Countdown to Apocalypse: The American Horror Story hybrid is upon us
By Lorry Kikta
What’s coming to the new season of FX’s hit horror anthology American Horror Story? 1428 Elm’s Lorry Kikta gives us the dirt on the new Crossover season.
Oh, Ryan Murphy. One of the most prolific show-runners of all time. It seems as though every other day, a new Ryan Murphy series is popping up. I wonder if the guy even sleeps! Thankfully, even though Ryan Murphy wears a lot of different hats (one could argue too many), he hasn’t neglected one of his most beloved franchises, American Horror Story.
I remember when I saw the first season of AHS. It’s initial season, which later became known as Murder House, was some of the most refreshing material, period on basic cable tv. It starred Hollywood icon, Jessica Lange, as the rather twisted burnt-out failed Hollywood actress, Constance Langdon, with a lot of skeletons (or, you know, horrifying ghosts, demons, etc) in her closet. Jessica Lange was already a mega-star but with the advent of AHS, she gained a new base of young devoted fans.
Along with Jessica Lange, the more promising performances of the debut season came from Frances Conroy, formerly of one of the best shows to ever grace a television screen, Six Feet Under ; Lilly Rabe, who had been in a lot of supporting roles before AHS, including an appearance in the first Ryan Murphy hit, Nip Tuck; Taissa Farmiga, younger sister of Vera in her debut television role; Sarah Paulson, who had acted in tons of television shows and movies, including Deadwood and the oft-forgotten-yet-brilliant one season Aaron Sorkin show Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip; Denis O’Hare, who was already a rather successful character actor, appearing in such movies and TV shows as Milk and True Blood and last but certainly not least, Evan Peters, who, before his role as Tate Langdon in American Horror Story, had small roles in various movies and TV shows including One Tree Hill and Kick Ass.
More from American Horror Story
- What’s up with season 12 of American Horror Story?
- The other AHS season 12 teaser big reveal (besides Kim Kardashian)
- Where can I watch American Horror Story, and what is it about?
- American Horror Story alumni Evan Peters and Ryan Murphy win Golden Globe awards
- AHS: NYC showcases a very real kind of horror story
Not to discount the wonderful performances of Connie Britton, who would later return to Ryan Murphy’s cop drama 9-1-1 and the wonderful Dylan McDermott (who had a small role in AHS Season 2), but the other actors mentioned above became a sort of repertory theater company for Ryan Murphy & (series co-creator) Brad Falchuk’s horror anthology series.
Along the way, several more actors have joined the ever-growing repertory company, including but not limited to: Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Lady Gaga, Finn Whitrock, Cheyenne Jackson, Emma Roberts, Wes Bentley, Billie Lourd, Chloe Sevingy, Jamie Brewer, Gabouery Sidibe, Billy Eichner, and Mare Winningham (just to name a few)!
I could go on and on about this show, and luckily enough, I have the opportunity to do so. Starting this week, I will re-watch every episode of American Horror Story: Murder House and American Horror Story Coven. Why just those two? Because the crossover I never would have expected at the beginning of the series is happening in the eighth season, American Horror Story: Apocalypse. Fan favorites Murder House and Coven will meet in one sure to be crazy universe in the upcoming season of the show.
Evan Peters as Tate Langdon in AHS Murder House.
At this time, according to most of the major online entertainment news outlets (Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Vulture), the following actors from these two seasons will return (in some capacity, perhaps not in their original roles) in Season 8. Jessica Lange (THANK YOU GOD), Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters,Taissa Farmiga, Stevie Nicks, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, Lilly Rabe, Frances Conroy, Billy Eichner, Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourd, Cheyenne Jackson, and Adina Porter. I’m sure we will have more announcements as the season premiere approaches. I’m secretly hoping for another Lady Gaga appearance, myself, and who wouldn’t love to see Angela Bassett on AHS again?
The only thing that’s a little strange for me is that, particularly for Paulson, Conroy, Rabe, and Farmiga, which part will the actresses play since they were all in both seasons? Also, didn’t Kathy Bates’ Madame Delphine LaLaurie go to a place that isn’t really that easy to return from in Coven?
There are so many questions that I have and since we have a month and four days ’til we find out the answers, please join me in an attempt to quell my curiosity through recapping the episodes from S1 and S3, coming soon.
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Love American Horror Story? Looking forward to Apocalypse? Let the other fear freaks know what you think in the comment section below.