The 90s - American Gothic (1995-1996) #1: "...Someone's at the Door, Someone's at the door, Someone's at the door..."

J.R. MacReady · 07-01-2009, 04:58 PM

American Gothic at the Internet Movie Database
American Gothic at TV.com
American Gothic at TV Guide.com
American Gothic - Wikipedia.org
(Entire Series available to watch on Hulu.com & IMDB.com via Hulu.com)

American Gothic is an American satirical horror series created by Shaun Cassidy and executive produced by Sam Raimi. The show first aired on CBS on September 22, 1995, and was cancelled after a single season on July 11, 1996. NBC Universal's horror-themed cable channel Chiller, which launched March 1, 2007, began airing American Gothic for the first time on American television in nearly a decade.

Plot
The story takes place in the fictional town of Trinity, South Carolina, and revolves around Caleb Temple (Lucas Black) and the town's corrupt Sheriff, Lucas Buck (Gary Cole). Though appearing affable and charismatic, Sheriff Lucas Buck is a murderous rapist whose powerbase is backed by apparent supernatural powers, which he generally uses to manipulate people to "fulfill their potential" and make life-changing choices (usually for evil). Caleb Temple is a normal child whose paternity masks a horrific secret: Lucas Buck is his biological father, having raped his mother in front of Caleb's older sister Merlyn (Sarah Paulson). The horror of watching her mother be sexually assaulted caused Merlyn to become severely emotionally traumatized and withdrawn from the rest of the world, made even worse when her mother committed suicide after giving birth to Caleb.

During the pilot episode of the series, Sheriff Buck murders Merlyn in cold blood and manipulates Caleb's "father" (Sonny Shroyer) into committing suicide in order to eliminate Caleb's family and claim his biological son for his own. However, the newly arrived doctor Dr. Crower (Jake Weber) begins to uncover the Sheriff's role in the death of Merlyn and Merlyn's father and with help from Caleb's out-of-town cousin Gail Emory (Paige Turco), struggle to prevent Lucas from corrupting young Caleb. They are aided in part by Merlyn's ghost, who personally appears before Caleb throughout the series in order to try to keep him from Buck's corrupt grasp.

Characters

Sheriff Lucas Buck (Gary Cole)
Lucas is the local Sheriff, he holds fear over the town of Trinity. He wants to adopt Caleb and raise him in his image.

Caleb Temple (Lucas Black)
Caleb is an orphan and is often tempted by Lucas to join the evil side but with help from the ghost of his sister, Merlyn, he usually does the right thing.

Gail Emory (Paige Turco)
A reporter from the city who lived in Trinity as a child. Her parents died in a mysterious fire in the Trinity news paper editing room. Came to Trinity to take care of her cousin Caleb and to uncover the truth about her parents.

Selena Coombs (Brenda Bakke)
The local school teacher who likes to sleep around. She occasionally dates Lucas. She usually helps Lucas in his plans to gain custody of Caleb and to keep the town under control.

Merlyn Temple (Sarah Paulson)
Caleb's sister, she is killed by the Sheriff, but occasionally appears to Caleb in the form of a ghost to guide him in the right direction and away from Lucas Buck.

Dr. Matt Crower (Jake Weber)
Doctor at the hospital. Matt has a slightly shady past and came to Trinity to start a new life, but can not escape his past. He takes Caleb in after the death of Caleb's father.

Deputy Ben Healy (Nick Searcy)
He is Lucas' deputy. He lives in fear of Buck, so much so that he covers up the murder of Merlyn Temple.

Towns Folk:
J.R. MacReady
Barrybgb
Enigma

Barrybgb · 07-03-2009, 08:49 AM

I loved this show!. Gary Cole is brilliant!.

J.R. MacReady · 07-03-2009, 01:38 PM

Yeah, he plays the pefect villian in this show. I've only watched a couple episode so far, but I'm enjoying myself. I really started watching this show for Jake Weber (Dr. Crower), so naturally he plays my favorite character

. The show itself is creepy sometimes.

***Enigma*** · 07-05-2009, 10:06 PM

I love this show!!!!

Wish it had lasted longer.