American Horror Story: Hotel

Now that we’ve largely washed away the stench of American Horror Story: Hotel, talk naturally turns to the sixth chapter of Ryan Murphy’s FX frightfest, still largely under wraps. We know of at least one returning cast member, while a new report suggests that Season 6 might actually feature urban legend meme “Slender Man.”

American Horror Story has fallen into a pattern (among other things), alternating between period and contemporary settings, so leave it to Ryan Murphy to switch things up in Season 6. The next Horror Story will indeed return to the past, but also keep one foot firmly planted in the present as well. Confused yet?

Inexplicable Golden Globe-winner American Horror Story: Hotel still has one episode remaining in its run, but it won’t be long before Season 6 starts gearing up for pre-production. We know Lady Gaga has been invited back, but series creator Ryan Murphy seems to say Angela Bassett has already confirmed a return.

The moment that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association first announced the 2016 Golden Globe nominees, American Horror Story: Hotel star Lady Gaga raised a few eyebrows with a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Miniseries. Welp, guess who ended up taking home the award!

Five seasons in, American Horror Story: Hotel has become something of a nexus point for the series, dipping back through multiple seasons and seemingly unifying some core characters. Now, it seems one of the Hotel residents will return for the finale as their Season 1 Murder House counterpart, and might raise a few eyebrows along the way.

The fun of American Horror Story (if there’s any left to be had) lies in charting the actors that resurface from year to year, some taking central roles in each installment, and others weaving intermittently. Coven and Freak Show star Emma Roberts apparently missed out on her chance for Hotel, but will likely return for another round in Season 6, it seems.

Last November, Ryan Murphy revealed that every season of his American Horror Story anthology series was connected. So far the show has made minor call backs to previous seasons and reprised characters. But there have to be more clues that connect all five seasons in a bigger way, right? Right.

Tonight’s episode of American Horror Story: Hotel finally takes us back to the ol’ Murder House, but unfortunately our trip there is all too brief, as we have more pressing matters back at the Hotel Cortez. Specifically, with what — or who — is residing in “Room 33,” and it’s…well, it’s really not that big of a deal. It’s just kind of okay.

Ever one for subtlety, American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy more or less guaranteed us a sixth season by extending an invitation to Lady Gaga, not that the FX ratings smash cast any doubt over renewal. Now, American Horror Story has made official another round beyond Hotel, but has Gaga signed the dotted line?

American Horror Story’s Halloween episodes tend to be events that blend past and present in effective ways that are often shocking, revolting, spooky and — occasionally — surprisingly sorrowful. The last couple of seasons have fallen into an unfortunate rhythm: energetic, totally wild premieres followed by mediocre, tedious episodes that feel more trash than trashy treasure. But the Halloween episodes have remained a high point, and Hotel’s own holiday special offers a fun feast with its smorgasbord of serial killers.