After the atrocious ‘ARTPOP’ era, Lady Gaga has been in desperate need of a new beginning. Instagram pictures reuniting with RedOne and Diane Warren may have showed promise, and her well-deserved Grammy for ‘Cheek To Cheek’ seemed like a comeback, but it was her critically-acclaimed Oscar performance that reignited public interest in all things #monster. Gaga announced her starring, series regular role on the upcoming (fifth) season of ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ shortly thereafter. Besides the fact that Gaga has no acting experience whatsoever (even #boringbey fared better in “Telephone”), this also confirmed months of rumors that series favorites Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Emma Roberts would not be returning to the franchise. With a somewhat inexperienced actress at the centerfold of one of FX’s highest-rated shows, there are many other “real” actresses who would’ve made a better casting move. Here’s my list of better actress picks to replace Jessica Lange’s leading role on ‘AHS’:

5. Toni Collette
After starring in the ill-fated psychological thriller ‘Hostages’, the bright, quirky Collette (‘United States of Tara’) would’ve been a perfect lead with Gaga as a great supporting actress.

4. Elizabeth Perkins
Perkins hasn’t had a series regular role since ‘Weeds’, but AHS would’ve been a perfect platform for her dry, cynical humor to be spotlighted.

3. Megan Mullally
Widely known, loved, and admired as Karen Walker from ‘Will and Grace’, Mullally’s inclusion in a show as big as Murphy’s would be enough to earn the actress her third Emmy.

2. Laura Linney
Although she’s hardly done anything horror-related, Linney’s acting skills alone are more than enough to hold a thirteen episode series.

1. Elizabeth Mitchell
She’s – by a landslide – the only female actress on television that even comes close to Lange’s legacy. And she’s quite handy with weapons, so her addition to a show like ‘AHS’ would’ve been a no-brainer.