American Horror Story: Top 5 Mysteries from ‘Chapter 1’ (Season 6 Episode 1)
On American Horror Story Season 6 Episode 1, we get answers to some of our most burning questions for this season and at the same time acquire a whole new set of questions that need to be answered.
The theme has been, sort of, revealed. We don’t get a title intro confirming the theme, but what we do get is this: My Roanoke Nightmare.
Considering this title wasn’t in the sweepstakes that occurred where fans had the chance to guess the theme correctly and win, I’m assuming this is only the name of the documentary that involves interviews with the present time characters and dramatic re-enactments.
Here are the top mysteries that need to be answered from “Chapter 1.”
1. How Far Apart Are the Timelines?
In the beginning of the episode, we’re introduced to the present characters who are telling their story about what happened to them.
Shelby is played by Sarah Paulson (re-enactment) and Lily Rabe (present). Matt is played by Cuba Gooding Jr. (re-enactment) and André Holland (present). Lee is played by Angela Bassett (re-enactment) and Adina Porter (present).
Really, all we know is that the documentary they are being interviewed for is called, My Roanoke Nightmare. And, while it’s clear that some time has passed between the two timelines it’s a mystery as to how much time exactly has gone by.
I’m really interested in seeing how far apart the timelines are and if the rumors are true, how will Lady Gaga play in both times?
2. Who or What Is Haunting Shelby?
After losing her baby and moving out into the middle of nowhere Shelby really needs to just lay back and relax but who or whatever is haunting this house has other plans.
What starts off as Shelby seeing teeth raining down outside quickly turns into seeing two women strolling down the hallway. Right after that we see her being held underwater in her hot tub (if you look very closely you can see that it’s Kathy Bates’ character who is the one holding her down), emerging to torches circled around her.
Just when the help arrives all evidence goes missing, making it very hard for Shelby to prove that she is in fact encountering these weird events. Especially when she had been drinking almost every single time she had been attacked.
Fast forward to the end of the episode where we see Shelby trip and fall in the woods. Moments later the entire ground begins to shake in a violent, supernatural fit. It’s as if the woods were breathing.
It begs the question; what supernatural force are they up against?
3. What Do the Colonists Want?
With the way the ghosts(?) are dressed, it’s safe to say that they’re the ghosts of the Lost Colony that went missing during 1590. The question is, why are they back and wreaking havoc?
The colonists trapped Lee and Shelby in the basement of the house while they redecorated the inside with twigs and stick figure witches all along the staircase of the home.
It’s also a good assumption that they are also the ones who left a dead pig on the front porch, and vandalized the outside of the home a few nights before.
4. Is That Home Video Real?
While Lee and Shelby are trapped downstairs in the basement, they’re forced to watch a home video, featuring a weird creature with a pig head for a face.
We see Denis O’Hare playing the guy filming the monster in the woods, but that’s it. How will he come into play later on? Was the video real or was it just a trick to try and get Shelby and Matt to move out?
5. Where Are the Other Cast Members?
Kathy Bates is the only other significant cast member we see for more than a few seconds during the episode. We see Kathy’s character when she’s holding Shelby under in the hot tub and when Shelby hits her with her car and then follows her into the woods.
Wes Bentley is seen for a split second at the end of the episode with the other colonists surrounding Shelby, and Denis O’Hare is seen on the TV screen but that’s it.
And yet, Evan Peters and Cheyenne Jackson are in the credits at the end of the episode as well. So, if they really were in the premiere where were they? Were they one of the colonists we’ve yet to see? Or, is one of them the freaky pig-headed monster that we saw in the video down in the basement?
Other Thoughts:
- Is American Horror Story: Roanoke really the theme for this season?
- We see Lady Gaga for .2 seconds in the preview for next week’s episode and with the rest of the rumors about this season being true, do you think we will see Gaga in both timelines like predicted?
- Who was the guy with half of his brain missing in the very last scene? Why were the colonists/ghosts chasing him through the woods?
- Overall I think that the premiere was a great opening to the season. It gave us just enough information to keep us satisfied until next week but also left us with enough questions to make us wanting more.
- My only complaint is that I don’t like the fact that Lily Rabe and Sarah Paulson are playing the same character which means we won’t get any scenes with them together. It’s a personal complaint, but seeing them share the screen is always my favorite thing.
What did you think of this episode of American Horror Story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Horror Story airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX.
Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.