Checking in to AHS Hotel.

Checking in to AHS Hotel.

PLOT - At the Hotel Cortez, all isn't what it seems. After a police detective checks in while struggling with a violent series of murders based off the Ten Commandments, as well as trying to cope with picking up the pieces of his family after his young son went missing several years ago, he instantly knows something isn't right about where he's staying. 

LOWDOWN -  I have been on the AHS bandwagon for years now. In fact I've been watching since the very beginning with Murder House. I've been a fan of Ryan Murphy (huge fan of Nip Tuck even the show stopped giving a single fuck and went bat shit crazy.) So the very idea that there would be a TV show which would be horror themed and every season would tell a new story with new characters. This is a trick many shows have been adopting and personally I feel can be brilliant if done the right way. For AHS it works perfectly. 

We've had the Murder House, the asylum, a coven, a freak show, and for last year's season a hotel. I have re-watched these seasons over and over again and each season has it's strong, and weak moments. With some returning cast regulars, connections between all the seasons, over the top scenes of violence, sex, murder, and beyond strange moments it honestly feels as if sometimes the writers dropped acid for took a giant bong rip before writing these ideas down. I have enjoyed each season even though I still feel Coven was the weakest (Gasp, I know) and Asylum despite how crazy it was was it's strongest. After Freak Show and Jessica Lang announcing this would be her last season many hard core fans wondered where would the future of this show go if the lead actress who has stolen the show in every single season she's been in go? 

It was soon announced was Lady Gaga (the crazy, Madonna was our time would be taking over the title role for the new season. This came with mixed reactions, but finally once it aired, for the most part fans from all over rejoiced and knew the show was being put in good hands. I know this show, as are all the seasons aren't for everyone but after Freak Show it felt as if the truly scary feeling of the show wasn't there anymore. Twisty the clown, which grabbed everyone's attention didn't stay long and brushed away in the very mere beginning of the 4th season. I love Freak Show and found myself the most emotionaly invested in this story (that ending broke my heart) but it no longer felt like this crazy sleek sexy show. Dare I say it felt a little too safe? Well starting from scratch, it seemed as if Ryan Murphy went back to the show's roots with the first season to make this about a location where hauntings took place. If you die inside the hotel, you aren't allowed to leave. The first episode started off with a bang right away with beyond crazy and very sexual. It felt as if the show was going into ten million directions, but instantly caught my attention.  With several storylines happening, my favorite was of Lady Gaga (who really knocked it out of the park. I'm not a fan of the woman's music but loved her in this) where it took many pages out of The Hunger and spun a new twist on vampires. The countess was my favorite character, and I loved the more and more they dug into her tragic past. 

The men were gorgeous, and violence over the top and bloody, and the entire cast knocked it out of the park. I feel Evan Petters truly played his best part yet as James March. In fact I couldn't believe how creepy he played it and how great the other characters were stealing the show. The episodes were packed with memorable unsettling moments (Love the scene of The countess and Donovan going out for the hunt, or showing how the countless and Romona drifted apart over the years, Liz Taylor finally making peace with what she wanted, or the special bond Alex felt for her son.) I loved every single moment of this season, and how creepy it felt. The connections to Murder House, what happens to Queenie (thank God) or the 1920's flashbacks, all of it was wonderful and I didn't want it to end.

My only problems were the final episode felt a little flat as did Wes Bentley's entire storyline (zzz) besides that I really loved all of it, and felt like I was watching living breathing art on the screen. It was meant to be dirty, bloody, and flashy and I loved every single moment. The shoot out at the end had me dying, as did Devil's Night. Somebody hand these actors an Emmy! 

So if you need a new show to binge watch go check out Hotel, the 5th season of AHS on Netflix. I'm sad to say I've been trying to get into the 6th season and it's been a real chore. I truly hope things pick up soon. Still, after Hotel that's a tough act to follow!

4 1/2 stars!