Spoilers: Hotel: "Buildings around here are..."

[Leo 3,000]

"time capsules".

Ever since 'Checking In' premiered, I've been thinking about the importance of the Hotel Cortez and why time seems to be such a big deal in the building. The thread titles is Marcy's quote, something she says when she's showing Drake and his son around the building. And when I think about it, there are a lot of things in the episode to show that this could be very much true. 

Ryan could be hinting to the reason for a lot of things in the hotel by subtly telling us in the first episode.

-Everyone has their own theories as to why no one seems to age in the Hotel, the characters from 1994 (arguably either alive or dead) seem to look exactly the same. 

-Liz Taylor suggests that some of the people in the hotel have been there "since the dawn of time".

-Clocks seem to be shown a lot, during the attack on the Swedish girls' and the rape of Gabriel (note how the clock actually went backwards in this case).

-We know it's around 2014 in the show, probably 2015, since Donovan makes the "20 years" reference, meaning we've seen how people looked 20 years ago and how they look identical now (almost).

-In the trailer, Miss Evers appears with James, the original owner of the Hotel, so we know that either he is still alive (and looking young) now, or she was alive (and looked the same) back then.

-I know a lot of people think that they'll play on the Murder House logic of ghosts, but I think we've seen too much of that, with series 1 and 3. 

-Drake says "no echoes of what was there", in regards to New York, again hinting at how the Hotel seems to hold on to the past in some way.

I don't know exactly where I'm going with this theory, but there has to be something very very important about time in this series, beyond just ghosts.

What are your thoughts?

Re: the 'Murder House' rule-

We'll need a confirmed list of who has or hasn't died for this to make sense. So far, we only know Sally has for sure. 

Also, Sally died outside of the hotel, so the grounds must include the alley outside.

[Red 89,153]

This is very interesting  The clock really goes backwards? I didn't notice it

[Chic 20,830]

It's pretty clear. Everyone that dies in the hotel remains there as a ghost for all eternity. Those who died in different time periods wear the style of that particular era, and since the ghosts don't go away, they are all in the hotel together forever.

Ryan Murphy confirmed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly just a day or two after Checking In premiered stating that Hotel will follow the Murder House death logic. Death in the Hotel Cortez results in permanent confinement there as a ghost, and each ghost on the show represents a different time period.

[Leo 3,000]

It's pretty clear. Everyone that dies in the hotel remains there as a ghost for all eternity. Those who died in different time periods wear the style of that particular era, and since the ghosts don't go away, they are all in the hotel together forever.

I just don't think they're going to go with the EXACT logic of Murder House for 2 seasons.

Plus, in the "die in the house, live forever in the house" theory, people couldn't physically leave the building. Whereas the Countess and Donovan both left the building.

[Chic 20,830]

I just don't think they're going to go with the EXACT logic of Murder House for 2 seasons.

Plus, in the "die in the house, live forever in the house" theory, people couldn't physically leave the building. Whereas the Countess and Donovan both left the building.

I edited my post, take a look.

The Countess never died, she's extremely old but her blood virus forces her to consume blood to retain her youthful appearance. Donovan didn't die, it's likely The Countess infected him with the virus in time to prevent his death.

These nuances will probably be explored further in depth as the season goes on.

Also, it would be illogical to have differentiating rules when the characters and events of Murder House and Hotel intersect.

[SlayMeToVenus 3,131]

I just don't think they're going to go with the EXACT logic of Murder House for 2 seasons.

Plus, in the "die in the house, live forever in the house" theory, people couldn't physically leave the building. Whereas the Countess and Donovan both left the building.

Elizabeth and Donovan aren't dead, so they can leave. 

[Red 89,153]

It's pretty clear. Everyone that dies in the hotel remains there as a ghost for all eternity. Those who died in different time periods wear the style of that particular era, and since the ghosts don't go away, they are all in the hotel together forever.

Ryan Murphy confirmed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly just a day or two after Checking In premiered stating that Hotel will follow the Murder House death logic. Death in the Hotel Cortez results in permanent confinement there as a ghost, and each ghost on the show represents a different time period.

UGH NO

I was hoping it wasn't going to be Murder House 2: This Time in a Hotel  

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

kinda off-topic but how did tate (from murder house) leave the house? he was ghost from the beginning right?

[Leo 3,000]

UGH NO

I was hoping it wasn't going to be Murder House 2: This Time in a Hotel  

My thoughts too

Either way, there's still something going on in this series to do with time. I'll be keeping a close eye on future episodes.

Also, Sally died in the alley outside the Hotel, not in the building. I wonder what Ryan said about how far the Hotel's grounds stretch. Does the curse follow council building regulations?

[Chic 20,830]

UGH NO

I was hoping it wasn't going to be Murder House 2: This Time in a Hotel  

As I said above, as the plots and characters of both seasons are intersecting, it wouldn't be logical to have the rules of death differ.

[Red 89,153]

kinda off-topic but how did tate (from murder house) leave the house? he was ghost from the beginning right?

In Halloween the ghosts are free to go anywhere

[Paco 3,040]

Did you figure that out all by yourself?

[Chic 20,830]

My thoughts too

Either way, there's still something going on in this series to do with time. I'll be keeping a close eye on future episodes.

Also, Sally died in the alley outside the Hotel, not in the building. I wonder what Ryan said about how far the Hotel's grounds stretch. Does the curse follow council building regulations?

I was wondering about Sally too. There are set pictures of her outside and I'm wondering how far that is from the hotel, if that's even a part of her filming. But she technically didn't die inside of the hotel!

[Leo 3,000]

Did you figure that out all by yourself?

I can't tell if this is sarcasm

[Red 89,153]

As I said above, as the plots and characters of both seasons are intersecting, it wouldn't be logical to have the rules of death differ.

I don't mean that, I like the "rules" of ghosts, I just think the theme is done. I wanted Sally to be alive because of the blood virus or something. I didn't want it to be about ghosts again.