NOTE: Mild spoilers
Hotel Cortez. A building with a stunning interior which houses an array of strange and wonderful characters, all of whom seem to have their own personal agendas. Viewers are first introduced to a Swedish duo of girls checking into Cortez for the first time, and from the moment they step foot through the front door it's apparent they won't be spending too much time enjoying their trip to the United States. (NEON-LIT CAGES, PEOPLE!)
Kathy Bates masterfully steps into the role of Iris, an employee of Hotel Cortez who mans the front desk and gives new guests a not-so-warm welcome. Her cold persona embodies exactly what the rest of the season should be about. She'll stand for no nonsense and isn't afraid to get right to the root of any problems, demanding respect through her authoritative position but putting on a cheery and 'helpful' front when the time calls for it. It's probably the closest role she's had to the one which earned her global praise in Stephen King's Misery, as Annie Wilkes.
And though there's a whole lot of weird occurrences going on in the Hotel, it's not the only place where criminal activity is rife. Wes Bentley here portrays LAPD Detective John Lowe, a man who's investigating a series of murders perpetrated by a killer who arranges victims according to the Ten Commandments, thus picking up the title of the Ten Commandments Killer (and also explaining why the biblical dictates are prominent in the opening titles). It's a great chance for Bentley to really stick his teeth into the show, and a definite step-up from his time in Freak Show as the eerie Edward Mordrake. Chloë Sevigny is his wife and the matriarch of a family torn apart by grief, interconnected to the goings on at the Hotel Cortez. She's hopefully a woman we'll get to know a lot more about as the weeks pass by.
New to the series, Max Greenfield is a Cortez customer and junkie, rock and roll in his appearance and a man who immediately catches the eye of Hypodermic Sally - an exciting and divergent role for Sarah Paulson to get her hands on. Unfortunately for Greenfield's character Gabriel, being the object of affection in Sally's world isn't a place most men (or women) would want to be.
Fans of the franchise will be pleased to see the wonderful Denis O'Hare back on-board as Liz Taylor, a campy Elizabeth Taylor-obsessed employee who glides down the hallways of Cortez, flowing cape in tow. We don't find out much about Liz in this first episode, but it will be nice to see her prominence grow in upcoming offerings as the history of the show's main characters continues to be explored.
Almost 30 minutes in, we're introduced to power couple Countess Elizabeth and her lover Donovan (also Iris' son). They're a gorgeous 'it' couple, played by the one and only Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer respectively. Surely the pop megastar is going to be one of the huge pulls in audiences flocking to this season, and she doesn't disappoint from her opening minute. The mystery surrounding her character is only elevated as she dons a variety of cowls and veils. Eventually unmasking herself, she's a dominant woman who knows exactly how to get what she wants, highly sexually charged and soon enjoying a foursome in bed with a couple picked up at the local sit-in movie theatre. But the hotel owner and her man aren't looking just for sex, as the forlorn couple they bring home swiftly find out.
Cheyenne Jackson joins the Hotel cast as New York fashion designer Will Drake, checking into Cortez with son Lachlan in the hopes of finding some new inspiration whilst making a bid for power. Immediately leaving employees Iris and Liz disgruntled, Donovan's also shaken by the arrival of a potential buyer for the building, but Countess Elizabeth looks to have a plan in store.
So, am I impressed with the AHS return? Immensely. The horror factor has been ramped up, Gaga is masterful in her first major role and the entire cast have a purpose and clear passion for the show. Playing on the fear most people would and perhaps should have when checking into a hotel, it's both frightening and exhilarating to know that something new lurks around every corner.
AHS seasons always start incredibly strong, but have in the past sometimes fallen flat for some viewers somewhere near the middle, so it will be interesting to see just how Ryan Murphy and co deal with things this time round. There are a lot of places and different ways this thing could go, some great and some not so good. Hopefully, we'll see the former come to light, and the best season of American Horror Story to-date.
Best line of the episode: "Your boy has a jawline for DAYS."
American Horror Story: Hotel continues Wednesdays, 10pm on FX in the US, and is coming to the UK on Tuesday October 20, 10pm on FOX UK.
Tagged in American Horror Story