American Horror Story: What We Know After The Season 6 Premiere

For the past few months, FX has released numerous video promos for the upcoming sixth season of its horror anthology series American Horror Story. While a lot of these were misdirects, which we break down for you here, it may have given fans clues to what the theme for this season will be.

Now, after the first episode of season 6 has aired, we have a good idea of what the focus will be for this year's show. Here's a breakdown of what we learned after watching the September 14 episode of American Horror Story.

Warning: We will be discussing the season premiere of the episode, so there will be some spoilers below.

Brand New Format

This season's AHS is following a completely different format. The past five seasons followed a traditional storytelling formula. This season, the show resembles something more like Paranormal Witness, where people are being interviewed, and their story is being reenacted by actors.

It's a bit startling at first, but going this true crime route actually breathes some fresh air into the series. With the last season being a bit of an overall letdown, AHS needed something to revitalize the show, and the new format may be just what it needs. So what is the title of this Paranormal Witness-esque show?

"My Roanoke Nightmare"

The title of the show taking place within American Horror Story is called My Roanoke Nightmare. While the first episode doesn't give too much insight into how this all connects the story from American history, it does take place in North Carolina, where the Roanoke colony originated from.

By the end of the episode, when we see people dressed in clothing from the late 1500s, it starts to make a bit more sense. But fans will still be wondering, "How does this connect to the present?"

The First Episode Doesn't Give It All Away

The season premiere seemed like we were just dipping our toes into the pool. It felt a lot like the first episode of season 1 of the series, where the viewers were delivered a relatively normal story and family, but there's something terrifying beneath the surface. Creator Ryan Murphy gives the audience something familiar that feels equally fresh.

What really worked for the show was keeping the theme of this year's anthology a complete mystery to everyone. Fans did not know what to expect as the episode aired, so everything was a surprise, which was how television used to be, before over-promotion ruined the mystery of something new.

It's More Than Just Roanoke

If you've watched the show before, then you know that AHS likes to fit a whole lot into each season. While we know this show will tie into Roanoke, the show revolved more around a couple moving into a new house in North Carolina, outbidding some locals who aren't too friendly.

As the episode moves forward, there is a feeling that there is some cult activity happening in this world and a weird video with a man wearing a pig head. On top of all that, once again, ghosts seem to make their way onto the show. The ending of the episode is a bit confusing though, as we're not sure if the main character, Shelby (Sarah Paulson) is trapped in some sort of void, traveled through time, or just surrounded by ghosts.

It Leaves Viewers With More Questions Than Answers

Aside from the questions of "Where are Evan Peters and Lady Gaga," the first episode of AHS delivers a decent narrative that leaves the viewer wanting more because there is so much mystery. It's the first season we've all felt in the dark, and that's the intriguing thing about it.

We've seen a pretty fantastic cast so far, including Cuba Gooding Jr., and the show has a really cool, creepy vibe to it, which will give viewers a lot of hope that this season will be great. Where this episode truly shined was with the new format. It's different, but it works, especially with how popular the true crime format is on television.

What did you think of the first episode and where do you think this season is going?