American Horror Story - Freak Show

I’ve always had a problem with the American Horror Story series, but since each season is built on a different premise, after every season, I endlessly keep giving the show another chance to impress me. One season has already managed to do that, so why couldn’t another one achieve that as well? However, my problem with this season was that the TV show Carnivale by HBO a couple of years ago was a lot more intense. This was a mere second brew that once again reduced the best that the world of freaky circus folks has to offer. But Jessica Lange sure had a blast with this one and at least she showed us all what a good singer she is. But that’s the only positive thing about this season. (07.03.2017)

Freak Show is becoming the best series of them all so far. So, yes, we're continuing. Elsa Mars as a Weimar snuff porn star for president! They also didn't need to make the previous series as a prequel because they could have just made this perfect series and that would have been good enough. :D I wish someone would actually make The Elsa Mars Hour, then everything would be as it should. "In the land of Gods and Monsters / I was an angel / Living in the garden of evil / Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed / Shining like a fiery beacon." (23.10.2015)

Bowing before a falling curtain is atmospheric to the last wagon, but still leaves a feeling of unnecessary disappointment. The cast is even more star-studded, the plot twists more intensified, and some characters more twisted, but the storyline feels like a dispute between five screenwriters. The main theme is neither the contrast between human monsters and loathsome people, nor Jimmy's conflict with Dandy, nor even Elsa's desire for fame. American Horror Story – Freak Show is more of an exhibition of great guests with sometimes incomprehensible psychology of the main characters and strange relationships and emotions between them. Above all, this wandering addition to the American Horror Story library is poorly tied together. This is a circus where Ryan Murphy didn't really put his heart into it. (19.04.2015)

When I learned that the 4th season of American Horror Story would be titled Freak Show, I immediately thought of the iconic horror film Freaks from the 1930s, which the entire series actually references a lot, whether it be in plot, characters, or overall atmosphere. This is for me the best season of AHS so far, after the second, and for many reasons. First of all, I liked the setting of the story in a freak show circus, and there was a lot to be made of that. Second, the series is full of memorable characters that have become deeply etched in my memory: the ambivalent Elsa Mars, the superbly technical and character-driven Siamese twins Bette and Dot, and the sleazy and disgustingly convincing psychopathic sociopath Dandy. Alongside them, it's worth mentioning the return of Pepper, whose line was drawn and tightened to the max, or the cutest character played by Ma Petite. The fourth season also features wonderful covers of well-known songs, especially my favourite “Gods and Monsters” by Lana Del Rey, which introduces another interesting character, Edward Mordrake. Thirdly, I'd like to address the opinions of many by saying that I certainly didn't find the series to be inconsistent, and that the characters were threadbare, as I found their stories from the past, present and future to be sufficient. Perhaps the only thing that surprised me at the end was the strangely brief appearance of Neil Patrick Harris, who was there perhaps just to clear the air. All in all, I can say for myself that I thoroughly enjoyed season 4, both thematically and script-wise, it's full of wonderful characters, sudden twists and turns and memorable scenes. (31.01.2015)