American Horror Story/Double Feature

Double Feature

Double Feature Logo

Started

August 25, 2021

Season #

10

Number of episodes

10

Previous

1984

Next

NYCPart of American Horror Story

Double Feature is the subtitle for the tenth season of American Horror Story. It was announced on August 03, 2018.[1] The title of the season was announced by Ryan Murphy on March 19, 2021, presenting it as “Two horrifying stories… One season. One by the sea… One by the sand”.[2] The season premiered on August 25, 2021 on FX and FX on Hulu.[3]

The season is divided into two parts: Red Tide, which takes place “by the sea”, and Death Valley, which takes place “by the sand”.[4]

Plot

Red Tide

A struggling writer, his pregnant wife, and their daughter move to an isolated beach town for the winter. Once they’re settled in, the town’s true residents begin to make themselves known.[5]

Death Valley

A group of college students on a camping trip are swept up in a horrifying and deadly conspiracy decades in the making.[6]

Cast and Characters

Episodes

Production

Filming of the first part, Red Tide took place in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Main photography would have started in March but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, the season premiere was delayed to 2021.[7] The pandemic that had already delayed release originally planned for a 2020 premiere, once again cost the production to stop during the filming of the second half of the season. Death Valley.[8]

Ryan Murphy confirmed that season 10 was tentatively slated to start shooting on October 31, 2020. On November 10, 2020, Ryan Murphy posted on his Instagram account the first promotional image of the season.[9]

Although the plot was still kept secret, a teaser hinted at a setting by the ocean.[10][11]

According to FX chairman John Landgraf, the 10-episode season is set to air on FX in the fall and will conclude on Halloween. Season 10 is expected to broadcast following the spin-off American Horror Stories, which is expected to bow on Hulu in July.[12]

Themes

On April 2, 2021, Ryan Murphy revealed the American Horror Story universe is expanding. He asked fans to comment which story would they like to see the most between: Aliens, Xmas Horror, Bloody Mary, Sirens, Piggy Man, and Plague.[13] On April 10, the last poll was between Bloody Mary and Plague.[14] Following fans protesting, the poll was recounted to have it Bloody Mary vs Sirens on April 14.[15]

Aliens, long-awaited villains were reportedly coming to AHS: Double Feature.[16] They were confirmed once Death Valley was broadcast.

Leslie Grossman, who plays Ursula Caan, confirmed that there are “threads” connecting the two parts, and that will make themselves clear throughout the course of season 10. And like past seasons, she hints, there’s plenty of Easter Eggs and references to the shared universe.[17]

Casting

The cast was announced on February 26, 2020.[11] Kathy Bates was originally announced for the cast but later revealed to have withdrawn due to health concerns. Frances Conroy replaced her.[18]

On March 23, 2021, Ryan Murphy announced Kaia Gerber is joining the American Horror Story family.[19]

Neal McDonough is set to play the series regular role of Dwight Eisenhower. It was initially reported that McDonough was not playing the 34th U.S. President in an attempt to keep the plot a secret.[20]

References