The Shining-like in old-world palatial art-deco glory/premise, stylistic macabre by exec-producer (+ surprising actress) Lady Gaga, heavy score, & fitting overarching grimey sex themes limited by its very lethargic pacing & deficient storytelling. 5/10.

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Plot Synopsis: The fifth installment of the award-winning franchise, AHS: Hotel explores the depth of The Countess’ mayhem inside a haunted, historic Los Angeles hotel.

*Possible spoilers ahead*

Review: The Shining-like in old-world, classic-palatial art-deco glory with a tried-true hotel premise & beautiful richly-decadent location setting, stylistic flamboyance signature of exec-producer (& surprisingly adequate actress/maven) Lady Gaga, fine cinematography and aptly-solemn heavy-chorded score matching its ominous fluid scares & tone, and a thankful return to at least more horror and supernatural macabre + the dark atmosphere of early seasons with a nice twinge of detective arc and overarching themes of sex and dirtiness/luxurious infidelity played up by its recurring starry-cast. Bizarre inconsistency between garish overblownness in parts and *unwatchable* lethargy in others, contrived storytelling as much a ghost of past-AHS glory as its titular place’s residents focusing more on stylism than effective telling of its titular premise, too-heavy leaning on Kubrick’s far-superior hotel take, and looseness around the edges hold it far back from S1-3 level as a stay more at the Holiday Inn than the Overlook Hotel.

Official CLC Score: 5/10