The horror anthology Trick 'r Treat is one of the most beloved movies, and the format can be a lot of fun for television. Both American Horror Stories and Into The Dark are entertaining anthology series that tell different stories in each episode and show the many terrifying things that can happen to various characters.
While Blumhouse's TV show Into The Dark tells some incredibly creepy tales, from an actor who gets caught up in darkness when he gets a new role to a teenage girl realizing her dad is keeping her locked up at home, American Horror Stories hasn't been a complete hit with critics. When comparing the two shows, it seems like Into The Dark has a great formula that can be followed.
Themed Episodes
The problem with anthology series is some episodes are better than others as there's nothing to tie all of the different stories together. While American Horror Stories is unique and some episodes are excellent, others are lackluster, which suggests that both seasons 1 and 2 would benefit from some structure.
Into The Dark excels because each episode focuses on a holiday. This theme makes for a better structure and makes for more compelling and organized storytelling. In season 1, "The Body" happens on Halloween night, "Flesh and Blood" takes place around Thanksgiving, and "New Year, New You" is all about the promise of January 1st. Season 2 does repeat a few holidays, but that's fine since the fall and winter holidays make for great horror settings. The season 2 episode "Good Boy" is Pet Appreciation Week, which on a lesser series might seem like a stretch, but it works. The best Into The Dark episodes feel organized and interesting.
While the holiday themes draw viewers in, each story will keep fans watching. Into The Dark focuses on themes like pregnancy, parenthood, love, family, friendship, and being different from other people. The most popular Blumhouse horror movies are about something important and the same thing is true of this TV show.
Truly Self-Contained Stories
While both anthology series have a different story in each episode, AHS does have a recurring storyline, and that might be its downfall. Season 1 of American Horror Stories leans too heavily on elements from American Horror Story season 1 as it features the Murder House and alludes to the Rubber Man character.
When comparing the seasons of American Horror Story, the first one starring Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott and Taissa Farmiga is great and many fans consider it one of the strongest. But do fans really need to see these familiar elements again? The anthology series could definitely focus on more new stories and characters instead, which would make it more fascinating. Season 2 seems like it has some cool premises, like the premiere episode called "Dollhouse," so it will be interesting to see what other stories upcoming episodes explore.
Anthology series and movies can sometimes feel like they're all over the place, which might be why fans and critics don't love every episode of season 1 of American Horror Stories. If season 2 can separate itself from Murder House, and it seems like it will, then it might be more popular.
Actors Who Don't Typically Focus On Horror
When comparing American Horror Stories to American Horror Story, it's clear that the new series had a lot to live up to. And while the cast is definitely talented, with Billie Lourd doing an incredible job in the season 1 American Horror Stories episode "BA'AL," Into The Dark features many actors who don't usually take on horror projects, which is fun to see since it's so unexpected.
In the season 2 Into The Dark episode "Good Boy," Judy Greer plays Maggie Glenn, a single journalist who adopts a dog and finds more happiness than she ever expected to have. Greer is beloved for starring in romantic comedies and other funny projects, and it's perfect seeing the actor play someone who finds themselves terrified of the pet that they have begun taking care of as strange things begin happening.
The series also has other great cast members, including Rachel Bloom in "Pooka Lives!" and Kerr Smith in "Pilgrim," along with Suki Waterhouse in "New Year, New You." Seeing an actor like Smith, who is best known for portraying Jack McPhee on teen drama Dawson's Creek, star in an episode of Into The Dark is enjoyable and fun, since this is so unexpected.
Just like fans of American Horror Story debate each season, viewers who have seen every episode of American Horror Stories so far know that the show can be better but it's still a solid example of a scary TV show.