Most people immediately associate Bruce Campbell with his famous roles in Evil Dead and Spider-Man, as well as his recent show, Send Help. But before those successes, in 1995, he played a key part in a truly chilling TV series that deserves just as much attention as his better-known projects.
Shaun Cassidy and Robert Tappert executive produced the short-lived CBS series, American Gothic. Though it only lasted one season, the show was remarkably innovative for the 1990s, featuring a complex, unconventional lead character. American Gothic‘s willingness to experiment with horror has heavily influenced many popular modern TV shows.
American Gothic Was Ahead of Its Time
The 1995 film American Gothic is set in Trinity, South Carolina, and centers on Caleb (Lucas Black), who is the sole survivor of his family being murdered. When Sheriff Lucas Buck (Gary Cole), a man with a strange hold over the town, becomes obsessed with Caleb, the young man seeks to uncover the Sheriff’s motives with the help and protection of his sister’s ghost, Merlyn (Sarah Paulson).
Despite being innovative and setting a new standard for unusual television, American Gothic didn’t immediately resonate with viewers. It was simply too forward-thinking for its time, as many of its unique features wouldn’t appear on TV regularly for another ten years.
Despite only lasting 22 episodes, American Gothic ended without a satisfying finale. Viewers struggled with the show’s complicated storylines, but CBS contributed to the problem. The network aired episodes randomly and scheduled it at an unfavorable time. Instead of showing the episodes in the intended order, CBS executives picked and chose what they thought would be most thrilling, which ruined the show’s overall narrative.
The main reason the show didn’t resonate with audiences was its character, Lucas Buck. He was a villain – manipulative and scheming – which was rare for characters at the time. But despite his flaws, Buck was incredibly charismatic and central to what made American Gothic compelling. Viewers found it both irritating that he consistently avoided repercussions and captivating to watch him.
Today, anti-heroes are common, but back in 1995, they were a rarity. While flawed characters existed, stories rarely centered around them, particularly on television.
The show’s choice to ask viewers to support a flawed character like Buck was unusual for its time. It was difficult for audiences to watch and didn’t immediately resonate, but it unexpectedly helped create space for the more complicated and celebrated characters we see on television now.
American Gothic Influenced Modern TV
Buck possesses supernatural powers and uses them to control the people of Trinity, fulfilling his sinister desires. Despite his dark nature, he has a certain captivating quality. This is largely due to the actor’s mesmerizing performance, but there’s an undeniable allure to the character himself that draws people in.
Buck, similar to many flawed heroes, isn’t entirely unlikeable. He frequently assists those in trouble, though he always expects something in return, and he does keep his town safe from criminals. He also acts as a protector for Caleb, which makes him a little more sympathetic. Despite these good deeds, his harmful actions were more noticeable, and that’s why audiences struggled to connect with him.
Honestly, it’s hard to root for this guy. Everything he does seems motivated by pure selfishness – he uses people, resorts to violence, and basically controls the town through fear. It all boils down to a hunger for power or just to entertain himself. Thinking about when this film came out, I can see why a character like Buck caused such a stir. He’s strangely charismatic, which makes it even more disturbing when he does awful things – you find yourself liking him even as you know you shouldn’t, and that’s really unsettling.
Lucas Buck played a key role in the development of complex TV characters. Before him, shows rarely centered on villains as protagonists. American Gothic proved that a series could be built around a flawed main character, essentially paving the way for popular anti-heroes like Tony Soprano and many others that followed.
Similar to Buck, Tony Soprano is a flawed character – he lies, cheats, and even kills. However, the show gives us a personal look into his life, revealing his motivations and struggles through therapy sessions. We see everything from his criminal activities to his family relationships, which surprisingly makes us sympathize with him. Despite knowing he’s not a good person, Tony Soprano is the main reason people are drawn to The Sopranos.
Walter White from Breaking Bad and Dexter Morgan from Dexter share a lot of similarities. Both are main characters who do terrible things – including murder, lying, and taking advantage of others – but the shows help us understand why they do those things, and also show us their weaknesses. This creates a strange pull: we know these characters are flawed and do bad things, but we become so invested in their stories that we often end up rooting for them anyway.
Without compelling characters, many popular shows and movies wouldn’t be as captivating. These characters are explored in depth, giving audiences insight into what drives them and why they behave the way they do. Even if we don’t agree with their choices, their inner lives are undeniably intriguing.
If American Gothic were released now, it probably would have lasted much longer than its 22 episodes. While the character of Buck isn’t as fully developed as some others due to the show’s limited run, he’s still a fascinating character to analyze. Similar to characters like Tony, Dexter, and Walter, Buck is given layers beyond his wrongdoing, highlighting the contradictions that make him so compelling.
Today’s horror and crime shows owe a debt to American Gothic, which boldly experimented with the genres. The show paved the way for today’s TV, particularly stories featuring complex, anti-hero characters, and offered a fresh take on villainy that’s now common in engaging television.
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2026-02-27 16:07