Where else could you see Jessica Lange doing a Marlene Dietrich impression singing David Bowie’s “Life on Mars”? Yes, this is Murphy in full freak mode. He’s “one of us,” inviting viewers into a late-night cable tent that’s unlike any other on television. Lange plays Elsa Mars, the owner of a traveling freak show in Jupiter, Florida in 1952. It is there that Elsa stumbles on her new main attraction, a two-headed woman named Bette & Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson). Of course, each half of the Tattler twins has a distinct personality, allowing Paulson a lot of fun scenes in which she essentially plays two roles. One of my favorite things about the “AHS” phenomenon is that it’s granted Paulson time in the spotlight. She’s long been a great actress.
The Tattler twins join a show that includes a bearded lady (Kathy Bates), a lobster boy (Evan Peters), and, eventually, a strong man (Michael Chiklis) and 3-breasted woman (Angela Bassett), among other, real-life physically unique people. Meanwhile, a maniacal clown that looks ripped from the memories of anyone who saw “It” at too young an age is murdering people across Florida. The show, the clown, and even an entitled rich kid and his creepy mom (Frances Conroy) all collide under the big top. (And Denis O’Hare, Wes Bentley, Patti Labelle and Emma Roberts reportedly pop up after the first two episodes sent for press).
As with all in the universe of Ryan Murphy, everyone here has a secret, many of them murderous. Murphy has always been fascinated by the people on the fringe of society, whether they be the unpopular kids in “Glee” or the freaks of society in “Freak Show.” In fact, despite the killer clowns and sexual perversities, “Freak Show” shares another commonality with “Glee”—modern songs in a period context. There’s one full-song show-stopper in each of the two episodes to date. I won’t spoil the second song but it’s somewhat amazing to watch Sarah Paulson sing harmony with herself.
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