How do the visuals of American Horror Story: Apocalypse compare to prior seasons?

Does American Horror Story: Apocalypse bring enough distinct imagery and visuals to interest viewers? The first episode, “The End” left something to be desired.

The first episode of American Horror Story: Apocalypse premiered this Wednesday, and you can read our review of the episode here. While it’s just the first episode of the season, it makes sense there are still many unanswered questions. AHS often takes the whole season to unravel mysteries and introduces characters slowly but surely throughout the show.

Fans are still wondering how the season will continue to tie in characters from Coven, as that has yet to be seen. At the end of the episode, we did see Michael Langdon, all grown up and looking positively creepy. We are expecting more connections to Murder House, as well.

One of the great things about AHS is the aesthetics of the different seasons. Even when the plot has holes or when characterizations aren’t completely spot on, the overall feel of the different seasons is a big draw to fans. For example, while Coven was definitely not perfect television by any means, the New Orleans/witchy/voodoo feel of the season was compelling. Hotel had an eclectic art deco vibe that offered lovely visuals, even as the season got messy storywise.

So far, it’s hard to tell if Apocalypse will carry through this trend and bring viewers visual interest and a cohesive feel. Themes of the end of the world have been done so much in television and movies in recent years, making it hard to come up with something distinct. It will be interesting to see what motifs develop and imagery is used.

We’ve seen a lot of gas masks and nuclear fallout aesthetics, but nothing that stands out clearly. The first episode didn’t have any moments of introduction that stood out either. The two main new characters, Timothy and Emily, are somewhat bland at this point. Maybe we are just missing an entrance like Lady Gaga’s character The Countess had in Hotel.

We will wait to judge the season too harshly for now, but, the first episode was not as compelling as some fans might have hoped, given the intriguing promotional images.