The prospect of 'American Horror Story's second season continues proving rather unique in this day and age.  We never had to spend the time in between seasons of 'LOST' wondering what character an actress might play, or what new locale would play host to the cast.  So when Ryan Murphy opens up about where the next season is headed, every clue is as vital as the last.

Speaking at a TV Academy panel for the series, series creator Ryan Murphy was on hand to reveal key details of the upcoming second season of FX's 'American Horror Story,' foremost among all of them a long-awaited confirmation of the story's setting!  According to Ryan, "[Season 2] is set on the East Coast at an institution for the criminally insane that is run by Jessica [Lange]."

Not only that, but "It's a completely different world and has nothing to do with Season 1; there's not a mention of Season 1," Murphy notes. "The second season is set in a completely different time period."  Though rumors of either a hospital or an institution of some kind had run rampant, previously Murphy would only confirm that the story would swap coasts from the season 1 setting of Los Angeles.

Murphy also spoke on the idea of returning cast members from season1, noting that in addition to the five established, others may return.  "The idea is to work with actors that you love and are excited by. The second season, everybody who was announced, there will be other people up on this stage who are not announced who will also be in it but are playing the polar opposite of what they were in the first season in every way," says the creator.

So, who might some of these returning characters play?  The producers would only respond with a gentle "maybe" when asked if season 1 guest star, now series regular Zachary Quinto would play one of the patients of the institution, but were somewhat more forthcoming about Maroon 5 frontman and 'The Voice' judge Adam Levine's role on the show.

He's a sexy guy so he needs to play a sexy guy, but the guy that is different than who you think he would play," he said. "I pitched him the part and he listened, slack jawed, and simply said, 'I'm in.'

The second season is fun, sexy and baroque. It has a lot of meat to it; it's a really gritty part. He's with a girl and they play characters called "The Lovers."

Murphy also elaborated on the purported hint of season 2's setting found in season 1's penultimate episode "Birth," as "something that Sarah Paulson's character, Billie Dean, says to Jessica and Taissa [Farmiga] as she's sage-ing the house and talking about places where evil collects: We talk about institutions and prisons and things like that. That was the clue."

What say you?  Does the location clarification of 'American Horror Story' season 2 have you any more primed for the FX hit's terrifying return?  What are you most hoping to see from the new, or recurring cast members?  Scare up some thoughts in the comments below!

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