The Visual Decline of American Horror Story

[@maggiephelps3445]

As a photo major I really get so heated over the lack of film in media because it really feels like a loss of soul. I feel like using film always pushes you to value every shot more and without it there’s so much more room for laziness

[@cainvarner]

YES YES YES

[@salthesteamengine]

reason 1635 why i love succession

[@ricardoheinsar3105]

I think Ryan couldn’t afford to hire the good amazing photographers/ filmography team for the later seasons due to the show having a decline and wanting to focus on other projects rather than put all the coin into a show that people won’t really talk about that much

[@kofu1267]

Lack of film and actual lack of literacy tears me apart. As a Lang/Lit fella, its just sad how lazy and uninspired it is.

[@andrewward4386]

That's why I loved the 4th episode of Agatha All Along because it was edited like it was a 70s movie since it was meant to be a 70s era house

[@michellejensen1156]

Remember when we all thought Ryan Murphy was a genius and was making each seasons based on Dantes circles of hell... yeah

[@cainvarner]

that was such a great theory until he gave up on that

[@geminihexx9858]

He was originally he stopped caring once the budgets were cut

[@88Featured]

Wait can someone elaborate? Was it supposed to be in order or random? Coz limbo = murder house makes sense, but if we go in order then the next few I can’t really pin down (lust - asylum? Gluttony - coven?) unless it was out of order or he just gave up reallly early on lol

[@michellejensen1156]

@@88Featured it was in random order, so basically murder house = limbo, asylum = fraud, coven = treachery, freak show = greed, hotel = gluttony, Roanoke = anger, cult = Hersey, apocalypse = violence and 1984 = lust

[@itsbritneybxxxx]

@@88Featured Yeah, the order was random.

[@ericapoe]

seasons 1-5 were peak AHS. Everyone was anxiously waiting to know what theme the new season brought. They knew how to market the seasons not so much now.

[@1amSam]

I think they forget we don’t want realism. Not using realistic lighting especially was one of the best things! It showed the characters beautifully and was a clear change each season. The past few have seemed just all followed the same path to realistic and bland. it used to have literal monsters and now it’s just bad metaphors about real life at best.

[@cjmiller6741]

Um, no. Okay look, people with magical powers who worship dark things ARE literal monsters. The only season that did not feature a supernatural element was Cult, and that is because politics were terrifying enough for a lot of Americans that year. Btw, politics are probably why we aren't getting a new AHS this year. Try Grotesquerie. It's different. It's strange, almost in a way the first AHS season was strange. But it's good.

[@gameperson5]

A KZbin video essay that actually analyzes? Compares and contrasts? Doesn’t just summarize for hours? 100/10

[@cainvarner]

is this a dig at my other videos😭

[@TheVivaciousNerd]

Summaries are not essays - which is fine, not all videos where someone talks about media is a video essay. A video essay is simply an essay in video form, it has a central argument, presented with substantiations for each point, in an introduction, body and conclusion format. A recap or summary just tells you what a piece of media comprises. A review is a whole third thing where the writer assesses the quality of a piece of media, and analyses how well it accomplishes its goals/themes. A review can contain a summary, an essay can also have aspects of review to it, so these aren’t mutually exclusive, but they can all stand alone.

[@gameperson5]

@@cainvarner not at all 😭😭😭 I meant the 3+ hour long “analysis” and “deep dive” videos that do neither of those things

[@mirabelarmstrong433]

No, because the jump from film to digital GUTTED the legendary status of the show… 10/10 mind-blown moment

[@themischief420]

supernatural also changed quite dramatically when they stopped using film

[@mattyh2464]

Ryan Murphy isn’t humble enough to read his own expiration date

[@Enchanteddy]

Lady Gaga worked because she's also a talented actress and has been in productions before her rise to fame already. She is not a Kim Kardashian who got famous and then started acting for whatever reason. I will never understand the shift. Of course it's a hard blow when you lose actresses like Jessica Lange, but there are so very talented people in the industry who could take over instead of what actually happened.

[@hopelessromantic3786]

I think a lot of people who become famous for no real reason/nepo babies try acting because they want to be seen as "worthy" of their fame/success, and almost everyone thinks they can act. The issue is that a lot of them really can't.

[@taemcatboy]

well technically kim was in a movie before she even got famous so...

[@PoeBird]

@@hopelessromantic3786There was a study here in the UK about a decade ago that said about 75% of little girls wanted to be influencers or entertainers when they grew up. It’s expensive to pursue as a career and doesn’t work out for most, so it’s usually only rich kids who can afford it. And now we have people who are hired for their Instagram following, not for their acting, because it’s not talent that they’re relying on to draw in viewers.

[@sir-dame-sander]

gaga went to college partially for musical theatre! I feel like people tend to underestimate/dismiss her acting talent because she’s such a huge pop star but she’s definitely got the background to be in tv + movies n I feel like anyone who’s shocked that she’s doing that now was never paying all that much attention to her anyway, because her performance style has always been extremely theatrical (hell, a lot of her work is just straight up drag. but most people think that drag is just men crossdressing so nobody ever acknowledges gaga as a drag queen). it’s very obvious that acting is a thing she genuinely likes as opposed to just The Next Extension Of Her Brand

[@milapartment]

Don’t get me wrong I LOVE GAGA but when it comes to films and movies I think she dooms them 😭 Hotel was the beginning for me tbh. Something about the way they started right off with Hotel California, that shit is so cliche and cornball😭 and im not happy with what im hearing about the joker movie either. I’m not bashing her as an actress bc she’s great, im just saying she brings that cursed aura to the success of the production. U feel me??

[@DearxMyxSongs]

35:30 also, in a post-Knives Out world, there’s no excuse for their digital filming to not look like proper film. That was the technical innovation that set Knives Out apart, and a Ryan Murphy show with such a legacy absolutely has the budget to get that tech.

[@TheICEgirl6100]

I genuinely did not know that AHS released anything during 2019-2023 I thought the kim k season was their big comeback

[@cainvarner]

oh! the marketing budget was definitely cut in 2019.

[@savage_skirt5386]

1984 is worth a watch (2019)

[@jonathanl9229]

@@savage_skirt5386really?? That was the worst season imo

[@savage_skirt5386]

@@jonathanl9229 not one of my faves. it def strayed from the formula --- and there were some low points, but still think it's worth a watch.

[@thectyptid00]

​@@jonathanl9229 I liked 1984 way more than Cult, Apocalypse or Double feature. Sure, 1984 is nowhere near Dead of Summer of classic summer camp slashers, but it is a fun watch once you stop taking the show seriously

[@iamcasihart]

You alone placed more tender loving care, time, effort, and energy into this brilliant hour-plus breakdown than anything the show has done in years.

[@cainvarner]

omg thank you😭

[@iamcasihart]

@@cainvarner I love your content so much, and forgive me for sounding like a proud Auntie, but I’m so impressed with your understanding, wisdom, knowledge, and sense of what sets a tone and what can elevate a piece of tv or film art into being truly worthy of the word, iconic. At your age, I knew some shit, but honey, I knew so little compared to you (and since I drew my first breath, I’ve been a theatre geek, entertainer, dancer, performer, spotlight seeker, a writer, and a lover of the arts and pop culture). Thank *YOU* for your work and I am so glad to be a subbie. An Auntie Subbie. 🫶💕

[@karlicutter2930]

The drab filter they put on flashback scenes to set it apart from the present day scenes is what the ENTIRE show looks like now lmao.

[@cainvarner]

EXACTLY… but before the filter stood out positively and it was only for certain flashbacks

[@Leah-vr7di]

Yea it got so bad I couldn’t tell in the later seasons and just assumed nothing was happening present day 😭

[@wchoc3563]

it feels like the film industry in general recently has lost its soul

[@cainvarner]

100%

[@Gee-xb7rt]

There is a giant wave of nepobabies in California, and they are in a lot of creative jobs. I think Cooper Koch is a very good actor, and he has in a big way not taken a nepobaby path, doing indie lgbt instead, his twin is also "in the business", he is an editor and has worked on AHS.

[@camdenhunt7565]

i fr fr haven't watched a movie that seemed like it took REAL set design and not green screen or AI since the Barbie movie lol

[@hope-cat4894]

You know how people say they sold their soul to get rich and famous? We must be seeing the post-collection aftermath. 😔 It's season 4 Dean Winchester and season 6 Sam Winchester all over again.

[@murdoxxed]

You should watch more movies.

[@aidymoz]

The locations used to be an actual central character which is what added to the horror - the location was alive, the location was watching, the location KNEW things.

[@noahfencek]

Roanoke I feel like is the only season that would get away with digital cameras due to how it was setup. The second part reminds me of a Manhunt sort of vibe with all the camera set ups. This did make that lightbulb hit my head tho, I feel like I noticed how drab and dull a lot of the set design was especially after covid hit

[@dazdoesart2197]

that is exactly what i was thinking! it starts out as like a docuseries and ended as a reality show, so it makes sense for digital cameras to be used but i feel like if apocalypse had used film instead of digital cameras, the show would’ve at least looked better.

[@benbankss]

Nothing will ever top AHS Coven aesthetically. That house decor alone…..come on now 👁️👄👁️

[@Lilcutiepie95]

Yaaaas!

[@mikealan1984]

And misty day

[@animeROX08]

In regards to the filming style, I feel like in the early seasons of AHS used filming techniques like Dutch angles and fisheye lens to elicit an uneasy feeling for the viewers that added to the horror. It's a common technique in horror, and AHS did a great job of using filming techniques to enhance the horror in those early seasons.

[@goblin_corpse]

Honestly the possession scene in Asylum is just so good. It's simple, understated and the way the camera cuts to Sister Mary Eunice as the demon jumps over to her is just ugh... *chef's kiss* 😩

[@lealmelisa]

Asylum was an amazing season.

[@TehJakeify]

More people need to acknowledge that there is a huge creative gap between Seasons 1-5 and 6+

[@Denuhm]

The biggest issue with digital video isn’t that it’s digital it’s that the effort to make it have the same light and quality (quality here means feel and nature) as film moves the costs you saved from using digital in the first place to post processing. It’s also extremely obvious that they lost their writers, maybe just pay people instead of executives. Thanks for the video. It was very insightful ❤

[@jalapeno1119]

I miss AHS calling back to the history of horror. Murder house is your classic haunted house and mystery. Coven makes callvacks to Carrie and Frankenstein. 1984 is a major love letter to the Friday the 13th series. Hotel has references to The Shining.

[@shortpettite]

Gonna be honest I stopped watching literally on the Double Feature season. I don't even know if I finished the first half. I also think Gaga worked because she feels like someone who belonged in that world. You drop someone like Kardashien in AHS and it is honestly distracting.

[@hope-cat4894]

I think it's because Gaga started her career being strange with her music videos and costumes, so she knows how to be dramatic and spooky. Her suggestion to use the song "Tear You Apart" in Hotel is a good example. That song was perfect. A Kardashian feels too shiny and plastic for a show that has an ethereal and dark feel.

[@shortpettite]

@@hope-cat4894 As said I have not watched the season with Kardashian in it but I also think like say Gaga she is told you gonna be almost naked and covered in blood and she would be like great lets do this. While Kardashian on the other hand just from clips in this video it seems like there was a stipulation of not looking ugly so to speak or getting dirty

[@Tayhlonn]

Watch delicate it's a twisted but dumb story still interesting though

[@grreeno]

Why do a “double feature” if you ain’t gonna finish the story to either. It shouldn’t be called double feature and more like “double half”

[@joannawheeldin3774]

as a graphic designer i really appreciate the segment on poster design! i always felt like there was something different from roanoke on, so thank you for illuminating the visual element of that! i love your AHS content! thanks cain and skyler! ❤

[@alexbugarin1089]

This video was cathartic to me, I couldn't put my finder on what it was that was losing me about AHS and this video got it. In my head Hotel was the last good season, NY was a bit of a gem in the newer seasons but it just kept slowly losing me until I tried watching Delicate and was so bored that I had to force myself to finish watching that last episode and have since vowed to never watch any new AHS ever again. I have been wanting to relive the magic of the first few seasons but for some reason I haven't just rewatched those seasons to feel that but I think I will now.

[@anaerobic]

Same with Delicate. I made myself finish it and I feel so betrayed. Never again.... at least, not until the full series and multiple positive reviews come out.

[@jimalancook3157]

You are correct . The show has died . Don’t listen to haters . It was very old Hollywood. Now it’s nothing but average and ugly. I worked in the motion picture industry over thirty years . Everything you said is spot on and I can tell you love good, real cinema . You see the art in every facet . Don’t ever lose that ❤️

[@APKelly]

I am living for this type of analysis! Going beyond the story and getting into the weeds of the cinematography, Im thriving. Would love to see more like this!

[@Mel-me9sw]

I think you would *really* enjoy AMC's Interview With the Vampire. It's critically acclaimed for its cinematography and people are *still* going back to season 1 (2022, there are 2 seasons now!) and finding new things to look at. Season 2 is also as beautiful, but it's a different main setting.

[@cainvarner]

this is the second recommendation i’ve gotten so i’m putting on my list!!!

[@Mel-me9sw]

@@cainvarner awesome!

[@reniasva]

Where's the "I agree 100%" button?

[@thatlemonadeguy6742]

The marketing for Apocalypse was very odd. I remember I stopped watching after the season finale bc I thought that was the last season of the show, bc the marketing made it look like that.

[@morticiax540]

THANK YOU AHS KZbinRS FOR FEEDING ME THIS WEEK ILY

[@Leah-vr7di]

Yesss we are eating goood❤

[@Bree_999]

I LOVE the look of AHS seasons 1-5! I had to stop watching season five because it got too sexually violent for me but I loved the set design and costuming. When I started watching season 6, it felt flat and different. I only watched a little bit of the first episode and then stopped watching AHS all together. Once I heard about Apocolypse and heard what it was about, I thought they were going to end AHS with that season. I mean it would make sense too because since it's called Apocalypse and it tied in some of the previous seasons together. The show as a whole also ran its course. I didn't know anyone who was really excited for it anymore including me.

[@erinfrazier1439]

I like that you pointed out how the setting/ house itself is almost like a character and in the later seasons we don’t rlly have that I feel like that rlly did affect audiences ability to engage in the story

[@kianabrash]

Angela Bassett too, IJS. She earned her flowers 🎉

[@annabelledee6554]

She never gets credit for KILLING it as all her AHS characters ❤

[@volume7478]

the way money comes before artistry nowadays is just so sick and twisted. THANKYOU for this video

[@captaink3944]

I looooooove love love the in depth analysis of the cinematography!!!! I feel like television shows often abandon the notion of being visual art as well as narrative entertainment. The use of sound and light and color elevates a film creation just as much as a good story and good actors. I love /art/ not just content. Hotel is my fave season for the visuals, even if the narrative can get messy i loved the visual artistry and character studies! Slayed the house down with this one 🙌

[@cainvarner]

thank you i really hope i wasn’t too pretentious

[@captaink3944]

@cainvarner definitely not, I think it's a well crafted argument. I agree with your point that the switch to digital could have been okay if they still used all the creative shots and color choices you were talking about, it really was a combination of all the factors you mentioned- loss of artists, people being stretched too thin, that awful yellow filter 😖

[@Hoppy_is_a_bunny]

I’m so glad my son sent me this video! You just justified my rants about how AHS has noticeable been going downhill in every way at an accelerated speed. Also I too am a fan of the movie Mother. Loved it

[@yikesdani123]

the atmosphere and sets of season 1-5 were immaculate

[@kitchenknife_]

I saw someone else recommend you watch Interview with the Vampire, and yes!! you would love it. Another show (also from AMC) that I think you would appreciate is Better Call Saul!! It is so well-written and acted, and everything from the costumes to the sets and especially the camerawork is so so so intentional and done/chosen with purpose.

[@kriscoo474]

As a OG ahs fan, I’ve watched live every week from the pilot episode in 2011 until Double Feature. You ate this video up, well done 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾!! My only note is I think director Alfonso Gomez Rejon deserved a bit of recognition. You could always tell when he was directing due to his distinctive and creative style. Most of these iconic shots you were talking about were his episodes.

[@JamieBarrington]

You were so on point with this analysis. Another thing that feels missing in these last few seasons is the banging soundtrack. One of the things I always looked forward to in each season was having new music to obssess over. We got a few good songs in Red Tide, but nothing compared to the stylistic choices in Hotel and Coven. 1984 was great though. But mostly, it's just disappointing, especially with Delicate. I never have any drive to rewatch that last season.

[@JamieBarrington]

I'll also say that I really liked NYC. It's Death Valley and Delicate.... I don't know those girls

[@hanonondricek411]

By Freak Show and Hotel it became exhausting that they felt they had to speed through episode 1 to introduce EVERY core character. I actually enjoyed Roanoke a lot because it split the season into two sections - one where there were no stakes since you knew it was a television production and you were getting live after-the-fact interviews so you know nothing bad happened to the characters, THEN going to a story continuation where they warn that only *one* person survived so suddenly all your favorite characters were on the chopping block. I think the unsung talent of AHS was Adina Porter who possesses the same chops and gravitas as Jessica Lange. Kathy Bates was also incredible in every season she was on.

[@glipgloppapi9959]

Hotel was such a drag in the middle, i was invested but everyone else checked out by the middle of the season

[@lexibabyqueen]

The visuals are a huge reason why I consider 1-5 the golden age rather than 1-3 or 4 which I see typically mentioned. I think Freak Show and Hotel have some of the best uses of cinematography, lighting, set design, and costuming. They just truly have that magic AHS feel. It just feels like a completely different show now...

[@lexibabyqueen]

I joined the fandom going into S5. I didn't watch the show until Gaga announced shed be on it so like the good little stan I started watching and fell in LOVE. I remember people being soo pissed Jessica was gone and trying to trash Hotel right off the bat. Little did those people know how awful things would soon become LMAO

[@ethanhart129]

I’d include Roanoke as part of that golden age

[@SkylerGaetano]

this was so well put and edited!!! amaaazing work for real, and thanks for letting me give my two cents! 💚💚💚

[@cainvarner]

omg thank YOU for contributing!

[@grreeno]

I’m only 10 mins in but it’s upsetting they made the show shorter when my MAIN ISSUE with every season starting with Roanoke has no real ending. Give me an ending pleaseeeeeee! I want the loose ends tied up! It’s every season since. I loved Roanoke untill it ended and I was so confused and I’ve stayed confused since. I hope you address this later in this video! Great video so far

[@sevenwondxrs]

13 old me from 2017 watching Cult for the first time is nodding his head very passionately right now. Thank you for this

[@melvinthebravefish9788]

I kind of felt bad that I was a hardcore fan, but then I just barely finished Roanoke.... I no longer feel bad about that

[@SyntheticSister]

THANK YOU! I used to be a die hard fan but whenever I tried to explain why I didn’t like anything after Hotel I didn’t feel like I could grasp all the reasons. This sums it up so well.

[@lothwicke]

I'm really grateful you've made this articulate and thorough commentary on this often unmentioned aspect of the show. Quite honestly, it was what drew me into the show to begin with. It's what made me forgive the moments of utter cringe. It's one of the things I deeply miss, and everything has felt tragically "meh" without it.

[@mikayaparker3840]

your videos somehow keep getting better each upload. youre so consistently engaging and entertaining

[@yunabrooks]

The lightning and change to digital cameras are what I noticed but couldn’t figure out! 😢 you did such a good job on this video, it’s great as always! ❤

[@pgratedslasher6076]

On the point of film vs digital capturing, you are absolutely spot on. 28 Days layer is a prime example of how poorly movies shot on digital age. Though to its credit, that look actually complements the brutal tone of the movie.

[@antonygoon9694]

This has definitely been on my mind for a while. Thanks for putting this together!

[@GodsFaveSim]

Ooooh I am sat!! I can’t wait to watch this whole thing and then use it as my anti-anxiety calming video in the future.

[@lexysue9556]

Been rewatching all the seasons and you put into words exactly what I couldn't when getting to the later ones! I've been a fan since coven and it's heartbreaking to see one of my favorite shows have such a sharp decline. Love the analysis! Sending love!

[@nbunnysnowboard]

Amazing video, I hope you can take the time you need to get away from all the negativity and keep coming out with these absolutely stunning analyses. It’s clear how much you care about the franchise and how much time you spend researching to create these for us. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@deenoekuekinjuhuujahaa1804]

Thank you sooo much for this video! I loved how you analyze the different changes and especially appreciate the points you made about Roanoke! HOTEL was soo exciting and fun and I was actually hoping for a story about the Roanoke colony that links it to Native American characters in any way but the reality TV meets Wrong Turn bs infuriated me sooo much! I almost gave up after that season... you are so right about the grandiose being lost at that point so much!

[@s3.14dervision]

🌹The reason AHS is so ugly is the same reason all art is ugly: it's the trendy thing to be ugly and mediocre and just plain blech!! This generation...I just don't know. I know, I know, I sound like a boomer (I am in my 30's) but I'm just so sick of every facet of creative life being invaded by the very banality I'm trying to evade!! Your video just popped up in my feed and I'm glad of it. ❤ New subscriber. And I absolutely agree with you about AHS's quality. For me, it's been hit-or-miss since Roanoke. 🥀

[@KazyReed]

Excellent analysis! You've gained a new subscriber.

[@fredperticucci]

This is truly an incredible analysis. I thought I had a strong understanding of why AHS went downhill after Hotel, but I learned a lot from this. Really great work!

[@manfredpinedosoto2426]

I completely agree about the decline in lighting. Earlier seasons of American Horror Story had this atmospheric, almost gothic lighting that really heightened the sense of fear. Whether it was shadowy corners or dimly lit rooms, the way lighting was used added so much to the tension. the lighting feels too polished or overexposed, which weakens the horror element. It's lost that eerie, unsettling quality that made the early seasons so visually striking.

[@BaddeGrasse]

Lets gooooo my rampant refreshing of my sub box at midnight paid off!

[@TradingCardsAndMore]

Just want to say both you and Skyler are GOAT TIER AHS creators! And I love all your vids 😊 although hearing you were only 14 when apocalypse dropped made me feel so old and I was only 18 at the time 💀 😂 the way you compared the two twisty scenes aswell was an eye opener!

[@cainvarner]

i never really watched a lot of popular shows from my age group, i always gravitated to shows released 5-10 years before i could even watch adult tv. 90% of my favorite shows started before 2014, when i would’ve been 10 lmao😭

[@chiarastark4418]

One of my absolute favourite videos of yours so far. As someone who knows next to nothing about the technical side of filmmaking, this wasn’t just rlly interesting, but also educational - makes me wonder if you’d ever pursue short films yourself? Can’t wait for your next projects!!!

[@cnashford2]

KZbin just recommended this video and from the title alone, I know I'll love it! 😂 - a new subscriber

[@cainvarner]

thank you so much for subscribing!!! and yeah i’m surprised no ones talked about the visuals that much

[@kaleshabastion2332]

I'll always be incredibly sad that Macaulay wasn't in a good season of this show! He's my childhood favourite and I only wish wonderful projects for him.

[@LadieeB]

Thank you for this video, i was searching everywhere for a video like this. U are a true gem. Keep shining

[@SeamusLeGris]

Those intros for asylum, freak show and even the witch one were FABULOUS. I loved it. I remember I even loved Hotel (the lady gaga one). But it dipped wayyy down after that. I tried to rewatch it recently and the aesthetics and feel is still great, but in retrospect it _kinda_ was always a little silly and needed more focus. It could've been written better as it had so many other amazing things going for it. I want better for it. I should try rewatching freak show

[@Heliandis17]

I was never a fan of the writing in AHS, but I kept watching all the way to freak show, because I loved the cinematography. There were so many scenes that looked so good or were so cleverly shot that I couldn’t stop watching. Now I know why I was never interested enough in watch the rest of the show.

[@Kaikaiiiiii]

heartbreaking for me, this was THE show of shows. My first fandom 😭

[@AnneettaLife]

There’s a reason why I never watch AHS past season 5. You just opened my eyes as to why. Cinematography, coloring , and set design really do matter.

[@Rose-yu9ll]

coven was just so good. that cast poster with them on the wall gives me chillssss its so cool

[@blondealchemist9564]

The Art deco in hotel is and always will be a vibe for me. And the countess?? Chefs kiss 💋

[@irelandcook8298]

I binge watched the first 5 seasons in preparation for Roanoke. I was in love with the use of film cameras as it made everything feel...gritty and raw, no overdone filters. So by the time I watched Roanoke live, I immediately noticed how clean everything looked, which, given how it was supposed to imitate reality tv, I wasn't too upset by the change and thought they would go back to film for later seasons. And my god, was I appalled by Cult and Apocalypse. It felt too clean and cold and lazy. And due to that, I stopped watching the show live and all together. And it wasn't until your comment in either Hotel or Roanoke about how they would use digital for now on was when I realized why I didn't like the show anymore.

[@hwoods-kg1jf]

Absolutely well done video! You just earned a new subscriber! Personally my favorite AHS seasons are MH through Hotel and everything after that I didn't really like or even watch because it just didn't match the energy of the earlier seasons like you said. I'm all for good cinematography too and I'm a HUGE Euphoria fan and can't wait for season 3! Great content! Keep it up!

[@brainworms]

Honestly, you feel that the passion and the heart just isn't there anymore. Where there was once a fire is now just smoldering ash.

[@kodamckenzie]

cain u really ate this one AHHHH the editing is peak babes

[@Bananner94]

I continue to watch every season because I'm chasing the feeling of excitement I got from seasons 1-4ish, but it just is not there. I found NYC to be quite refreshing given the current state of AHS (at least for the first half of the season), but then Delicate brought it crashing right back down. I read the book it was based on in anticipation of the season, but it left so much to be desired. I found the plot to be just as drab as the visuals. I love the bit of editing you did on the Delicate clips to show what it could have looked like with just a little more care and effort, they looked so much better!

[@hayleedaniels6077]

Have you guys seen Late Night with the Devil? It’s such a fresh take on horror and it’s amazing

[@jolikemarch76]

I LOVED LNWTD so much. The actor who played Jack needs to be in more horror, same with the actress who played Lily

[@anne_abrams]

You said it all thank you for wording out my exact thoughts it was very satisfying 💀

[@leejjjjjjj1]

AMAZING video!! kept me hooked the whole time and gave really great insight

[@QueenofAnon]

banger video, my liege 🗣️🔥💯i’ve never been able to quite a place what it was about AHS that wasn’t drawing my attention anymore; cinematography and editing are SO important in a visual medium and it’s really not been doing it for me since maybe pre-roanoke. thanks for doing all the research and putting my vague thoughts into words 😂❤

[@melissabee5845]

Stop apologizing! You explained and my lightbulb went off. Here’s to hoping that AHS producers listen

[@PenelopeAstony]

Soooooo..... EXCELLENT VID. This was so good and I've been looking at the cinematography of media I consume so differently in the last couple days ohmygosh

[@FILMTHING680]

I was faithful when NCY dropped cause it was clear, that who ever worked on NYC, they tried to go back to the old days (that‘s why I like the season that much). But then Delicate dropped lmaoo… With Paulson and other cast members returning for Season 13, I hope someone sees this video and takes notes. No other series is so fragmented with their cinematography. And that‘s why the first 5 season are so cherished. It was highclass filmmaking, like no other did.

[@razalees]

Skylar brought me here…..AND I couldn’t be more happier great video you said what we’ve all been thinking and I feel once Lang left it was over

[@cloudymind6511]

Personally, the actors didn’t bother me. I did have some I thought were bad, like Kaia. In my opinion, they just used her for her parents' fame, which isn’t bad, because Emma Roberts and Billie Lord also have famous parents, but the thing with Kaia is, I watched American Horror Stories and I just couldn’t get over her playing the bad girl trope. She's just not intimidating, and her acting was not good, and I think if they had to bring actors from American Horror Stories into AHS one should have been Paris Jackson. Paris also has famous parents, but unlike Kaia, Paris has acted in stuff and I honestly think if she committed to a part she’d probably make a name for herself as an actress except she’s only done cameos prior to American Horror Stories. As far as Kim and Gus go, I thought Gus was great in 1984 and Kim was passable. You can definitely tell that they gave her all the comedic lines, while Emma got the emotional ones, which I think was good on the staff's part. They knew what each of them were good at. That doesn’t mean I hate the old legends like Jessica, Kathy, Sarah, Frances, etc. I also understand why they would want to bring new actors into the mix, like Leslie, Emma, Billie, etc.

[@amonzart2379]

Agree, at least Billy Lourd is a decent actress and did a good job in screem queens and Emma Roberts despite of being loved/hated she got a good filmography behind.

[@mexican_icecream]

Very honored to give this video the 666th thumbs up. Amazing analysis! I really miss vintage AHS

[@miss.cookies]

I’m so happy finally someone feels the same way!!!! It went downhill after hotel. It’s just not the same. The magic isn’t there. The stories aren’t complex. They’re boring. Like there tryna fill the episode so bad but there’s nothing to fill it with.

[@lavaghoul]

Don’t think I’ll be watching anything coming from Ryan Murphy again after his comments about the Menendez Brothers and his twisted portrayal of their story. That man makes me sick I fear

[@Tayhlonn]

Watch it for the directors and writers who put hard work into making ahs a show

[@alejandromolinac]

Huh? He been doing that schtick since Versace…..

[@KiwiRuby-rf8ot]

Could you also talk about the music? The score in the earlier seasons was amazing, like freak show. But it went downhill the same time that the visuals did! I was excited for this video all week! Love your content!!

[@cainvarner]

i love the music until about Delicate personally.the first 11 seasons genuinely don’t have many misses in my opinion but yes it did sort of decline. just not so dramatically for me to notice as much

[@_zombie_queen_]

I honestly appreciate your honestly and it being blatent. I honestly had no idea the show was still on, i was in a coma. No I'm not kidding. The only things that are the same, song, spookyness and Emma. How sad. They chemistry is all gone.

[@cainvarner]

OMG how long????

[@_zombie_queen_]

@@cainvarner few months, but it took two years to human again. Walking took months. Writing all of it had to be relearned. I forgot a lot of what life offers. Such as this until you pointed it out. So thank you. Hahaha :)

[@EepyHarmony]

Also so happy you brought up Goi bc he made so much of the show what it was. Amazing DoP

[@JC_Cali]

You REALLY proved your point in the color & lighting part. What a shame really, even as Roanake stands out still as my favorite season for a concept I've never seen before ("real" people w/ their reanectment counterparts)

[@DearxMyxSongs]

27:34 they’re used beautifully in Haunting of Bly Manor and Invisible Man to draw the eye to the presence of something not visible. Those are the two recent examples that come to mind

[@cainvarner]

I completely forgot that they used it in Bly Manor😭😭😭

[@symwinter]

While it wasn’t mentioned, the teaser trailers for the seasons always stuck out to me. Special mention to murder house and it’s use of tainted love and coven using house of the rising sun. Just added something to it that made me mad at myself for being easily scared cause I knew I would not be able to sleep if I watched it.

[@canyounot6858]

Preach, and I agree with everything BUT Roanoke will forever be my guilty pleasure. It might actually be my favorite AHS season. 👀

[@madeleine61509]

The messy concept/setting of each season can basically be summed up by the title of each season: Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, these are all very relevant and immediately meaningful names bringing up classic horror imagery. Red Tide? 1984? NYC? Delicate? You can tell none are as clean of a concept because they clearly struggled to come up with a clear title to summarize the concept.

[@JaySmith_]

as someone who just graduated from film school I totally agree. i need to break something down tho for everyone. why ahss looks so boring is all because of of the director. in pre production the director make a shots jot which breaks down ever shot for in the episode or what theyre shooting that day. its not the fault of the cinematographer that it looks bad its the fault of the director. bad acting doesnt exist either if the director also does the script breakdown and knows the characters inside and out, so they can direct the actors properly. like for example kia gerber was incredible in bottoms very funny in a deadpan and matter in fact way that’s because emma seligman knew the script inside and out. its also a trend ini tv to copy what nextflix is doing with their shows. the exect dont expect you to be watching the shows that they make, they expect you to be half watching the content and doing something else while watching.

[@alexisedmundson8430]

It’s been 13 years?! I remember waiting for the first episode to drop all those years ago 😭

[@EllarieClayton]

you had some amazing points i could’ve never pointed out myself, this helped me realized what went wrong EXACTLY!!!!