Tuesday, November 22, 2016

American Horror Story: Roanoke

I'm happy to report a great return to form for American Horror Story in its sixth season after the big stumble I felt it took with season 5, primarily because of the poor choice of replacing a stellar lead actress like Jessica Lange with an unproven and average one like Lady Gaga.

Gaga does appear in American Horror Story: Roanoke but she was wisely given a smaller role that actually takes full advantage of her dramatic flare without placing the entire show on her shoulders.

Mind you that Roanoke might actually be the scariest installment yet. While the horror of the show's title features widely in every season, it can take on different flavors depending on the specific tale being told, going from gory (Murder House) to disgusting (Asylum), to unsettling (Freak Show), to disturbing (Coven), to occasionally risible (Hotel).

Roanoke's terrors are of the primal variety, the fear you have when it's dark and you're alone in a strange place and you hear an unsettling noise and your imagination starts going wild while dabbling in dark thoughts.

Kathy Bates finally gets her chance to chew the scenery like only she can. Sarah PaulsonAngela BassettLily RabeAdina PorterAndrĂ© Holland, and Cuba Gooding Jr. all do a very good job.

The way the show starts out can be a bit confusing, with some timeline shifting and some uncertainty about who is who, but stick with it and you'll be rewarded greatly.

Grade - Season 6: 9

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