Grotesquerie

This psychological thriller assembles a stellar cast to tell a story that sometimes feels uncertain about its direction. At times, the show evokes Silence of the Lambs, with Niecy Nash delivering an impressive performance as a flawed investigator who excels at her job yet is haunted by her own demons. The show's artistic scenes, the hyper-sexualized Catholic priest, and the surreal, exaggerated events create the sense of watching a fever dream.

As the episodes progress, the main protagonist often appears to drift through life in ways that feel unexplained. In the last quarter of the season, this approach finally begins to make sense-but then the plot takes yet another convoluted turn that may leave the audience perplexed. Despite the stellar cast, top-notch acting, and several iconic scenes, it often feels like the story itself was secondary to these other elements.

Ryan Murphy usually starts out strong with an intriguing story angle and then something gets lost in the sauce. Niecey Nash would not have been my first choice for the lead detective and yet somehow it worked for me for awhile. It's understandable with everything she's dealing with that she'd spiral with the storyline, but it's unrealistic that she'd be allowed to continue working in her state. When "the incident" occurs the editing makes me believe she's dreaming because the dialogue and scenery when she meets the orderly looks like a dream sequence. When I see he is in fact real is what truly made the story spiral for me. The long drawn out scenes visiting her husband are not necessary. The head nurse makes those scenes very uncomfortable. Episodes 1-2 good, 3-4 okay, and 5-6 terrible. Theory they seem to be trying push at us is that the priest is the serial killer. The doctor met at the fire pit is my choice and I'd like the show to be wrapped up now. Not sure why they needed 10 episodes for this mostly filler show. Sadly the crime scenes are the most interesting part of this show and reminds me of what our human nature can succumb to : overindulgence and cruelty.

I was riveted for 9 episodes. Great acting and really interesting story. Episode 10 was a pile of garbage. Convoluted, overdone and absolutely no answers. What an unbelievable disappointment. Max Winkler had great instincts in his direction. Every episode was a cliffhanger and I couldn't wait to see the next chapter. That last episode was so unwatchable it didn't seem like it was part of the original story. The lighting was off, every scene was so dark it was difficult to watch. The only way this would make sense would be to renew the story and give us some answers. Sadly, I no longer care and won't be watching.

Ryan Murphy once was good at providing variety tales,but now feel pieces he thinks need telling his way is art versus fetish.

The lead was an unstable detective unsure how she kept her job,seemed she couldn't find her way out of a paper bag.

Who honestly would discuss a new case with a stranger claiming to be a nun,without actual credentials.. I get some nuns are less conservative,but how she acted was insane.

The priest just didn't fit his part seems Murphy was trying,to get a look-alike of Evan Peters & it failed.

Redd was an odd character that seemed too personal with the husband under her care,feel there is more to the story only time will tell.

The only thing that was grotesque was the daughter in the first episode dressed in something purposely tight & eating food enough for two people.. Who cares that she is pretty or anything,let's make weight her character focus because apparently that's how large people are perceived.

I know this is a two episode review but,feels like another season of AHS titled something else.

The series is full of clichés & plotholes,maybe stereotypes but nothing really original.

Cinematography was ok,but nothing stellar either.

Check this out & decide yourself,review edits might come as the series concludes.

Edited update- Just like in AHS: NYC all of a sudden in the last few episodes Ryan Murphy flips a switch on the storyline cohesiveness,he probably calls it artistic or twist but it shouldn't leave the viewer feeling a variety of emotions to the series from disconnected/confused & so forth.

This series was torture and I finally gave up watching it at the end. By the episode 10, I really just had enough of the steam of conscious , dark, depressing mess. I do like Neisy and Courtney as actors even if their performances were fairly one dimensional "Felliniesque" portrayals.

It just did not offer me enough to make me care about any of these characters, so much so that I had to bail because I could tell that Ryan Murphey probably would not resolve it and I would leave angry and unsatisfied . And the cinematography was so dark, much of the time I felt I was watching a black screen. Don't bother!