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‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ episode one review

Sarah Noone
Connector Contributor

“American Horror Story (AHS)” is known for its constantly changing plots and iconic characters, but will the show be able to survive a fifth season without series regular Jessica Lange? With the addition of newcomer Lady Gaga, it may be possible, especially after a disappointing fourth season. Sorry “Freak Show,” but you just did not meet expectations.

The series began its latest season Oct. 7, just weeks before Halloween which seemed perfectly fitting. After “AHS: Freakshow” was televised last year, fans were holding onto hope that this new season would bring the series back on track, even though Jessica Lange, who fans grew to love, decided not to appear for the show’s fifth season. Just like previous seasons, “AHS: Hotel” takes on a completely different route such as new characters, a new setting, and even new actors such as Matt Bomer and Lady Gaga.   

The season premiere of “AHS: Hotel” certainly was an eye opener as viewers got a taste of the murderous Hotel Cortez, which is run by unfriendly Iris (Kathy Bates) and includes guests such as drug addict Hypodermic Sally (Sarah Paulson), the Countess (Gaga) and Donovan (Bomer), the lover of the Countess who both live in the penthouse of the hotel.

The episode opens up in typical AHS fashion, somewhat comedic and not exactly scary – at least for the first few minutes. We meet two Swedish tourists who decided to stay at the hotel but get rudely awakened by a demonic, slimy creature living in their mattress. Ah, there is the freaky horror the series is known for.

The scene eventually cuts to black and we get the iconic opening credits before meeting Wes Bentley’s character Detective John Lowe, who of course, wants to investigate the happenings of the Hotel Cortez. Everything seems to be running along smoothly as we get a glimpse into Lowe’s personal life, discovering that his young son went missing at a carnival not long before he began investigating the hotel.

Back at the Cortez, we finally get to the one and only Gaga, who with the help of her flamboyant lover Donovan, seduces an unsuspecting couple into their suite and precedes to engage them in sex, and lots of it. Viewers may have been expecting this due to the nature of Gaga’s alluring character, but what was not expected was the gushing of blood from the innocent couple’s throats as Gaga and company slice them open and drink their blood. It makes me wonder how many innocent 13-year olds accidentally watched this with their parents. Oops? Director Ryan Murphy clearly has no limits set for this new season, maybe due to the shock factor the previous two seasons unfortunately lacked. Seriously, “Freakshow,” scary clowns living in the woods is not that original.

The show progresses and multiple plot lines began as we meet new characters and see more flashbacks into the past lives’ of the hotel’s guests. So many things are unclear, even up until the end of the episode. Who exactly is the Countess? Why are they even torturing people in this hotel? How is this season going to connect with the others? Murphy has hinted many times that “Hotel” will indeed link to past seasons, but in what ways? Although the season premiere has been more gruesome and certainly more confusing than others, the idea of the seasons all coming together to create one timeline is exciting.

The episode ends with a classic montage, and what better way to introduce a montage than to play the most fitting song possible. The opening of “Hotel California” plays as we see John Lowe leaving his wife who cannot look at him the same anymore after their son’s disappearance and daughter to check into the one and only Hotel Cortez. The last words of the episode being the lyrics:

“You can check out any time you’d like, but you can never leave.”

Even after watching this montage multiple times, I cannot tell if this choice in song was perfect for the show, or just cheesy. Either way the season premiere gives me hope that this will be one of the show’s best seasons yet. Gaga does a terrific job as the Countess and Bentley’s character brings a sense of normality to the show, which might be needed after such a bloody episode.

Even with this in mind, the confusing plot lines and gruesome nature of the episode could turn people off from the rest of the show. Either you love all the sex and gore, or you hate it. Just make sure you watch it without unsuspecting adults in the room; it really is that intense of a season premiere. Even so, “AHS: Hotel” is looking to be an exciting and gory fifth season.

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