There's no denying that this year's American Horror Story has seen a return to form, after the third and fourth seasons failed to light a fuse in many of the people watching at home. In part, this has to have something to do with leading lady, The Countess, portrayed in the show by Lady Gaga after Jessica Lange revealed she wouldn't be back for this fifth outing.
Lady Gaga as The Countess / Credit: FOX
Inspired by real-life Countess Elizabeth Bathory, Horror Story's Countess has an insatiable appetite not only for blood, but for sex and passion from those around her. She's a warped enigmatic character, but one you'll instantly fall in love with because of her slick charm and iridescence.
Behind the glamour and eerie personality, there's a woman there with many layers - something you'd expect from someone who's walking the earth for a number of centuries. Though she's incredibly strong-minded she's weak when it comes to the man she loved and the child she's given birth to, harbouring a grudge against anyone who denied her and her love be together, including her murderous husband James March (played impeccably by Evan Peters), and protective at all costs of her offspring.
Gaga's presence on-screen demands immediate attention. As viewers, our focus goes undisturbed whenever she commands a scene, and she brings an art and beauty to the murder and chaos that goes on around her. Production's love for the horror genre can be seen through the cinematography, audio and the like used, and all that is funnelled perfectly through Gaga.
An air of intimidation runs through Gaga's performance. I know that I wouldn't want to be stuck in an alley with The Countess, and getting on her bad side is pretty much inviting a swift end to your life. Because of that horror she encompasses, there's also a thrill - she's the forbidden fruit, so to speak. You'd want to be her best friend but it'd be a dangerous game to play.
Jaw-dropping with unrivalled star power and the only woman we think could fill the huge void left by Jessica Lange, Lady Gaga is one of the best things about this season of AHS, if not one of the best things to come from the franchise throughout its entire run.
Whether or not she'll be back for season six is yet to be seen, but creator Ryan Murphy would love to have her back onboard.
What did you think of Lady Gaga's performance in American Horror Story: Hotel? Let us know in the comments below.
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