American Horror Story: Roanoke - TV review
American Horror Story: Roanoke
Plot: A paranormal documentary entitled 'My Roanoke Nightmare' which reenacts the experiences of a married couple who relocate to North Carolina.
Cast: Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Cuba Holding Jr.
Number Of Episodes: 10
Channel: FX (US)/FOX (UK)
Rating: 18
Air Date: Wednesday 14th September 2016 - Wednesday 16th November 2016
We moved into the Murder House. We were admitted into the Asylum. We were invited to join the Coven. We attended the Freak Show. And finally, we checked into the Hotel. Now, for their sixth season we bare witness to possibly, their most unique season to date, the experience that is, Roanoke. What made this season special was the publicity behind it. Until the first episode, we had no clue who was returning or the theme of the season. The showrunners had kept all details hidden from us by even throwing out almost seventy short promos with varying themes. So the big question was; What is Season 6 all about? The short answer; creepy shit.
Considering that this season has now concluded and how it's been a few days since the season finale and AHS has a very niche and committed fandom, revealing the stars and actors that appear in this season should be an OK thing to do. If you're reading this, you've either seen the season and want to know my thoughts or you don't care about being spoiled. Righty-oh then! As expected, some cast members return like always. The series regulars who have either appeared in all or most seasons, turn up here with a few notable exceptions. As heartbreaking as it may be for AHS fans to hear, Jessica Lange is not in Roanoke. Don't expect her to make a small cameo or her role has been kept hidden. She's not in it. Onto the recurring cast, Sarah Paulson comes back and even if AHS has a particular disappointing season, Paulson can be relied upon to be the shining star. Talking about her particular role(s) is a bit tricky but here goes; Paulson plays a dramatised depiction of Shelby (played in 'real life' by Lily Rabe) in a television adaptation of a 'true story' entitled 'My Roanoke Nightmare'. And then, when a spanner is thrown in the works halfway through the season, Paulson then has to play that specific actress, Audrey Tindall, when season two gets commissioned. I hope that makes sense. I'll touch on it more when I cover the overall story. Like always, Paulson is great. I bought her as Shelby during the reenactments and felt the terror and horror she would be going through and then as Audrey, that terror is multiplied considerably when the dramatisation is long gone and the events start occurring in real life. Paulson puts on a British accent for Audrey which unfortunately, wasn't totally effective and clear that it wasn't natural. As the 'real life' Shelby, Lily Rabe is really something special. I originally thought she wouldn't get much to do. The first few episodes only have her retelling her story and that was that. However, when she revisits the house with the others, Rabe grabs that opportunity with both hands. There are times when Shelby becomes a bit simple and uninteresting but as soon as that thought begins to come to your mind, the writers throw an unexpected twist in that will make you rethink Shelby entirely. Shelby's 'real life' husband is Matt played by André Holland and then Cuba Gooding Jr. in the television show. For a newbie in this show, Holland slots in fantastically and he provides more of the emotional hook of the season as you realise the trauma that he has to go through as both his wife and sister break down mentally as well as the threat of dying every day. I can't imagine that it would be a pleasant experience for him. Gooding Jr. seems to be Ryan Murphy's muse after a brilliant turn as OJ Simpson in American Crime Story (both have the same creative team). In this, he does a good job at playing the adaptive version of Matt and then excels as Dominic, the actor. You don't like him. You don't trust him. But that all makes for a fantastic character as you watch him struggle to stay alive.
The other significant dual character is Lee (played in 'real life' by Adina Porter and also Angela Bassett in the dramatisation). Whilst Porter and Bassett give top class performances, Lee as a character wasn't as interesting as she could have been. The idea of a disgraced cop that turned to alcohol felt so old and tired that it belonged in a care home. AHS are always spinning these fascinating original yarns that for Lee, it's like they ran out of original material. As the season progresses, she gets more to do and Porter really impresses in the final episodes but as much as they tried, they couldn't win me over to care for Lee like I did with Matt and Shelby. Fan favourite, Evan Peters does appear in slightly lesser roles. His performance in the show within the show was quite exuberant to say the least and fan fiction writers are going to have a field day but as Rory, the actor, Peters is functional but whereas he's usually the standout of the season, he doesn't get this opportunity. Instead, that award goes to Kathy Bates who plays the Butcher in My Roanoke Nightmare. As The Butcher, her accent is a tad questionable but damn, she is one evil lady. Bates is outstanding as The Butcher and just when you thought she couldn't get any better, we discover that the actress she plays got too connected to the character of the Butcher so has gone cuckoo. For those episodes alone when Kathy Bates is taking method acting to a whole new level, she deserves that Emmy immediately. Some notable cast members make smaller but important appearances. Denis O'Hare makes a fleeting but welcome appearance. Taissa Farmiga cameos in a small role. She does a good job but her character ultimately serves nothing to the story apart from giving her one of the most gruesome deaths in AHS history. I have a pretty strong stomach but that scene almost let me see my dinner again. Wes Bentley and Finn Wittrock also come back for more. Bentley tries and fails at an accent that sadly comes across more laughable than effective and unless you researched it, Wittrock is unrecognisable in the role he plays as a cannibalistic hillbilly. Lady Gaga is the final cast member to return in a very diminished role which, in all honesty, baffled me. She won a Golden Globe for last season as The Countess so it seems like a waste to cast her as a character that hardly gets any screen time or any moment of glory. Gaga was great in Hotel so why keep her caged in Roanoke.
FACT: 6 hours, 6 days and 6 weeks before the season premiere of American Horror Story season 6, 6 promos were released.
For a season that was shrouded in such secrecy, to be honest, the reveal that it was another haunted house was underwhelming. It brought up many of the problems I had with Hotel. Both Hotel and Roanoke centre around a haunted building in which those that die there, their spirits are trapped and haunt other guests. If that sounds familiar, it's because Murder House did the exact same thing but when it did that, it was original. They're basically copying a formula they made themselves. What ended up changing my mind was how the season unfolded and didn't just copy previous seasons. The changing point was the introduction of the Blood Moon. That was when things stopped being repetitive and formulaic and became freaky, creepy and put the Horror in American Horror Story. Of all of the six seasons, Roanoke may not have been the most coherent but it certainly was the creepiest. The Butcher and her gang were formidable antagonists and there were times where our main characters had no way out so one or more of them had to bite the dust. The other seasons had to find a way to humanise and deconstruct the villains whereas the Butcher was solely evil and would kill without remorse. Picture a type of person who would skin your family pet in front of you and laugh while doing it. Freaky? Increase that feeling considerably whenever the Butcher is onscreen. She isn't the only freaky thing as the house is riddled with past victims. A pig man. Creepy Shining-like twins. A scary Ring-like crawler that deeply unsettled me. Whilst these were all effective in either creating suspense or scares, it didn't stop Roanoke feeling like a been there, done that scenario.
The only difference was the execution. As confusing as it sounds, the idea of a television show within a television show was genius. It was clever from a directorial stance and then, halfway through the season, that was then flipped on its head when the actors returned alongside the characters they played to star in a Big Brother type show. The issue with that premise was, and I'll try not to mince my words here, HOW FUCKING DUMB DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO RETURN TO A PLACE THAT ALMOST KILLED YOU? I get why the production crew and actors wanted to go because they thought it was all false and were in it for the paycheck, but these 'real life' people are seriously thick for even considering to come back. It is the literal definition of returning to the scene of the crime. If I were in their shoes, I would be running for the hills. That whole issue was soon forgotten because the season amped up the gore, scares and intensity leading to Chapter 8, possibly one of the greatest episodes in AHS history. It had everything I expect an AHS episode to have and was gripping television at its finest. Despite the slight common sense problems, Roanoke was on its way to becoming my second favourite season, just below Murder House. Unfortunately, it slips down below Murder House, Asylum and Coven because of the final episode. What a mess. It was totally an anticlimax, left me questioning many moments I was craving answers for and fairly boring and uneventful. It by no means ruined the season but for something that was building up to an absolute shocker of a finale, it failed to deliver. It would be like being promised the most fantastic pizza in the world that will be the tastiest food you've ever had, but you end up with a Sainsbury's basic kid's Margarita pizza.
A very impressive and the most different and experimental of the AHS series so far. It dares to go in places that we've never seen but then retreads various arcs that we always see. Providing some of the biggest chills and freaky moments, Roanoke may fall hard at the final hurdle but it still ranks highly in American Horror Story's repertoire. All I ask is for a completely original premise for season 7. Get rid of the haunted building.
My Verdict: 8/10
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