The Part Of American Horror Story: Roanoke That Fans Couldn't Stand
While the newest twist of "American Horror Story" is that Season 10 will split into two halves, back in Season 6, "Roanoke" surprised viewers with a show-within-a-show twist. The first half of the season was presented as a paranormal true-crime documentary that reenacted a couple's experience in a haunted home, while the second half presented found footage of production from the documentary's sequel, ala "The Blair Witch Project."
While "Roanoke" received positive reviews from critics who praised its pacing and format, fans were divided by the concept and its execution. Fans of the FX anthology series are notoriously critical of the show, often taking to its subreddit to suggest rewrites, rank performances, and express unpopular opinions.
When it comes to the meta, history-inspired season, the twist wasn't the only thing that disappointed some fans. "I don't know if they meant it to be awful or what..." one fan said, describing one of the smallest, but no less irritating, details of the show that turned them off.
Sarah Paulson's posh accent annoyed fans
If you've ever heard the popular shrieking TikTok audio "Oh my god, poor Shelby!," you'll understand where u/ChipsAhoyMcCoy72 is coming from. Users on the video-based platform remixed Sarah Paulson's signature wailing in "Roanoke" with trap music, creating a jarring, hilarious audio track.
The Redditor started a thread saying, "I enjoyed Roanoke but Sarah's accent is god d**n awful." They added that they struggled to keep watching the season "because of how cringe it was." Paulson portrays three characters in this documentary-turned-found-footage season: housewife Shelby Miller, actress Audrey Tindall, and "Asylum" journalist Lana Winters.
Tindall's over-the-top accent is the one being discussed on this thread, though most fans agreed that it was "fun" and added a "comedic effect" to the season.
"I feel her character was intentionally over-exaggerated and irritating on purpose, including her accent," said u/rymatak. "I'm pretty sure Audrey is supposed to be one of those celebrities whose entire image is crafted to boost her fame. Similar to when Madonna moved to the UK and 'developed' a British accent."
"I love both Paulson and Madonna, don't come at me," they added.
Whether or not the criticism is warranted, Paulson herself would likely agree. The "American Horror Story" veteran admitted that she "[didn't] care about this season at all" and wished she hadn't done it (via EW).