American Horror Story is one of those shows that really pushes the conceptual envelope, even if the payoff can be lacking. Season 6 marks the first time a season began before October and the first time the theme was kept secret until the premiere.
But now that the show has premiered on FX, our curiosities have finally been sated! The theme of the new season of American Horror Story is My Roanoke Nightmare!
There have been tons of theories about what exactly the theme of the season was going to be, since typically such a reveal happens well before the premiere. From a Charles Manson true crime season to a classic Hollywood theme to American Horror Story: Americana, all have taken a look at the record number 25 teaser trailers and have made their guesses, knowing one of them was a false lead. There are not even episode titles to provide any extra clues. Rotten Tomatoes and TV Guide both had the title American Horror Story: The Mist as the official title for the sixth season but they were taken down within hours and nothing was confirmed on the veracity of that title. Even those who thought to outsmart the creators and look on their TV’s information were thwarted, as the title and episode are displayed as “American Horror Story: 6, Chapter 1.”
To me, the most convincing theory was the classic movie theme, since there appeared to be allusions to the classics like The People Under the Stairs, The Hills Have Eyes, Rosemary’s Baby, Children of the Corn, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. The Hollywood theme would also tie into the characters of season 4, Freak Show. The final promo had Lady Gaga, who will return for this season, singing a song about a perfect illusion, which could easily be a reference to movies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7urn72Ifpc
However, the season makes sense as photos from the set saw the word “Croatoan” marking the trees. What this means for the season, one can’t be sure, but it’s sure to be creepy.
How the season will play out, who will be on the fictional chopping block, and what the ultimate conclusion will be, but the creators are upping the stakes. And hey, at least they didn’t just leave it as “6,” inducing the rage of fans everywhere.
