Straying from tradition, FX premiered the sixth season of “American Horror Story” this Wednesday without revealing the theme beforehand. Ryan Murphy, co-creator of the series, made an on-screen introduction seconds before the premiere as FX revealed the season’s informal title, “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare.”

Promotional teasers posted on the show’s social media accounts over the summer did not disclose any details about what the anthology series will focus on. Rather, the marketing campaign created hype by releasing plotless teasers in the form of creepy visuals that mimicked common tropes of famous horror movies. Murphy recently announced only one of these teasers reflected the series’ true theme.

As usual, the show’s focus on visuals and cinematography is outstanding. These elements are stitched together strongly, and the narration style similar to a documentary is refreshing to see. Yet when it comes to the actual plot, “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare” already shows signs of falling apart.

Although the show offered a reinvention in terms of storytelling and casting, the elements that made the last few seasons unwatchable are more than present in “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare.”

The first episode of the season, titled “Chapter 1,” revealed only five of the 10 cast members but introduced two complex plot points and even more complex characterizations.

Shelby and Matt Miller, an interracial couple played by Lily Rabe and Andre Holland, buy and move into a centuries-old farmhouse in the Roanoke Colony after Shelby has a miscarriage and Matt is the victim of a crime in their previous hometown, Los Angeles. The house, of course, has a creepy vibe to it that scares Shelby. Matt asks his sister, Lee, to stay with Shelby while he goes on a business trip. Lee, played by Adina Porter, is a former policewoman. Lee is happy for this distraction, as it is revealed she has struggled with a painkiller addiction that took away her prospect of becoming the chief of police.

Shelby and Matt are so infatuated with each other that it almost seems obvious that the house they live in will try to tear them apart. Matt believes the racist neighbors he outbid for the house are trying to scare them away, while Shelby is forced to deal with the aftermath of a miscarriage in a location that doesn’t feel like home to her. Because of these tensions, the chemistry between the two already seems to be fading away by the end of the first episode.

Toward the end of the episode, Shelby runs after a woman she hit with her car only to get lost in the forest and find a plot of land that breathes. The episode ends abruptly soon after.

Although Murphy is setting the characters up for later episodes, his hefty and unfinished first episode of “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare” is already overly complicated. The episode did a good job of building fear from anxiety, but wasn’t able to keep that momentum going.

Past seasons, like “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” failed to close their plot holes and conflicts in a satisfying manner. “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare” already seems to be setting up several plot lines that will mimic its predecessors’ formula.

Once the rest of the main cast is introduced, the show might be hard to follow. Murphy’s historical downfall is focusing on the actions of his characters instead of making the cast work to execute a solid theme.

Another common trope used by Murphy in recent years is the random placement of the show’s characters from past seasons. “Chapter 1” included a terrifying scene where Shelby and Lee are shown a frightening video while hiding during a home invasion. The video is of a pig-headed monster that might live near their house.

This same creature appeared during, “American Horror Story: Murder House,” the first season. While the self-promotional homage to fans is endearing, it’s also irrelevant. This “connection” does nothing to forward the plot of either season.

“American Horror Story” is a powerhouse of the horror genre with a unique execution and clever themes. This season already includes social commentary on drug addiction and racism, and is likely to go all out in regards to these topics.

The first episode wasn’t terribly unfocused, though the season should refrain from letting too many conflicts develop side by side. In an ideal world, this season would include more unknown but talented actors — like Zachary Quinto and Lizzie Brocheré in “American Horror Story: Asylum” — and close their episodes in a more cathartic manner rather than with constant cliffhangers.

Looking ahead to the second episode, “American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare” could go either way. Compared to previous seasons, this is a different approach, but the plot of the first episode foreshadows complications to come. Expect plenty of twists and plenty of scary touches.