Every time a new season of the anthology series American Horror Story comes out, I often reflect on each of their seasons and deeply contemplate which one is my favorite. In the spirit of Halloween and the new AHS season, “Delicate,” here is a (indecisive and potentially controversial) ranking of my favorite seasons, and the ones that did not quite land for me. Beware of spoilers!
- Season 3, “Coven”
I often go back and forth between calling this and season 1, “Murder House,” my favorite. As an American Studies major, though, the historical narrative of “Coven” makes it a top contender for me. Witchery and Voodoo have women’s history at their core, and seeing the racial bounds that are intersected, dissected, and subverted in this season make it fascinating to analyze.
- Season 1, “Murder House”
This season set the tone for the entire show, and I am so glad they started with this plot line. After this season, audiences are able to understand how the creators of the show blur the lines between life and afterlife, but for first time watchers, the ghostly plot twist is absolutely unmatched. Nothing will compare to the first time I watched this show, albeit pretty much everything was a plot twist to me at age 12.
- Season 5, “Hotel”
Two words: Lady Gaga. I love singers who can act—it’s way more impressive than actors who can sing, in my opinion. This season is arguably one of the final flawless seasons of AHS, as most watchers agree the seasons go relatively downhill after “Hotel.” The Halloween episode is particularly iconic, maybe one of the most iconic Halloween episodes throughout the entire show—in the AHS universe, the dead are given a free pass to walk the Earth on Halloween—so, at this hotel of horrors, there’s a dinner party hosted for infamous serial killers from the real world. Conceptually, this episode and the season are both very creative.
- Season 2, “Asylum”
This season would be ranked higher if it weren’t for the absurd alien plotline. Not only is Sarah Paulson a queer icon, but she is also playing a queer icon. Bringing back my American Studies roots, I love analyzing this season in the context of when it takes place; 1964. The American nightmare of the 60s is brought to life by Paulson’s character’s position as a woman institutionalized for her queerness. The performances in this season are incredible, and the arguably unnecessary alien subplot helps to reinforce nightmarish qualities.
- Season 4, “Freak Show”
Finn Wittrock is a little too good at being terrifying. I love him and his freakish grin endlessly, and I wish he was in more seasons of AHS. This season is great in terms of the killer clown subplot, but the actual freak show plot is not well executed in my opinion. While this makes it great for picking apart (my favorite past-time), this season is just kind of painful to rewatch.
- Season 6, “Roanoke”
Everybody seems to hate this season, but I unexpectedly enjoyed it. The reality show plot twist was mind-boggling as an 8th grade watcher (I definitely was too young to be watching), and once again you just can’t beat the screams of Sarah Paulson.
- Season 8, “Apocalypse”
This season accomplished what “Cult” was trying to do by making horror of the present instead of the past. Where “Cult” fell short, “Apocalypse” made total narrative sense. I love that they tied in reflections on other seasons, confirming the theories that each season of AHS is connected, at least to some degree.
- Season 9, “1984”
While this season got mixed reviews, I personally enjoyed it. Once again incorporating real-world elements, this season inadvertently crosses over with “Hotel” by placing the notorious killer, Richard Ramirez, at the root of the plot. As a horror movie fanatic, the 80s slasher vibe of this season is a great mix of ridiculous and serious. And, Billie Lourd, are you kidding? Her dry delivery is weirdly refreshing, and helps to foster a creepy sensation throughout the season.
- Season 7, “Cult”
A true horror we were all alive to witness and experience—the Trump Administration. In theory, I love the idea of this season. The execution, however, was lukewarm in my opinion. About halfway through I just really lose track of what they’re trying to do, but it does start off strong. I also enjoy the cast, headlining the AHS alums Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, and showcasing Billie Lourd for the first time.
“Double Feature,” “NYC,” and “Delicate” remain insignificant for me…sorry! I haven’t started “Delicate,” but the other two seasons were not nearly as thought provoking as the earlier seasons. It’s fair to say AHS may have hit its peak a while ago, but it was great in its prime.