American Horror Stories consistently fails to capture the magic of its parent show, American Horror Story, devolving into inconsistent narratives and relying on shock value over genuine scares. Its primary failing lies in its abandonment of character development and meaningful themes in favor of poorly conceived, disconnected episodes.
The Dismembered Anthology: Anatomy of a Failure
The decline of American Horror Stories isn’t a sudden collapse, but rather a slow erosion of the core elements that initially made the American Horror Story universe compelling. While the original show, despite its own inconsistencies, often delivered memorable characters and overarching storylines interwoven with societal commentary, American Horror Stories feels like a collection of half-baked ideas tossed against a wall, hoping something sticks. The lack of continuity, combined with often predictable plot twists and reliance on gore, ultimately renders the show a pale imitation of its predecessor.
The core issue is the fundamental misunderstanding of the anthology format. Effective anthology series, like The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, use standalone episodes to explore broader themes of humanity, technology, or morality. American Horror Stories, however, often presents isolated scenarios with little to no thematic resonance. The stories feel arbitrary and disposable, lacking the emotional investment needed to create lasting impact. Instead of building suspense and dread, the show relies heavily on jump scares and gratuitous violence, further cheapening the overall experience.
Furthermore, the writing quality has significantly declined. The original American Horror Story benefited from a diverse and talented writing team. American Horror Stories, however, seems to suffer from a lack of creative vision and commitment. The scripts are often riddled with plot holes, illogical character motivations, and dialogue that feels clunky and unnatural. This decline in writing quality is a major contributor to the show’s overall failure.
Finally, the casting choices, while often featuring returning faces from the American Horror Story universe, frequently feel misdirected. While the actors themselves are talented, they are often given poorly written characters to portray, leading to underwhelming performances. The lack of strong character development, coupled with weak writing, ultimately undermines the actors’ ability to deliver compelling performances.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Downfall of American Horror Stories
Is the anthology format inherently flawed for horror?
No. The anthology format can be incredibly effective for horror, as demonstrated by shows like Tales from the Crypt and The Outer Limits. The key is to use each episode to explore a specific theme or fear in a concise and impactful way. American Horror Stories fails because it often lacks this thematic depth and relies on superficial scares instead. The issue is execution, not the format itself.
How does American Horror Stories compare to American Horror Story in terms of quality?
American Horror Story, despite its own inconsistencies in later seasons, generally maintains a higher level of quality than American Horror Stories. AHS often features more complex characters, overarching storylines that span multiple episodes or even seasons, and a greater focus on thematic exploration. AHS prioritizes building dread and atmosphere, while American Horror Stories often relies on cheap jump scares and gratuitous violence.
What role does Ryan Murphy play in the show’s decline?
As the co-creator and showrunner, Ryan Murphy’s creative decisions have a significant impact on the quality of American Horror Stories. While Murphy is undeniably a talented and prolific writer and producer, some critics argue that his recent work has become increasingly unfocused and self-indulgent. The lack of consistent creative direction may contribute to the show’s decline.
Does the show’s reliance on shock value hurt its overall quality?
Yes. While horror can certainly be shocking, relying solely on gore and jump scares without building suspense or developing compelling characters ultimately diminishes the impact of the scares. American Horror Stories often sacrifices narrative coherence and thematic depth in favor of fleeting moments of shock, making the show feel cheap and ultimately unsatisfying.
Is the show too reliant on nostalgia for American Horror Story?
Yes. The show often features characters and locations from previous seasons of American Horror Story, but these references often feel forced and unnecessary. Instead of building on the existing mythology in a meaningful way, the show simply rehashes familiar elements, which often falls flat and alienates viewers who are not already familiar with the original show. The over-reliance on fan service detracts from the quality of the individual episodes.
Why do some episodes feel like they don’t belong in the American Horror Story universe?
The lack of consistent tone and thematic coherence contributes to this feeling. American Horror Story, at its best, explores darker aspects of human nature and societal anxieties through a gothic and often theatrical lens. Some episodes of American Horror Stories, however, feel tonally inconsistent with this established aesthetic, making them feel out of place.
How does the writing quality compare to earlier seasons of American Horror Story?
The writing quality in American Horror Stories is generally considered to be significantly lower than in the earlier seasons of American Horror Story. The scripts are often riddled with plot holes, illogical character motivations, and dialogue that feels unnatural. This decline in writing quality is a major contributor to the show’s overall failure.
Are the acting performances generally considered to be weak?
While the actors themselves are often talented, they are frequently given poorly written characters to portray, leading to underwhelming performances. The lack of strong character development, coupled with weak writing, ultimately undermines the actors’ ability to deliver compelling performances. Therefore, the problem isn’t the actors, but the material they’re given.
Does the shorter episode format contribute to the show’s problems?
The shorter episode format can be a double-edged sword. While it allows for more diverse stories to be told, it also requires writers to be concise and efficient. American Horror Stories often fails to make the most of the shorter format, resulting in rushed plots, underdeveloped characters, and unsatisfying resolutions.
Is there any hope for improvement in future seasons?
Potentially, yes. By focusing on stronger writing, more compelling characters, and a more cohesive thematic approach, American Horror Stories could potentially improve in future seasons. However, this would require a significant shift in creative direction and a commitment to quality over quantity. It also hinges on a return to focusing on genuine scares and thematic exploration, not just gore and shock value.
What are some examples of episodes that exemplify the show’s problems?
Many critics and viewers point to episodes like “Drive,” “Milkmaids” and “Bloody Mary” as prime examples of the show’s weaknesses. These episodes are often criticized for their convoluted plots, underdeveloped characters, reliance on shock value, and lack of thematic depth.
What can American Horror Stories learn from other successful anthology series?
American Horror Stories could learn a great deal from other successful anthology series like Black Mirror, The Twilight Zone, and Inside No. 9. These shows demonstrate the importance of strong writing, compelling characters, and thematic coherence. They also show how the anthology format can be used to explore complex issues and provoke meaningful discussions. Emulating these strengths could significantly improve the quality of American Horror Stories.