The creators of American Horror Story have decided that the fad of episodes confined to a season’s theme was so yesterday. Usher in American Horror Stories (#ahstories or #AHSs), one off stories connected to the bigger FXmultiverse. I’m glad American Horror Story is back. It’s absent during this pandemic was felt. The original anthology series mixed acting chops, vision, and fashion with quip ready dialogue to make Buffy Summers applaud. If AHS is anything, it horror-chic. Let the fun begin.
It starts with a two-parter titled “Rubber (Wo)man”. A priveleged gay coupe and their teen daughter move into the infamous Murder House of American Horror Story Season one and they expect different results.
What I Liked: The two parter had moments. The characters in AHS are always fun, emotional, wicked and broken. The Murder Houses newest victims played by Matt Boomer, Gavin Creel, and Sierra McCormick don’t disappoint to bring what AHS does so well: deconstructing the image of Americana. Rubber (wo)man part 1 and 2 are about queer youth exploring their queerdom. And there’s maybe a bit or two about hypersexed males. On those topics, #AHSs delivers just be merely existing and putting these characters upfront and on our screens.
Paris Jackson plays a great mean girl and I want to see more of what she can do.
What I Didn’t like: What exact was the story of the Rubber Woman supposed to be about anyway? Part One set up a real good revenge story that I expected to see come crashing down on all the people in the home. Unfortunately, the story goes where it obviously goes and uses the same old tricks it did in #AHS Murder House. (Guess who’s dead and who isn’t dead).
Part one focused so much on Scarlett’s (McCormick) burgeoning sexual desires that she turned loose on her tormentors. Part Two added a time jump and love story that really didn’t need to be there. Scarlett is called out for her sociopathic features. Police are on to her. Her parents some how condone her behaviors in part two where in part one it made them fearful. There’s a possessive ghost after Scarlet’s love no matter the costs (see that before haven’t we).
The opener of #AHSs sadly didn’t give me the big payoff I was looking for. It somehow lost the story it was trying to one and it ended being one convoluted mess.
Verdict: It’s #AHS. I would’ve watched it regardless. Rubber Woman is a great visual addition to the tv series screen monsters, but unfortunately still true in reality, she wasn’t filled in enough to stand against what a fuller season would’ve created. Never fear! #AHS Season 10: Double Feature returns August 25th and I’ll be hear to review it.
#Stayghoulish