The Indianapolis native was born to
two book publishers, so story writing and fiction were basically a part of
Murphy’s upbringing. He graduated from
Indiana University as a well-read and well-educated journalism major. Murphy worked as a reporter for a while
before moving on to the television industry.
Murphy’s earlier career successes include Popular, Nip/Tuck, and most notably Glee. After finishing the
upbeat sitcom about a high school glee club, he decided to turn his attention
to something darker and more complicated.
This is when he teamed up with Brad Falchuk to create American Horror Story. Throughout his
life, Murphy has always had a special love for horror films and the sensation
of fear. He is particularly passionate
about Halloween, which is reflected in the Halloween specials of American Horror Story.
The
television show is unique in that each season tells a different story while
still starring reoccurring actors and even recycling some characters in minor
ways. Murphy has attributed this unique
formula to his desire to reinvent the structure of the common television
series. Murphy has indicated that,
although the tales of each season vary, they are all somehow
interconnected. One popular hypothesis
is that each season represents one of the Circles of Hell depicted in Dante’s Inferno.
If this theory holds true, Murphy is effectively marrying the familiar
idea of the Circles of Hell with a new and contemporary presentation of a
television show.
For
example, season one’s premise is “Murder House.” It chronicles the story of a family who moves
into a mysterious Los Angeles home and learns of the terrible fates of those
who encountered it. It is speculated
that “Murder House” represents the First Circle of Hell, Limbo, because of the
souls that seem to be tied to the House itself.
Similarly, the fourth season, “Freak Show,” follows a struggling circus
named “Fräulein Elsa’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” where many characters are
striving for individual fame and fortune.
Because of the prevalent selfishness and emphasis on materialism, this
season embodies the Fourth Circle of Hell, Greed. So far, the other five
seasons have followed in suit, reflecting one of the Circles of Hell while
still telling a distinct story.
Murphy also
incorporates notorious American criminals into the series, calling on viewers’
memories of the infamous individuals. He
adopts the malevolent personas into the show, hinting at their inspiration
without explicitly identifying them.
They are written seamlessly into the storylines, becoming a part of American Horror Story. Some of the most noteworthy fiends featured
in the show are the Axeman of New Orleans, who remained anonymous and only
spared those who played jazz music from their homes; John Wayne Gacy, the
professional clown who abducted and killed approximately 33 young men in the
Chicago area; Gwen Graham and Cathy Wood, two nurses who opened a nursing home
and chose their victims based on their first initials, so they would spell out
“MURDER;” and H.H. Holmes, the physician who built a hotel with secret
passageways and gas chambers, specifically designed for torture.
Through references to Dante’s Inferno and the hints at infamous
American murders, American Horror Story
focuses on the notion that human vices lead to downfall and destruction. One of the television show’s main themes is
that humans themselves are the sources of evil.
Murphy takes this recognizable notion, reinventing into an anthology
series. He is able to draw the audience
in close to a humanized character, encouraging them to identify with a lonely
sociopath or a hypocritical moralist. However,
the series’ unique format does not ensure any characters’ safety or happy
endings. American Horror Story is able to explore surprising, outrageous,
and thought-provoking outcomes without regards to viewers’ attachments to
specific characters, all thanks to Ryan Murphy’s creative mind.
Sources:
I've only seen the first three seasons of AHS, but I definitely see the connections to Dante and real-life killers. Artistic adaptations of the deadly sins are nothing new, but I think you're right that Murphy does it in newer and more culturally relevant ways. He throws a lot of surprising material at us, but I love the synthesis of realistic and supernatural elements. Like you said, it creates a unique opportunity to expose the nasty parts of human nature and our behavior in extreme circumstances. I definitely want to watch the rest of the seasons now. THANKS, ANGELA.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate the rise of the anthology format in modern television. In the same vain as American Horror Story, Fargo and True Detective are some of the best shows on television which also depart from the season by season character arc structure of television. What all of these shows do so well is to capture a particular feeling that permeates individual stories. True Detective captures the sense of physical as well as moral decay and rot of the American South, and Fargo explores humanities capacity for senseless violence. In these shows, just like American Horror Story, new ideas are explored each season and writers can explore outside of what is expected on television. I appreciate this as a movement because it attracts big name stars to those shows and allows television to surpass its previous label as "common entertainment" and sometimes to surpass the film industry in artistic expression.
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