Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Tweekums The South Carolina town of Trinity is dominated my Lucas Buck, the town's sheriff. In the opening episode he goes out to the Temple household where the father appears to have snapped and attacked his children Merlyn and Caleb. Caleb gets away but Merlyn isn't so lucky. She isn't dead though… at least not until Sheriff Buck breaks her neck! As the series progresses he tries to take Caleb under his wing; something others who care for him, notably his cousin Gail who comes to town soon afterwards and Dr Matt Crower try to stop. It soon becomes apparent that things in Trinity aren't quite normal; Merlyn regularly appears to her brother, and sometimes others, like a guardian angel and it appears that Lucas has powers that aren't quite natural. These powers are subtle; those he helps think he is a good man and those who cross him are likely to suffer 'accidents'. Later it emerges that Lucas has a reason for taking an interest in Caleb; something that becomes more disturbing as we learn more.This was a really fine series; I enjoyed it when I first watched it on television and even more when I watched it on DVD. Talking of the DVD if you are preparing to watch the series one should be aware that the episodes are in the order they were broadcast which is not the correct order… I'd strongly advise watching them either in the order listed here or that on Wikipedia… they are almost identical just one episode switched; I think the latter is correct but wouldn't swear to it. Either way you'll finish on the final episode rather than ending up confused.The series contains elements of horror but it is fairly subtle; chilling rather than terrifying. That isn't to say there aren't any disturbing moments though. The story is well told with the main story being spread over the whole series. Individual episodes also contain standalone stories which usually illustrate just how dangerous Lucas is. The cast are great; Gary Cole dominates the series as Lucas Buck; he makes it believable that many of those who deal with him won't see just how evil he is. Young Lucas Black also impresses as Caleb Temple; a character who develops impressively over the course of the series. There are plenty of other interesting characters; Sarah Paulson brings an otherworldliness to the role of Merlyn's ghost; Brenda Bakke is delightfully seductive as Selena, school teacher and lover of Lucas Buck; Paige Turco as the relatively normal Gail and Nick Searcy as Deputy Ben Healy, a man who wants to do the right thing but can't stand up to his boss. It is a shame that the series ended after just one season but the ending is ambiguous in a good way so perhaps it is good that it ended while it was still good. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody after a rather different TV series.

Kirpianuscus the precision is the basic virtue of this series who could be defined, only at the first sigh, as classic clash between bad and good. the significant detail are the admirable performances of Gary Cole and the young Lukas Black. this is the axis of the circle of magic, war, good intentions, resistance, revenge. and the use of old fragments of classic Gothic stories using the American classic clichés. American Gothic has all the virtues to be enter in a well known universe who gives only the clear image of the importance of details. and the only regret is its sacrifice , maybe as form of save for a series who mix in wise manner the mystery with crumbs of every day fears.

debhanley hi i have been reading through all the reviews and i agree this was the best show ever i am watching this again now twenty years on and loving it as much as i did originally it should be brought back but would have to pick up were it left off or maybe ten years on but with the first couple of episode s being done as flashbacks so we can catch up on what happened ten years earlier we all want to know what happened to lucas gail and caleb what he would have done to selena for what she did to gail and his child etc still carnt believe they have left it all in limbo all these years come on TV networks get your acts together and make this happen .

Bob Graner I first saw this amazing series midway through the season in 1995. It is now 2010. It was hard to keep up with the storyline then, now I know it was CBS who really screwed this one up, and I have never been able to catch it again in re-runs anywhere since. It has always been in the back of my mind "what ever happened to such a tremendous and dynamic show"? especially seeing as how there is more than enough crap on TV as it is. I thought maybe it was Gary who got greedy and wanted more money until I realized that that isn't the Gary Cole I know of. A man with such great talent and range who can go right from playing uncannily familiar Mike Brady to the best character you love to hate Sheriff Lucas Buck, he would know when he has another hit on his hands. I finally learned here by reading the comments that it was another CBS idiot who lost out on what is now a cult classic. It has taken me up to today to find the show in a watchable format again with my Netflix account. Sadly I could only watch 15 out of the 22 episodes online. I promise you this though. I am not much of a collector of DVD's but this series I am going to buy the set. In my humble TV and Movie viewing opinion American Gothic is the best written, finely produced, intimately intriguing story and of course excellently acted Television Program I have ever watched. And I watch a lot, mostly crap. To the entire cast and crew, Well Done and Thank You.