FX announced Monday that “American Horror Story” will be renewed for a second season, and rightfully so.
The show, which airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m., is about the Harmon family, who moves from Boston to Los Angeles. Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott), a psychiatrist, and his wife Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton), are trying desperately to save their marriage. Tragedy struck the marriage as the couple also recovers from a horrible miscarriage.
I haven’t decided if this show is sheer brilliance or incredibly disturbing. Either way, I can’t stop watching nor do I seem to be alone.
Viewers are hooked trying to uncover the dark mysterious history of the house and the connection through the neighbor, enter the psyche of Ben’s murder-crazed patient and see the juxtaposition of the elderly and young housekeeper. Despite a confusing and frightening plot, viewers continue to return to watch and make horror genre a success on television.
FX was clever to premier the show in October to capture viewers with Halloween hype. Viewers are hooked and “American Horror Story” is apparently here to stay. Scary television shows have found a spot in primetime. In its timeslot, “American Horror Story” is drawing high ratings, becoming FX’s No. 1 show and also beating Comedy Central’s “South Park” and USA’s “Psych” in the same timeslot.
“American Horror Story” brings an intense suspenseful mystery on television that cannot be solved in a typical hour timeslot. Perhaps viewers like me are bored with a generic romantic-comedy sitcom or another medical drama. “American Horror Story” has everything an audience would want: remarkable actor chemistry, captivating plot, sexy scenes, and best of all, a sense of thrill.
FX isn’t alone with successful horror on television. AMC found success with horror as well with its hit zombie thriller, “Walking Dead.” I am not into zombie films, but I hope “American Horror Story” will have the same success.
If you are a fan of horror, this is the show for you. “American Horror Story” is “Psycho” meets “The Shining,” taking “Psycho’s” off-screen fear tactics and combining it with with “The Shining’s” protagonist’s possessed psyche. Needlessto say, I was disturbed by the strange characters, but I cannot turn away.
I am not a horror buff, but I cannot stop watching “American Horror Story.” I am not sure if I am sucked in with curiosity or if I have some sick fascination with murder. However, I will continue to get my weekly scare on Wednesday nights.
