Logan Petersen, Staff Writer
Warning: this review contains spoilers considered revealing and rather graphic. Those who have not yet watched the first episode of “American Horror Story: Freak Show” or those petrified by the thought of clowns should avoid reading on:
The milkman was dead. I immediately imagined the show opening with an incredibly violent and perverted death of which the milkman would surely suffer. Perhaps he would hang by his own intestines or his head would be bashed in with his rolling pin. However, my excitement for a glorious display was short lived whe
n, disappointingly, he did not die. And so, it seems “American Horror Story” is making me somewhat psychotic.
Can you blame me for craving the scary, demented and twisted? There is that addicting jolt of excitement that comes from watching scary movies and I, along with hundreds of thousands of other viewers, cannot get enough. For the past three years, “American Horror Story” has been delivering the ideal combination of strange and creepy. After watching season four’s first episode, I believe it’s going to be the strangest and creepiest storyline yet.
This season takes place during the 1950’s in Jupiter, Fla. Returning actress, Jessica Lange, portrays the German ringleader of the freak show, struggling to make her show a success in hopes to become a household name. The reappearance of previous season’s actors including Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Denis O’Hare and Emma Roberts, as well as the the addition of many new “monsters” only reassures me of my high expectations for this season. Sarah Paulson as conjoined twins, Bette and Dot Tattler, essentially has two heads. The screen splits to feature both heads’ point of view, showcasing their different personalities, and was absolutely brilliant.
Although it has been days since I watched the season premiere, I cannot shake the image of the insane killer clown and his haunting smile from my mind. Any viewers with serious clown phobias might need to wait for next season of “American Horror Story” to continue watching. Yes, any fear of clowns as a kid seems justified after watching this character stab a young man repeatedly in the chest. The penetrating sound of the rusty scissors as the boy struggles for breath was enough to make me leave the room. Who this clown is and why he became a killer is unknown, but fans should be excited (and maybe a little terrified) to see how his story unfolds.
Once the inaugural episode finished, I was left with an unsettling feeling. What I watched was wrong on any tier of moral standards, yet, I still crave more. It seemed on every social media outlet, fans were unsure of how to process what they just witnessed. “Trippy,” “weird,” “disgusting” and “I think I just peed my pants a little” were just a few reactions people shared. Despite that, AHS fans know our inner psychotic selves anxiously await for what is to come this season.
“American Horror Story: Freak Show” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.
