Devil's Night from Hotel, Forbidden Fruit from Apocalypse, and Tupperware Party Massacre from Freakshow, some of my favorite episodes in the show. I think he has done a consistently good job, and I was excited to learn that he will be directing a few episodes in Double Feature. I can't wait to see more of his work. They made a good choice choosing him.

To wrap up, I would give the two episodes a combined rating of 6/10. I thought it was aesthetically pleasing, the writing was very traditional Ryan Murphy, but the effect the run-time had on the character development bothered me. I thought this was a fun story, it was just a bit rushed, and the most important parts of crafting a solid story seemed to be forgotten.

Alrighty, folks, those are my thoughts. I probably won't do a big stream-of-consciousness for each episode. I just saw so many people mindlessly shitting on the episodes without giving them credit for what they did well, so I wanted to share my thoughts. Please feel free to add your own opinions! Thanks for reading!

(also, please, for the love of god, let Murder House rest in peace. I’m so sick of this fucking house holy fuck)

#ahss #american horror stories #throughts and feelings

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pilotseason2018 · 6 years

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THE FIX (ordered to series)

Eight years ago, the jury found Oscar-award winning actor Sevvy Johnson innocent of a double murder. After losing the biggest case of her career and being shredded by the media, former prosecutor Maya Travis left Los Angeles for a quiet life in rural Oregon. But eight years after her devastating defeat, the murderer strikes again, forcing Maya to return to Los Angeles to confront him one more time. Will she play by the rules, or will she do whatever it takes to get him behind bars?

Cast (thus far)

Robin Tunney (The Mentalist) as Maya Travis. The leading prosecutor of the case against Sevvy Johnson, she was crushed when the jury shockingly found the actor innocent. She left her profession and Los Angeles, retreating to a quieter life on a horse ranch with her partner. When, eight years later, news breaks that Johnson’s girlfriend has been brutally murdered, Maya makes the decision to return to LA to face her past, seek justice… and win redemption. (Mar 12)

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Ten Days in the Valley) as Steven “Sevvy” Johnson. Charismatic and charming, Sevvy is a famous, Oscar-winning actor who was accused of murdering his wife and another woman. During the course of the spectacular trial, Sevvy always asserted his innocence. Extremely wealthy, famous, well-loved by many, Sevvy is used to getting what he wants. Narcissistic, perhaps sociopathic, Sevvy loves to be in control. Now, with the murder of his young girlfriend, Amelia, he’s under suspicion again. (Mar 15)

Adam Rayner (Tyrant) as Andre who was Maya’s second chair during the Sevvy Johnson trial. There is an undeniable charge between Andre and Maya. When Maya left town after the trial, Andre remained on the job and got married. However, when Sevvy’s girlfriend is found murdered, Andre pays Maya a visit, and asks her to return. (Mar 12)

Scott Cohen (Necessary Roughness) as Ezra Wolf, Sevvy’s lawyer. (Mar 8)

Merrin Dungey (Alias) as Christine Jane “CJ” Bernstein, a DA Investigator who was one of Maya’s closest friends and confidants during the high-profile trial. (Feb 27)

Mouzam Makkar (Champion) as Loni Cho, a Deputy District Attorney and the lead attorney on Amelia’s murder. (Feb 26)

Breckin Meyer (Franklin & Bash) as Charlie Wiest, a spineless opportunist who doesn’t have enough power within the office to control its inner workings, despite his grave efforts. (Feb 27)

Marc Blucas (Underground) as Riv, Maya’s partner on the farm in Oregon. (Mar 9)

Alex Saxon (The Fosters) as Gabriel Johnson. (Mar 12)

Abraham Lim (The Catch) will recur as Ares, a smart, slick, high-end media consultant who is brought in by Ezra to consult on the upcoming trial. (Aug 13)

He replaces Alysia Reiner, who was initially cast as the character Eres, after the role went in another direction creatively.

Chasten Harmon (Damnation) will recur as Star, Sevvy’s daughter. (Aug 21)

Vannessa Vasquez (East Los High) will recur as Dia. Details of her character are under wraps. (Aug 21)

KJ Smith (Dynasty) will recur as Charlie, Ezra’s executive assistant (Aug 29)

Robert Wisdom (The Alienist) will recur as Buck Neal, an investigator who works closely with Ezra. (Aug 30)

Molly Quinn (Castle) will recur as Lindsay, the murder victim’s sister. (Sep 24)

Taylor Kalupa (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders) will recur as Jessica Meyer, the murder victim for whom Sevvy is under suspicion. (Sep 28)

Erik Palladino (NCIS: Los Angeles) will recur as Leo Foster, a deputy at the D.A.’s office. (Sep 28)

Skye P. Marshall (Black Lightning) will recur as Angela Ashley, an ambitious young lawyer who becomes involved in the case. (Sep 28)

Genre: Soapy Legal Thriller Drama

Created by: Marcia Clark, Elizabeth Craft & Sara Fain. Directed by: Larysa Kondracki.

Produced by: Marcia Clark, Elizabeth Craft, Sara Fain, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman & Laurie Zaks.

Studios: ABC Studios & Mandeville Television.

Season Zero Pilot Preview (beware of spoilers)

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Benched until midseason

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