AHS: Hotel kills season 5 premiere

4.5/5 on the AHS scale.

Lady Gaga’s speaking voice is amazing, every bit a part of her image as her avant-garde style choices. I’ve always enjoyed it, how sultry and soft it sounds as she speaks low in her New York accent. So, when I heard her chill-inducing murmur of, “And you didn’t feel like going out tonight,” while lying in a pool of blood, embraced in the arms of her lover (Matt Bomer), I knew it was going to be a good season.

“American Horror Story: Hotel” (AHS) has come just in time to usher in the Halloween season, and we’re two episodes into the fifth installment of the series. Say what you may about past seasons, but Season Five seems to be a new era in AHS, if the addition of superstar style icon Lady Gaga is anything to go off.

I’ll get to the point for some of you – it’s definitely full-on horror this season, and lots of it, so it may not be for everyone. When preparing to watch the first episode, be aware that there is a lot of depiction of drug use, sexual violence, and a huge – check – huge amount of blood. Fair warning.

The show is set in the Hotel Cortez, a garishly grand hotel in the midst of downtown Los Angeles. It’s outwardly eclectic from the get-go, featuring our favorite recurring actors as washed-out transients who call the Cortez their home. The story follows Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley) as he investigates connected murders that lead him to Room 64. However, it seems as though the show is really about the Countess (Gaga). Visually, as well as her influence in every aspect of the show, she and her impeccable style seem to be the center of the show. I won’t spoil too much, as spoilers are a capital offense these days, but I’ll tell you what I can.

The costumes are amazing. It’s clear how fabulous Lady Gaga looks, but the costumes department really knocked it out of the park this season, for each cast member. Sometimes, clothing is just a reflection of the character created, but on AHS, the costumes are an integral part in expressing who each character is and seem to be chosen with great thought, which makes me want to do back flips through the room.

I mean, you don’t even have to follow the plot to enjoy the show – there are enough pretty clothes and action-packed gore to keep your eyes occupied. And yes, all you ladies hankering for answers, Evan Peters has stuck around for Season Five. Rejoice!

I really enjoyed the start of this season. It seems to have a lot of potential. Let’s hope it doesn’t go down burning, like past seasons. I give the start of this season 4.5/5 on the AHS scale.

In the spirit of the Halloween season, check out other horror and supernatural-themed shows airing this fall: “Scream Queens,” Tuesday at 8 p.m. on FOX; “iZombie,” Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CW; “Grimm” premieres on Friday, Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

The Countess (Gaga) and three of her vampire children.

Advocate Staff