The season premier definitely will have you on the edge of your seat and covering your eyes in fear.
Set in the 1950's in Jupiter Florida we are introduce to some of the freaks. We have Bette and Dot Tattler who is played by Sarah Paulson who has returned and is the women with two heads. Story with the twins is that they are the prime suspects in a murder investigation. Bette and Dot although they are one person they are very different. Bette sees the lure and glamour of joining the freak show, while Dot is nothing but disgusted and resists the thought. They do however seem to agree maybe on a special someone but that has yet to fully play out.
Jessica Lange is back and plays Elsa Mars. Elsa hears of a freak in the area so she goes to investigate and recruits Bette and Dot who at the time were being hospitalized. Elsa runs the traveling freak show and wants to be a famous star. She plays up the superstar role by dressing the part; Beautiful hats, shoulders covered in fur, and she doesn’t pay the tab at diners, only the finest in her mind. Elsa herself has secret herself that is revealed during the very last scene. Elsa's shows her manipulative side in this episode when she unleashes it upon an unexpected candy striper.
Evan Peters (Jimmy) is in the show again and he is the "Lobster Boy" because his hand looks like lobster claws. He is also a ladies man. His hands were not the main focal point in this episode but what he could do with his claw hands may leave you uncomfortable and looking behind your hands. It maybe something that you may not want to see but at the same time may not be able to look away. Kathy Bates returns and plays Jimmy's mother (Ethel Darling).
Kathy Bates is the den mother of carnival and Elsa's biggest fan. Jimmy wants out of the freak show life but momma beard feels as though being a freak and with Elsa is the only place to be. Kathy lets the audience know that she was rescued by Elsa and it seems as though she would do anything for her. There was an actual show that the freaks put on in this episode with an audience of two people.
The clown. Twisty the clown. The murderous clown with a sinister smile. The clown is very scary. He is not part of the freak show he is a one-man show. He is what nightmares are made of. Twisty is the thing that nightmares are made of. He goes around prowling the area and breaking into homes and killing people. Twisty the clown even has a hideout where he holds hostages. Twisty the clown is indeed twisted.
Verdict:
Being that it was the very first episode too much couldn't be crammed in. The story line was weak however. Visually it was stimulating. Freaks were shown. The freaks that were introduced seemed promising. Twisty the clown was the highlight of this episode. There are more freaks to come. Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, and Emma Roberts are set to return. Once more main characters join the story line will be more solid. 7.5