I probably get a little too excited when a new season of American Horror Story airs. With the school year in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, there is no better method of procrastination that I can think of other than this show. It’s not that I love all things spooky, this just happens to be a really good show. With the creepy new hotel setting and the amazing Lady Gaga on season five, it’s kind of all I talk about with anyone who will listen.

Some of my friends think my excitement is really strange. They tell me I just don’t seem like someone who would be into scary movies, or that they’re scared to watch it themselves. This is where I’ll start my rant on how, for many reasons, it’s completely different from any scary movie you’ve ever seen.

Unlike most of the scary movies that you’d find in theaters lately, American Horror Story has a suspenseful plot that’s actually worth paying attention to! I know, for those of you that have avoided anything remotely relating to the horror genre this is hard to believe. It seems that many have begun to confuse the horror genre with one of blood and guts, with the occasional sex scene thrown in. They add in lots of suspense but once you leave the theater and think back to what actually happened, besides almost everyone dying, you can’t remember anything. Lets face it, that’s pretty much what the scary movies that get released around Halloween have come to be. I won’t deny that there is some blood, guts and sex in American Horror Story but being that it’s a television series there’s actually time to focus on the characters, setting and plot as well as the must have blood, guts and sex.

As for the excuse that you’d be four seasons behind and have no idea what’s going on, it’s not going to work.

Lucky for you it’s an unusual show and you don’t need to watch the seasons in order. This means you can either binge watch the past four seasons on Netflix, or tune in week to week on TV to catch the newest episode. When you inevitably fall in love with the show and watch more than one season, you will notice that the cast remains similar from season to season. The twist is that the character that they act as change with each new scenario. It may sound strange at first, you’re so used to a character acting one way and the next season they’re fully immersed in their new role. Trust me, it keeps each season fresh and exciting and it doesn’t take long to get wrapped up in the new plot. This beautiful distinction would be impossible to pull off in a movie, or most any other TV show for that matter.

Now let’s talk about the title. The word “horror” will usually make or break whether or not someone decides to watch the show for the first time. I know that this word is really intimidating for someone who wouldn’t dare step foot in a theater playing a scary movie. To be conscious that you’re watching something that the makers deemed horrifying is a tough sell. Honestly though, there are usually only a few instances where you’re really going to need to cover your eyes. So, no, I don’t blame you for being cautious of the words “horror story”, bad TV and movies can be quite horrifying indeed. If you’re willing to step a little bit out of your comfort zone it’s worth the watch.