: Though it is "one story," the season is split into two halves: the first focuses on a serial killer targeting gay men, and the second shifts to a surreal, elegiac exploration of the AIDS crisis. Production Highlights

: While the season features a traditional serial killer (Mr. Whitely), the recurring masked figure "Big Daddy" serves as a supernatural metaphor for the virus, appearing to those who are infected or soon to be.

: Set in 1981 New York City, the season eschews typical ghosts or vampires to ground its horror in the real-world neglect and homophobia surrounding the emerging health crisis.