Wiki. Apparently the show's going in for retooling for next season per the FX heads. (I suspect a massive cut to the cast budget is in order.)
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American Horror Story: Freak Show |OT| Let your inhibitions go, it's a crazy night...
- Thread starter Nemesis_
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Matt_
World's #1 One Direction Fan: Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you~~~
Should watch the pepper episode if nothing else, its just a great episode
episode 7 I think (don't hold me to that)
That's right! I forgot they completely made her conveniently useless. So infuriating.
Matt_
World's #1 One Direction Fan: Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you~~~
I know the season has just ended, but just had a quick look and the OT for freakshow has less than half the views and posts that Coven did. It's down on Asylum too
Not sure how the ratings have held up (although I'm sure Nem has a graph knocking about)
Not sure how the ratings have held up (although I'm sure Nem has a graph knocking about)
I finally got to watching the final two episodes.
I don't understand why they had the same kind of ending for Elsa as they did for the character last season. I guess the other one ended in a dull place, while this one ended in a weird heaven-like place.
It's weird since I imagined that being killed by that two-faced guy would have sent her to some kind of hell.
In either case, it's pretty terrible that all the freaks died.
I don't understand why they had the same kind of ending for Elsa as they did for the character last season. I guess the other one ended in a dull place, while this one ended in a weird heaven-like place.
It's weird since I imagined that being killed by that two-faced guy would have sent her to some kind of hell.
In either case, it's pretty terrible that all the freaks died.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
In either case, it's pretty terrible that all the freaks died.
but it all worked out because they all ended up happily ever after in freak heaven
D
Deleted member 20920
Unconfirmed Member
I finally got to watching the final two episodes.
I don't understand why they had the same kind of ending for Elsa as they did for the character last season. I guess the other one ended in a dull place, while this one ended in a weird heaven-like place.
It's weird since I imagined that being killed by that two-faced guy would have sent her to some kind of hell.
In either case, it's pretty terrible that all the freaks died.
Yeah, it's inconsistent with what they've established. Shouldn't Elsa be with Mordrake's freak team and not her own dead freaks?
Anyway the whole season was bad.
Thinking on it, the gun was in front of Dandy. I dunno if Desiree would've been able to jump over them and get it. But the major WTF is still the axe for me. Where the hell did that go from the Amazon picking up to that scuffle?
Escape Goat
Member
Mordrake took pity on Elsa. After her history in Germany became public she became the biggest freak of all. Before she could hide it and walk among the world unseen. She waa ready to sacrifice herself and join the only group of freaks she knew even if they were phantoms. Elsa had sacrificed so much to pursue her dreams that it ended up a pyrrhic victory. Her humility moved Mordrake and decided she did not truly belong with them.
Did Elsa deserve mercy? The whole season dealt with the bonds of family among the freaks. Elsas selfish motivations for assembling her crew didnt really matter in the end. The community the freaks developed thrived in spite of those motivations.
lazyproblems
Member
Where did you read that? I noticed a few websites linked to this interview, but all I get from that is that they're continuing to let Murphy do his thing. :/
Bulbo Urethral Baggins
Banned
I was wishing Dandy came out of the screen and shot me. I invested 13 weeks of my life to that shit. I was ready to go.
Lange, Paulson, and Peters are all moving on- if they show up, it won't be a full-time role. The cast being so bloated has been a huge issue with S3/4, as there's just all these extra characters that split screentime/story too thin.
AlexMeloche
Member
Just watched the finale.
Such a mess. Lange needs to leave the show.
Such a mess. Lange needs to leave the show.
a secret-boss
Banned
wow I didn't knew the season turned into another Coven
I stopped @ Edward Mordrake part 2. I was about continue watching it then went to this thread
I stopped @ Edward Mordrake part 2. I was about continue watching it then went to this thread
D
Deleted member 13876
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, don't.
Paulson will be in the next season.
D
Deleted member 20920
Unconfirmed Member
She's taking a main role on American Crime Story so she'll probably not be main. I hope. Smaller casts please.
Ooccoo
Member
I just discovered this tv series with Asylum. I liked it even though I wasn't sure if it was great and the
was a bit weird. There were a few surprises like the
and overall I enjoyed it. However, skimming this thread I'm not sure I'll enjoy the other seasons. It seems Asylum is the best while 1-3-4 sucks. Should I even bother?
alien stuff
serial killer
Killing that stupid plot was one of the few things that gave hope to the show, but did not last.
Stopped watching like 5 episodes in cuz it was shit. And thank god, cuz it seems I was right to jump ship.
This is a shit show by a shit creator who somehow is one of the biggest names in TV because he gets really big names to work for him and deliver good performances (and these are only a few actors, most of his casts are usually terrible at acting but they cant be blamed given what writing they work with) in spite of horrid scripts. Ryan Murphy is the ultimate in hack job but people continue watching his shit for some reason (except Glee nobody has watched that turd in like 3 years).
basically AHS is: 1 good season (Asylum), one mediocre but interesting season (Murder House), and 2 absolute shit bottom of the tv barrel level writing seasons that would never air on tv if not for the name creator.
Really hope that nobody watches S5 and this piece of shit gets canceled. Hell I hope nobody watches Scream Queens and Crime Story so Ryan Murphy can stop getting his shit aired.
Lmao idk why I just ranted like that, and I didn't even finish the season haha
This is a shit show by a shit creator who somehow is one of the biggest names in TV because he gets really big names to work for him and deliver good performances (and these are only a few actors, most of his casts are usually terrible at acting but they cant be blamed given what writing they work with) in spite of horrid scripts. Ryan Murphy is the ultimate in hack job but people continue watching his shit for some reason (except Glee nobody has watched that turd in like 3 years).
basically AHS is: 1 good season (Asylum), one mediocre but interesting season (Murder House), and 2 absolute shit bottom of the tv barrel level writing seasons that would never air on tv if not for the name creator.
Really hope that nobody watches S5 and this piece of shit gets canceled. Hell I hope nobody watches Scream Queens and Crime Story so Ryan Murphy can stop getting his shit aired.
Lmao idk why I just ranted like that, and I didn't even finish the season haha
SnowFlakeCake
Member
This season was absolutely awful, what a total and utter fuck up. This is coming from someone that enjoyed Coven, sure it wasn't amazing but compared to Freak Show it seems like a masterpiece.
I can't even understand watching AHS in continuance for shock factor. Like Ryan Murphy has built his career on shock factor, and after all of Nip/Tuck and 4 seasons of this show, there is absolutely nothing left they can do to shock even the Virgin Mary. Everything that I had seen of Freakshow had been done on previous seasons and probably better too. There's nothing left. And it's not like you can watch for good characters or solid story, because all you get is shit characters with no development and story that starts with an interesting concept but is so terribly written with no payoff that you question if the writers were hired straight out of high school.
Ha don't worry I feel the same, and I jumped even earlier.
My initial frustration was with the potential it had, the setting was really really awesome and they had the actors to pull if off, so it's terrible to see how it end up, all the signs were there though, I'm glad I didn't waste my time with it.
Murphy peaked with Popular, he should have stopped there.
Hero Prinny
Member
So I never even finished the first ep of the show, got bored around the time some clown killed a teen couple having a picnic. Is this season better than 3 or should I just skip it and wait till the next season? Read a few of the comments and i guess I already know the ending but IMO the journey is just as important as the destination.
Edit lmfaooo read some more comments, I'll take it as a not worth my time. Season 2 was awesome IMO, it had some "horror" moments here and there.
Edit lmfaooo read some more comments, I'll take it as a not worth my time. Season 2 was awesome IMO, it had some "horror" moments here and there.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
American Horror Story is barely horror though and there are plenty of other "horror" shows on TV - Hemlock Grove, The Walking Dead, The Strain, Penny Dreadful, Hannibal. Some of those are actually good, some of them aren't, but all are more interesting and entertaining than AHS.
It was actualy era-appropriate - they were using a lot of '50s tropes on purpose.
Just marathon'd through this season. I liked this over Coven by a mile. Also the connection with Season 2 was nice to see.
I thought that killer clown (Twisty) had huge potential in the first few episodes. I thought he was going to end up being one of the greatest killer clowns in all of fiction with the likes of The Joker (i know..) and Captain Spaulding. I was left disappointed with his early death. Besides that I loved the freaks themselves, by the end of the season I myself grew very fond of them. I didn't get the freak heaven ending, I thought that was ott. Still, I liked it overall.
I thought that killer clown (Twisty) had huge potential in the first few episodes. I thought he was going to end up being one of the greatest killer clowns in all of fiction with the likes of The Joker (i know..) and Captain Spaulding. I was left disappointed with his early death. Besides that I loved the freaks themselves, by the end of the season I myself grew very fond of them. I didn't get the freak heaven ending, I thought that was ott. Still, I liked it overall.
WordAssassin
Member
That bugged the fuck out of me. I mean they could have had even a quick shot, not even the focus but just him like reaching into his pocket to get more bullets. When you give a character a six shooter they don't get to have a movie clip, there are six shots and then they need to reload, period. I mean fuck, they could have even used it as a tool to build tension, have the half-woman trying to escape as he hurriedly reloads the gun. Is she going to make it? Oh, he dropped a bullet, maybe she'll escape? Nope, he's reloaded, right as you think she's gonna get away blam. Would have been barely different from what they actually did but so much more effective.
When they announce the plot/theme for Season 5 will it get posted here on will it get its own thread? This has been my first time watching the show as it airs so I'm not sure what the GAF protocol is yet.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
That would have worked really well.
It'll get posted here. Hype threads typically aren't made until there's a lot more information than just the vague stuff Murphy reveals in the very beginning.
On the other hand, someone might throw a thread up anyway.
lazyproblems
Member
I think you mean Roberts. Peters will probably still be there. Which is too bad, because the series could definitely benefit with his exit.
Does anyone know what this is all about?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5D1-VlrWcA#t=84
Particularly this scene that's time stamped where what appears to be Elsa in a clown suit next to the projector is staring back on stage during the performance? I tried searching around online and there is no mention of this whatsoever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5D1-VlrWcA#t=84
Particularly this scene that's time stamped where what appears to be Elsa in a clown suit next to the projector is staring back on stage during the performance? I tried searching around online and there is no mention of this whatsoever.
Fenderputty
Banned
Meh, it was better than coven.
Poimandres
Member
I agree. The ending was a mess, but all seasons have pretty much run out of steam long before the end.
I think the biggest mistake they made here was making Dandy the ultimate big bad. He was nowhere near as menacing as Twisty, and not even as interesting as whats-his-face with the freakish dong who was jarring the freaks.
Also way too many songs, too much Elsa, and Kathy Bates accent was weird.
Fnord
Member
I'd say that it did ruin the season. I had really high hopes for Asylum. It totally let me down. In the end, it wasn't as bad as Freakshow, but it was bad. To my mind, season one is still the best, followed by Coven. The other two seasons can just be swept out of the annals of time for all I care.
Poimandres
Member
I love alien related media, but even I can agree it wasn't necessary for Asylum.
The sad part is they will never go near that topic again so it was a waste.
Monocle
Member
Just saw the last two episodes.
The ending was pretty much what I've come to expect from AHS. Several storylines fall off rather abruptly, a lot of characters die, and there's a time skip where a handful of main characters meet joyful or tragic or ironic fates, some by supernatural means. For better or worse, that seems to be the formula. I'm pretty much OK with it. I like where Elsa and the Twins and Desiree and Dandy ended up.
I absolutely love how Dandy's killing spree was shot. The way the camera follows him as he saunters through the freak camp in that white suit. Gorgeous. The ambient sound, with no music to interfere with the mood... So well done. What a great centerpiece for the season's conclusion.
I do hope AHS can realize more of its potential in Season 5, but as long as it remains an OK show with a few glimmers of greatness, I'll stay on board. This series is a wonderfully campy goulash of outlandish characters and macabre themes, with a bunch of crazy twists and random homoeroticism thrown in. That's more than enough to keep me entertained while I wait for the really exceptional shows like Hannibal to return.
Right now I'd rank the seasons: 2 > 3 > 1 > 4. (I liked Coven way more than most of the posters in the season thread.) I'd describe Freak Show as decent rather than disappointing. It took no major risks and made no major blunders. The plot could have developed along much more interesting lines. Overall, I enjoyed Freak Show even though it was the least interesting season for me so far.
The ending was pretty much what I've come to expect from AHS. Several storylines fall off rather abruptly, a lot of characters die, and there's a time skip where a handful of main characters meet joyful or tragic or ironic fates, some by supernatural means. For better or worse, that seems to be the formula. I'm pretty much OK with it. I like where Elsa and the Twins and Desiree and Dandy ended up.
I absolutely love how Dandy's killing spree was shot. The way the camera follows him as he saunters through the freak camp in that white suit. Gorgeous. The ambient sound, with no music to interfere with the mood... So well done. What a great centerpiece for the season's conclusion.
I do hope AHS can realize more of its potential in Season 5, but as long as it remains an OK show with a few glimmers of greatness, I'll stay on board. This series is a wonderfully campy goulash of outlandish characters and macabre themes, with a bunch of crazy twists and random homoeroticism thrown in. That's more than enough to keep me entertained while I wait for the really exceptional shows like Hannibal to return.
Right now I'd rank the seasons: 2 > 3 > 1 > 4. (I liked Coven way more than most of the posters in the season thread.) I'd describe Freak Show as decent rather than disappointing. It took no major risks and made no major blunders. The plot could have developed along much more interesting lines. Overall, I enjoyed Freak Show even though it was the least interesting season for me so far.
Fenderputty
Banned
I liked Dandy. I liked his tantrum at the end. I agree there was too much Elsa and singing though. Way too much of both.
I think this season was generally pretty good.
Lots of death and destruction.
The ending had too much Elsa, but it makes me think it might have been "Jessica Lange's last stand", and I doubt she will be back last year.
Everything before that Elsa bit in the finale was amazing.
I do no't understand the Asylum love. It was an absolutely schizophrenic season, that decided to throw in the kitchen sink. Almost nothing worked. It was saved by a good finale.
At least murder house, coven, and asylum stuck to one theme for the most part.
Lots of death and destruction.
The ending had too much Elsa, but it makes me think it might have been "Jessica Lange's last stand", and I doubt she will be back last year.
Everything before that Elsa bit in the finale was amazing.
I do no't understand the Asylum love. It was an absolutely schizophrenic season, that decided to throw in the kitchen sink. Almost nothing worked. It was saved by a good finale.
At least murder house, coven, and asylum stuck to one theme for the most part.
Poimandres
Member
That's kind of why I loved Asylum. It embraced the over the top nature of the whole premise and was pretty unpredictable. That unpredictability made it exciting for the first 2/3rds then it really dropped off by the end.
It also had the most memorable characters of any season I think.
Fenderputty
Banned
I cared the most about the characters in asylum. It was the scariest. It was definitely a mess though.
I still find murder house to be the creepiest.
I wish there was an "alien/anne frank" free cut of Asylum. I think it would have improved my enjoyment of that season 10-fold.
Asylum was probably the best Jessica Lange arc. So I have to give it credit for that.
EmpressInYellow
Banned
The whole thing was a bit of a train wreck, but "train wreck" is pretty much what AHS specializes in.
The ending felt more like a send-off to Lange (with her likely departure from the show) instead of a logical thematic conclusion to everything we'd been shown.
I never really bought Dandy as the season's big villain. Stanley, as gross as he was, was far more tied to the freak show and the individual characters than Dandy was. Twisty had more presence as a villain. While I like the idea of subverting the "hyper-competent serial killer" by making him a whiny spoiled rich boy in theory, in practice I found myself wishing that time could be spent with other characters (though not because of any failing on the actor's part).
I just...I dunno. I agree that Asylum is, by far, the strongest of the seasons, both in terms of tone and in terms of balls-to-the-wall crazy "throw in a bunch of weird unconnected elements and see what happens" plotting. This series was also the least supernatural by far, with only one supernatural element (leaving aside the explicit ties to Asylum).
If the pattern so far holds, we could be back to a modern-day setting for next season, but four seasons is admittedly a pretty small sample to discern a pattern from.
The ending felt more like a send-off to Lange (with her likely departure from the show) instead of a logical thematic conclusion to everything we'd been shown.
I never really bought Dandy as the season's big villain. Stanley, as gross as he was, was far more tied to the freak show and the individual characters than Dandy was. Twisty had more presence as a villain. While I like the idea of subverting the "hyper-competent serial killer" by making him a whiny spoiled rich boy in theory, in practice I found myself wishing that time could be spent with other characters (though not because of any failing on the actor's part).
I just...I dunno. I agree that Asylum is, by far, the strongest of the seasons, both in terms of tone and in terms of balls-to-the-wall crazy "throw in a bunch of weird unconnected elements and see what happens" plotting. This series was also the least supernatural by far, with only one supernatural element (leaving aside the explicit ties to Asylum).
If the pattern so far holds, we could be back to a modern-day setting for next season, but four seasons is admittedly a pretty small sample to discern a pattern from.
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