American Horror Story

[RUBE]

So the concept is that the things shown in previous American Horror Story seasons are becoming real?

[mae]

[Ricky]

Anyone watching Double Feature? I'm liking that it seems to be shying away from the "AHS style" in terms of visuals and camp that we saw in some of the more recent seasons in favor of more realism and horror.

[Still Servant]

I'm watching it out of habit. We shall see where it goes. It usually goes off the rails soon.

I also thought we just had an AHS season, then I remembered it was Ratched.

[Heather19]

I'm loving it! Maybe it's partly because Cape Cod is one of favorite places and I've been to PTown numerous times, so I love seeing it on television. I stopped by the house where they filmed earlier this summer. It got me wondering if they did some filming inside since when I went by they were in the process of working on the inside of the house. It's also funny to see him wander down Commercial St without a soul around because that place is always packed, even in the off season.

[Ricky]

I'm watching it out of habit. We shall see where it goes. It usually goes off the rails soon.

I also thought we just had an AHS season, then I remembered it was Ratched.

I'm hoping that because this season is split into two parts that it will force them to be a little more focused in their storytelling. Hoping being the operative word.

And you mixing up Ratched with a season of AHS.

There WAS American Horror Stories that just wrapped up on Hulu, so maybe you were thinking of that?

I'm loving it! Maybe it's partly because Cape Cod is one of favorite places and I've been to PTown numerous times, so I love seeing it on television. I stopped by the house where they filmed earlier this summer. It got me wondering if they did some filming inside since when I went by they were in the process of working on the inside of the house. It's also funny to see him wander down Commercial St without a soul around because that place is always packed, even in the off season.

I was gonna ask you about that! I was wondering if that area is really that grim, desolate, and deserted as it looks in the show because it definitely has a creepy seaside town vibe.

[Heather19]

I'm loving it! Maybe it's partly because Cape Cod is one of favorite places and I've been to PTown numerous times, so I love seeing it on television. I stopped by the house where they filmed earlier this summer. It got me wondering if they did some filming inside since when I went by they were in the process of working on the inside of the house. It's also funny to see him wander down Commercial St without a soul around because that place is always packed, even in the off season.

I was gonna ask you about that! I was wondering if that area is really that grim, desolate, and deserted as it looks in the show because it definitely has a creepy seaside town vibe.

In the summer time it is the exact opposite of how it is in the show It's always super crowded, and it's like a giant party. Anything goes out there. Granted I haven't been there in the middle of winter so maybe at that time it is. I somehow think it's never that quiet though. It's also funny to see how they piece the places together. For example the beach he's running on is on the opposite side of town. It's a small area so doable but there's the shoreline along where the house sits and another beach which is much closer. He would have had to run across rt 6 and down a bunch of roads to get over to where he was. I understand why they picked that area though, because it is really pretty out there with the sand dunes.

[Ricky]

That's so interesting. I love that kind of behind the scenes stuff.

[Still Servant]

It's AHS, so I get it, but it just seems like every season is so stylized and over the top.

Am I the only one who wants a grittier, scaled-back story?

[Tommy]

Well I think the styilization is Murphy's style of working. The auteur theory if applicable to TV would apply to Murphy.

This season is pretty good, so far.

I'm glad it is ending soon because I think a problem Murphy has in some of his past AHS seasons is that they are are either too many episodes long or too few.

Six for this story seems like a good fit.

[Ricky]

Yeah, I keep hoping for a grittier season, too. I thought that this one, for the most part, has been so far. Then Leslie Grossman's character comes in with her sarcasm and jokes and kind of pops that balloon.

[Still Servant]

Well I think the styilization is Murphy's style of working. The auteur theory if applicable to TV would apply to Murphy.

This season is pretty good, so far.

I'm glad it is ending soon because I think a problem Murphy has in some of his past AHS seasons is that they are are either too many episodes long or too few.

Six for this story seems like a good fit.

Oh, no doubt. Murphy is definitely the reason there. So much so that I legit thought I already watched a season of AHT but it was just Ratched.

[Tommy]

So a specific question about the plot...

SPOILER

If the Chemist knows exactly what elements and compounds deplete from an individual after taking the pill and having a creativity-gasm, why does she not create a treatment that contains those elements/compounds so the talented pill-takers (I suppose the same would be for the non-talented pill-takers but that gets confusing) would not have to commit murder and cannibalism?

[Heather19]

Overall I really enjoyed this first half of the season. Although I’m not sure how I feel about that ending. It went a bit crazy after they left the Cape. Curious to see what the next episodes bring and if it’ll somehow come full circle and connect back to the first part.

We were back out at the Cape the other weekend, so we decided to do a little walking tour of PTown and hit up some of the areas where they filmed this season.

Photos

The Breakwater


Land’s End



The House


Winthrop St Cemetery. I had never been here before. Never even knew it existed. It’s Provincetown’s oldest burial ground dating back to 1723. It’s nestled onto the hillside, and parts of it are pretty overgrown so I can see why they chose to film here. It was really beautiful and peaceful, and there were even soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War buried here.




Art Alley


The Wharf




Mews aka Muse


These last few were taken a few years ago.
View of Provincetown and the Pilgrim Monument from the water


View of Provincetown taken from the top of the monument


Race Point Lighthouse. We started a hike out there one time, but it's quite a ways out and the tide was about to start coming in so we turned back. One day I plan to finally make it all the way out there.

[ICry4Oy]

The story leading up to the ending was okay for AHS. I thought the ending seemed rushed and infantile.

[Tommy]

The story leading up to the ending was okay for AHS. I thought the ending seemed rushed and infantile.

Same. Although I like the fact that

spoiler

Alma is still out there somewhere in the AHSverse

.

Karen is one of my favorite Sarah Paulson characters and I really liked Macaulay Culkin. Lily Rabe gave a very good performance.
Evan Peters faded into the background a little bit but that drag performance....

And Eureka was on there! Love her!

Back to the ending. Murphy's penultimate episodes are usuaully the "real" endings. The finales are melodramatic, ridiculous, free-for-alls that dip into insanity sometimes. Almost like they are dreams.

[ICry4Oy]

The Sarah Paulson character was top notch! Hell, I was three episodes in before I realized it was her. Also agree on the Macaulay character. Lily Rabe was okay. But for me, Leslie Grossman just completely ruined the show. I hated her.

[Tommy]

The Sarah Paulson character was top notch! Hell, I was three episodes in before I realized it was her. Also agree on the Macaulay character. Lily Rabe was okay. But for me, Leslie Grossman just completely ruined the show. I hated her.

She is definitely a love or hate type of character actress. She was on Murphy's first show, Popular, and I have always liked her but I totally get how folks would be rubbed the wrong way by her. I think Murphy is greatly amused by her.

[Heather19]

The Sarah Paulson character was top notch! Hell, I was three episodes in before I realized it was her. Also agree on the Macaulay character. Lily Rabe was okay. But for me, Leslie Grossman just completely ruined the show. I hated her.

She is definitely a love or hate type of character actress. She was on Murphy's first show, Popular, and I have always liked her but I totally get how folks would be rubbed the wrong way by her. I think Murphy is greatly amused by her.

I loved Popular. It's great to see someone else that has even heard of that show. Also I had no clue Murphy was involved with it. I didn't mind her in this season. And maybe I'm in the minority but I wasn't a huge fan of Sarah's this season. It wasn't so much her character, as I thought it was a good one, but her makeup was distracting and looked very fake to me. I loved Finn's character and his daughter was excellent. I almost wish they had ended this portion an episode earlier and skipped the whole LA part.

[Tommy]

The Sarah Paulson character was top notch! Hell, I was three episodes in before I realized it was her. Also agree on the Macaulay character. Lily Rabe was okay. But for me, Leslie Grossman just completely ruined the show. I hated her.

She is definitely a love or hate type of character actress. She was on Murphy's first show, Popular, and I have always liked her but I totally get how folks would be rubbed the wrong way by her. I think Murphy is greatly amused by her.

I loved Popular. It's great to see someone else that has even heard of that show. Also I had no clue Murphy was involved with it. I didn't mind her in this season. And maybe I'm in the minority but I wasn't a huge fan of Sarah's this season. It wasn't so much her character, as I thought it was a good one, but her makeup was distracting and looked very fake to me. I loved Finn's character and his daughter was excellent. I almost wish they had ended this portion an episode earlier and skipped the whole LA part.

Gonna go off topic and speak about Popular for a second then back to normal I guess...Like was mentioned, Popular was Ryan's first show and as such he had the least amount of control over it because he thought he had to do what the execs told him in spite of his vision. It was originally going to be much, much "gayer" according to Murphy but that time in American TV wouldn't allow it.

It had a good cast and after all these years I still remember most of it. Leslie's character on that show was crazy, lmao.

Looking back on all that knowing the details now, I do lament what could have been.

If it ever streams anywhere, it is a fun watch that I recommend.

[Heather19]

Leslie's character was great on that show. I do wish it was streaming somewhere because I would love to go back and watch it, it's been forever since I saw it.

[Ricky]

Overall I really enjoyed this first half of the season. Although I’m not sure how I feel about that ending. It went a bit crazy after they left the Cape.

I agree, Heather. And great pics! Thanks for sharing. It looks like a cool place to walk around and explore. Pilgrim Monument looks so creepy on the show!

The story leading up to the ending was okay for AHS. I thought the ending seemed rushed and infantile.

I agree with that.

Murphy's penultimate episodes are usuaully the "real" endings. The finales are melodramatic, ridiculous, free-for-alls that dip into insanity sometimes.

Funny you say that because I feel the same way. The last episodes are usually a nutty epilogue.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the second half of the season goes. I hope they do something interesting with the alien concept.

[Still Servant]

Great photos, Heather!

[Ricky]

My main takeaway from Red Tide: Harry in ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’ Is One of the Worst TV Fathers and Husbands of All Time

Also, I watched the first episode of Death Valley last night and really enjoyed it. I loved the first part in the 50s, especially how it was black and white, but liked the second part less. I don't like how the writers always try to show how "cool" they are with their writing of Millennial characters. It really takes away the realism for me.

[Still Servant]

My main takeaway from Red Tide: Harry in ‘American Horror Story: Double Feature’ Is One of the Worst TV Fathers and Husbands of All Time

Also, I watched the first episode of Death Valley last night and really enjoyed it. I loved the first part in the 50s, especially how it was black and white, but liked the second part less. I don't like how the writers always try to show how "cool" they are with their writing of Millennial characters. It really takes away the realism for me.

YES! That annoys the crap out of me.