Genre: Sci-Fi | Horror | Thriller

Air Date/Time: October 5th at 10/9c

Network: FX Network

Creators: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk

Director: Ryan Murphy

Writer: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk

American Horror Story revolves around The Harmons, a family of three who moved from Boston to Los Angeles as a means to reconcile past anguish. The all-star cast features Dylan McDermott (Dark Blue, The Practice) as Ben Harmon, a psychiatrist; Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) as Vivien Harmon, Ben’s wife; newcomer Taissa Farmiga as Violet, the Harmons’ teenage daughter; Jessica Lange (Grey Gardens, Big Fish) in her first-ever regular series TV role as Constance, the Harmons’ neighbor; Evan Peters (Kick-Ass, Invasion) plays Tate Langdon, one of Ben’s patients; and Denis O’Hare (J. Edgar, True Blood) as Larry Harvey. Guest stars for the series include Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under, Happy Town) as the Harmons’ housekeeper; Alexandra Breckenridge (True Blood, Ticket Out) as the Harmons’ housekeeper; and newcomer Jamie Brewer as Constance’s daughter.

Wow. Where to begin? I’d heard recently that there are few things creepier than a creepy child. The American Horror Story pilot begins with that, and then gets creepier. Far creepier. And horrific. It has been described as a psychosexual thriller. YES, that too. It’s Not Safe For Work due to the sexual content, the horrifying visuals, and the fact that it would be unseemly for you to be afraid to leave your desk for the rest of the day, huddled in your cubicle with a disturbed look on your face.

This show is an exposition on fear, but not because things are jumping out at you from every dark corner. Okay, there’s a little bit of jumping, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a psychological thriller, which is for me the scariest kind of micro-genre because it messes with my mind, not just my survival instincts. Whether or not this is the scariest show ever on tv, as it has been described, depends on what scares you. Which fits in nicely, given that “what are you afraid of?” is a primary theme of the series.

What I look for first in a show is the quality of the writing, and the American Horror Story script is my favorite kind: dark, dense, and mysterious. But here it’s not only the writing that is superb; it’s the acting, the directing, the editing, the sets, the soundtrack. It’s the mood. All of it comes together in an excellent creepy package.

And So. Many. Mysteries. Or, is it just one mystery? I’m not going to try to work it out; I’m along for the ride. I want to see what these writers will do with this very David Lynchian setup.

Now to the non-spoilery specifics. The title sequence reminds me of True Blood. You know. Disturbing. It suits the show perfectly. And OMG the music throughout the episode. Simple, child-like songs, tunes, voices, and whistling – again, it’s the Kids Are Creepy theorem that is applied so brilliantly. And the rest of the soundtrack, the simple, foreboding string crescendos and lone piano notes, set and enhance the mood exquisitely. The house, where nearly the entire episode is set and which serves as a castmember, is gorgeous, the perfect combination of beauty and, of course, creepiness.

The cast’s and director’s handling of the it-would-be-so-easy-to-overact script is pitch-perfect. Not surprisingly, Jessica Lange is breathtaking. She IS Constance. As for the storyline, after one episode I am already fully invested and ABSOLUTELY MUST see what’s coming next.

Obviously this is a 100% recommended watch. I hope that the series lives up to the standards of this pilot, but even if it doesn’t, this pilot was a helluva creepy, freaky, kinky ride.

I give American Horror Story, Episode 1 “Pilot” Five out of Five Stars.