Since 2011, Ryan Murphy has been cementing himself as an unstoppable force in horror television. Between fifteen seasons of the American Horror Story franchise, Netflix’s wildly popular Ratched and The Watcher miniseries, and FOX’s cancelled cult comedy Scream Queens, his work has amassed 110 Primetime Emmy® Award nominations in the genre alone. Though shrouded in secrecy, Murphy’s next twisted venture for FX Networks promises another success. In our latest exclusive, Nexus Point News breaks down everything you need to know about Grotesquerie.
On February 23, Ryan Murphy Productions released a cryptic teaser on Instagram to announce a new horror drama series coming to FX in the fall. Titled Grotesquerie, it was revealed to be starring Niecy Nash-Betts (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Scream Queens), Courtney B. Vance (Lovecraft Country, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), and Lesley Manville (The Crown, Back to Black).
Grotesquerie, which is co-created by Jon Robin Baitz (The West Wing) and Joe Baken (Doctor Odyssey), entered production in Los Angeles, California in late April 2024. Confirmed directors for the series include Ryan Murphy himself, Max Winkler (FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans), as well as Elegance Bratton and Alexis Martin Woodall (American Horror Stories). Soon after filming commenced, series lead Niecy Nash-Betts took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the set. It was through these that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, the viral sensation currently dating Taylor Swift, was confirmed to be a guest star. On the May 15th episode of his podcast New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, the NFLer opened up about his headline fodder casting:
“It's been so much fun. Ryan Murphy is an unbelievable writer, director, producer, all of the above, man. He’s just– there’s nothing he can’t do and everybody’s just been so helpful in making me feel comfortable.”
Ryan Murphy Productions has kept details regarding Grotesquerie and its exact plot close to the chest. However, an entry in Production Weekly offered the following description for the series:
“Lois, an experienced detective with a seemingly flawless façade, finds herself grappling with inner turmoil while delving into the case of a brutal serial killer. As she digs deeper, she begins to entertain the possibility that the perpetrator may be more than human, perhaps even demonic in nature.”
Nexus Point News exclusively reported that Niecy Nash-Betts will be taking on the central role as Detective Lois Tryon in Grotesquerie, which has since been confirmed by FX Networks. On the 2024 BET Awards red carpet, Nash-Betts teased her turn as Det. Tryon to Entertainment Tonight: “I’ve never played a role like this. It’s very dark, I’m so excited for people to see it.” She also alluded to her wife, singer Jessica Betts, making a cameo appearance.
In addition to Niecy Nash-Betts and her wife, Nexus Point News also broke the news that Grotesquerie would feature Tony Award® nominee Micaela Diamond (Elsbeth, Tick, Tick... Boom!) as Sister Megan, a nun from a local Catholic newspaper who teams up with Det. Tryon to solve the murders. The gruesome homicides have a mystifying religious bent to them: the killer’s calling card is a series of chilling biblical allusions left behind at each of the crime scenes. Courtney B. Vance plays Det. Tryon’s husband Marshall, who works closely with Travis Kelce’s character.
On August 13, FX Networks released the poster for Grotesquerie and announced its premiere date: the first two episodes will air on the linear channel on Wednesday, September 25 at 10/9c and can be streamed on Hulu the following day. Additionally, they offered the following synopsis for the series:
"In Ryan Murphy’s 10-episode drama series Grotesquerie for FX, a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community. Detective Lois Tryon feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone—or something—is taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan, a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity, yet she still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, on the other hand, fears the world is succumbing to evil. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers."
FX also revealed that Lesley Manville plays a character named Nurse Redd, Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story, General Hospital) is slated to take on the role of Father Charlie, and that Raven Goodwin (Being Mary Jane, Good Luck Charlie) portrays Lois and Marshall’s daughter, Merritt. We can exclusively confirm that Manville joins Nash-Betts, Vance, Diamond, Chavez, and Goodwin as a series regular.
San Diego Comic-Con 2024 offered our first official look at Grotesquerie last month. FX Networks announced that its annual immersive experiences and photo ops at the Hilton Bayfront Lawn would include, “a glimpse into the world of Grotesquerie, the new Ryan Murphy horror series premiering this fall,” as part of an American Horror Story themed activation, the FX Fearless Hellevator. Attractions Magazine released a full walkthrough of the FX Fearless Hellevator experience on YouTube.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event also provided American Horror Story fans a sneak peek at Grotesquerie through their AHS Wax House exhibit, which unveiled the series' official logo with a chilling painted glass display.
FX has since publicly released an eerie extended teaser for Grotesquerie. Watch below:
Grotesquerie premieres Wednesday, September 25 at 10/9c on FX. New episodes will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.
This story will be updated as new information becomes available. Follow @AHSZone and @NexusPointNews on X/Twitter to stay updated with all the latest news about Ryan Murphy Productions and more.
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