I agree it is a mess but the characters and acting save it..imo. I think as the show moves on and the more that is revealed will make it that much better. I really dig the animosity between Moira and Constance. Something will definitely go down between those two. Can't wait for the new episode.

Just watched it last night - I absolutely love this show. Every minute of it.

I don't think that I'd necessarily call it "a mess" - I think that there's definitely method to the madness - I really like how it intertwines history and the present, and I have to say, the end actually made me feel wonderfully melancholic. The backstory for the doctor and Nora made me absolutely giddy - Loved it.

One of the things that I really appreciate about this show is that, ultimately, it's a soap opera - The forward storyline is a complete, cliched soap opera - But in the midst of a delightfully twisted horror backdrop - I feel as though this show was made for horror fans like myself. I absolutely love it.

Absolutely agreed. The dramatic narrative is pretty much soap opera (and while it's usually just over-the-top, the drama can be really well-done sometimes, too). And yeah, it seems you certainly have to be someone that gets joy out of horror as a string of wildly creative scenes and set-pieces to really appreciate the show.

And getting into what I mean by "mess", I don't mean the show is unintentionally messy, like the creators have no clue what they're doing (which is what a lot of critics are saying). I think they do. They kind of say "to hell with restraint and tradition", and react on every impulse they have, which makes it cathartic to watch. Especially as a horror fan. These guys are writing to serve the genre first, and I've never really seen that before in a TV show. That's more what I mean by "mess", and this utterly unpredictable, indulgent madness is what is so delightful about watching this show.

Every episode, I can't believe this thing is getting made. A lot of critics hate it, and I'm worried about an early cancellation.

And yes! I loved the backstory for the doctor. I was thinking, "Man, they really are trying to play with every horror trope. The mad scientist was one they haven't covered yet!"

Ahh, gotcha... Well, in this case, I absolutely love this incredibly twisted mess! :D

And I feel the same way - I'm so elated that this is even MADE and on TV right now.

If you look at "horror" shows from the past, such as American Gothic, they only lasted about one season. However, the well written and well acted shows, such as X-Files/Supernatural/Buffy/Angel, etc., lasted quite long. I hope this one lasts.

Tonight's episode was good. I thought they lingered a little too much on the Harmons' broken marriage plot, but everything else was great. I really loved the strange, touching scene with Moira visiting her mother in the hospital.
Some great humor, too, with Burned-Face-Guy (can't remember his name) booting the kids' candy off the front porch.

Damn it, fell asleep again. :mad:

bit of a late bloomer on this one, but I caught the first ep last night, and I have to say, It's caught my interest.

It was definitely good - Not great - Felt more like a "filler" episode a bit, but at the same time by the end of it I just wanted more.

Also - The focus on Jessica Lang and her daughter... Made me cryyyyyyyyy like a baby - All of it.

"I want to be a pretty girl."

SOB :(

Moira and her mother - ALSO made me cry...

Yeah, that scene with Moira was really well done. Plus, Frances Conroy is such a great actress. Did you ever watch Six Feet Under?
And poor Addy! That was another really well done scene. Jessica Lange is also a great actress.

I definitely agree; that's what I thought about the filler. When this show concentrates on the Harmons' marriage is when it's at its worst.

Apparently this episode was the first part of a two-parter. "Halloween Pt. 2" airs next Wednesday, which was the reason for the cliffhanger.