Ryan Murphy has outdone himself in his latest over-the-top creation! This Netflix series imagines the origin story of the mean nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Louise Fletcher’s Oscar-winning role). Sarah Paulson takes up the role and she’s wonderfully evil one minute and sweetly kind the next (depending on which side of her favor you fall). Her most virulent opponent is yet another hardware-inspired namesake Head Nurse Betsy Bucket, played by Judy Davis, who provides the most fun villain in the lineup of evil characters. Speaking of, Sharon Stone is doing her best Jessica Lange, but doesn’t really stand out. Then there’s the writing, which is a glorious mélange of film noir misdeeds and delectable melodrama. Speaking of music, it’s so prevelant that it becomes a character, accompanying every scene with a pounding pean to Bernard Herrmann. Finally, the ramped-up Technicolor art direction is spectacular, especially the gorgeously designed period costumes. This is trashy sensationalism crammed with sex, brutality and malevolence, but in the best possible way!
(First season of 9 one-hour episodes with a 2nd season already announced)
(4.5 / 5)