Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie is hauntingly beautiful and a must-see if you love horror (Review) 

Before actually watching Grotesquerie, I called it American Horror Story season 13, and now I am kicking myself for it. In my defense, both series come to us from Ryan Murphy and the theme is horror. “Who is Ryan Murphy fooling?” I foolishly thought, “this is just more of the same.” Well, my Show Snob friends, I watched the first two episodes of Grotesquerie and I’m so happy to say that it is nothing like AHS. It’s better. 

Grotesquerie is like an upgraded series. It makes American Horror Story feel like the kid-friendly, warm-up act before the real terror hops on stage. From the quality to the flow and focus of the story, I loved everything about it. And don’t get me wrong! I’m a huge fan of Murphy’s AHS. So much so, that I tune in to watch every season knowing damn well it will likely not be great. That’s just how loyal I am to the franchise. But if we’re being honest, AHS stopped being great several seasons ago and it is now just hit and miss, with more of the latter. 

The scares (most of them unnecessary jump scares) featured in American Horror Story are silly and just for the shock factor. But the graphic images and disturbing scenes we see in the first two episodes of Grotesquerie don’t feel that way. They have a purpose and are presented to audiences differently than on AHS. But okay, let’s stop comparing the two. I believe I have made my point! Now let’s dive into the series premiere. 

Spoiler alert! If you missed the first two episodes of Grotesquerie, please note there are massive spoilers ahead in this review. Go stream both episodes on Hulu before reading below. 

What is boiling in the pot?

The premiere episode of Grotesquerie dives right into things, presenting the first of many gruesome, sinister murders to come. Audiences meet Detective Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash-Betts). We quickly learn two things. One, Lois has a drinking problem. And two, she is way in over her head when it comes to the latest case. 

The murder scene is both shocking and heartbreaking. A family of five was mercilessly murdered. The dad is chopped up, mom and two kids are tied up, but where’s the baby? Detective Lois is sharing the details of the crime scene with Sister Megan (Micaela Diamond), a young nun who works for The Catholic Guardian and is reporting on this story. Lois insinuates that inside the boiling pot was the baby as she tells Sister Megan to “think about the worst thing you can never unsee boiling in a pot.” This sends chills down your spine. Sister Megan gulps as she continues to take notes. 

As I take my own notes while watching this episode, though, I wonder…why is Detective Lois sharing so much about the case with Sister Megan? Am I overthinking this due to having watched one too many true crime shows? Or is this noteworthy and we’ll get our answer later? Time will tell! 

Lois also shares that there was a strange liquid left behind on the scene. It has been taken to the laboratory for testing. This same liquid is later found at the next scene, which now sees two men dismembered and arranged on the wall like a display. But the strangest thing in this scene is that there is no blood. It has all been drained. Somebody call Dexter Morgan, please! 

A nun and detective walk into a murder scene…

As if sharing the horrifying details of the first case with Sister Megan wasn’t enough, Lois allows the journalist nun to enter the second scene of the crime and take notes. Lois believes that Sister Megan can offer good advice as these cases and murder scenes appear to be coming straight from the pages of the bible. 

Sister Megan is not like any of the nuns we have seen before. There’s something up with her. In the trailers for Grotesquerie, it’s been teased that Sister Megan has some secrets of her own.

The debut also introduces Merritt (Raven Goodwin), Lois’ daughter. Later, we learn that Lois’ husband, Marshall (Courtney B. Vance) isCourtney in a coma, and has been for some time. And there’s a lot to unpack here. Marshall and Lois were not a perfect, happy couple. He wasn’t faithful to Lois, and she wasn’t very present in their relationship. But one thing is clear, she does still have a lot of love for her husband. During a visit, Lois asks Marshall to come back to her because she needs him. 

At the hospital, Lois chats with Nurse Redd (Lesley Manville), who has an issue with the detective. She accuses Lois of being a bad wife and giving up on her husband. Nurse Redd is clearly overstepping here, and she does it in a way that seems purposeful. What does she have against Lois and why does she feel the need to get under her skin with threatening remarks? 

Don’t miss Grotesquerie episode 3 next Wednesday, Oct. 2, on FX. And stream it the following day on Hulu!