- "You're gonna die in there. You're gonna regret it. You're gonna regret it."
- ―Adelaide Langdon
 | |
| "Pilot" | |
| Series: | American Horror Story |
| Season: | 1/1 |
| Storyline: | "Murder House" |
| Airdate: | October 5th, 2011 |
| Director: | Ryan Murphy |
| Writer: | Ryan Murphy; Brad Falchuk |
| Cast: | Dylan McDermott Connie Britton Evan Peters Taissa Farmiga Denis O'Hare Jessica Lange |
| Previous: | — |
| Next: | "Home Invasion" |
"Pilot" is the premiere episode of the episodic anthology series American Horror Story. The series was created by Glee showrunners Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, both of whom co-wrote the pilot episode. It was directed by Ryan Murphy and stars Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga, Denis O'Hare and Jessica Lange. The episode first aired on the FX Network on October 5th, 2011.
The Harmon family relocate from Boston, Massachusetts to Los Angeles, California where they buy a Victorian-style manor at 1119 Westchester Place. They meet their eerie neighbor, Constance Langdon, as well as a troubled youth named Tate. The Harmons are hoping to restart their lives following Vivien Harmon's harrowing miscarriage as well as husband Ben Harmon's subsequent infidelity. In addition to the strange neighbors, there is also a bizarre disfigured man named Larry Harvey and something monstrous living in the basement.
Appearances[]
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Minor characters
- Abby
- Becca
- Bryan
- Doctor Day
- Infantata, Thaddeus Montgomery
- Rubberman
- Troy
Organizations
Races & Animals
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Miscellaneous
Explicit content
- Burn victims
- Dead animals
- Disfigurement
- Masturbation
- Mild profanity
- Slit throats
- Smoking
- Suicide
- Throat injuries
Notes[]
- American Horror Story was created by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy and produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series is unique from other such programs in that each season is a self-contained storyline with a different cast of characters and actors, though many cast members are recycled as different characters from season to season.
- This episode is available on disc one of the American Horror Story: The Complete First Season DVD and Blu-ray collections.
- This episode marks the television debut of Taissa Farmiga. She also appeared in the 2011 feature film Higher Learning where she played teenage Corinne Walker. The film was directed by her older sister Vera Farmiga, who also played the adult Corinne Walker in the film.
- Actress Melissa Barker is uncredited for her participation in this episode.
- Actor Terry F. Smith is uncredited for his participation in this episode.
- This is the first television acting work for Katelyn Reed, who plays young Adelaide Langdon in the 1978 flashback scene from this episode.
Allusions[]
- Adelaide Langdon makes reference to Dora the Explorer. Dora the Explorer is an American educational animated TV series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until September, 2006. [1]
- The cartoon that Constance Langdon puts on for Adelaide Langdon is Go, Diego, Go!. This is an American animated educational interactive children's television program that originally aired on the Nickelodeon children's cable network in the United States and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. [2]
- Reference is made to the gay couple that had renovated 1119 Westchester Place and had apparently died in a murder/suicide. This is Chad Warwick and his lover Patrick. They are both introduced in episode 1x04, "Halloween (Part 1)".
Quotes[]
- Vivien Harmon: The light is different out here. it's softer.
- Violet Harmon: It's called smog.
- Ben Harmon: You should be excited, Vi. You can stop sneaking cigarettes and just start taking deep breaths.
....
- Vivien Harmon: Can I ask you a personal question? Do you ever get tired of cleaning up other peoples' messes?
- Moira O'Hara: We're women, it's what we do. I just get paid for it.
....
- Ben Harmon: Peeking in people's windows is still a crime, even in L.A.
....
- Ben Harmon: You taking your medications?
- Tate Langdon: Yes.
- Ben Harmon: Any side effects?
- Tate Langdon: I was taking them at night, but they kept me up.
- Ben Harmon: And what did you do?
- Tate Langdon: Started taking them in the morning.
....
- Constance Langdon: Adelaide, I put on Dora the Explorer for you, so you would sit and watch it.
- Adelaide Langdon: It was Go, Diego, Go! I don't like it.
- Constance Langdon: Oh, brown cartoon characters -- you can't tell the difference.