American Gothic

I didn't know what to expect but after a hurdle of a 1st episode this is hands down one of my favorites of this season.

It is like a dark version of Clue, and I am telling you the kid steals the show he is creepy as heck.

Premise who is the silver bell killer? a member of the family? staff? is it the bloody kid?

I have no idea or do I? muhahaha you must watch if you are into character driven mysteries.

I will suggest you binge watch though because having to wait a week will frikkin kill you.

we shall see my eyes are pinned to the screen and I will be buying the DVD too.

This series has a clean, honest story line. It does have a traditional look about it, as someone mentioned, but that works for me. I'm a bit tired of the quick-cutting, montage-a-minute kind of film that passes for story these days.

The Hawthorne siblings are all different so you can find one to like and one to despise if that's your thing. Tessa is refreshingly naïve, a bit fruity, but I like Alison best, the cold, sophisticated one.

The other thing about this one is that it's not too freaky. I know it's fashionable to be pushing the envelope these days but I already think that sort of thing is done to the limit -- it seems like producers are going out of their way to find shock value. Sure, shock value gets people talking about your show but that's about it --- yada,yada,yada -- it's become boring, snore-producing.

Since I don't find much video/film/TV that impresses me anyway (compared to books where you can always find a good book), I like a good story with characters well-played even if fireworks and CGI aren't going on all the time.

The mystery part of the show was pretty good. A little slow at times but the story picked up speed as the season went on. There were enough twists and turns to hold my attention.

But there was definitely a liberal agenda. For starters this show is about a ridiculously wealthy family in New England. So wealthy that no average American can relate.

Then the family is involved in local politics. This is where the Hollywood starts to ooze out. There are little comments made about getting rid of guns, a gun buy back program, taking care of refugees, blah blah. Just like Hollywood, they fight for the rights of refugees but there isn't a refugee within a 20 mile radius of their gated community.

Make a good crime thriller. Keep the politics out of it.

If you are looking for Hitchcock, then don't watch this show. But if you are looking for a little shiver up your back and an "oh my goodness" moment, then is is great summer fun TV. I am really enjoying this program. The cast is great, they are deceptive and loving at the same time. You can see the manipulation playing through as the story wraps around the mystery of the silver bells murder. I love the mother character, a tad crass, and a lady to the last. I love the dynamics of the siblings. It's believable, a love-hate relationship. The son-in-law break up the Anglo cast, but even that doesn't bother me. I like him. I just love the antics, the what just happened there moment? The formula is like though you take a Nora Roberts Novel, and mix it with an good episode of Coloumbo, and add a little Nancy drew to the mix. It's good American TV, there is no Sherlock conjuncture, or Agatha here.. I wish we had more of these during the fall season.

Sad to see some people find this boring. As one who is very tired all the silly tricks to try and pump up our adrenaline like Shonda Rhimes and her micro bursts of stills that made me walk away from 'Scandal' and trying to shock by pushing the limits on gratuitous graphic gay scenes that lost my interest in 'How to get away with Murder', I find this show very refreshing, balanced and intelligent. I like the array of characters and each of the actors that play them.

It is also great to have a break from being overfilled with shock and awe special effects and sci-fi silliness like 'Under the Dome' and 'Wayward Pines'. If you are looking for a TV fix to satisfy a need for high speed adrenaline pumping shock-treatments, this show is not for you.

For me, I find it vert well done and a perfect fit in quality entertainment.