Ryan Murphy Reveals ‘American Horror Story’ Season 2 Time Period

Move over, 'Mad Men.'  Ryan Murphy is about to horn in on the swingin' '60s, bringing a little fear into the mix with the second season of 'American Horror Story' on FX!  But apart from a few measly details about the second season's setting, what does the 'Glee' show-runner have to say about what we can expect from the cast this time around?

Speaking in an interview with Vulture, 'American Horror Story' creator and show-runner Ryan Murphy clarified a few details about the hotly-anticipated second season of his rebooted spook-fest.  We already knew that the story would feature several season 1 actors returning as brand-new characters in the show's new asylum setting, as well as a few high-profile guest stars, but now Murphy reveals that the action will definitively be set within the 1960's.  Taking bets on a young Ben Harmon cameo, anyone?

In addition to the reveal, Murphy also went on to explain more about the Chloe Sevigny character, as well as the overall tone of the season, saying:

Chloe Sevigny plays a character who was put in an asylum because she was a woman who likes sex, so her husband sends her away. At the time, you were able to put people away for that. Another character is institutionalized for being a lesbian.

To me, there's nothing more scary than somebody coming to you and saying they're going to take you away and put you in a mad house and you have no legal rights and there you shall stay till the end of your days. That is a real horror.

If the first season was about infidelity, the second season is about sanity. What makes someone sane or insane? Sometimes the people you think are insane are actually the most sane of all. It’s fun to write about people who society throws away.

Murphy went on to stress the differences between characters being played by returning actors from season one, noting that Jessica Lange's character running the institution wouldn't have a shred of the wilting "Blanche DuBois" persona from her season one character Constance Langdon.  Similarly, the returning Evan Peters will be seen as the "hero of the show," distinct from his ghostly bad-boy persona from the first season.

"[The actors] are going to look different, they’re going to sound different, they’re going to have different accents. It’s a different time period," says Murphy. "The actors are so excited to do that and hopefully their enthusiasm will translate."  In addition to the returning stars and Chloe Sevigny, 'American Horror Story' season 2 also boasts star power from James Cromwell, Maroon 5 singer and  'The Voice' coach Adam Levine, and French actress Lizzie Brochere.

What say you?  Does the slow trickle of details from 'American Horror Story' season 2 get your heart racing for its late summer debut?  What are you most looking forward to?  Bounce off the walls with your thoughts in the comments below!