After a highly acclaimed and award-winning first season, “American Horror Story” brings back its all-star cast for a new round of dramatic story lines, compelling characters and, of course, horror.
Fans of the first season will find that some of their favorite actors have returned to play new characters in the second season of “American Horror Story: Asylum.” Set in 1964 in a decrepit mental institution, the show explores the twisted lives of the asylum’s patients, nuns, doctors and others, who have found themselves tangled up in a terrifying mess.
Like any scary movie, the show has plenty of suspense-filled tension and heart-stopping moments of surprise, leaving viewers uneasy and on the edge of their seats.
The eerie asylum isn’t the only thing that makes it a horror story. Haunted buildings, serial killers, aliens and exorcisms are all parts of the new plot of the show — and that’s just the first two episodes.
In addition to putting a new spin on classic horror tales, “Asylum” explores social controversies, like interracial marriage, homosexual relationships and gender inequality. Though the story takes place nearly 50 years ago, this type of realistic social commentary adds deeper, more hard-hitting elements to the show that are just as disturbing and hard to shake as the blood and gore.
All of these components make for an interesting and diverse blend, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the show’s plot suffers later in the season because of its constant need to outdo itself. So far, however, “Asylum” manages to seamlessly mix these somewhat random things all into one intriguing story.
Few horror movies could get away with such a combination, but this unique series can be forgiven because of its television format. Instead of a two-hour film, viewers will be able to savor each episode’s cliffhangers, only to become more and more obsessed with the show as the season goes on. As the story unfolds and the suspense heightens, viewers are sure to become so engrossed in “Asylum” that they wouldn’t dare change the channel.
Grade: A-
To email reporter: kiz5038@psu.edu
