American Horror Story — Series 6: Roanoke — Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.

10th June, 2018

Yes: I’m not lying.

I had planned to watch a movie, tonight.

No, really.

I honestly had planned to watch a film.

But … ?



With Black Panther still only available to pre-order on iTunes and Amazon, possibly giving good old fashioned video pirates a chance to earn money?



And with nothing in the collection grabbing my attention … ?

I fancied watching something … available … and watchable.

So … I looked in my collection of TV box sets.

Yes.

I’ve got all of the currently available copies of American Horror Story.

With nothing else grabbing my attention … ?

I thought getting started on series 6, Roanoke, might just repay me.

So far … ?

~≈§≈~

Episode 1 — Chapter 1 — introduces us to Shelby Miller (Lilly Rabe) and her husband, Matt (André Holland), who are recording talking head style interviews for a paranormal documentary called My Roanoke Nightmare.   About how they move into an old colonial farmhouse, after a rough time in Los Angeles.



A documentary with dramatic re-enactments, with their screen selves played by Sarah Paulson and Cuba Gooding Jr, and Matt’s troubled sister, Lee (Adina Porter) soon joins them.   (The Nightmare version of Lee is played by Angela Bassett.)

The episode slowly shows us, and the Millers, why the house was such a steal.

~≈§≈~

Episode 2 — Chapter 2 — shows Shelby (Sarah Paulson/Lilly Rabe) finding a group performing a ritual … 

That sees a man forced into a pig mask … and burnt alive.

Meanwhile?   Matt (Cuba Gooding Jr/André Holland) is starting to worry: after seeing two nurses kill an elderly patient in his front room.   Nurses … that a police can’t find.

Lee … ?   Lee (Angela Bassett/Adina Porter).  Has troubles of her own.

She has custody of her daughter, Flora (Saniyya Sidney) for the weekend … 

And Flora … has made a friend.

~≈§≈~

Episode 3 — Chapter 3 — sees Lee in desperation … 

And, in desperation, turning to pyschic, Cricket Marlow (Leslie Jordan) … who tells Lee that the problems the family are having in the house?

Are due to the place being — partially — on the site of North Carolina’s list Roanoke colony.

And that its former leader — Thomasine ‘The Butcher’ White (Kathy Bates) — has been dead since the 1580s …

But is STILL around … and wants her land back.

~≈§≈~

So far … ?



Hell, I’m impressed … !

So far, I’ve enjoyed the five seasons I’ve seen of American Horror Story.

And, thus far?   I’ve enjoyed all of them.   But — looking back — think that they’re well made: but that the high point has been series two, Asylum.

Right now, though?



I’ve come away from these first three episodes of Roanoke feeling the writers have upped their game, cast are looking incredibly impressive, and that the format — no opening theme tune, and following a made for TV documentary style — has shaken things up.

It’s certainly made me pay attention!

I’m thinking something else, as well.   

As far as I was concerned?

In playing the conflicted Liz Taylor, in Hotel, Dennis O’Hare put in the performance of a career.

This time around?



This time around, that honour goes to someone else.

Angela Bassett.

Oh, she’s done good stuff in the series, so far.

But, going on what I’ve seen of her performance in this series of American Horror Story?

So far Roanoke’s going to be good.

And yes: I think it’s going to repay me the time …