An active reaction against Ryan Murphy’s teen musical, Glee, American Horror Story is the gift that keeps on giving. Instead of preachy speeches and musical theater numbers, fans of the anthology series get conversion therapy, murder hotels, and several incarnations of Richard Ramirez.
For better or for worse, this is the chaotic energy that FX’s flagship horror series brings. Not all seasons may be sensitive and some even glorify tasteless acts of violence, but there is no doubt that American Horror Story has a culture all its own. Streaming on Hulu, fans can relive each moment of glorious gore from the very beginning.
All AHS seasons in order
Murder House
When Murphy first introduced viewers to the Harron family, no one could have anticipated the cultural impact that it would go on to have. The first season was only styled American Horror Story and it follows a fractured family as they move into one of the most infamous houses in Los Angeles. It doesn’t take long for the Harmons to discover something is wrong with the house as all manner of spooks and specters make themselves known.
The first season became a classic for a reason, as Violet (Taissa Farmiga) learns her toxic boyfriend Tate (Evan Peters) is one of these spooks. By the end of the 12 episodes, no one knew if there would be a continuation. Little did viewers realize it was only the start of one of the most prolific horror series.
Asylum
Murder House was followed up by Asylum, which was the first season to introduce the formula that would carry on throughout the series. Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange, and Evan Peters all return for the sophomore season as different characters, this time set at a ’60s-era asylum. Though a favorite of many, Asylum was overwhelmed by contrived plot details and sudden departures from the established genre. Asylum is messy at best, but was perhaps the reason that fans kept returning to the franchise.
Coven
While not entirely beloved by fans, Coven was far more concise than AHS’ previous season. Taking place at Miss Robichaux’s Academy, the season focuses on the Supreme’s (Lange) attempt to hold onto her power while many witches of the younger generation come into their own. Each witch her has own specific set of abilities while the season also features the horrific New Orleans figure Madame LaLaurie (Kathy Bates). Coven is a practice in how to take real-life figures and make them even scarier.
Freak Show
In the fourth season, Freak Show, Peters returns as Jimmy Darling, so named Lobster Boy due to a case of syndactyly. The season also features a reprisal of Paulson who stars as Bette and Dot, conjoined twins who find their way to a carnival that is being plagued by a serial killer, Twisty the Clown. This season takes space in 1952, when the culture was phasing out these so-called freak shows. Murphy walks a fine line between portraying these characters and fetishizing them in another gratuitous season of American Horror Story.
Hotel
American Horror Story: Hotel is a return to life imitating art. Taking place at the Hotel Cortez, the season is a clear reference to the purportedly haunted Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. In the debut of Lady Gaga who plays the vampiric mistress, The Countess, the season had all the glitz and the glamour of old Los Angeles as well as well-known true crime celebrities.
Roanoke
In the sixth season, the show tries to reinvent the wheel in many ways. Roanoke takes the familiar ghost story of the famous lost colony and forms a reality show around it. Two actors portray each main character — one plays the true events of what happened, and one plays the actor reenacting the events of the show within the show. Though not the most popular season, Murphy should be applauded for attempting to refresh a series well into its tenure.
Cult
Heavily impacted by the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Cult stands out because it is the only season to have no supernatural elements of any kind. Featuring another tale with Paulson in the lead, she portrays Ally, a queer woman who is devastated by the outcome of the election. The other half explores the terror of a fascist in power giving the likes of Kai (Peters) real estate to follow suit and create a vicious cult that hit too close to home for many viewers.
Apocalypse
In season 8, American Horror Story went back to its roots. A cross-over event that united Murder House and Coven, the season takes place in a dystopian future that welcomes the antichrist. The season is a wild and escapist ride in the best way, reintegrating fan-favorite characters such as Madison (Emma Roberts) into the narrative. Apocalypse is a masterclass in how to entertain fans without driving them into territory too uncomfortable.
1984
1984 is Roberts’ time to shine in a love letter to ‘80s slasher films. Taking place in the titular year, a group of friends go to a campground and are terrorized by a multitude of factors. 1984 is full of joyous passion, reveling in the campiness of the time and paying homage to many well-known tropes. The ninth season demonstrates how to be self-aware at a time when the series could have gone stale.
Double Feature
The tenth season of American Horror Story necessitated some pomp and circumstance and whether fans wanted it or not, they got it. True to the season’s title, season 10 featured two stories that split the season in half. The first, entitled Red Tide, featured a down-on-his-luck writer who moves his family to the cape only to find it plagued by vampires. Capped at only 6 episodes, the season continues with Death Valley, a meditation on the UFOs of Roswell. No one ever said the 10-year celebration of American Horror Story wouldn’t go off with a bang.
New York City
Season 11 of American Horror Story takes inspiration from real-life events to weave a horrific tale but twists the narrative. Taking place at the height of the AIDS epidemic, New York City uses a serial killer as a metaphor for the homophobia and prejudice of the time against the gay community. The season almost feels like it doesn’t belong in the gratuitous world of American Horror Story but in a separate series using genuine art to tell a devastating tale. The season is one of the more ambitious seasons that actually sticks the landing.
Delicate
The first season of the series adapted from an outside source, season 12 is inspired by Danielle Valentine’s book, Delicate Condition. The book tells the visceral story of how the milestone of pregnancy can be horrific. From the idea that there is a literal parasite inside you to how women are often gaslit at this stage in their lives, the female-centric season was an admirable follow-up to the previous one.