American Horror Story (2011 TV series) Episode 1

There was something that really got to me about American Horror Story.  It was a little all over the place, and a lot strange, but it stuck in my head and I'm looking forward to the next episode.

AHS is about a couple, Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben (Dylan McDermott) who have gone through some serious shit in their marriage as of late.  In order to try and repair their failing relationship, they take their daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) and their dog and move into a house with a sordid past.  They ignore the murder-suicide that occured there, the strange bondage suit in the basement, the creepy neighbors, and eventually a weird burned guy lurking around.  Man, these people have low standards for their living situation.

Apparently the house comes with a built-in maid, who is old, but appears to be young and Evan Rachel Wood-esque in front of male members of the household.  Ben, a psychiatrist, starts treating a psychotic teenager, who immediately befriends the jaded Violet.  Neighbor-of-the-year Constance (Jessica Lange) likes to tell scary stories and let her Downs-syndrome daughter traipse over to the house at any time, making declarations of death a la Crazy Ralph.

There was so much going on in this episode that it's hard to wrap it up in a review.  But let it be said that it's scary, random, and jarring, and I can't wait to see next week's episode.  More to come.