To the surprise of absolutely nobody, FX has ordered the star-studded pilot “American Horror Story” to series.
The drama comes from 2/3rds of the “Glee” creator team, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck and will premiere on FX in October. The “American Horror Story” order if for 13 episodes and the series will begin production in Los Angeles on July 27.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan and Brad back to their original home,” states FX President John Landgraf. “They have shown an uncanny ability to bring original series to the air unlike any that have come before, and to reconcile ‘wildly entertaining’ with the ‘creatively ambitious.’ Once again, American Horror Story is a wholly unique and original take on its genre with richly drawn characters. The ability to put together a cast of stars such as Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Denis O”Hare, Frances Conroy and Oscar-winner Jessica Lange speaks to the quality of the writing and storytelling. This series is going to blow audiences back in their seats, and we can”t wait to have it on our air.”
The “American Horror Story” pilot was written by Murphy and Falchuk, with Murphy directing. FX is only slowly beginning to leak details about the plot, which focuses on the Harmons (Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Taissa Farmiga), who move from Boston to Los Angeles “as a means to reconcile past anguish.” Lange, in her first regular TV series role, will play the Harmon’s new neighbor, while the series’ guest cast also includes Alexandra Breckenridge and Jamie Brewer.
“Brad and I are excited to be back at FX where we enjoyed such a terrific relationship working with John Landgraf and his team through 100 episodes of Nip/Tuck,” states Murphy. “The support of John, Dana Walden and Gary Newman on ‘American Horror Story’ has been nothing short of amazing. Our cast is extraordinary and we can”t wait to get started on production.”
Dana Walden and Gary Newman are, of course, chairmen at “American Horror Story” production company 20th Century Fox TV.
“Ryan and Brad are two of the most original voices working in television, and their singular vision is evident in every frame of American Horror Story,” Walden and Newman state. “Just as they delivered a brand new take on the musical comedy in ‘Glee,’ they’ve completely reinvented the horror genre with this spellbinding series. Their script attracted a cast that is a virtual ‘who’s who’ of award winning performers and the result is an electrifying piece of entertainment. It has long been our goal to bring this brilliant team back to John Landgraf and FX, where they had such success with ‘Nip/Tuck.’ In ‘American Horror Story,’ they are returning with something unlike anything else on the air that is a perfect fit for this channel’s brand.”