|
Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Apr 12, 2017 12:41:14 GMT
When this show is rockin' and rollin' it really is some of the best, most enjoyable stuff TV has offered up this decade. Unfortunately the opposite side of the coin exists, and when this show is bad, it is some of the worst TV has offered up in any decade. Often it seems that the talent and chemistry of the core cast, and even the new entries when they come along; has almost always been enough to rescue it from ever completely hitting the bottom or the TV barrel. Ultimately though, it would have been useful along its run thus far, when the show was smashing up against the rocks of crapitude, if the writers has just took a deep breathe, counted to ten and thought about what they were doing, where they were going and how they were getting there. In defense of all 6 efforts, they all started strong, it's just that four of them lost their way, and two of those so badly that they never recovered.
So what are your thoughts on the show? How do you rate and rank the seasons? Who has been the MVP for you over the years?
Ranking & Rating Asylum A+ Roanoke B+ Hotel B- Murder House C Coven D Freak Show F
I genuinely consider Asylum to be one of the great seasons on TV, with only a handful or less that I would put above it. Roanoke was such a return to form, and built on the respectability that the show had clawed back in my eyes with Hotel, because it needed it after the truly atrocious Freak Show and the wildly inconsistent Coven. As an opening number is this horror playbook, Murder House, enjoyable as it was, was just too messy to give a higher rating to.
I think over the course of the show, somewhat surprisingly, Denis O'Hare has been the MVP. I'm only surprised in the sense that I am going with one of the male performers, when this show tends to be a showcase for women. If I was to break it down by year:
MVPs Murder House: Jessica Lange Asylum: Lily Rabe Coven: Angela Bassett Freak Show: Sarah Paulson Hotel: Denis O'Hare, but a huge HM to Evan Peters Roanoke: Adina Porter
|
|
|
Post by ibbi on Apr 13, 2017 9:08:07 GMT
Coven - I know for its second half it was more a camp comedy than anything remotely horror related, but through its first half or so it was the strongest I think this show has ever been, and as stupid as it became when it morphed into America's Next Top Witch, and as shameless an attempt as it seemed to be with these Lange monologues every week to win her an Emmy after her show got stolen the previous season it was never not enjoyable. Bates was MVP. Also 6 out of 10, might tip it towards a 7. Freak Show - I really didn't mind this. Certainly wasn't as low on it as most people seemed to be. I loved how twisted it all was after the comedy the previous year, I loved the setting, I thought Batesy was god almighty again, Conroy and Wittrock were something, the clown was magical. Didn't hate it at all. 6 out of 10 again. Asylum - I have never gotten the fuss over this. Rabe's performance is all time great, Cromwell was not far behind, and Paulson did probably the best work of her life in the finale, but overall? Too often to stupid for my liking. All that Evan Peters alien crap was just too much for me. I'd say 6 out of 10 just for the strength of its finest performances. Rabe obviously MVP of the entirety of the shows run. Roanoke - I think towards the end it got really, really stupid (doesn't this show basically always?), and it seemed overly reliant on jump scares and being straight up messed up a little too often, and I don't really think by the end there was a single character I gave a damn about. Still, some of the performances were nice, and assuming it was meant to be hilarious, Paulson's english accent was a riot. 5 or 6 out of 10, MVP was probablyyyyyy Andre Holland? Just looking through the cast and I had no idea Finn Wittrock and Robin Weigert were in this... Murder House - it was stupid as hell, and Connie Britton's performance is one of the all time worst, but I thought McDermott and Lange were great, and the concept was all still fresh enough for the whole thing to work. Probably wouldn't hold up at all watching it now. I'd give it a 5 out of 10. I think Lange was the MVP. Hotel - O'Hare and Bates were amazing. They instilled this show with more simple human heart than it ever had, and Peters was a riot. Other than that this was utter garbage, and maybe half way through, maybe less than half way through it became an absolute chore to get through it. Lady Gaga was a black hole of charisma, that Sevigny-Bentley subplot was heinous, it actually hurts just thinking about it, and it ended over a year ago. 3 or 4 out of 10, all the stars literally for Bates, O'Hare, and Peters. MVP was probably Bates again. She was becoming pretty much the reason to watch this show for me.
|
|
|
Post by harlequinade on Apr 13, 2017 10:53:15 GMT
I saw the whole thing and it's entertaining enough but as always with Murphy it's such a waste of potential and you can clearly see his obsesssions and favorites. His insistence of making it The Jessica Lange Show is apparently happening with Feud now too (haven't seen the last episode yet). Also he gets involved with too many projects and it's so clear he splits his focus and loses interest. Because of this I cannot objectively call any of those a great season, the Alien subplot shook Asylum too bad and was not necessary. Way too many plot points, way too many characters that Murphy actually abandons is something that can be said about each of those seasons.
But the show has great music, great performances and awesome atmosphere - plus I love all those homages to well known horror films. Thematically Coven was my favorite (Louisiana! Witches!) but Asylum was the most consistent. Freak Show was well done and I think it will age well, Murder House was filled with cliches, Roanoke was...OK and Hotel had great atmosphere.
Ranking based on from my fav to least and MVP: Coven - Bassett Asylum - Paulson Hotel - O'Hare Freak Show - what's his face that Murphy has a crush on him Roanoke - Bates Murder House - Lange
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2017 21:26:49 GMT
Asylum
|
|
forksforest
Junior Member
Quit your shit-spitting
Posts: 491
Likes: 212
|
Post by forksforest on Apr 21, 2017 3:14:48 GMT
Freak Show, Roanoke, and Coven were so awful that they're now taking away any former affinity I had left for the show. The show should be curbed at like, 8-10 episodes each season because it's so goddamn messy it runs out of steam halfway through (especially for Coven which was an entangled, half-assed mess of plots anyways; also true for Roanoke which lost me in the ridiculous second half but bored me in the first). Coven is the most unfortunate season because it had everything going for it. A fantastic location, premise, theme, and expanded cast. The Deep South! Witches/Magic! The black aesthetic! The themes about aging/jealousy/power. But it went to shit and unraveled so fast.
I loved Hotel so much I really thought the show was turning a new leaf. I guess not.
Anyways, I voted for Murder House because it's what gripped me (loved the characters, loved the mystery--was actually scared shitless a couple times, loved the twists) and it's how I like my horror (basic lol). But seeing how unloved Hotel is, I'll change my vote bc I really did enjoy the aesthetic and general feel of the show (I love the vampire angle); the setting was amazing, Lady Gaga was incredibly impressive (I was 200% skeptical so i really have to hand it to her). The chemistry between Bomer/Gaga was palpable and for once, I liked Bentley. Some of the plots barely worked for me though (Paulson's, Bassett's) but I loved the rest of it enough to not care. Most importantly, I LOVED that Lange was gone and the show felt like an anchor had been lifted off it; Coven and Freak Show suffered bc they became too Lange-centric and having that weight gone, the show improved. Too bad it went downhill again with Roanoke.
Great: Murder House- 9/10 (MVP: Peters) Hotel- 8.5 (MVP: Gaga followed v closesly by Bomer) Asylum- 7 (MVP: Rabe)
Ugh: Coven-3.5 (MVP: ??? Roberts idk, she fit the part well) Roanoke-3 (MVP: maybe Rabe) Freak Show-1 (MVP: Paulson)
|
|
|
Post by theycallmemrfish on Jul 20, 2017 15:19:49 GMT
|
|
|
Post by harlequinade on Jul 20, 2017 15:33:38 GMT
I hope Olivia de Havilland takes Murhpy to the cleaners. He now truly deserves it for giving this work.
|
|
|
Post by MsMovieStar on Sept 11, 2017 12:59:40 GMT
Oh honeys, is anyone watching this?
For me, I felt the first episode was a bit of a slow burner without enough hooks, but then again, I have the attention span of a kitten on catnip... I'm so missing Jessica, Kathy Bates, & Angela Bassett already. It seems to be Paulson show so far but I'm hoping the excellent Frances Conroy will have been given a great big juicy role, like the one she had in Coven... Is it a bit thin on names this year? The only one that stands out is Lena Dunham as the deranged feminist Valerie Solanas, an inspired piece of casting... I guess we'll see what develops...
|
|
|
Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Sept 11, 2017 13:07:30 GMT
Aw shit! I missed this premiering. I'll have to catch up before episode 2.
|
|
|
Post by ibbi on Sept 11, 2017 16:13:22 GMT
Thought episode 1 was terrible. Could barely make it to the end. It's going to be another season that is as much comedy as it is horror.
|
|
speeders
Based
Posts: 4,093
Likes: 2,211
|
Post by speeders on Sept 11, 2017 21:37:19 GMT
Worst premiere yet by far, and that's saying a lot. Sarah Paulson was close to being all-time bad here, Jesus Christ. She's as bad (horrendous) and she was good (divine) in Asylum. Evan Peters was not much better. I really hope this is both of their last season here but who am I kidding, Murphy probably keeps them chained in his basement until he needs them to go chew scenery. Speaking of, Murphy has completely lost to create tension, mystery and unease like in the first season, this was just grotesque kitchen sink stuff. Not even the clowns worked for me. There was one silver lining in the episode and that was Billie Lourde who managed to be wickedly fun and intriguing (and hot -- Colton Hayes is also hot, but super flat). So far, Hotel is the only season I've given up on (After 7 episodes in), I'm not sure I can last very long here either unless there's a big spike in quality, which I highly doubt.
Ranking of AHS premieres... Murder House Roanoke Asylum Freak Show Coven Hotel Cult
|
|
|
Post by cheesecake on Sept 15, 2017 3:29:02 GMT
The premise had me intrigued but I haven't heard good things so far. Wish it was set in the '70s instead.
|
|
|
Post by MsMovieStar on Sept 15, 2017 8:10:51 GMT
Oh honey, so it's not just me. The second episode was slightly more developed but they could do with better pacing as too often it's just Sarah Paulson running around and sobbing in high hysteria mode. Sometimes, it feels like I'm watching the Purge franchise rather than AHS. What's happened? Are they running out of ideas? Where are the clever multi-level plot lines? The only truly scary & horrific scene in episode two was some camp gay guy gushing about how great Nicole Kidman is...
|
|
|
Post by ibbi on Sept 17, 2017 10:23:00 GMT
Damn, Sarah Paulson is just burying her reputation week after week. What an awful performance.
|
|
|
Post by Johnny_Hellzapoppin on Sept 18, 2017 7:29:44 GMT
I'm hardly loving it or anything, but I don't dislike it yet. I'm sure I will soon, but it hasn't happened yet.
It isn't Freak Show bad, but it is definitely a weaker start than all the others.
|
|
|
Post by MsMovieStar on Sept 20, 2017 21:58:23 GMT
I'm hardly loving it or anything, but I don't dislike it yet. I'm sure I will soon, but it hasn't happened yet. It isn't Freak Show bad, but it is definitely a weaker start than all the others. Oh honey, episode 3 turns it around. This has got really good. Much more intrigue and Sarah Paulson has finally calmed down.
|
|
CookiesNCream
Badass
So what else is new?
Posts: 1,064
Likes: 478
|
Post by CookiesNCream on Sept 21, 2017 1:38:57 GMT
I'm hardly loving it or anything, but I don't dislike it yet. I'm sure I will soon, but it hasn't happened yet. It isn't Freak Show bad, but it is definitely a weaker start than all the others. Oh honey, episode 3 turns it around. This has got really good. Much more intrigue and Sarah Paulson has finally calmed down. I agree. Episode 3 has surprisingly gotten a bit intense from there. With Paulson's character, I was worried that her paranoia episodes might grow tiresome fast. But she did calm down a bit. Peters seems okay in his role too.
|
|
|
Post by Allenism on Sept 21, 2017 14:55:02 GMT
Damn, Sarah Paulson is just burying her reputation week after week. What an awful performance. As if you'd give her chance anyhow
|
|
|
Post by ibbi on Sept 21, 2017 15:28:55 GMT
Damn, Sarah Paulson is just burying her reputation week after week. What an awful performance. As if you'd give her chance anyhow You know when I watched episode 1 of this, one of the first things that came to mind was "Damn, good thing Allenism made that comparison thread when he did. He couldn't make it with a straight face after watching this shit". For the record, I like plenty of Sarah Paulson performances, and as a Deadwood/Sorkin fanatic have done so for about 12 years now. In fact her performance on Studio 60 made her one of my major celeb crushes, and then Ryan Murphy got his claws into her, and damn. Take away Asylum finale, Hotel, and the episodes built around her in OJ, and everything else has been a disaster.
|
|
|
Post by Allenism on Sept 21, 2017 21:08:01 GMT
As if you'd give her chance anyhow You know when I watched episode 1 of this, one of the first things that came to mind was "Damn, good thing Allenism made that comparison thread when he did. He couldn't make it with a straight face after watching this shit". For the record, I like plenty of Sarah Paulson performances, and as a Deadwood/Sorkin fanatic have done so for about 12 years now. In fact her performance on Studio 60 made her one of my major celeb crushes, and then Ryan Murphy got his claws into her, and damn. Take away Asylum finale, Hotel, and the episodes built around her in OJ, and everything else has been a disaster. Damn, you even hate her film work?? I don't think there's much to malign in either her 12 Years a Slave or Carol performances even if there's nothing to rave about them, either.
|
|
|
Post by Ryan_MYeah on Sept 21, 2017 22:44:43 GMT
Been plowing my way through these recently (Finished Murder House and Asylum), and I'm digging this so far. In spite of Ryan Murphy wanting to anthologize everything, I love this first step into that formula. There's such a great novelty to the idea, and from what I've seen, it's an approach that seems to promise variety for every kind of horror buff.
I will say that it works more as a campy trash fun kind of horror than the psychological type, but thankfully the show is mostly following through on that and it's the intention. The atmosphere and brutality of the show is very grotesque in the best way, moving through the gruesome motions and plot twists with razor sharp timing and demented relish, and I love the use of the annual cast members. Lange, Paulson (who I finally "get"), O'Hare, McDermott, Quinto, Peters, Rabe, and Mara are all standouts. But you know who really dominated his screentime? James Cromwell, one of my favorite character actors, and I'm glad that this show gave him such a sizable, commanding, and vicious role, and I don't think I can ever look at him the same way again.
So how do the next seasons hold up? Not hearing great things about Cult right now, but I hope it'll stay enjoyable.
|
|
|
Post by notacrook on Sept 21, 2017 22:48:30 GMT
I honestly think Murder House is straight-up one of the worst things I've ever seen on TV in pretty much every way. I thought Asylum was a fair bit better, and just dropped Coven half way through.
|
|
|
Post by Ryan_MYeah on Sept 21, 2017 23:01:12 GMT
I honestly think Murder House is straight-up one of the worst things I've ever seen on TV in pretty much every way. I thought Asylum was a fair bit better, and just dropped Coven half way through. I wish Asylum were the first season. Even though I liked Murder House, there was still plenty of things about it that did not sit well with me (the inbetween filler, plot threads and characters getting swept under the rug, and what's with the excessive editing and unnatural cuts in dialogue), and I get the feeling I'd be more all in with the format with Asylum heading things off (then again, even that had issues with filler and needless extensions. But at least we got the pleasure of Adam Levine getting violently mauled).
|
|
|
Post by stephen on Sept 21, 2017 23:41:17 GMT
I think they almost always start out promising, but turn to shit before too long. Asylum had the longest streak of goodness (and it was legitimately good), but once Cromwell/Rabe were gone, it tanked hard. Coven had perhaps the most promising premise and a strong first half, but it got so utterly stupid in the second half. Freak Show is almost irredeemably bad save for Finn Wittrock's surprisingly great performance, and I got one episode into Hotel before realizing I had better things to do with my life and bailed on it. Haven't seen Roanoke. Murder House just plain sucked from start to finish, although I liked Suvari's guest spot.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2017 1:00:59 GMT
Seems like I try to watch it every season, but give up after a few episodes. The furthest I've gotten is Freak Show, and even then I didn't get past episode 5.
|
|