Creators of the popular FX show American Horror Story are injecting a heavy doss of current-day politics into their latest season, as the cable news show attempts to tackle polarized, post-election America.
A recently released trailer of the seventh season shows a Michigan town dealing with the 2016 presidential election by contrasting the political outlook of a gay couple, presumably Hillary Clinton voters, and an angry 30-year-old man, who depicts a Donald Trump supporter.
After the election results are released, the Trump-supporter declares that a revolution has begun and begins aggressively humping the television, while the Clinton-supporters stay in denial, saying “I won’t believe anything until I see Rachel Maddow declare it” — per the LA Times.
However, the series’ co-creator, Ryan Murphy, claims the show is not specifically about Trump — or Clinton for that matter. “It’s not about Trump, it’s not about Clinton, it’s about somebody who has the wherewithal to put their finger up in the wind and see what’s happening and using that to rise up and form power… And using people’s vulnerabilities about how they’re afraid, and feeling vulnerable, and they don’t know where to turn, and they feel like the world is on fire,” said Murphy.
It’s difficult, however, to see how the season could not be an allegory on Trump’s populist movement, as the series’ focus is on an angry white male using the feelings of similarly angry people for political success — which is how many would characterize the president’s rise.
To Trump-supporters who are considering shutting off American Horror Story given the new political connotations, Murhpy asks that they give the season a chance.
“People in the Rust Belt who have loved the show, tweet, like, ‘I’m out. I can’t believe that you’re tackling this.’ They don’t understand that every side on our show gets it just as much,” explained Murphy.
While other popular shows touch on current political issues and debates — such as Handmaid’s Tale, Homeland, and House of Cards — this season of American Horror Story will be the first to directly focus on America’s ever-growing political drama.
Watch the series’ trailer above.
[image via screengrab]