Nightmare in Nostalgia, AHS: 1984

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Two nights ago, we finally kicked off the witching season with the premiere of American Horror Story: 1984. Ever since the 80s slasher theme was announced, I’ve been crossing my fingers that this wouldn’t be another season of AHS that I would start and never finish. Ryan Murphy has a way of pulling me in with a bright shiny toy and then when I finally get to play with it, the batteries go dead.

I’ve watched every AHS season since the beginning, and have to say that Murder House is still my favorite. It might be the fact that the concept of the spooky series was still fresh and exciting, and haunted houses are 100% my shit. But every year, no matter what the theme may be, I lose all interest by the third episode. Then, when my friends are talking about that crazy Lady Gaga scene or how one plot twisted whichever way, I would have to say “I stopped watching.” Every single time.

The intro for 1984 starts off with a bloody promise though, as we see some campers slashed right off the bat. We then meet our cast of characters mid aerobics in all their skin-tight spandex glory, and quickly find out that fan favorites and AHS alum Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, and Lily Rabe won’t be throwing it back to 1984 with us this year. Lange and Bates aside, I would argue that those three unequivocally have the most impressive acting chops of the ensemble. With their absence, I already feel anxious for next year’s announcement.

As the episode rolls through, we get introduced to the Nightstalker, who is based off the very real serial killer of 1984, and that gets the plot moving. He breaks in to our main character’s house to assault and rob her. She fights him off, but he escapes and is still on the run. Our cast of characters decide it’s time to get safely out of town and they head to Camp Redwood for the summer.

While they are getting settled in at their summer jobs as camp counselors, we get introduced to ANOTHER killer, Mr. Jingles, after he breaks out of a psychiatric ward. Turns out, Mr Jingles is heading back back to Camp Redwood, where he butchered a whole cabin of teenagers in that cold open.

By this point, I’m bummed they’ve already introduced two villains before the first episode even ends. I’ve talked to a few AHS faithful and they also voiced some concerns.

Nicky Iggy asks, “How’re they going to stretch this out for 10 episodes? Episode 4 we’ll find out it’s a video game in outer space, and episode 9 it’ll all be revealed to be a fantasy novel written by talking alien elephants.”

“The General” John Mosley says “The only thing I didn’t like was the very end. The Nightstalker was very wtf, but there was a lot going on in that scene” and “wonders if they’re going to mind fuck us.”

So, all in all, the premiere of American Horror Story’s 1984 was colorful, the soundtrack was straight fire, but we are left wondering why Ryan Murphy and friends are already making the plot messy with two potential killers to start things off. After some good stewing I do have a theory, though.

What if Mr. Jingles is innocent? How do we get there? I’m sure through the wackiest way possible.

-Bonnaroo Brittany (Twitter)

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