'Grotesquerie' Reviews: "Watching Manville pull off some of the lines here is a masterclass in keeping a straight face while tasked with conveying the truly absurd"

         On September 25, 2024, FX premiered 'Grotesquerie', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the series, "Detective Lois Tryon feels a series of heinous crimes in her small community 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 where to turn, she accepts the help of Sister Megan, a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. 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." The ensemble cast includes Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Niecy Nash, Courtney B. Vance, Leslie Manville, Micaela Diamond, Travis Kelce, and Raven Goodwin. But what did the critics say?

        Rebecca Nicholson of Guardian notes, "It might seem odd to suggest that Grotesquerie, the latest show from the ubiquitous, never knowingly understated Ryan Murphy (who co-creates and co-writes here), is more downbeat than his usual horror fodder. There are four highly theatrical massacres in the first two episodes alone, and a body count so vast that the number of corpses might outweigh the members of the living, breathing cast. Yet it is different to many of his other projects, which tend to err on the side of spectacle for spectacle’s sake. This is clearly grappling for a grander narrative in the gothic horrors on display." Continuing, One of the big pre-release talking points of Grotesquerie has been the acting debut of American footballer and famous boyfriend Travis Kelce, but they’re obviously keeping their powder dry, as there’s no sign of him in the first two episodes. There is, however, a hot, Elvis-like priest (Monsters’ Nicholas Chavez) and Lesley Manville as Nurse Redd, an acidic, Ratched-esque nurse who cares for, and then some, Lois’ husband Marshall, who is in a coma. Watching Manville pull off some of the lines here is a masterclass in keeping a straight face while tasked with conveying the truly absurd. Grotesquerie is a slow burn, but it is intriguing. Elsewhere, it touches on reality TV, addiction, guns, faith and the mundanity of marriage. It may be too much, all at once, and as is often the case with Murphy shows, it strives to find a balance between genuine provocation and being shocking just because he can be. Even so, these opening episodes suggest it is worth persevering with. This ambitious horror may well find its feet."

Photo by Alice Voigt on Unsplash

        Daniel Kurland of Bloody Disgusting says, Nash-Betts’ Detective Tryon and Micaela Diamond’s Sister Megan Duval are also an excellent duo who immediately have chemistry. Nash-Betts really sells this material and excels in Grotesquerie, but Diamond is a revelation and is the series’ early MVP. She brings a cagey, squirrelly intensity to all of her scenes. Tryon and Duval achieve a unique camaraderie, yet their dynamic doesn’t feel anything like what’s present in other two-handed murder series, like True Detective, or any of Ryan Murphy’s past projects. Sister Duval’s morbid interests may initially seem atypical, but she becomes a welcome conduit for Grotesquerie to deconstruct the idea that cults and crimes have become a new form of faith and religion; a grim fact that’s seemingly corroborated by Murphy’s menagerie of TV series, many of which are variations on the same murderous themes. A sliding scale of cataclysms and callousness continue to consume the world while a nun and priest gossip over burgers about their favorite serial killers. These first two Grotesquerie episodes establish a baseline between Tryon and Duval and it seems like their dynamic will boil down to the power of faith, like an alternate version of Mulder and Scully, minus the aliens. That being said, both Detective Tryon and Sister Duval know that the truth is out there and they’re determined to find it. Faith is what keeps Detective Tryon going, whether it’s with this macabre crime or her personal life. Tryon struggles with an incomplete jigsaw puzzle at home. Meanwhile, it’s no coincidence that Sister Duval later earnestly admits, “It seemed to fit,” after she makes a prediction about the Burnside massacre, as if she’s mentally putting together a puzzle. She possesses skills that are essential to Tryon." Continuing, "It’s not unusual for Ryan Murphy series to start strong, only to veer off into messy mediocrity. It may be naive to think that Grotesquerie will be any different, but these first two episodes accomplish quite a bit when it comes to character, atmosphere, and storytelling."

       Matthew Creith of The Wrap writes, "Having a stereotypical police officer role imbibing on liquor in order to get through the harshness of reality isn’t groundbreaking, but Niecy Nash-Betts is more than qualified to take on the cliche. A gifted actor whose promotion to leading lady in this series is much deserved, given the wealth of talent she brings to such an unseemly character. There’s definitely more than meets the eye in the first two episodes of “Grotesquerie” as series creators Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz (“Feud”) and Joe Baken (“American Horror Stories”) build a world full of odd creatures and even more odd theological motives. Though Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s role is yet to be clarified, the show moves along like an investigation into the mind of Detective Tryon and the serial killer she pursues to no end."