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Updated 7 days ago,April 22, 2025
Next to HBOsThe White Lotusor NetflixsBlack Mirror,few anthology series have attracted the attention of mainstream viewers quite likeAmerican Horror Story.
Airing at the start of the 2010s, Ryan Murphys hit horror series helped revitalize the anthology format for modern TV, achieving a lasting place in modern pop culture comparable toThe Twilight Zonein the 1960s andTales from the Cryptin the 1990s.
With many viewers wondering what new surprises await in the upcoming season ofAmerican Horror Story,we decided to take a look back at every season ofAHSweve seen so far, ranking them in order from worst to best.
American Horror Story
12.
Hotel
Freak Showmay have been something of a step down from the critical heights ofCoven but its nothing compared to the lesser qualities ofHotel.
Though Lady Gaga commands the screen as a garish vampiric child abductor,Hotels fragmented storyline lacks the inherent cohesion ofAHSs earliest installments, ushering in the series most forgettable season yet.
11.
Cult
AHShas never shied away from difficult or controversial subject matter, be it organized religion, female representation, or contemporary politics in American culture.
The most politically-charged ofAHSs many seasons,Cults heavy-handed tone can nevertheless prove grating to some viewers, with the season struggling to balance out its timely social satire with its underlying basis in horror.
FX
Because of this,Cultfalls flat when just when it seems like its set to soar, with not even Evan Peters masterful portrayal of several historical personages (including Andy Warhol, David Koresh, Charles Manson, and Jesus Christ) enough to redeem its muddled narrative weaknesses.
10.
Delicate
The most recent addition toAHS, Delicatealso marks the first time the series has looked to a pre-existing source material for its main premise.
FX
Based on Danielle Valentines novelDelicate Condition, Delicateoffers up a tantalizing tale of pregnancy, anxiety, and the burdens of celebrity, all of which is wrapped around a story that borrows clear inspiration fromRosemarys Baby.It may not have the same buoyant scares as its earlierAHScounterparts, butDelicates straightforward eeriness allows for an otherwise mesmerizing horror story: one that will leave you covered in goosebumps from head to toe.
9.
NYC
Possessing almost none of the original castAHSutilized in its earliest seasons,NYCalmost comes across as an entirely different horror series, one that also happens to be a far cry fromAHSs influential opening installments.
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But between its sultry tone and its ominous air of suspense,NYCunquestionably retains the signature elements ofAmerican Horror Story,even if the finished season struggles to embrace its identity as a self-contained horror narrative.
8.
Roanoke
You have to give credit where credit is due: for better or for worse,Roanokedidtry to break the formulaic standardAHShad fallen into by the timeHotelaired in 2015.
FX
While its high-concept show-within-a-within aesthetic leads to some interesting results, the finished product appears almost too conceptually clever for its own good, sacrificing meatier substance for its distinctly true-crime presentation.
7.
Double Feature
Delivering two stories for the price of one,Double Featuresees Ryan Murphy toy with the overall presentation of his famed anthology series.
FX
Split between the LovecraftianRed Tideand the alien-populatedDeath Valley, Double Features novel premise helps the season achieve its own lasting place inAHSs growing canon.
With each act in its two-part season boasting a remarkable number of strengths,Double Featureoffers two refreshingly haunting horror stories we simply cant recommend enough.
6.
FX
Apocalypse
AHShas always had underlying elements present from one season to the next, butApocalypsemarked the first time the series included a full-fledged crossover between its pre-existing seasons and various crossover characters.
Tossing together heroes and villains from Season 3sCovenand Season 1sMurder House, Apocalypseexpands the scope of theAHSuniverse in new and exciting ways, succeeding as a loving addition to the series overarching narrative.
5.
FX
Freak Show
Compared to the supernatural undercurrent of its earlier seasons,Freak Showmight prove a tad underwhelming for anyone looking for the same paranormal scares ofMurder House, Asylum,orCoven.Yet even then,Freak Shows pulpier presentation leads to plenty of unique possibilities, allowing the season to truly strike out on its own as a creative homage toFreaks, Nightmare Alley,andCarny, among many other classic horror tales.
4.
Murder House
The very first entry inAmerican Horror Story, Murder Houselaid the groundwork for a one-of-a-kind anthology series unlike any other.
FX
Relying on a traditional haunted house premise reminiscent ofThe Shining, The Haunting of Hill House,andPoltergeist, Murder Houseconjures up a ceaselessly intriguing storyline throughout its fast-moving 12-episode season.
It may not pack the same punch as its immediate successorsAsylumandCoven, but it remains a thoroughly entertaining story of murder, revenge, sexual tension, and romantic infidelity all the same.
3.
FX
1984
Prior to 1984s release, viewers had spent years wondering whatAHSs take on a campy 80s slasher might look like.
Fortunately,1984more than lived up to these perilously high expectations, delivering a season filled with tongue-in-cheek humor and unending nods to its kitschy slasher precursors.
Rather than mercilessly mocking its central genre, however, 1984 draws on a surprising number of fresh innovations in its main storyline, upending the traditional slasher vehicle and outfitting it with unexpected twists and turns throughout.
FX
2.
Asylum
Certain configs seem almost tailor-made forAmerican Horror Story,be it a 50s traveling carnival, an 80s sleepaway camp, or an unorthodox mental asylum in 1960s New England.
With the latter,Asylumtakes viewers on what might very well be the darkest journey in the series yet, complete with mad scientists, fugitive war criminals, sadistic secret killers, demonic nuns, and corrupt Catholic priests.
FX
While a tad overstuffed with conflicting storylines and half-baked horror tropes that sadly go nowhere (like Ardens zombies and Kits aliens),Asylumcontinues to rank as one of the most memorable outings forAHSto date.
1.
Coven
Its hard to pinpoint any one thing that setsCovenapart as the definitive entry inAmerican Horror Story.Maybe its the splendid performances of its main cast, including a deliciously evil Jessica Lange, a thoughtfully narcissistic Emma Roberts, or a captivatingly charismatic Angela Bassett.
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Maybe its the overarching battle between a coven of Southern witches, New Orleans voodoo practitioners, and a shadowy order of witch hunters hoping to eliminate any semblance of magic in the world.
More than likely, though, its a combination of all these things and more that makeCovenso thoroughly engrossing to watch, maintaining our avid interest from its opening episode all the way to its bittersweet final chapter.
