This morning Lady Gaga announced some big American Horror Story news. First, she will be joining the cast of the fifth season of Ryan Murphy’s genre-bending anthology series premiering this October on FX. She also announced the subtitle Hotel.
Make your reservation now. #GagaAHSHotel https://t.co/o9ixi5TaFy
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) February 25, 2015
Most fans had theorized that based on their impression of “clues” from Freak Show that the fifth season would revolve around aliens or government nuclear testing carried out during Operation: Top Hat.
I would also argue that a season hasn’t fully revolved around one central topic since Murder House. A major criticism of the groundbreaking genre series is that it can go off topic quite quickly. While Asylum did mostly take place in a Catholic run mental institution, it also incorporated a serial killer, aliens, zombies, Nazi doctors, demonic possession and more! Coven stayed mostly on track when it came to a central theme but this year’s Freak Show veered off into straight up murder, musical numbers, killer clowns, ghosts, a killer Dandy and ultimately, I would argue, failed to pay most of it off. Seriously, why give Dandy the Twisty mask and then abandon that a few episodes in? It makes no sense! I did like the Edward Mordrake arc, though. Let’s give credit where credit is due.
The other thing I want to say as a fan of AHS from the first second that it aired is that I was really hoping that with the creation of Scream Queens, Murphy’s upcoming horror anthology show that is supposed to be comedic in tone, American Horror Story would go back to more of its true horror roots. Sure, Murder House had flashes of trashiness with some old school Hollywood glamour thrown in for good measure, and there were a handful of characters who were slightly campy. However, at its core, Murder House was a very dark, scary, twisted ghost story. It was real horror on television. Now, with the announcement of Lady Gaga joining the cast, and considering the way that she announced joining the cast, it looks like the more mainstream genre-light track AHS has been on over the last few seasons will continue. I think that’s too bad considering I would have loved to see Gaga as an eccentric, over-the-top RA on Scream Queens making Ariana Grande’s life a living hell instead of seeing her on American Horror Story.
With all of its stunt casting, I just can’t take the show seriously anymore! Freak Show had Malcolm Jamal Warner show up to hold Angela Bassett’s hand and that’s it? Patti LaBelle is cast to dress up as a maid, say a few sassy lines to Finn Wittrock, and then die with no pay off? Per usual, there’s just too much going on with American Horror Story. Then again, AHS: Hotel might just be the perfect solution to the “too much at once” problem since guests naturally come and go to a home away from home, presumably to do their dirty work, and then leave. Maybe it will be the season of AHS that actually works the best!
What do you think, AHS fans? Are you excited for Gaga to join the cast? How about the idea of the fifth season taking place at a hotel? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Not gonna lie this news sucks, the lady gaga part.The hotel setting could be interesting and cool. But it’s still to early to make any final judgements. I’ll wait till footage comes out and then see if I’m into watching this season.
I loved every season of American Horror Story and I’m ready and feeling a lot of anticipation for the fifth season to start!!!!
I LOVED Asylum, I wanted to love COVEN, I didn’t bother with FREAK SHOW, I will be turning the channel on Hotel.
AHS was my favorite show when it started but I think its failure has been trying too hard. Every cameo has to top the next. Every murder has to be bigger and bloodier. Every speech more profound. I’m not even sure how much they intended for the seasons to connect from jumpstreet or if they decided to interweave them after Murder House’s success and wanting to work with the actors again. It seems like it was a brilliant afterthought that now is starting to get messy. All the nods and winks to past seasons and possible hints to future seasons holds back the fluidity of what should be just a stand alone miniseries. This was most evident this season on Freak Show. It felt so much like a filler season. “Hey, look at us tie everything together! Nazis and nuns! Ta da!” The show is gorgeous, brilliant and creative but they need to stop forcing things and go back to the beauty of Murder House. I hope Hotel does just that.
I feel like the musical numbers as well as the guest celebs are a bit much. Musical numbers in horror just don’t make much sense to me and the celeb guests haven’t really been paying off. Having Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates join the cast as actual cast members was very exciting but the 5 min appearances in one or two episodes (Adam Levine, Patti Lapone, Patti LaBelle…) just was ridiculous. Of all the seasons Freak Show was by far my least favorite. I am open-minded for whatever theme AHS goes with but truly hope the step it up next season and there after.
I have to agree that AHS has failed on quite a few payoffs to it’s detriment. Still, I have to say I don’t think I was ever able to take it seriously after Asylum. Murphy seems to be making it a point to create a series that is unapologetically cliche and over the top. Strangely, It’s kind of what I like about it.
Ok maybe I’ll watch it now
The last thing AHS needs is another celeb. At this point how is she even going to get any screen time when they jam as many famous people as they can into each progressing season. After the mess of Freak Show its hard to get excited