[Repo]

Originally posted by Phenex

Freak Show was an amazing season in its own right. Just because the arc didn't turn out the way you wanted it, or characters didn't die the way you predicted doesn't mean it was a horrid season. It's easily the best in creating it own's world and tone (along with Coven), and the writing for characters was some of the best I've seen.



It also created some of the best characters of the entire series, Twisty, Bette and Dot, Elsa, Mordrake, Ma Petite....

There's a difference between an arc not turning out how I want and there not even being an arc in the first place. Freak Show had no main plot. It had a few sideplots (Elsa's fame stuff, the con artist stuff, Dandy), but nothing that was given enough focus or strength to drive a season that was just milling about with no focus. The OTHER issue is that Freak Show's finale was incomprehensible and left me with more questions than it did answers. What happened to Stanley, who was still alive in the penultimate episode? Why did the police NOT investigate Dandy's death or the Freak Show massacre, both of which would have been too huge to ignore? What happened to the cop Dandy allied with? How can Bette/Dot and Jimmy live normal lives when they're not only wanted for murder, but have VERY recognizable traits? There's not a lot of two-headed women milling about. Why was Elsa sent to Freak Heaven by Mordrake despite him always taking people to hell? Why was Dell NOT sent to freak heaven despite trying to redeem himself unlike that narcissistic bitch Elsa? The finale made zero sense, and destroyed an already bad, BORING (I had zero investment in the plots and zoned out most of each episode) season.

The issue with character deaths was they became too much, too random, and too unfocused. They killed people off just to start racking up the body count rather than to actually advance the plot. Not even close to the biggest problem of that season though.

How can you say Freak Show gave us the best characters the show has seen when you miss Dandy, who is by FAR the best of the season and one of the handful of great ones? Aside from him, Chester was good, Gloria was good, Twisty was good, Marjorie was okay. That is where the list ends. Ma Petite is one of the most overrated characters in AHS history, often making her way into lists of actually amazing characters for being cute and nothing else, she is completely underdeveloped and has almost nothing to her. Elsa is Jessica Lange playing the exact same role for the fourth time in a row, and an incredibly annoying take at that (I swear, she had the exact same "I wish I was famous" monologue every single episode) Mordrake was completely boring and lifeless, not helped by Bentley's performance. Dot was an idiot with zero consistent characteriation (first she wants to kill Bette, then she cares about her, then she wants to kill her again. Also, if she wants Dandy to pay for her surgery, WHY is she constantly pissing him off? She made Bette look smart) while Bette's ditziness wasa annoying, her psychopathic tendenices were brought up for ONE EPISODE and then dropped out of nowhere (destroying any kind of character consistency), and, like most the cast, was incredibly shallow and uninteresting.

Trash season, minus a small handful of characters. Thank GOD for Dandy

Originally posted by Phenex

Yall saying Murder House or Asylum are more original than Coven or Freak Show?



**** outta here you thots.

Murder House certainly wasn't, Asylum certainly was. Zoe's introduction was blatantly stolen from X-Men (Anna Paquin's in the first film is basically the same scene, just swap a kiss out for sex). And Freakshow copy-and-pasted Stanley's freakification from Freaks (and no, being self-aware does not make ripping another horror movie off okay) Last I checked, Asylum didn't cut and paste any scenes or plotlines, so I have to give that the win.

[Tylerbv]

Originally posted by X/O/X/O

Thank you for saying this

Even the Emma shade. I know she was awful in FS, but that entire season was awful, so whatever.

I had to do the Emma shade, I'm sorry She really is better at bitchy roles. I'm just mad that he seems to be focusing more on the actors than the actual story now. An American Idol hiring Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey tea.

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

Originally posted by Phenex

Freak Show was an amazing season in its own right. Just because the arc didn't turn out the way you wanted it, or characters didn't die the way you predicted doesn't mean it was a horrid season. It's easily the best in creating it own's world and tone (along with Coven), and the writing for characters was some of the best I've seen.



It also created some of the best characters of the entire series, Twisty, Bette and Dot, Elsa, Mordrake, Ma Petite....

I did not make any predictions. I did not expect anything. I was hoping for a good season, but I did not make up specific things I wanted to happen cuz I knew they weren't likely to happen. The season had far too little plot stretched over to many episodes, and when it came to wrapping things up, it sort of did it-- but it did it very lazily, as opposed to coven which kinda dropped a bridge on everyone.I honestly disagree about the writing; I felt it was very poor in several parts, and only average in others; standouts in writing are Edward Mordrake Parts 1 & 2, Bullseye (even though the episode was kinda a nonevent) and Tupperware Party Massacre. Honorable mentions to Orphans & Blood Bath.

[Dragana]

I'm not saying the good sis was perfect by any means, but I love it for what it was. Sure it was slower towards the middle and focused more on dialogue between characters for a good amount, but It was still a damn good season.



Coven > Asylum > Freak Show > Murder House

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

Originally posted by Repo

There's a difference between an arc not turning out how I want and there not even being an arc in the first place. Freak Show had no main plot. It had a few sideplots (Elsa's fame stuff, the con artist stuff, Dandy), but nothing that was given enough focus or strength to drive a season that was just milling about with no focus. The OTHER issue is that Freak Show's finale was incomprehensible and left me with more questions than it did answers. What happened to Stanley, who was still alive in the penultimate episode? Why did the police NOT investigate Dandy's death or the Freak Show massacre, both of which would have been too huge to ignore? What happened to the cop Dandy allied with? How can Bette/Dot and Jimmy live normal lives when they're not only wanted for murder, but have VERY recognizable traits? There's not a lot of two-headed women milling about. Why was Elsa sent to Freak Heaven by Mordrake despite him always taking people to hell? Why was Dell NOT sent to freak heaven despite trying to redeem himself unlike that narcissistic bitch Elsa? The finale made zero sense, and destroyed an already bad, BORING (I had zero investment in the plots and zoned out most of each episode) season.

The issue with character deaths was they became too much, too random, and too unfocused. They killed people off just to start racking up the body count rather than to actually advance the plot. Not even close to the biggest problem of that season though.

How can you say Freak Show gave us the best characters the show has seen when you miss Dandy, who is by FAR the best of the season and one of the handful of great ones? Aside from him, Chester was good, Gloria was good, Twisty was good, Marjorie was okay. That is where the list ends. Ma Petite is one of the most overrated characters in AHS history, often making her way into lists of actually amazing characters for being cute and nothing else, she is completely underdeveloped and has almost nothing to her. Elsa is Jessica Lange playing the exact same role for the fourth time in a row, and an incredibly annoying take at that (I swear, she had the exact same "I wish I was famous" monologue every single episode) Mordrake was completely boring and lifeless, not helped by Bentley's performance. Dot was an idiot with zero consistent characteriation (first she wants to kill Bette, then she cares about her, then she wants to kill her again. Also, if she wants Dandy to pay for her surgery, WHY is she constantly pissing him off? She made Bette look smart) while Bette's ditziness wasa annoying, her psychopathic tendenices were brought up for ONE EPISODE and then dropped out of nowhere (destroying any kind of character consistency), and, like most the cast, was incredibly shallow and uninteresting.

Trash season, minus a small handful of characters. Thank GOD for Dandy

I agree with everything here, except for the fact that you say Chester was a good character. He's one of the worst things to ever happen to the show as a series. Also, TheGreatestThing pointed out the differences among Jessica's character, but it is annoying to have her be the HBIC that smokes and smacks everyone 4 times in a row. She's a fantastic actress, but Ryan needs to do more for her, and he isn't, so I guess it's good that she's OUT.

Also, Ma Petite was adorable. She was cute, like a puppy, but that doesn't mean she was some fantastic character. She was more of a joke than anything, so you're right about her being overrated.

GLORIA was absolutely fantastic. I wanted so much more, but poor Franny got snubbed and reduced to EIGHT EPISODES. An outrage. I realize she had other acting commitments, but I'm still LIVID.

Everything else is on point.

Originally posted by Tylerbv

I had to do the Emma shade, I'm sorry She really is better at bitchy roles. I'm just mad that he seems to be focusing more on the actors than the actual story now. An American Idol hiring Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey tea.

This is very, very true. All of it.

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

Asylum ≥ Coven >> Murder House >>> Freak Show

[Dragana]

Chester was the worst part of Freak Show. Queen Jamie slayed and helped distract me from it, but it was just pointless. I mean Papa Legba came in the last few eps of Coven, but at least he was a central part of the final arc and had a big impact on Marie, Fiona and Queenie.



I pray NPH stays far away from next season.

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

GLAD the general consensus is that Chester was trash and NPH was a horrendous actor in Freak Show, too. I mean, all of episode 11 was focusing on him. He appeared in every act (I think? I'll have to rewatch). He had a whole backstory & plot put in just ONE episode, but all the only relevant thing he did was saw a bitch in half, which was unnecessary to begin with but I won't go on about that again.

[Dragana]

I also forsee Jon Hamm joining the cast for Hotel. Mad Men is on its last season and I can see Ryan casting him.

[Repo]

Originally posted by X/O/X/O

I agree with everything here, except for the fact that you say Chester was a good character. He's one of the worst things to ever happen to the show as a series. Also, TheGreatestThing pointed out the differences among Jessica's character, but it is annoying to have her be the HBIC that smokes and smacks everyone 4 times in a row. She's a fantastic actress, but Ryan needs to do more for her, and he isn't, so I guess it's good that she's OUT.

Also, Ma Petite was adorable. She was cute, like a puppy, but that doesn't mean she was some fantastic character. She was more of a joke than anything, so you're right about her being overrated.

GLORIA was absolutely fantastic. I wanted so much more, but poor Franny got snubbed and reduced to EIGHT EPISODES. An outrage. I realize she had other acting commitments, but I'm still LIVID.

Everything else is on point.

I really liked Chester, personally. Bonus points for randomly sawing Emma Roberts in half out of nowhere which was HILARIOUS, especially since I can't stand Emma as a person or an actress (minus Madison) I won't deny that he didn't move things forward, but the plot was already snail-paced and Neil Patrick Harris is almost always interesting, so

There are differences between Jessica's characters, but they're the same type, and Elsa honestly just felt like all three of the previous ones wrapped into one with "I WANNA BE FAMOUS!!!!!" thrown in and hit over my head. I also forgot to drag Kathy Bates, between her AWFUL accent and boring "I'm sick and dying' soap-opera disease which went nowhere, well, no words. I do love both as actresses, but they can only do so much with a bad role.

Ma Petite was cute, but, as you said, cute doesn't make one a fantastic character.

She wasn't even in eight episodes, there were episodes in there she was missing from and for others she only had one scene. SO snubbed. I did love Gloria, tho. Second fav. behind Dandy.

Thank you so much for the compliments, tho.

Originally posted by X/O/X/O

Asylum ≥ Coven >> Murder House >>> Freak Show

EXACT same ranking, though I'd have a few more >>>s between Asylum and Coven. Preach to them

[Dragana]

Originally posted by X/O/X/O

GLAD the general consensus is that Chester was trash and NPH was a horrendous actor in Freak Show, too. I mean, all of episode 11 was focusing on him. He appeared in every act (I think? I'll have to rewatch). He had a whole backstory & plot put in just ONE episode, but all the only relevant thing he did was saw a bitch in half, which was unnecessary to begin with but I won't go on about that again.

I had high hopes for Magical Thinking, but it ended up being mostly trash. Apart from Eve going all badass and breaking Jimmy out of the Prison transport and Elsa killing Del, it was a mess.

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

Originally posted by Repo

I really liked Chester, personally. Bonus points for randomly sawing Emma Roberts in half out of nowhere which was HILARIOUS, especially since I can't stand Emma as a person or an actress (minus Madison)

There are differences between Jessica's characters, but they're the same type, and Elsa honestly just felt like all three of the previous ones wrapped into one with "I WANNA BE FAMOUS!!!!!" thrown in and hit over my head. I also forgot to drag Kathy Bates, between her AWFUL accent and boring "I'm sick and dying' soap-opera disease which went nowhere, well, no words. I do love both as actresses, but they can only do so much with a bad role.

Ma Petite was cute, but, as you said, cute doesn't make one a fantastic character.

She wasn't even in eight episodes, there were episodes in there she was missing from and for others she only had one scene. SO snubbed. I did love Gloria, tho. Second fav. behind Dandy.

Thank you so much for the compliments, tho.



EXACT same ranking, though I'd have a few more >>>s between Asylum and Coven. Preach to them

I mean, I like Emma. I know she's not the best actress (far from it), but I enjoy her and her acting, especially in a role like Madison. And as I said before, when working with some of the better actresses, she does amazingly well.

Complete agree on Jessica, & Kathy, even though I still like them both.

And then poor Gloria. She was so amazing. I really started to like her because she felt like the most human character on the show, given her vulnerability towards Dandy, her slight delusion to the world, but then it all coming down into genuine concern for her son and her role with him around episode 8. I was so disappointed when she died, both because she's one of the few characters I've actually felt more sympathetic than I thought capable for (so, yes, because she was essentially my favorite), and because I felt like she could've done more for the plot. She could've gone so much further, and it would've been epic if she were to have caused Dandy's end rather than Desiree/Jimmy/the twins or something.

I'd have Asylum & Coven be equal to each other if Coven wrapped things up a little more easily. It felt a lil messy, and not so satisfying. It wasn't disappointment at my favorite characters dying (All 4 of them in one episode ), but it just felt wrong in so many ways and it's hard to explain.

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

Originally posted by Phenex

I had high hopes for Magical Thinking, but it ended up being mostly trash. Apart from Eve going all badass and breaking Jimmy out of the Prison transport and Elsa killing Del, it was a mess.

Pretty much. That whole sequence with Eve & Del breaking Jimmy out was so unlike anything we've seen on AHS before, and I loved it, but the rest of the episode was TRASH.

And you better RESPOND to what Repo said, cuz he GATHERED up the important plot holes in his first paragraph.

[KylieistBoi]

Originally posted by Phenex

I also forsee Jon Hamm joining the cast for Hotel. Mad Men is on its last season and I can see Ryan casting him.

That would be amazing. Knowing Ryan we'd see him naked and he would finally get an Emmy after several snubs in different categories. A win-win situation.

[Moonchild]

Chester is an abomination and the worst thing to happen to the show in the entire series. Marjorie (as a human) only feels like she's there to give Jamie a role in a season where she otherwise wouldn't have one. A Kyle Spencer tea.

And bye @ the Elsa shade when Elsa is the best of Jessica's characters. Her complex emotions toward the freaks, aspirations of and experience with fame and her general fascinating characterization made Elsa one of the most captivating parts of Freak Show.

Elsa Mars > Sister Jude Martin = Fiona Goode > Constance Langdon >>>>> 90% of AHS characters

[Repo]

Originally posted by X/O/X/O

I mean, I like Emma. I know she's not the best actress (far from it), but I enjoy her and her acting, especially in a role like Madison. And as I said before, when working with some of the better actresses, she does amazingly well.

Complete agree on Jessica, & Kathy, even though I still like them both.

And then poor Gloria. She was so amazing. I really started to like her because she felt like the most human character on the show, given her vulnerability towards Dandy, her slight delusion to the world, but then it all coming down into genuine concern for her son and her role with him around episode 8. I was so disappointed when she died, both because she's one of the few characters I've actually felt more sympathetic than I thought capable for (so, yes, because she was essentially my favorite), and because I felt like she could've done more for the plot. She could've gone so much further, and it would've been epic if she were to have caused Dandy's end rather than Desiree/Jimmy/the twins or something.

I'd have Asylum & Coven be equal to each other if Coven wrapped things up a little more easily. It felt a lil messy, and not so satisfying. It wasn't disappointment at my favorite characters dying (All 4 of them in one episode ), but it just felt wrong in so many ways and it's hard to explain.

Madison is really the only Emma role I liked. Her acting in Freak Show and Scream 4 had me feeling like Truly awful

I love them, just not Elsa/Ethel. I mean, Sister Jude is my fav. of the series and Fiona/Delphine are in my top 5 of Coven.

I felt kinda bad for Gloria as things fell apart, but she was a pretty bad person (she clearly allowed Dandy's psychopathic urges to continue to grow) I mainly liked her for being INSANELY hilarious. "Clown, do you do children's parties?" Thought Dandy was even funnier, thus he's my #1 of the season (and probably my 2nd fav. of the entire series, with Tate in 3rd and Saint Mary Eunice 4th)

Coven from episode 7-8 or so on was a trainwreck. A fun, enjoyable trainwreck with interesting characters, but a trainwreck none the less. Plotholes were everywhere, any attempt at consistent plot/in-universe rules/characterization/etc. went out the window for shock value, etc. And then yeah, the finale survivors were bothersome. Cordelia was both obvious and boring, and the less said about Kyle/Zoe/Queenie the better. My bottom 4 were the only survivors while my top 6 characters of the season were WIPED OUT across 2 episodes, often in completely stupid ways (Madison's death being the WORST offender)

Even with a superior finale, I'd still probably give Asylum the edge, though, for having a superior ensemble (every major character was, AT WORST, somewhat interesting or likeable), more originality (not robbing an intro from X-Men, for example), better handling of death (not having 10,000 resurrections), the best scene of the series (Name Game) and the like. But finale REALLY seals it

[C/H/A/N/E/L]

fbj;

I BEEN saying that Marjorie only existed to give Jamie a role

And Elsa kinda messy to me. I have very mixed feelings on her; part of me says the only reason we're so focused on her is because we just went through the season, and so all those pain-staking weeks of waiting and seeing what was happening with her is still fresh with us, just like everyone said Fiona was arguably the most complex & interesting character on the show.

[Dragana]

Fiona > Constance > Elsa > Jude



Fiona, Constance and Elsa are pretty equal though, Jude is my least fave but I still love her.

[Repo]

Originally posted by TheGreatestThing

And bye @ the Elsa shade when Elsa is the best of Jessica's characters. Her complex emotions toward the freaks, aspirations of and experience with fame and her general fascinating characterization made Elsa one of the most captivating parts of Freak Show.

Elsa Mars > Sister Jude Martin = Fiona Goode > Constance Langdon >>>>> 90% of AHS characters

Those "complex" emotions make zero sense. We have Elsa talking about how much she loves them, but she WILLINGLY works with Stanley, who she KNOWS is murdering freaks, and helps him plot their demise (then is suddenly horrified when she learns he's murdering them later on.... even though she already knew this) She talks about how much she loves Pepper, but she leaves Pepper with a sister who clearly loathes her and did not even try to hide the fact she would mistreat Pepper. She says they're her family, but Elsa constantly tries to abandon them at every single turn for fame (which she will not SHUT UP about) By far the worst character AHS has ever seen.

Sister Jude >>>>>>> Fiona >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Constance (good, but not spectacular) > Every other AHS Character > Elsa

[Gee]

Lana Winters is the only good character from Asylum but the best character of the entire series.

Sarah ha power.