Conjoined twins, murderous clowns, and the creeps…the new season of American Horror Story is sure to bring all these things and more. The anthology series, now in its fourth season, is known as American Horror Story: Freak Show this time around and focuses on Elsa (Jessica Lange) and her travelling circus of “freaks.”
American Horror Story is known for pushing boundaries, especially in particularly gruesome and odd ways. This season is no exception. We are introduced right off the bat to Bette and Dot, conjoined twins who are both played by Sarah Paulson. Of course, we meet them in the most deadly of circumstances as the milkman finds them at home with the corpse of their mother. They are taken to the hospital where they are almost immediately swept away by Elsa, to be added to her show. Bette, obsessed with the glitz and glam of Hollywood, is thrilled to be out of the isolation of their home, but Dot remains suspicious of their new life.
We are also introduced to the several other “freaks” throughout the premiere. Evan Peters portrays Jimmy Darling, a boy whose fingers are fused together to give him the appearance of claws, leading him to perform as “Lobster Boy.” He is the son of The Bearded Lady, played by Kathy Bates. They, alongside the likes of the world’s smallest lady, perform in Elsa’s travelling “freak show” which is currently struggling to survive as they stay in the town of Jupiter, Florida.
The freak show is not the only thing that’s come to town though. A murderous clown is plaguing the area. Using juggling pins and a pair of scissors, he brutally murders a young couple on a picnic and kidnaps a young woman and boy, all shown within the hour-long premiere. The premiere revealed little else about this haunting character, who wears a half mask over the lower part of his face. However, the show’s director, Ryan Murphy, has spoken out, saying that the character is so frightening; many crewmembers find it hard to be around when John Carroll Lynch, the actor who plays him, is filming his scenes.
As an avid fan of American Horror Story since last season’s American Horror Story: Coven, this premiere left me sufficiently satisfied. While some parts were a little too twisted for me (the show’s need to push sexual boundaries can often be a bit too much), I found myself a little spooked by the premiere, but not enough so that I needed to sleep with the light on. My real fear came from the rather one- dimensional nature of some of the characters. Dot and Bette in particular, seem like the cliché “skeptical older sister-naïve younger sister” dynamic. The question is: will these characters pull through and show a different side to themselves as the season goes on?
Only time will tell whether or not this season will turn out to be something impressive. Past seasons of the show had the potential, but often dropped the ball with their risqué and often over-the-top storylines. Regardless of whether or not this season manages to be truly great, at very least, it’s an entertaining scare, perfect for Halloween…if you can handle it.