4. The Eerie Locations
With the Scandinavians taking over the cinematic polished looking dramas this French show has taken more of an inspiration from David Lynchs noir soap opera Twin Peaks. The misty little village that plays as the main setting is actually Annecy (near where the Alp murders unfortunately happened in real life). There is a huge dam that becomes not only an eerie backdrop but a great plot point as events unfold. The director instructed that they only filmed between 4pm and 9pm so there is a constant state of dusk. We are introduced to the town and its habitants four years after the crash that kills Camille where the parents are at a meeting at the Helping Hand. The Helping Hand is a mysterious hostel come local hall where Camilles step dad Pierre seems to be rounding the returned to. The streets of this town get more and more empty as proceedings happen until the returned and the characters that surrounded are the only habitants left. Even the local pub The Lake Pub has a lingering sense of dread running through it. All of this is accompanied by music by Scottish band Mogwai and is sure to leave a shiver down your spine. This is the atmosphere Ryan Murphys American Horror Story could only wish for.