American Horror Story

[heelscatchfire]

^ I also read around that Evan Peters and Lily Rabe are unsure if they will return. Evan would like too but he hasn't gotten a role/script or something like that.

 

[Belowen]

If he said nobody has "completely guessed" next season's theme, I'm clinging to my hope that the creepy circus could still play SOME part in it the story.

 

[Phuel]

If Coven follows the grand tradition of how a Ryan Murphy show declines steeply in quality as the series add up, then I'll set my expectations very very low for the next installment.

Good for Jessica for being wise enough to not overstay her welcome and leaving after the next series. I thought her performance in Coven was rather underwhelming. I liked Angela's performance more, but I think that had to do with her incredible presence. Actually, Frances Conroy and Emma Roberts made a more memorable impact than the entire cast, for me. Hoping they'll return.

Chloe would be a great welcome again since her character seemed to have been abruptly discarded in Asylum. I don't know why, but I'm always hoping for the return of Connie Britton (and Dylan...).

I think at this point, I'm only looking forward to the performances rather than any form of strong and cohesive storytelling.

 

[heelscatchfire]

I'd love for Dylan and Connie Britton to return! They both have other shows right now, right? So they may be to busy.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ It's really just wishful thinking on our part to want Connie and AHS reunited, isn't it? I don't know of her other shows, but she's clearly busy. So unfortunate.

I had no idea who Connie was when I first watched Murder House. But, I was really drawn to her; she has this authenticity and straightforwardness in her portrayal that's very sexy in demeanor. And she's a naturally sexy woman-- like the women on screen in the 1970s. I think Murder House worked because it wasn't trying to be campy. It was more interesting, creepy, and tragic, and that worked well for its genre. The ideas were fresh and seductive: Frances' character appearing physically different, depending on the person's sexual tension, or gender. And I loved the scene with Frances' younger self visiting her ailing mother in the hospital to free her spirit. Or Taisa's character seeing her own rotting corpse and realizing she's dead. These were touching and sad moments, and we've not seen that kind of sensitive storytelling since.

Simplicity works best. And there were no musical numbers awkwardly shoehorned in. Wished they would return to that style of storytelling with the next AHS installment. Wishful thinking...

 

[heelscatchfire]

I agree with you Phuel, I loved Murder House the most because it was simple and lacked the camp we know AHS to have now. It felt more real.

Connie Britton is currently in a show called Nashville. Don't know what it is about (maybe Country music?) or what channel it airs on.

 

[Scott]

yeah i don't watch nashville either but yes it's about the country music industry. like a dallas-like soap opera from what i've gathered from promos i've seen. not keen though. love connie myself. you know what's so funny,i actually remember connie britton from years ago when she guested as paige's witchy sister on "ellen".

i hope what you say won't be true phuel,but you are right that most of his shows do seem to downgrade over time. nip/tuck went precisely that direction i know. and in this format where you have entirely different concepts every season,it would seem more difficult to keep these stories inspired each season. but i'm holding out hope he might redeem his strong work from the first two seasons into the fourth.

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Oh jeez-- I'm not about to start watching a show about country music just to see Connie!

You know, Connie lend the show such a grounded, and urgent tone. Although I know people don't mean it in a derogatory manner, I still get slightly annoyed when they assume "bitchfest" whenever they think of a union between women and gay men. And Murder House was just a good and creepy story completely void of the typical trappings of any bitchfest, or campness. I think Connie had a lot to do with the show not going down the camp route.

Yeah-- I feel the concept of the same cast returning to play different characters on the new series seemed interesting, and at the same time, its weakest concept. Because, a lesser talent like Taisa lacking range really shows her shortcomings when she has to play another character for AHS. For a talent like Frances, it's a great welcome.

 

[heelscatchfire]

Your right Phuel, the set up of the show really brings out individual actors talents. I wasnt a fan of Zoe and Violet was okay, she wasnt my favorite by far. Not sure if she is returning for the fourth season. I am exvited by the fifth season. Not much has been said but Ryan Murphy did say it would be completely different from 3&4. (I think, ill find the article again) he already knows thw story for 5.

 

[Scott]

i just hope it will be more focused on developing a real story than just the characters or just some fleeting,forgettable sequence. that's where coven truly failed for me. frustrating also that you have all these brilliant actors…real thespians who are capable of immersing themselves into stories and it really took a lot away from their quality.

 

[Esperanza]

Just watched season one and I loved it!! Can't believe it took me so long to finally get around to watching it!

 

[Scott]

belowen,looks like holding out that hope wasn't in vain!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/american-horror-story-season-4_n_4978440.html

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ Yes carnival! That's better then circus, there is a big difference between the two

 

[Scott]

i just hope it won't be a rip-off of 'carnivàle' which was such a great show….something akin to the location being in NO so maybe it will have a lot of mardi gras influences?

i still think the idea of a circus would have been more interesting since it incorporates the elements of performers,animals and of course in the past,the ever-peculiar sideshows.

 

[heelscatchfire]

Ryan Murphy tweeted the new title. American Horror Story: Freak Show! It premieres in October.

 

[Scott]

so it will be as i wished it would,no?

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ Most likely! Angela and Kathy are also set to return.

 

[heelscatchfire]

'American Horror Story' Enlists Michael Chiklis for 'Freak Show'

The cast and creators of FX's American Horror Story returned to the PaleyFest stage Friday with another special announcement: Michael Chiklis is joining the season four cast.

The Emmy and Golden Globe winner will return to FX six years after The Shield ended its run and co-star in American Horror Story: Freak Show, creators announced Friday night at PaleyFest, where the actor made a surprise appearance.
Season four of the FX anthology will be set in Jupiter, Fla., in 1950 and will again star Jessica Lange. This time, the Emmy winner will portray a German ex-Pat managing one of the last remaining freak shows in the country.

Returning cast members include Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Frances Conroy and Kathy Bates -- who also made a surprise appearance on Friday's panel. They'll play performers that Lange's character has rescued. Denis O'Hare and Emma Roberts are also in talks to return for season four of the series, which reboots itself every season with a completely new story and often features largely the same cast of repertory players. Chiklis will be making his AHS debut. Chiklis' casting announcement comes a year after the AHS gang used the PaleyFest stage to announce its recently concluded third season would carry the Coven subtitle.
The panel was high on laughs as the cast and producers reminisced about Coven and their New Orleans experience, but was low on new details about Freak Show as producers typically keep plot details under wraps. Chiklis will be playing the father to Peters' character and ex-husband to Bates' character. Showrunner Ryan Murphy also revealed that everyone on the PaleyFest stage would be returning in season four in "some capacity" including Gabourey Sidibe and Jamie Brewer. Other panelists Friday included Paulson, Roberts, Peters, Bassett, Conroy, O'Hare and Bates as well as producers Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear and Dante DiLoreto. Star Lange -- and fan favorite Lily Rabe -- were not in attendance. (Lange was on spring break with her grandchildren and Rabe was in production and unable to attend.)
"My heart was pounding like it is right now. It is a Freak Show, oh man!" Chiklis said from the stage after Murphy announced his casting and the actor surprised the audience and take a seat on the panel. Murphy revealed that he'd long pursued Chiklis for AHS and noted that there will be some members of the season one and two casts that return for Freak Show.
The new season will film for the second year in New Orleans but be set in Florida.
For Chiklis, the role marks his latest TV gig following CBS' Vegas and ABC's No Ordinary Family, both of which were canceled after one season. His seven-season role on Shawn Ryan's The Shield earned him two Emmy noms for best actor (and one win) as well as three Golden Globe mentions (and one win). The actor -- whose film credits include the Fantastic Four features -- received multiple pilot offers this season. He's repped by WME, Management 360 and Stone Meyer.
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- hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Belowen]

^ This is excellent news!

 

[Scott]

just saw that on one of trending wires....chiklis should be very entertaining.

i hope they bring in a bit of that spirit from the film 'freaks' with its perceptions of outcasts and normal people and who's really evil and who's not.