The FX horror anthology series “American Horror Story” takes viewers to a new time and place every autumn for a spectacle of shocks and scares. Season five, ‘Hotel,’ takes place in the fictional LA Hotel Cortez.

Residents of said hotel include a vampiric Lady Gaga with children she has made vampires, a serial killer ghost from the 1930s, and a drug addict who sews other addicts into mattresses.

Critic Emily Stephens from avclub.com said, “There are some colorful, carefully calibrated performances, some laugh-out loud funny lines, some appallingly nasty moments, and some gaudy surprises.”

Despite these outlandish ideas, ‘Hotel’ might just be the most mature and sophisticated season of the show since season one.

This may be attributed to the new addition of Lady Gaga who brings with her a grace and elegance that “American Horror Story” has never quite been able to accomplish before.

Co-creator Ryan Murphy said to Entertainment Times, “I have to say, she’s one of the great professional joys in my life. She has been such a team player; the cast and crew are obsessed with her. Her performance is amazing. She’s a great actress.”

The writing is the most likely reason for the tonal shift. Seasons three and four (and arguably two) were marked by a campiness that while fun, was not always scary. This camp is much more sparse in ‘Hotel.’

One of the darker storylines includes a detective played by Wes Bentley investigating a series of murders based on the Ten Commandments in allusion to the film “Se7en.” He is staying in the hotel because of his strained relationship with his wife played by Chloe Sevigny.

Since the disappearance of their son, the couple has had troubles. Through this relationship, AHS explores family and loss in a more tactful way that it has not before.

Along with family and loss, addiction is a new riveting theme of the season. From the first episode, those who give into their addictive vices get attacked by an “addiction demon” and eventually sewn into mattresses.

Some have made the argument that the scenes with the demon are too brutal and depraved, but in actuality, they characterize the raw destruction and pain caused by addiction.

Bently told Vulture, “It’s a great metaphor. Horror is really great for that, because it opens up a part of you that is dark, and it itself is open to exploring different elements that you can’t always get to…”

This is the show to watch for a perfect blend of entertainment and art. ‘Hotel’ gives viewers the chance to be scared in ways they would have never imagined.