Questions We Want Answered in American Horror Story S6E2

Though secret-shrouded season 6 has premiered, there are still more than enough mysteries that need solving in American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare.

We have a theme, we’re getting familiar with the characters, we’re sufficiently spooked by the horrors that episode 1 had to offer, and, let’s all admit it together: we’re already hooked. But as we jump headfirst into the season that’s still largely a mystery, we have some questions that we’re dying to have answered in episode 2 (and beyond).

American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare, episode: “Chapter 1,” via FX.

1. Will each episode cover a different mystery, or just a different aspect of the same mystery?

In the season preview, which we were treated to last week only after episode 1 premiere on both coasts, it appears as though we’ll be sticking with the central characters that were introduced in the first ep: married couple, Shelby and Matt. But if we’re to go along with the premise that we’re watching a show-within-a-show, it’s likely that more than one story could be explored. Will we get more accounts of Roanoke-based creepiness from different witnesses? Will we switch stories altogether and be thrown into a new mystery at some point this season? Or will Shelby and Matt’s experience just get weirder and weirder and keep us hanging on til the bitter (and probably horrifying) end?

2. Are Shelby and Matt reliable narrators?

Assuming we’ll be following this couple’s story for at least the foreseeable Roanoke future, we’ve got to decide whether or not we trust our narrators. On one hand, from what we’ve seen, they seem to be the victims of the story. On the other, this is AHS, and the new docu-series structure allows for the possibility that what we see and hear from Shelby and Matt may not be the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Should we be taking what they’re saying at face value, or with a grain of salt? Are we going to get plot-twisted and find that what we’ve been manipulated to accept as the reality that these characters are presenting to us in their “reality” show is actually false? The new structure may seem complicated and potentially could get convoluted quickly, but it also makes room for the possibility of waaaay more interesting twists, turns, reversals, and revelations.

Screengrab courtesy of “American Horror Story: Roanoke Official Preview,” FX.

3. How are the seasons connected?

It’s unlikely that we’ll learn exactly how this season ties into the others this early on, but loyal viewers know that Ryan Murphy frequently and sometimes not-at-all subtly drops hints about what’s to come. We already know that the lore of the Lost Colony of Roanoke was a talking point in season 1, but what’s going to take some detective work and careful viewing is deciphering exactly what that connections means for the characters and stories of the new season. Will Shelby and Matt have a run-in with the owners of the Murder House? Will we get to watch season 1 characters play with season 6 characters? Or will the connections be more subdued- perhaps so much so that we don’t even notice they were there until the end of the season?

Next: American Horror Story Premiere Recap: S6E1

For (possible) answers to these questions and more, tune in to watch the Roanoke Nightmare continue on Wednesdays at 10PM E.T. on FX.