American Horror Story: Double Feature Gets Fictional Radio Broadcast Ahead of “Death Valley” Premiere

The second half of American Horror Story: Double Feature, “Death Valley”, debuts Wednesday night on FX shifting the story from “by the sea” to “by the sand” and ahead of the eagerly-anticipated premiere of sorts, like “Red Tide” before it, “Death Valley” is getting its own fictional radio broadcast as well. The newly-released audio teaser takes the form of a nearly nine-minute broadcast from “KHS: News From the West” and in addition to being a clever piece of faux early-1950s nostalgia, gives a chilling tease of the much-teased alien invasion.

Interspersed throughout the KHS broadcast covering such “timely” topics as the introduction of microwave ovens into American homes, a baby boom, and a dangerous dust storm is an eerie voice breaking through the static, presumably the aliens with a message for those listening.

“We’re just here for a visit,” the voice says at first, though the messages get a bit more serious as the broadcast continues. “You don’t have to be afraid,” the voice says. “Allow us to enlighten you.” Eventually, the voice reveals that their world is dying, their test subjects have failed and they need more. That particular message comes during a segment on mysteriously exploding fertility rates in the region making it particularly ominous.

“Red Tide” had a similar sort of audio component ahead of its premiere. In August, FX released a three-chapter audio drama styled as a nightly radio program from the fictional Provincetown public radio station KPCD 666. That broadcast featured clues, locations, and a few surprises for the first part of Season 10 of American Horror Story, and while “KHS: News From the West” appears to be a one and done broadcast – at least for now – it will be interesting to see how the elements included in it factor into “Death Valley”.

Other than the alien component and what appears to be a story told over a few different decades, very little is known about “Death Valley” at this point. However, American Horror Story star Leslie Grossman recently told Newsweek that the story is “wildly inventive” and very different than anything we’ve seen from the anthology series before.

“I think the thing that I love so much about [American] Horror Story is that there are always little connections and Easter Eggs that are left for the fanbase, and so there’s always a tie and a connection with all of the seasons,” Grossman said. “I will say it is wildly inventive and, once again, I don’t understand how Ryan does this, that ten years in and ten seasons in he’s able to have these incredibly fresh, totally unique, really specific ideas. So, I think people are really going to enjoy it. It’s very different and really clever!”

American Horror Story: Double Feature airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FX. “Death Valley” debuts on September 29th.