5 minutes in and its nothing but anti-white rhetoric. Why are you like this?

"Half of the gay men on this board could've been an email."

I was a small kid during the AIDS crisis, and my parents were antique dealers/auctioneers. 99% of our family and friends are queer. I remember my parents taking care of people. I remember being very small, I’m talking 3 years old, and a friend telling me goodbye. He was so thin and emaciated, and I couldn’t make it better. We lost a lot of amazing people, that could only have made the world better through their existence. It’s hard to watch almost everyone you love, die. This season, I get what it is trying to do. I always feel a level of shock knowing how few people anymore, KNOW what AIDS of the 80’s looked like. The dismissal of the suffering bothers me quite a bit, so I’ll take anything that recognizes it. That said, EVERYTHING you’ve said about Murphy and NYC, is absolutely correct. NYC is lacking POC and trans people. One of our closest friends was trans. Her boyfriend tested positive, and she found his body. That night she ended her life. I wish they would have covered how often that happened. Also, I’ve known a lot of leather daddies (due to who my parents sold their business to and were friends with), and that villain makes me feel odd, especially since the guys in their leather gear would wave at my sister and I while they were heading in. I guess it’s just odd thinking of a leather daddy as a villain, since it contrasts with my childhood memories lol.

I just wanna say homie isn't into BDSM, he's into torture. Not the same. BDSM is all about consent, he does not care if the men consent.

The fact that Ryan Murphy was lucky enough to get Ms Broadway Icon Patti LuPone just to give her 4 scenes in a 10 episode season is perhaps one of the greatest sins he has ever committed

As someone who watched and loved pose. This just feels like a less emotional not as diversified horror pose. Pose was able to talk about these exact same problems, like the aids crisis, which they were able to talk about over the entire runtime of the show, where they actually told the story of hope and how people can live long happy lives if they have the treatment needed they told stories of tragedy while telling that story of hope and I know American horror story isn’t a happy ending show but if you like this season pose is 100 times better💕🖤 And if you have never watched pose, I want to elaborate, but I mean on diversity (it’s also set in like 1980s) they talked about stories of black trans women and they also talked about the fetishization of trans women about how trans people so often are kept a secret and they were also able to bring up the relationship between queer people and the police during this point and they were also able to show the flaws of these people in such an amazing way

I was far too young to experience the AIDs crisis myself (97 baby), but my grandmother was an active civil rights protestor and ally of LGBT people at the time. She worked in media and news which was absolutely filled with gay men at the time. She has spoken to me about how she witnessed all her friends and colleagues dropping like flies. She said me that there was a long period of time of at least 1-3 years where it was more rare to get through a week without hearing about how someone she knew died. She would go into work on a Monday and the water cooler discussions would be about who passed away over the weekend. Again, while I didn't live through it myself, the ending really got me. It just reminded me of everything that she had said. I could understand if people who did experience it firsthand find that ending (or the entire season) to be either traumatic or tasteless, I personally feel like the only way to really make these sorts of events sink in with newer generations is by showing a gruesome and real side of it.

this season was missing some factors without a doubt (people of color, casting the wrong actors as the wrong characters, leaving out other members of the lgbtq+ community, etc.) but the ending BOY THAT ENDING had me crying and sitting in silence for at most 10 minutes and for that it’s in my top 5...this season gave us some good cinematography tho and they totally poured more effort into some characters than others and it showed terribly I will say Joe mantello (Gino) was a wonderful addition his acting was some of the best we’d seen in awhile! The who done it or who’s behind it all made me forget that’s why I was watching in the first place bc it got so good and I was so caught up in it. Good on you for catching a lot of the symbolism this season bc that’s what really separates it from being a hit or a miss. THANK YOU CAIN✨

So if you think about the leather daddy entity, the only people who ever saw it were the people infected (yes Barbra and the lesbian trio were infected as well). The leather daddy was at the bar the night of the fire because he was spreading, the disease wasn’t yet known and a lot of people who were there were already infected and could have transmitted it at any point if in contact with other injured person, or those who donated blood to the others afterwards. Then in the ending montage he was there following Geno, spreading with him, and surrounding him because that’s what the virus did. And it was a shared hallucination as a side effect of becoming sicker.

I loved the finale. Those last two episodes hit me like a truck, especially the montage. I just had to sit there in silence for a few minutes once it ended. Whenever AHS lets its characters have genuinely emotional moments I remember why I like the show. Stuff like NYC's ending, Madison crying in the shower after the frat party, Liz Taylor reuiniting with her son, Anna's miscarriage in the hospital, Violet's suicide, and Elsa performing for the last time with her freakshow at the end of that season all really hit me.

I saw some people argue that the lesbians being forgotten about was intentional because it represents how they are so often left out of the conversation. Okay, let's say that's true... what does that achieve exactly? You’re not saying anything meaningful about the thing by just fully doing the thing! That's not a critique of anything; you’re just creating more media with the exact same problem. Anyway, aside from that and the lack of poc perspective, I do really like this season. Great retrospective and just in time for the season 12 finale.

I never realized how there’s not much diversity within the characters 😭 even though the majority of people fighting for gay rights in NYC WERE Pocs.

I was very pleasantly surprised by NYC. The ending was excellent, and since AHS tends to botch the finale, I have to give this season props.

I was about to protest that Gino was the only good character, but then you made that caveat. Thank you for dissuading my fears 😂

mother fed us this week🙏🏼🙏🏼

If this season had the og cast everyone would say (this was the best season) The cinematography and the story is very interesting and look so much like asylum A very underrated season But I can understand why some people don’t like it Very different from the others because this talk about a real horror story Like for some storyline on asylum

I really did not enjoy this season but despite that, the finale montage had me sobbing uncontrollably. Even just watching that section of your video made me cry a little

i remember watching this season for the first time and being pleasantly surprised after the dumpster fire that was double feature (i only dislike one season more than that and it's apocalypse), it felt closer to the what made me like ahs. nyc definitely is not one of my favorite seasons by any means, but in comparison to double feature & delicate, oh this was a breath of fresh air. there's a few MAJOR things that could've been done better, but it was still enjoyable and regained my interest in continuing to watch the series after flops like apocalypse & double feature. (also the timing of this video is crazy i was just discussing this season yesterday with a friend😭)

I was disappointed because Two reasons. Ryan Murphy canceled pose to make a white version of it's was Nyc. To me I was disappointed in the fact that they're were no Poc and he didn't use any black actors and actress even from pose for this script. And I just didn't really like how he used HIV/ AIDS story as a horror element. I think it's more of a tragedy and shouldn't be used as a horror but more of a unfortunate story

Ryan Murphy was prob like "I already gave POC and trans ppl a story with Pose, now it's time for us whites to have a story"

So, here is my opinion on the season. It is my second favorite season of the series. I like how it incorporates the neo-noir crime/serial killer genre of films from the 1980s and 1990s. Films like Manhunter, The Exorcist 3, The Silence of the Lambs, Copycat, Seven, and Cruising (this season's main inspiration). I also like how gritty this season. It's a contrast to the pop 80s tone of 1984. This 1980s is unapologetically cruel. I also think this is my favorite ending to any season of this show. It shows the unfairness that HIV/AIDS victims go through. There are some things to criticize the show about, but all in all, I enjoy this season.

okay maybe i need to rewatch this season because i kept falling asleep

the intro of this vid was pure cinema babes im so excited for the rest of it 😁😁

confession I haven’t watched a single ep of ahs yet (planning to) but I LOVE these vids sm

I really appreciate your insights on this one. I had a friend who contracted HIV in the mid-2010s, but medicine has come such a long way that the impact on the immune system is nearly non-existent. If you are interested in exploring other creative expressions about this topic, I highly recommend Angels in America if you haven't checked it out. I've only read the play, but I believe RM adapted it as a mini-series some years ago. And for the musical lover, Falsettos is an incredibly moving show with a (legit) recording.

When it was announced that NYC was going to be about the AIDS crisis I remember I didn't even bother to watch the season for 2 main reasons: 1. Death Valley was just awful and I was basically done with the show after that 2. I saw "Dahmer" and thought that he was just in his torture porn era, so I didn't want to see him tackle real life events and issues (I know Pose exists but that's just a different genre). But after this video I might give it a try.

This is one of my favorite seasons ever and one that I feel people didn't give enough of a chance.

You vouching for more people of color got me feeling all types of happy. I appreciate that. 👏🏽❤❤❤

Once again thank you for your service 😭 i couldn't finish this season after the scene with the deer bc AHS (and most Ryan Murphy shows) have some weird internalized homophobia issues or smth - and I REALLLLY wasn't strong enough when it was airing to hear them talking abt killing these diseased deer for the good of everyone else right next to a plot line that was obviously going to be about AIDS also I had just revisited Falsettos and the quality drop to AHS regarding AIDS storylines was actually insane 😭 😭 And at first i was disappointed bc im a HUGE fan of Russel Tovey (Patrick) from his performance in Being Human UK, and i was full vibing with Gino tbh but tbh I'll probably keep putting it off and save myself the genuine frustration

I mostly agree with everything, but I love what Isaac Powell is doing in AHS. He brings a sensibility, a fragility to his characters that makes me attached to them, and is my favourite among the recent additions to the cast.

Sarah Paulson has played a lesbian (and is a lesbian) twice but she isn’t here

this is the first season I’m coming into a video of yours without having some sort of reference for the season so this is gonna be interesting

Great recap, I'm so happy to have found your channel! Now to binge the back catalogue:3

i completely forgot that this season existed

The perfect video for my 2 hour bus ride home. Cain delivering quality content as always 💕

Was looking forward to this one!

love ur videos! keep it up!!! ur doing so good

i love your recaps. thank you for dropping so much AHS content!

that intro is incredible

Just starting this, absolutely love your recaps so far. You should use white string if you don’t have markers 😊 it’d add a bit to the vibe too

Radioactivity....by Kraftwerk. Classic. And as a reference to an energy/poison that you can't see.

I loved this season. Especially the ending. The song at the end really stayed with me and had a sad but moving message.

I hate to say this, but I really didn't like this season. It wasn't the subject matter, I'm glad that it recieved attention (even though this season neglected other important factors). I think it was a mix of the story and characters. They should have cut down the cast and let the show breathe some more. Andd that frankly, it's American Horror Story. It's so far removed in a lot of ways from what epitomizes AHS, it was jarring.

I think that AHS has never been very diverse in representation.. Like there were definitely interesting people and SOME variety, but not a lot..

Another banger video Cain

Love your reactions babes

Theo and Patrick’s death had me crying irl 🥺

this was probably the only season i’ve never tried watching, i never finished double feature but i at least started it

“Ryan Murphy just constantly lets everybody down” That’s literally all you needed to say. He should have been kicked upstairs a decade ago and left creative choices to someone else.

SO SO EXCITED

As a trans girl, i felt really let down by this season. I was hoping to see someone like me :(

Hell yeaaaah new video🎉🎉🎉

I’m just now watching this season and haven’t finished it yet, but I really like it so far. That era of NYC and gay men is so fascinating to me.

I probably had the thought while watching, but in retrospect, I know 1,000% why I don't like this season is because of how damn WHITE it is, which itself is ahistorical to NYC - and just plain insulting. So kudos to you for fronting that criticism. But structurally, making the big bad villian ONLY an obvious metaphor for AIDs instead of sticking to the established ethos of AHS of having a classic or innovative reason for the supernatural entity to exist is my main criticism. Once I realized that, it just became how to tear apart the metaphor, cuz the characters were awful or uninteresting and/or mishandled. And I feel for y'all that liked the last ep, but I was so tuned out it just didn't hit. So yeah, Pose does this topic and cinematography better in everyway. AHS creators need to listen to fan ideas for seasons cuz there's truly some amazing, haunting ones out there.

there were so many white men in this season that I legit thought it was criticism

No but what's weird is Ryan Murphy had already worked on a prominent work of television about AIDS before this - he directed the TV movie of "The Normal Heart" in 2014, which was very well regarded. You know what he biggest difference is? Murphy didn't WRITE The Normal Heart. He had no hand in the script. And in fact his directing got mixed reception. Variety's review even mentioned AHS: "Murphy being Murphy, he can't resist throwing in moments that drift toward an American Horror Story vibe". Maybe those reviews gave him some not-so-great ideas...

Do you have an Amazon wishlist so we can just send you markers and poster boards?

the shirt is giving

This is so interesting! I really didn’t know this season existed. I’m not an American horror story fan I just enjoy your recaps so I’m learning a lot about the fandom and seasons through it. It seems like this season was trying to do a lot to varying degrees of success. A story doesn’t have to tell every perspective but there’s a different between that and complete erasure of marginalized groups which is an act of violence. I can’t think of a piece of specifically white gay or cis gay shows that doesn’t perpetuate misogyny, transphobia, and racism. Just because gay men aren’t attracted to women doesn’t mean there still can’t be loving and deep human connections between communities. (If anyone has any suggestions for media like this I’d love them) I have that in real life with my other queer and gay friends and would love to see representation that matches how lovely queer community is and that doesn’t use anyone femme presenting as butt of a joke or little worth nothing. Even if those spaces are hard to find in real life tv and other forms of media are literally there to help us imagine a see a better future and world. Anyhow I’m excited to see your video on Delicate. I enjoyed the book a lot but couldn’t stand the show I only got through an episode or two. If you have time I recommend the book!

I actually really really enjoyed AHS NYC it was a great season, usually AHS fizzles out later in the season but every episode had me captivated

New subscriber here 🙋🏼‍♀️ I cried hard at the finale. My main complaint for this season though, was that it was too rushed, there were so many interesting characters and subplots and I wanted to know more.

This is like the cis white male, more graphic version of pose tbh, I mean it’s a decent season, but y’all know I’m right

Just 14 min in, but wow that ADR really was jarringly bad! For a second I thought you had gotten someone else to do a voiceover, because that audio was not even close to the show audio. I don't usually notice stuff like that, so how can they miss it?

apart from some weird shit with AIDS-man I mostly really enjoyed this one. It was a nice surprise actually liking one of the later seasons lol. great vid, as always !

Honestly I think Big Daddy being in that kind of costume is a bit meh. The Bdsm community really did a lot for stopping the aids crisis (a lot of stuff doesn't include exchanging fluids) and that's why it rose in popularity during this time. So putting the representation of aids in a bdsm inspired costume just for shock value only contributes to villanize that community when actually they actually saved so many lives during the crisis. Idk, when you only take these events to capitalize on the controversy and shock value you cheapen them. That's my problem with the season and I think you described it so well by talking about the lack of lesbians and people of color. There's so much interesting stuff snd symbolism you could use but they end up always doing the same stuff based of the same stereotypes.

I honestly loved this season because it felt like it was going back to the roots of ASH with exaggerated “real life horrors” - I loved the montage scene in particular, was so moving and emotional to me. Truly seemed like a horrific time to be alive for the gay community and they captured that really well.

I just finished watching this season. There’s so much I could say about it. As a gay man I obviously love the queer aspects. But in the fire island episode Sam says “no fatties or fems” and wow did that feel like a statement and not a depiction of a deplorable judgmental jerk. The lack of representation in this season is mind boggling. Forget the bears, trans people, drag queens, people of color, and other branches of the LGBT+ community. Making the mai tai killer a gay man was not a great choice. The buff rubber man did make for an okay metaphor for aids, except when he inexplicably burned down the gay club. If one of the killers was a hetero homophobe then that would have made more sense for the fire. I mean hate crimes like that we’re not unheard of in those times. Even though I think there was too much sex, it was a great visual to see how aids spreads so wildly. I liked the ending montage but it did feel lazy. Honestly through in my opinion this season seemed like a lazy excuse to get mostly white older men to make out with younger fit mostly white guys.

I liked AHS nyc actually. I was one of the defenders of this season when the episodes were airing. I just feel after ep 7 it all was just about the aids epidemic and for a horror show that usually deals with monsters, ghosts, vampires, witches etc this didn’t feel like AHS and is why I’d put this lower on my list. There’s a lot of pros about this season definitely but I am way happier with the latest season Delicate. Absolutely in love with it. My fav szn in a long time and if the finale ends up being great enough then Delicate could likely either in my top 3 or my fav season of AHS ever.

I loved NYC. The finale really fucked up my head. It was my first time crying while watching AHS

i got bored with this season but i gotta say having original broadway cast of angels in america louis ironson as an out character dating a closeted man played by west end revival joe pitt is one of the funniest fucking casting choices possible. ryan murphy owes tony kushner tbh

Im with you on liking the ending montage of this one, I was happy to see a finale to an AHS season that felt like there was an actual intention and vision carried out until the end and I can respect that greatly. After watching Double Feature and then American Horror Stories I had lost faith that they were trying to write a show through to the ending at all. And I also agree there were a lot of issues with this season's representation as a whole though. The fact that they lampshade the lesbian issues by having the lesbian characters talk about how underrepresented they are, and then continue to underrepresent them in the show baffles me.

It wasn't misunderstood, it was boring and frustratingly bad. I've seen every season and this was a solid 1.5/10 for me. It made the aliens season look like a masterpiece by comparison 😅

I'm currently halfway through this season, and it isn't as bad as I was lead to believe. My only problem is it feels more like a true crime drama than horror.

its so misunderstood but i grew up in nyc .. and around gay men and saw in real time my aunt lose her friends due to the lack of care from the heath industry and the govt

Clocked in🙌🏾🙂‍↕️

ugh I knew I wasn't crazy... the song in the last like 10 minutes or whatever really captured the scene for me... had to sit in silence for a bit. I converted the lyrics and it really does coincide with the AIDS, and the fact that gay men could get it at any point. this season really just spoke to me on a different level in a way. maybe because I'm a gay man LMAOO but like for real, although it had its lacks, this season was super good. The symbolism of AIDS with the "Big Daddy" and the Jeffery Dahmer story knock-off like.... not my favorite but def top 5 for me

Oh it’s like the addiction demon honestly Theo’s death is really sad.

This was a great season and focused on a specific subset of a community. This was to play off of the 80’s and gives you another perspective. All of your people of color, and their perspective was in Pose. This season was the other side of the coin. I personally loved this season with the let down of 1984 and a few other seasons.

I really enjoyed this season and I’d dare say it was the best one ever. The thing is, there are many nuances and details in each scene, things that might just fly over your head if you don’t know their meanings or if you don’t make the right connections. For instance, the deers are a representation of gay people. In the beginning of the HIV crisis, when it was called GRID, there were talks of actually isolating gay people on an island and letting them to rot. Plus, the juxtaposition of Theo and that guy in the bathouse with the scenes of the deers being shot while Calling You was playing didn’t make much sense at first, but then when we see Patrick’s death we understand that that was the calling of the death angel.

I’m here I’m late I’m here I’m late I’m ready tho…(fixes hair, fixes bodice, fixes skirt, applies lip gloss) Ok babes. LETS FKN GOOOOO ❤❤

NYC is my least favorite season. I really appreciate it tackles a very real horror of AIDS and homophobia, which are such important topics to talk about, but that is just not enough to make something good. This season was just a chore to get through, and decent performances from some actors were the only thing that made it bearable.

I binged most of your Ahs recaps so now I have to go back and comment on them lmao. I feel like this season fell short for me because it wanted to be a supernatural horror show AND Pose for White gay men (they even copied the partner expiring via bdsm storyline). The lack of POC, trans, and lesbian characters in the MELTING POT AND BIRTHPLACE OF BALLROOM CULTURE was flagrantly disrespectful and that scene where they acknowledged it showed that Ryan don't give af (he also made Dahmer despite the victims' families and Black queers' protests). While Pose focused on Black trans women, they also had scenes showing how every member of the LGBT community fought against the Aids crisis. I didn't connect with many characters outside of Gino because I felt like they were terrible people lmao but the actors ate DOWN!!! EVERY scene was filled with actors aiming for an Emmy imo. I loved loved LOVED the ending as it was done with so much love and care and I think it perfectly nailed what they wanted the season to represent despite some wackiness. I loved what Big Daddy represented but I feel that his methods goes back to my first statement because why is the personification of Aids throwing molotovs, hacking heads and graping?! If he was more Angel of Death coded and took them via adult fun time? That would've ATE!!! Lastly what tf is up with Frankengay? How and why did they decide to become a protector of the girlies???

This season ending made me depressed and motivated me to quit smoking😭

OH MY LORD. i hated this episode on ahs bc after a few episodes i checked out. Idk what it is with NYC ahs but its all over the place

Ryan is a genius when it comes to historical events. The cinematography and such. But when it comes to creative freedom...hoooonnnney!!! Its like a cat with a laser. That said i went down a rabit hole and have been watching all your videos. Brava my dude much kudos to you on the time and effort put into these. This season hit so effing hard though and youre right about poc and new york when we got the first 2 episodes introducing everyone i was like...mmm its nyc in the 80's why is it soooo...white...lol and i had the opposite feelings with gino lol i liked him from the get go and hated tovey's. The last 2 episodes i was crying and by that montage sobbing. Is it his best work? No. But im glad he got to give some omage to the aids crisis.

i actually loved this season after a few past bland seasons

NYC as a place scares me so much. Idk why, it's just... so many people Anxiety go BRRR

I stopped watching ahs at hotel but let me tell u I have watched every one of your videos to know what happened

this season was such a let down. at this point delicate gave us more than NYC… and thats saying something

I know he didn’t just compare my boy Big Gay Bane to the rubberman

I tried to get into this season and I just couldn't. The first few episodes just couldn't hold my interest enough to hook me.

miss denis o’hare is being miscast for years and he’s maybe the most talented (next to kathy bates and miss jessica) actor they have in this series. and you would not know this based on this show??

I liked this season, it was ok and not my fave by any means, but for me it felt really disconnected from AHS. It felt like part of a completely different show that was revised to add to AHS. It felt like there was a lot of missed potential and rushed. The last few episodes were devastating. I’m not usually the type to cry at movies or shows, but I was a teary mess for the last few episodes. At least the actors did their jobs and had me emotionally invested

This show doesn’t feel like AHS but in a good way? They tried something a lot more serious and grounded and while it’s not my favorite I enjoyed it, I like how it touched on issues that real people faced but yeah no POC really

Gino was the lead. Patrick/ears became interesting. Hannah wasn't believable but Whitely was effective. Photographer wasn't as effective as his finale wanted him to be. Zach Quinto got too much of a finale...maybe if those two were merged. Some things were glossed over and rushed. Some things were treated with more weight than deserved. The early dismissal of Whitely revealed HIV was the real horror/villain. Nice. Ex wife? No. Poor women, Lesbians, people of color, trans in NYC (which would have made it all more interesting).

I'm so early omg

The only positive about AHS:NYC is that it makes Double Features less awful by comparaison

10:44 on the subject of dahmer as a show. I love Evan peters and I’m all for true crime shows, even the goriest of horror, but there was something so off putting about that show I didn’t even finish the first ep. I usually have a 3ep rule of no judgement but I just couldn’t. I dont know if that’s a sign that the show did what it set out to do or if it was utterly disrespectful and went too far, either way it turned me away.

I… do not trust Ryan Murphy to handle the AIDS epidemic especially in a horror context. I haven’t seen a season of AHS in years and I’m not gonna watch this one

Yeah this is the only season I did not watch. The purpose of its existence was lost on me