Starring:
Gary Cole as Sheriff Lucas Buck
Paige Turco as Gail Emory
Jake Weber as Dr. Matt Crower
Brenda Bakke as Selena Coombs
Sarah Paulson as Merlyn Temple
Lucas Black as Caleb Temple
Nick Searcy as Deputy Ben Healy
John Mese as Dr. Billy Peale
Special Features:
15 Deleted and Extended Scenes
Other Info:
Fullscreen (1.33:1)
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Sound
Spanish Subtitles
Running Time: 16 Hours 42 Minutes
Synopsis:
American Gothic originally aired in 1995. The following is from the DVD cover:
“Finally, the complete cult hit series American Gothic, produced by Sam Raimi, comes to DVD for the first time ever! Visit Trinity, South Carolina, a small town with more chills than charm. Sheriff Lucas Buck (Gary Cole) won’t let anyone – including local doctor Matt Crower (Jake Weber) or the determined Gail Emory (Paige Turco) – stand in the way of his evil plans. Marking the tenth anniversary of its broadcast debut and packed with all 22 episodes, including four “lost” ones never broadcast on network television, American Gothic’s eerie storylines of intrigue and suspense are sure to hold you captive!”
American Gothic is not rated.
The Series:
I never watched American Gothic when it first aired, so this was my first exposure to the series. It certainly had a great pedigree. Sam Raimi executive produced it. Gary Cole starred as the evil sheriff. A very young Lucas Black starred as the hero. It also had a dark, supernatural premise. Unfortunately, upon watching it on DVD, I never found myself pulled into the storyline. The plot takes its time developing and is about as slow as the Southern drawl of its characters. I never got the hook that would pull me into later episodes. Maybe that’s why it had an untimely demise.
Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the series, it did have a few high points. The show looks fantastic. The locations are all eerie and it was certainly shot like a big screen feature. Lucas Black proves to be a great child actor while Gary Cole makes a fantastic villain. It’s quite a contrast from his more comedic roles. The show is also really creepy with a supernatural undertone through everything. Overall the show was well made, but it just didn’t have time to develop.
The Extras:
There are a few deleted and extended scenes included on this DVD.
The Bottom Line:
I’d recommend American Gothic to anyone that’s into supernatural dramas and has the patience to sit through hours of episodes to see where it’s going.
