THE PLOT THUS FAR
A family of three move from Boston to Los Angeles as a means of reconciling their past anguish. They move to a restored mansion, unaware that the home is haunted.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“American Horror Story” is a pretty strong debut for a horror show. While the Harmon family aren’t the most likeable victim family, they provide for a decent venue for horror to return to TV. Jessica Lange has stolen focus as the evil Constance Langdon, but what’s so wrong with a woman taking control? Hell, it’ll change the way you feed your dogs. But, let’s talkg about how it ties back into the present day of the show.
Tate Langdon is one of Ben’s new patients who shows not only an interest in Violet but an unusual amount of knowledge about the house. Constance is the Harmons’ next door neighbor and seems to have no problem not only speaking her mind but being pushy and threatening. Last but not least Larry Harvey, a former owner of the Harmons’ house, starts to follow Ben and warn him about the house. Larry had murdered his entire family in that house and he warns Ben that if he’s not careful that house will change him and may make him do something he wouldn’t otherwise do.
The high point of the show for me is the relationship between Tate and Violet, which progresses with the season to become something palpably dangerous. The overblown histrionics of the other characters’ sub-plots manage to fade when these two are on screen, and even if the core idea of forbidden teen love is somewhat overdone in the horror genre these days, the writers treat Violet with a rare and understated respect that is all too absent otherwise.
The Blu-Ray comes with featurettes and a stellar commentary on the pilot episode. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track has to be the most expansive soundstage that I’ve ever heard for a show on FX. Plus, the 1080p transfer shows off new corners of the murder house that I didn’t notice during broadcast. It’s quite a stellar release and well worth a purchase. Just try to squeeze in the first season before Season 2 starts on October 17th.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
