What to expect from FX’s ‘American Horror Story: 1984’
Ad Age’s Coming Attraction offers brief previews of TV shows, movies and more of interest to marketers and media people.
Tonight at 10 p.m. ET, FX’s fan-favorite horror anthology series “American Horror Story” will kick off its ninth season, titled “1984”—a nightmarish string of episodes centering on a murder-prone summer camp that’s more Reagan-era kitsch than Orwellian lunacy.
FX, as usual, has been pretty tight-lipped about the premiere, but viewers won’t be going in completely blind, thanks in part to the bloody extended trailer (above) released on YouTube a few weeks ago. Seemingly inspired by slasher flicks of the era (think corny intra-camp love and knife-wielding killers), we know that “1984” stars Emma Roberts, marking her fifth “AHS” role, and Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy, a series (and acting) newcomer, as they and their friends navigate a world of ’80s nostalgia while being pursued by a hooded murderer.
“1984” will be the ninth unique “AHS” storyline in as many seasons, following other self-contained seasons such as “Murder House,” “Asylum” and “Coven.” Since its debut in 2011, the show has focused on everything from a circus freakshow in Florida to the Lost Colony of Roanoke, with creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk crafting each “AHS” season with a different plot and rotating cast to ensure all nine stories can stand alone.
“American Horror Story” has been renewed through at least its 10th season, set to debut in 2020.