American Horror Story Cult Episode 1 Review: Everybody Knows You Can't Trust A Clown

We've entered the seventh season of "American Horror Story" on FX. It looks like one of the main themes of the new "Cult" will be clowns. Excellent timing given this weekend's release of Stephen King's"It" (and after the spat of clown siting last year). I've said it before and I'll say it again. Clowns can't be trusted... be they Pennywise or Ronald McDonald or John Wayne Gacy. Eeekkk!

"Cult" joins the previous six seasons of "American Horror Story". They are:

season 1 AHS:Murder House
season 2 AHS:Asylum
season 3 AHS: Coven
season 4 AHS: Freak Show
season 5 AHS:Hotel
season 6 AHS:Roanoke

See my previous thoughts on the other seasons here: American Horror Story Reviews

Of these, my absolute favorite is "Asylum" followed by "Freak Show". I was seriously underwhelmed by "Roanoke" as well as "Hotel". Don't get me wrong. "American Horror Story" has introduced some of the most compelling characters on television. Standouts include: Twisty the Clown, Pepper, Madame LaLaurie, Dot and Bette, Liz Taylor-- just to name a few. "AHS" has the tendency to start out strong but then has a hard time sticking the landing/finale. I hope that's not the case with the newest season.

Here's what we know about "Cult" thus far. The promos have lots of bees and clowns. As we've seen we previous seasons, the promos may not directly have anything to do with the episodes. We know clowns are indeed involved. There arent any bees yet but it might be an analogue for a "hive mind".

The show begins right after last year's election. The country has never been more divided. If this show was only going to be about the election, count me out. I already lived through it once and dont need to see it again. But it looks like its just a backdrop (which I'm OK with).

The main characters are Liberal Ally (Sarah Paulson) and her long suffering wife Ivy (Alison Pill). They seem to be a mid to upper class family. They own a restaurant and can afford a nanny. The couple has a seven year old boy named Oz. Ally has a SEVERE fear of clowns (known as coulrophobia) and becomes hysterical at the mere mention of them. She has other phobias as well. They seem to have been triggered this time by Trump's election. But seriously Ally-- voting for Jill Stein! What were you thinking???

Side Note: I dont like clowns either but the woman needs some serious help. She sees clowns everywhere-- at the grocery store, while having a romantic dinner, while laying in bed, etc. I will admit that the clowns getting it on in the grocery produce area made me giggle. Hey, clowns need love too!

We also meet brother and sister weirdos Kai (Evan Peters) and Winter Anderson (Billie Lourd). Kai obviously has a few screws loose. He's SUPER STOKED that Trump won. Does he send Winter to become the nanny for the Mayfield-Richards family or is just a coincidence? Winter shows young Oz excessively violent videos. Why? She says its to make him immune to the violence. Uh, I think not. Oz was already sneaking peeks of Twisty the Clown comics (much to his mother's horror). If that wasnt bad enough, their neighbors the Changs (he's on the city counsel) are savagely murdered by what appears to be an ice cream truck full of killer clowns. It appears Kai had something to do with this since he was rebuked by Mr Chang at a recent town hall meeting. The police deem it a murder/suicide. We're not so sure.

On a related note, Twisty is back and I couldnt be more delighted. LOVE YOU TWISTY! He's up to his old ways and offs a couple out for a little private R&R. In usual stupid girl fashion, she runs into Twisty's bus and is whacked when 911 calls her back. Has this woman never seen a horror movie? Everyone knows NOT to hide on there. Will Twisty meet up with the other homicidal clowns? Are they all in some sort of clown union together?

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). I actually enjoyed the first episode. I guess having no expectations is the trick. If "AHS" treads lightly with the politics and focuses instead on fornicating killer clowns, I'm all in.

One additional though. Do we know if the clowns actually exist or not? They are originally a manifestation of Ally's illness. Then young Oz sees them across the street but no one else acknowledges them. Are they all a figment of their imaginations? It will be interesting to see how it plays out.