Following on from the first episode promo and all sorts of teasers and snippets, fans have now been granted a first look at the opening credits for American Horror Story: Freak Show, and they're the creepiest to come from the franchise yet.
At first you're shown the series title with a carnival tent backdrop followed by the entrance to the circus - simple enough and not nearly as awful as some of what you're about to see.
As horses on a carousel spin round there's an eerie feeling immediately present coupled with the usual haunting backing track, and things are ramped up a notch when we see the scariest mini clown peeking round a wagon.
If you're no fan of clowns, this series isn't going to be one for you. The clowns here don't look friendly and pop balloons just as quickly as making them. Sarah Paulson is the first cast member to be introduced, with her name appearing alongside what looks like the skeleton of a centaur-esque creature on a bicycle.
A cackling miniature skeleton with turned in legs comes next before Evan Peters' name arrives whilst a stunted man with little legs, one small arm, horns and a tail limps toward the camera, resembling the shape and form of a rhino.
Another clown face appears - spinning around - before a waxy-looking woman with gigantic legs and feet with six toes on each is shown in a wheelchair.
New castmember Michael Chiklis' name is next with a two-headed knife throwing victim being shown on a rotating board behind him, and a bloodied man with dwarfed features sits on a box besides Frances Conroy's name.
More twisted clowns - perhaps a nod to the killer clown Twisty we know will appear in the series - appear as well as a look inside one of the emptier tents, and a glimpse of a terrifying monkey and symbols with huge teeth, one eye and rotting skin. It's made clearly to resemble a doll but that doesn't make it any less unsettling.
The next clown that pops up is black and has dreadlocks, reminding me of Papa Legba from American Horror Story: Coven, before Denis O'Hare is introduced next to a man who's hammering nails into himself.
Emma Roberts and Finn Wittrock follow - Emma with a simple dancing clown but Finn displayed with a woman who's shoving knifes into her mouth. It's also worth noting that there's a poster in the background advertising Sarah Paulson's two-headed character Bette and Dot.
A naked figure is shown with a third leg growing out of their torso - something eagle-eyed fans have noted Jessica seems to have had in previous promotional clips and posters which may be a clue to her character Elsa being a hermaphrodite or transsexual - and Angela Bassett's nod is given next to a clown's head which looks to be detached from its body. Hopefully not a hint at what's to come for her role.
Another waxy-looking figure comes next in the form of a clown whose brain is exposed, before two dolls in a crib rip off their own heads and swap with one another. One already has two heads whilst the other looks to be relatively 'normal' - could this be nodding towards Bette and Dot's childhood being explored in the series?
Horror legend Kathy Bates pops up whilst a ventriloquist's dummy's chest is zipped open, and Jessica Lange's name is presented in front of a skeleton's head being opened to reveal a child with a ringleader hat inside.
The show's name is again shown this time in front of a wagon being pulled by a man on stilts, and then you're shown a two-headed woman fondling herself and kissing herself. Again, Bette and Dot are advertised on a poster in the background.
The creepy monkey ends things with a close-up as creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are given their credits, and everybody's left confused, scared and violated. It's a fantastic opening sequence.
American Horror Story: Freak Show comes to FX in America on October 8, following in the UK on FOX on October 21.
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