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American Horror Story: Freak Show is the fourth season of the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story. It premiered on October 8, 2014.

The season is mainly set in 1952 Jupiter, Florida, telling the story of one of the last remaining freak shows in America, and their struggle for survival.

This is the first season of the series that is not strictly anthological, with characters appearing from the series' second cycle, American Horror Story: Asylum. Notable returning cast members from previous installments of the series include: Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Denis O'Hare, Frances Conroy, Jamie Brewer, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, Naomi Grossman, Emma Roberts, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, Danny Huston and Grace Gummer.

Plot

The season is set in Jupiter, Florida in 1952, centered around one of the few remaining freak shows at the time, led by Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange). Its members include the two-headed Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson), lobster boy Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters) and his mother, the bearded Ethel (Kathy Bates). Jimmy's father, the secretly homosexual 'strong man' Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis), also joins the freak show, accompanied by his wife, a three-breasted woman, Desiree Dupree (Angela Bassett). The season focuses on the conflict between the freaks and the "evil forces" who do not understand them. This includes the psychopathic Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock), whose obsession with the twins brings despair to him and his mother, Gloria (Frances Conroy). Also plotting against the freaks are con artists Stanley (Denis O'Hare) and Maggie (Emma Roberts), who plot to kill the freaks and sell them to a museum.

Cast and characters

Main

• Sarah Paulson as Template:AHSCharacter (11 episodes)
• Evan Peters as Template:AHSCharacter (12 episodes)
• Michael Chiklis as Template:AHSCharacter (9 episodes)
• Frances Conroy as Template:AHSCharacter (8 episodes)
• Denis O'Hare as Template:AHSCharacter (10 episodes)
• Emma Roberts as Template:AHSCharacter (10 episodes)
• Finn Wittrock as Template:AHSCharacter (11 episodes)
• Angela Bassett as Template:AHSCharacter (10 episodes)
• Kathy Bates as Template:AHSCharacter (9 episodes)
• Jessica Lange as Template:AHSCharacter (12 episodes)

Special guest

• Celia Weston as Template:AHSCharacter (5 episodes)
• Gabourey Sidibe as Template:AHSCharacter (3 episodes)
• Wes Bentley as Template:AHSCharacter (2 episodes)
• Neil Patrick Harris as Chester Creb (2 episodes)
• Danny Huston as Massimo Dolcefino (2 episodes)
• Matt Bomer as Template:AHSCharacter (1 episode)
• Lily Rabe as Template:AHSCharacter (1 episode)

Recurring

• Erika Ervin as Template:AHSCharacter (12 episodes)
• Mat Fraser as Template:AHSCharacter (12 episodes)
• Jyoti Amge as Template:AHSCharacter (11 episodes)
• Rose Siggins as Template:AHSCharacter (11 episodes)
• Naomi Grossman as Template:AHSCharacter (10 episodes)
• Christopher Neiman as Template:AHSCharacter (9 episodes)
• Drew Rin Varick as Template:AHSCharacter (8 episodes)
• Grace Gummer as Template:AHSCharacter (5 episodes)
• Major Dodson as Template:AHSCharacter (4 episodes)
• John Carroll Lynch as Template:AHSCharacter (4 episodes)
• Skyler Samuels as Template:AHSCharacter (4 episodes)
• Patti LaBelle as Template:AHSCharacter (4 episodes)
• P.J. Marshall as Detective Colquitt (4 episodes)
• Chrissy Metz as Template:AHSCharacter (4 episodes)
• Lee Tergesen as Template:AHSCharacter (3 episodes)
• Jerry Leggio as Dr. Bonham (2 episodes)
• Ben Woolf as Template:AHSCharacter (2 episodes)
• Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Angus T. Jefferson (2 episodes)
• Jamie Brewer as Marjorie (2 episodes)
• Angela Sarafyan as Alice (2 episodes)
• Shauna Rappold as Lucy Creb (2 episodes)

Episodes

Production

Development

"It feels like a Douglas Sirk movie; it's very 1952 presentational and then the horror is an unexpected jab. As opposed to last year, which was crazy camera work and comedy. This year feels different."

On November 6, 2013, FX announced that the show had been renewed for a fourth season. Series co-creator Ryan Murphy hinted that clues about the fourth season would be hidden in the final episodes of the third season. On March 17, 2014, the season was revealed to be set at a carnival, according to co-executive producer/writer Douglas Petrie. It was also revealed that Lange will be playing a role similar to Marlene Dietrich. Murphy revealed that the season will take place in 1950, adding: "If you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there's some more clues in that year. It's a period piece. We try and do the opposite of what we've done before. Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent so I'm very excited!" Murphy indicated that this season draws inspiration from Tod Browning's Freaks and Herk Harvey's Carnival of Souls. This season features the largest set ever constructed for American Horror Story, with Murphy stating: "We had to build an entire city. We built an entire huge compound and then we had to build the interior of all those buildings on set. It’s all period. And it's all based on Mark Worthington's immaculate research."

Casting

Ryan Murphy confirmed that Jessica Lange would be returning for a fourth season, although said to be in a reduced capacity. Kathy Bates also returned in a main role. In January 2014, Murphy revealed that Coven cast member Patti LuPone was invited back for the fourth season. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Paulson revealed she would be returning, possibly for a main role. Angela Bassett confirmed in an interview with Access Hollywood that she would be coming back. It was announced at the 2014 PaleyFest that the cast members present at the panel would all be returning for the fourth season in some capacity, adding Denis O'Hare, Emma Roberts, and Gabourey Sidibe to the present roster. Jamie Brewer was also added to the present roster, although, at a later date, Murphy indicated Brewer may not appear during the season. Brewer was later confirmed after appearing in a promo for the final two episodes. Additionally, Michael Chiklis was announced to play the father of Peters' character and ex-husband of Bates' character. Wes Bentley appeared in two episodes as Edward Mordrake, a tormentor from the past. The Normal Heart actor Finn Wittrock joined the cast in late July 2014, as the psychopathic Dandy Mott. John Carroll Lynch portrayed one of the central antagonist during the season, Twisty the Clown. Grammy winner Patti LaBelle played the mother of Sidibe's character, named Dora, the Motts' housekeeper. On August 13, 2014, Murphy announced that the world's smallest woman Jyoti Amge has joined the cast, as Ma Petite. Murphy had written a role specifically for Coven actor Leslie Jordan, but he was unable to appear on the show due to scheduling conflicts. The Normal Heart's Matt Bomer appeared in "Pink Cupcakes", as Andy, Dell's secret lover. On September 11, 2014, it was reported that Asylum actor Naomi Grossman would return to portray Pepper, which marks the first time a character appears in multiple seasons of the series. Lily Rabe also appeared as her Asylum character Sister Mary Eunice McKee in the tenth episode, "Orphans". Coven actress Mare Winningham made an appearance in the same episode, as Pepper's sister Rita. Neil Patrick Harris is confirmed to be appearing in two episodes as Chester, who is set to take over the freak show when Elsa leaves for Hollywood. Harris' husband, David Burtka, will guest star in the season finale as a man who has dealings with Lange's character.

Filming

"There's something going on there that is so non-American but totally American, so sexy and dark but there's hope everywhere."

At Paley Center for Media's 2014 PaleyFest event, Ryan Murphy announced that the season's filming would take place again in New Orleans, Louisiana, although the show's setting is in Jupiter, Florida.

The premiere episode was directed by co-creator Murphy, his first effort since the pilot.

Principal photography for the season began on July 15, 2014, and concluded on December 19, 2014.

Marketing

A video released on July 13, 2014, entitled "Fallen Angel", was reported by many news sources to be an official Freak Show trailer. The video – which featured the American Horror Story title card – was later taken down after FX confirmed it was fan-made. Before the debut of the fan-made video, FX had not released any official trailers concerning the upcoming season. The first official teaser was released on August 20, 2014, entitled "Admit One".

As with previous seasons, FX released a series of teaser trailers on the show's YouTube page. FX also used the marketing hashtag #WirSindAlleFreaks in the German language, and its English translation #WeAreAllFreaks.

Reception

Reviews

American Horror Story: Freak Show received a Metacritic score of 69 out of 100 based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 87% approval rating with an average rating of 7.7/10 based on 38 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, Freak Show still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast."

Awards and nominations

In its fourth season, the series was nominated for 20 awards, 16 of which are pending.

Soundtrack

Digital singles

References

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External links

• Official website
• American Horror Story at IMDb
• List of American Horror Story episodes at TV.com

• 1952 in fiction
• 2014 television seasons
• American drama television series
• American LGBT-related television programs
• American historical fiction
• American Horror Story
• Bearded women
• Circus television programs
• Fictional clowns
• Fictional conjoined twins
• Jupiter, Florida
• Strength athletics
• Supernumerary body parts
• Television series set in the 1950s
• Television shows set in Florida