Sartaj Singh
Created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, ‘Grotesquerie’ revolves around a detective and a nun as they investigate a series of brutal murders that terrorize a small town. At the center of the investigation is Detective Lois Tryon, whose connection to the case feels unsettlingly personal. She is approached by Sister Megan, a nun and investigative journalist who believes that the crimes have a cult angle to them. The two begin to uncover corruption and a great evil at play behind the interconnected crimes while battling their own demons. While Sister Megan believes in the power of redemption, Lois is haunted by the belief that malevolence is spreading unchecked.
With few leads and a growing sense of despair, Lois is hindered in the investigation by her alcoholism, while Sister Megan struggles to maintain her chastity with the appearance of a charismatic man of the cloth. Furthermore, the killer seems to taunt Lois, remaining one step ahead in the grotesque game. The FX horror mystery drama transports us to a haunting, arid town, with its dilapidated buildings embodying the festering corruption at its core. The desolate environments become evocative, eerily silent observers of the unfolding bloodshed.
Grotesquerie Filming Locations
Filming for ‘Grotesquerie’ is carried out in Los Angeles County, California. Principal photography for the first season of the show began on April 30, 2024, and was wrapped by August 16, 2024. The cast and crew seemed to enjoy their time behind the scenes, grooving to music, joking around, and appreciating each other’s contributions. The team was also very excited to have Travis Kelce make his acting debut with them, clicking pictures with the hulking professional football player. While he faced challenges picking up the new skills required for his role, Kelce commented that he is very coachable and ultimately really enjoyed the experience.
Los Angeles County, California
The small town settings seen in ‘Grotesquerie’ are created using a combination of on-location filming and meticulously constructed sets in Los Angeles County, California. It features views of the desert landscapes surrounding the City of Angels, oftentimes dotted with giant cacti stretching into the distance. The isolation of Southern California’s desert terrain, combined with the eerie, surreal visual effects work, generates a sense of unease that permeates the series. The barren landscapes and dusty highways reflect the emotional desolation confronted by Detective Lois Tryon as she faces the harrowing ordeals of the case while confronting personal issues of alcoholism and a crumbling relationship with her daughter.
In contrast, some of the more psychedelic sequences were created on custom-built sets, allowing the production team greater control over the visual style and the nightmarish visions experienced by the characters. These include the scenes of the town’s homes being lined up in a cross formation, with each abode harboring some form of debauchery. Moreover, sets of rundown homes and decaying structures are created, evoking both physical and psychological decay, deepening the show’s unsettling tone. The mix of real locations and crafted sets allowed the creators to seamlessly shift between gritty realism and the more surreal, nightmarish elements of the horror show.
The project is centered in the beating heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, which not only boasts the highest volume of film studios but also a vast talent pool of cast and crew. ‘Grotesquerie’ greatly benefits from the tax credits given by the California Film Commission, with an estimated $10,353,000 of tax credits being granted to the project in April 2023, fiscal year 4.
The show makes use of Los Angeles’ vast network of skilled set designers, makeup artists, and camera crews, who all contribute to its polished, atmospheric look. “We are thrilled to film Ryan Murphy’s ‘Grotesquerie’ for FX and ‘Dr. Odyssey’ for ABC in California,” said a 20th Television representative in a press release. “It’s incredibly gratifying to keep television production jobs local in California, utilizing the world-class crew available here.” Other horror films and shows shot in and around the city include Netflix’s ‘Monsters,’ ‘American Horror Story,’ ‘MaXXXine,’ and ‘Yellowjackets.’
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