Summary
- American Horror Story constantly introduces new characters, stories, and frights thrill the audience through outlandish tales of terror.
- Delicate season delves into horror of pregnancy & impending motherhood.
- Asylum delivers serious scares within the walls of Briarcliff.
Ever since its debut in the early 2010s, American Horror Story has enjoyed many years of success, as the show continues to create ever more zany and outlandish stories within the realm of horror. Each series introduces new characters, new stories, and new frights to thrill the audience.
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In anthology series or films, there are high points and low points, and American Horror Story is no different. There are those seasons that stand out among the rest thanks to the acting chops of the cast, the story with its twists and turns, and just how much it lives up to the title.
7 Delicate
Never Shies Away from Tackling Tough Subjects
- Season: 12
- Release Schedule: September 20, 2023–April 24, 2024
- Number of Episodes: 9
Movies and TV have never shied away from delving into the horrors of pregnancy and childbirth, and this is exactly what season 12 delved into, subtitled Delicate, based on the novel Delicate Condition. In this next tale of terror, Anna Alcott has already achieved fame and is on the way to her next goal: having her own child. Her fertility issues lead her to an IVF specialist called Doctor Hill, who is supposedly the best at what he does, but in typical AHS fashion, not all is quite as it seems.
The journey of Anna's pregnancy is a torrid one filled with turmoil as she fears someone or something is dead set on ruining her pregnancy. Her paranoia is palpable, and the audience can truly feel the stress she is under. The ending reveals the nature of the Delicate's who seek to overthrow the world and instate a matriarchy, killing all men but a select few for complete servitude to the women in charge, but Anna gets her happy ending through the intervention of her late husband's ex. In the end, she gets to have her baby and her Oscar, though it does leave the question of whether it was truly deserved, as it seems no lesson was learned. Nevertheless, the build-up of the season is well worth a watch.
6 Hotel
Guests Can Check Out, but They Can Never Leave
- Season: 5
- Release Schedule: October 7, 2015–January 13, 2016
- Number of Episodes: 12
Bringing in pop star Lady Gaga, Hotel was a source of excitement for fans leading up to its release, and thankfully, it didn't disappoint. While investigating the gruesome murder of a couple, Detective John Lowe makes his way to the Hotel Cortez, where he decides to stay so his work doesn't pose a threat to his family. While staying in the Cortez, he meets the colorful cast of permanent residents, such as the broody Sally, the mysterious Sally, and the delightful Liz, and slowly learns the dark truth beneath the Cortez.
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The Countess is a vampire who has a penchant for stealing children and turning them. The original proprietor, James March, tortured and murdered all his victims, and then there is Devil Night, when the Cortez has more than mischief to worry about, as certain ghosts decide to check in for the night. It's a strange instance for AHS, as almost everyone achieves some semblance of a happy story and complete closure, marking this as a unique entry in the franchise.
5 1984
A Slasher Story with a Killer Twist
- Season: 9
- Release Schedule: September 18–November 13, 2019
- Number of Episodes: 9
Slashers are by far one of the most popular horror picks, as it is surprising what can be done with a killer, a notable mask, and a weapon of choice against a group of hapless victims who do everything they can to not be the next one to die. It was only a matter of time before American Horror Story covered a story about a slasher without being too derivative. Granted, it does source heavy inspiration from Friday the 13th, but it puts its own spin on things with a twist that appears down the line in the series.
A group of adolescents is set to be camp counselors at the notorious Camp Redwood, with most gearing up for a summer of fun partying. There was a grisly string of murders 14 years prior, and now history is repeating itself as those in the camp are turning up dead one by one. Those who died come back as ghosts trapped in the camp, and most take delight in killing those who wander too far into the camp. It's a clever and much-needed twist that adds that little something extra American Horror Story always brings, preventing it from being just another cliche slasher story.
4 Freak Show
An Homage to a Classic 30s Horror Flick
- Season: 4
- Release Schedule: October 8, 2014–January 21, 2015
- Number of Episodes: 13
The fourth season of American Horror Story is one of the strongest, thanks to the stellar performances of franchise stars such as Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, and Evan Peters, and the strong message within. Elsa acts like something of a mother hen to her troop, fancying herself the star of her own show as a singer. After catching news that a set of conjoined twins were recently orphaned, she convinces them to join her carnival attraction, where she meets people born differently, just like herself.
Though the troop likely feels a sense of kinship with another, the otherness is capitalized on by advertising them as 'freaks' to whatever audience Elsa can scrape together, immediately capturing the attention of the spoiled, entitled, and downright dangerous Dandy, but there is also another threat--the killer clown known as Twisty, and Stanley, who would do anything for a quick buck, and sees this attraction as his ticket to wealth and fame. But in an ending that is so satisfactory, Stanley himself becomes one of the 'freaks' as he is mutilated and trussed up to be a human chicken, a clear homage to the classic 1930s movie Freaks.
3 Murder House
The Pilot Season is a Refreshing Take on the Haunted House Subgenre
- Season: 1
- Release Schedule: October 5 –December 21, 2011
- Number of Episodes: 12
American Horror Story began with the Murder House series, as the Harmon family struggles to overcome the husband's infidelity with one of his students. Ben, Vivien, and their daughter Violet move to Los Angeles and find a stately home too good to be true. This turns out to be exactly what it is, as the realtor discloses the tragic murder-suicide of the house's previous owners, but the offer is too good to pass up.
But they probably should have kept on driving, as reality seems to unravel for the Harmon family, as everyone who has ever died on the property remains stuck there as spirits unable to move on. Not every ghost is dangerous, such as the maid Moira, who remains the caretaker even in the afterlife, but those that are can be downright deadly to the Harmon's. Boasting more ghosts than most horror movies, each one is full of personality beyond the tired cliches, which makes Murder House all the more intriguing to watch.
2 Coven
The Season of the Witch
- Season: 3
- Release Schedule: October 9, 2013 –January 29, 2014
- Number of Episodes: 13
American Horror Story delves into stories around many supernatural creatures, such as vampires, ghosts, and even witches. Coven was this season, which was all about witches living in a specialist boarding school in the heart of New Orleans, one of the most magically inclined cities in the entire world. Of course, cramming magical teenage girls under one roof is bound to drum up some drama, which Coven has in spades.
But alongside the drama of the present day, the past is unearthed quite literally when the cruel Madam LaLaurie is brought back to continue her eternal rivalry with the Voodoo Queen herself, Marie Laveau. Combined with the stress of the coven as the current Supreme slowly succumbs to death, leaving the rise of a new supreme, Coven will constantly surprise its audience with just how many skeletons are hidden in the closets, and will leave everyone guessing as to which witch shall rise as the next Supreme.
1 Asylum
The Best Season With Creepiness, Suspense, and Intrigue
- Season: 2
- Release Schedule: October 17, 2012 –January 23, 2013
- Number of Episodes: 13
Asylum is often lauded by both critics and fans as the best American Horror Story season of all time, and it is clear to see why. Set primarily in the 60s, Briarcliff Institute is another unfortunate asylum that does very little to help its patients, subjecting them to the same song day in day out, and delivering ECT to some of the more struggling patients. Lana Winters, a reporter, finds herself thrown in the asylum as she tries to investigate, along with Kit Walker, who was falsely accused of the gruesome Bloody Face murders. The two make the acquaintance of patient Grace Bertrand, and the harsh woman who runs the establishment, Sister Jude.
Along with delivering serious scares with the mysterious visitors that seem not to be of this planet, Asylum also doesn't shy away from including more grounded horror, clearly critiquing barbaric practices of the past. Dr. Arden stands out as one of the most fearsome villains, subjecting anyone under his care to pure torment, and Zachary Quinto's performance as the real Bloody Face is likely something that will never be forgotten by its viewers. All in all, Asylum stands out for the quality of its writing, performance, and the sheer terror found within the walls of Briarcliff.
American Horror Story
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 5, 2011
- Network
- FX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy
- Writers
- Halley Feiffer, Ned Martel, Crystal Liu, Charlie Carver, Kristen Reidel, Adam Penn, Douglas Petrie, Todd Kubrak, Reilly Smith, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Joshua A. Green, Akela Cooper, Asha Michelle Wilson
- Franchise(s)
- American Horror Story
- Seasons
- 12
- Story By
- brad falchuk
