The second season just hit Blu-ray and DVD two weeks ago, and the third season is three episodes in and off to a shocking start.

I'm not generally one for full-on horror, but shocking suspense I can handle. The most appealing thing about this series, compared to others I'm digging into late (like I did with Fringe ), is that each season represents about 10 hours of content (over 13 episodes) as opposed to around 17 hours (over 22 episodes) per season. It's much easier to catch up over a lazy weekend.

The only way I can think to describe American Horror Story is that awful, weird, supernatural things happen in this show, and nothing is sacrosanct. The second season has a completely different setting and supporting cast, but it is inextricably linked to the first season. The whole thing is anchored by amazing performances from actors they would have had a hard time getting, were there a longer time commitment for filming, including not only star Jessica Lange, but also her ensemble co-stars James Cromwell, Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, and others. Season two is set in an asylum where horrible, bizarre things happen and are done.

Fans of the show are rewarded for buying the Blu-ray by the inclusion of some better-than-usual featurettes, but especially by the inclusion of a deleted scenes reel. Picture quality and the DTS-HD Master audio are great, and bitrate is solid, thanks to the choice to go with dual-layer BD-50 discs. Amazon has it for $35, and if you're a Prime member, you can already stream Season 1 for free in HD, or buy the Blu-ray set for the extras at $31.50. Breaking Bad is gone, and you could do worse jumping into this one to add a new ongoing serial to your list of shows you follow.