Five Reasons Why American Horror Story Will Be the Next Big Thing on TV

I know what you're thinking. It's about time that horror fans were treated to a legitimately creepy TV show. F/X may just have hit the mark with "American Horror Story"---a TV series about a haunted mansion in Los Angeles. The circumstances are pretty standard for your typical haunted house story: family escapes its demons (bad pun intended) by relocating to a seemingly lovely place. And then…all heck breaks loose. "American Horror Story" may seem simple enough. But this series has plenty of moving parts to keep us interested. The trailer and opening credits were intriguing enough. Nonetheless, if you gave this creepy TV show a chance on October 5^th (the premiere)---then you'll probably agree that "American Horror Story" might be here to stay.

It's on F/X.

Cable network F/X, noted for its "Nip/Tuck" success is the perfect channel to feature this kind of whimsical TV fare. In fact, Ryan Murphy-the brainchild behind the now defunct plastic surgery series, created the "American Horror Story." It's likely you noticed the seamless blend of the absurd with the realistic. The boundaries between scary, taboo, extraordinary, and sexy are all kinds of confused---even in the story's premiere.

Fractured Marriages

From the onset, it's quite obvious that the meat of the story revolves around Ben (Dylan McDermott) and Vivien (Connie Britton), a married couple plagued with infidelity and a host of other personal problems. The tension they bring into the household is almost as thick as the disquiet that blankets the house. This pair's problems, independent of the terror that surrounds them, are heavy enough to completely absorb viewers.

Frances Conroy

Most of us recall her as the quirky, yet lovable mom from HBO's "Six Feet Under." Frances Conroy has imparted her tasteful acting skills in quite a few roles. Her soft-spoken demeanor belies the kind of intensity she's capable of emitting on screen. But she just might have reached a new pinnacle as Moira, the creepy old maid in "American Horror Story."

Someone to hate/Someone to love: Jessica Lange

It's more than likely way too early to tell whether we should love or hate Constance, the Harmon's eccentric neighbor. She knows far too much about the home's macabre history, and has a way of letting herself in at the drop of a hat. Nonetheless, we all knew upon seeing the legendary Jessica Lange that the story would get interesting. Indeed it has. We simply can't wait to see how her commanding presence will unfold on the show.

Multiple Layers

Once you peel back the uncomfortable layer offered by Ben and Vivien's rocky marriage, the others come pouring out of the woodwork…literally. It turns out that Moira the housekeeper appears to Ben as a young, lustful "French Maid" type. His daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) is having her own problems at school. Early on, she's involved in a chick fight more brutal than the ones at the Bad Girls Club. The house itself is inhabited by Who-Knows-What. And the neighbors, Ben's patients, and family friends beautifully complicated what could have been a pretty bland TV haunted house story. Alas, "American Horror Story" is actually scary without trying too hard to be. One scene in which Violet seeks revenge on her school nemesis---was more terrifying than some of the stuff parading on the big screen lately.

SOURCES:

www.fxnetworks.com

www.omg.yahoo.com

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