The Hilarious Detail Fans Are Noticing From American Horror Story: Cult
Always on the hunt for Easter eggs, "American Horror Story" fans have an eye for detail that often uncovers hilarious gems. "Cult," the horror anthology's 7th season, played on timely, real-life social and political fears. From the divisive presidential election to the troubling conspiracy theories about those mysterious clowns that kept popping up everywhere, the show was full of 2016-inspired tension.
Fans and critics alike weren't sold on the season's commitment to the dramatization of the genuine terror many Americans were still reeling from that year, especially after one episode was pulled for going too far. What cannot be denied, though, is how nerve-wracking that season was.
Looking past the obvious scares, fans noticed one detail so minute yet fitting for our pretentious protagonists, Ally (Sarah Paulson) and Ivy Mayfair-Richards (Alison Pill). So, if it's not the killer clowns, the violent political arguments, or the cult antics, what are fans on the r/AmericanHorrorStory subreddit calling "anxiety-inducing"?
Readers, beware
The Mayfair-Richards family had a flair for the dramatic, and that extended to their over-the-door tilted bookshelf. Redditor u/quailplumes shared a picture of their set-up and said, "I didn't think everything in Cult could be anxiety inducing but then I saw these bookshelves."
The impracticality of the display screams "We own an aesthetically-pleasing variety of books, therefore, we're smart," rather than a simple "We're well-read." u/TheSupplanter pointed out how odd it is that every book is the same height, likely a conscious choice by the two women. It's the perfect bookshelf for two characters with performative political beliefs, something u/EmergencySyrup7605 summed up with, "Like OF COURSE they have those bookshelves."
The bold bookshelves surprised u/Cyancat123, who anticipated their collapse the entire season — despite Ally's "worrywart" personality probably meaning they were properly installed. Paulson's signature hysterical wailing was put to good use in "Cult," and had those shelves fallen, she, too, would have fallen to the ground in tears.
However annoying to use, the statement piece had fans eager to know where they could find an identical version to home their books. On another thread, u/Hannahk23 expressed interest in the shelf, though added, "I am only 5'1 so it would be useless to me." One fan's nightmarish bookshelf is another's dream display.