With the announcement of the 7th season theme only a day or so away, I thought I would take the time to definitively rank the other 6 seasons. Just because.
American Horror Story, is an anthology series that does exactly what it says on the tin. It certainly is not for the faint of heart or those with a predisposition to squeaminshness but it is pure horror genius. In every way.
Sparkling new and different themes, locations and characters are showered upon us every season but the show runners always fish from the same pool of jaw dropping actors who never fail to do a sterling job - whoever they have been chosen to play.
The core 4, as I like to call them are Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson and Denis O'Hare. These 4 have been in every single season since the shows conception. OK Denis O'Hare wasn't actually in Asylum but 'Core 3' doesn't have the same ring to it. There are of course many more who were a massive central part of the first few seasons (Jessica Lange, obvs) and some subsequent seasons but these 4 are my highlights. Always.
The cast and the writing is what brings me back to it, time and time again.
From 6 to 1............
American Horror Story, is an anthology series that does exactly what it says on the tin. It certainly is not for the faint of heart or those with a predisposition to squeaminshness but it is pure horror genius. In every way.
Sparkling new and different themes, locations and characters are showered upon us every season but the show runners always fish from the same pool of jaw dropping actors who never fail to do a sterling job - whoever they have been chosen to play.
The core 4, as I like to call them are Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson and Denis O'Hare. These 4 have been in every single season since the shows conception. OK Denis O'Hare wasn't actually in Asylum but 'Core 3' doesn't have the same ring to it. There are of course many more who were a massive central part of the first few seasons (Jessica Lange, obvs) and some subsequent seasons but these 4 are my highlights. Always.
The cast and the writing is what brings me back to it, time and time again.
From 6 to 1............
Season 6 - American Horror Story: Roanoke
A young couple moves into a house in the middle of the woods in North Carolina and some seriously creepy and violent shit goes down within hours of arriving there.
This was the first season to use a completely different format, being that it was stylised as a paranormal ghost hunters type TV show, imaginatively named My Roanoke Nightmare.
This needs to be gotten out of the way first because it was such a big shower of weird shit. Although I say that now because I've only watched it once and that was a half arsed effort for sure but previous seasons have gone up in ranking after numerous re-watchings so maybe this has potential??
I don't know enough about his season to really go into it but its definitely last for a reason.
A young couple moves into a house in the middle of the woods in North Carolina and some seriously creepy and violent shit goes down within hours of arriving there.
This was the first season to use a completely different format, being that it was stylised as a paranormal ghost hunters type TV show, imaginatively named My Roanoke Nightmare.
This needs to be gotten out of the way first because it was such a big shower of weird shit. Although I say that now because I've only watched it once and that was a half arsed effort for sure but previous seasons have gone up in ranking after numerous re-watchings so maybe this has potential??
I don't know enough about his season to really go into it but its definitely last for a reason.
Season 5 - American Horror Story: Hotel
The clue is in the name. Season 5 is about a hotel in LA and it's residents (dead, un-dead or otherwise) and their intertwining stories accompanied by their diabolical treatment of any guests who are stupid enough to check in
This season saw the welcome addition of Matt Bomer and his beautiful blue eyes which pleased me no end. This was also the most fucked up season if you ask me. In the sexually perverse sense anyway.
Just because its number 5 on the list doesn't mean its shit - Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and their writing team are some proper sickos. I LOVE it.
The clue is in the name. Season 5 is about a hotel in LA and it's residents (dead, un-dead or otherwise) and their intertwining stories accompanied by their diabolical treatment of any guests who are stupid enough to check in
This season saw the welcome addition of Matt Bomer and his beautiful blue eyes which pleased me no end. This was also the most fucked up season if you ask me. In the sexually perverse sense anyway.
Just because its number 5 on the list doesn't mean its shit - Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and their writing team are some proper sickos. I LOVE it.
Season 3 - American Horror Story: Coven
Season 3 delves into the witching world in New Orleans, past and present and from every possible angle.
This was the season that gave us some of the best ever one liners and really hammered home the writers collective sense of humour.
We also see the start of a beautiful relationship between the showrunners and Kathy Bates. However, on the flip side of that we begin our journey into terrible accent town with Kathy Bates.
Season 3 delves into the witching world in New Orleans, past and present and from every possible angle.
This was the season that gave us some of the best ever one liners and really hammered home the writers collective sense of humour.
We also see the start of a beautiful relationship between the showrunners and Kathy Bates. However, on the flip side of that we begin our journey into terrible accent town with Kathy Bates.
Season 4 - American Horror Story: Freak Show
Set in 1950's Florida following the lives of one of the last remaining Freak Shows in America.
Initially I absolutely detested this season and I can't even tell you why.
I think its genius now I've seen it a few more times. The sheer magnitude of the production, in every sense, is mind blowing and the protagonists are really easy to get behind and root for; some really amazing characters. The antagonists are some of the best in the series especially Dandy Mott, played expertly by Finn Wittrock.
Finn Wittrock is a true hidden gem who plays a complete pyschopath - in the truest and purest form of that word.
Set in 1950's Florida following the lives of one of the last remaining Freak Shows in America.
Initially I absolutely detested this season and I can't even tell you why.
I think its genius now I've seen it a few more times. The sheer magnitude of the production, in every sense, is mind blowing and the protagonists are really easy to get behind and root for; some really amazing characters. The antagonists are some of the best in the series especially Dandy Mott, played expertly by Finn Wittrock.
Finn Wittrock is a true hidden gem who plays a complete pyschopath - in the truest and purest form of that word.
Season 2 - American Horror Story: Asylum
Set in a mental institution in 1960's New England, this season spans decades bringing together the stories of various patients and asylum staff in typical oddball AHS ways
Asylum tends to be a lot of peoples number one and I can see why but its staying firmly in my number two spot.
This only misses out on the number one spot for nostalgic reasons I think, because it encompasses so many facets of the horror genre it should quite rightly take the number one spot, simply for being somewhat of a masterpiece in it's own right.
Evan Peters FLAWLESS New England accent is enough to warrant the number one spot really but I just can't do it.
Set in a mental institution in 1960's New England, this season spans decades bringing together the stories of various patients and asylum staff in typical oddball AHS ways
Asylum tends to be a lot of peoples number one and I can see why but its staying firmly in my number two spot.
This only misses out on the number one spot for nostalgic reasons I think, because it encompasses so many facets of the horror genre it should quite rightly take the number one spot, simply for being somewhat of a masterpiece in it's own right.
Evan Peters FLAWLESS New England accent is enough to warrant the number one spot really but I just can't do it.
Season 1 - American Horror Story: Murder House
The Harmon family move from Boston to LA into a huge scary house and things just spiral completely out of control - its amazing, you think its gone far enough then down we go again further into the depths of hell.
On the surface its a simple case of the haunted house we all know and love but underneath that tried an tested premise is a veritable feast of fucked up stories.
Sometimes not so subtle nods to real life murders and the use of various horror movie scores make this a season for the genre lover.
I love it purely for its simplicity and for Tate Langdon. Obviously.
The Harmon family move from Boston to LA into a huge scary house and things just spiral completely out of control - its amazing, you think its gone far enough then down we go again further into the depths of hell.
On the surface its a simple case of the haunted house we all know and love but underneath that tried an tested premise is a veritable feast of fucked up stories.
Sometimes not so subtle nods to real life murders and the use of various horror movie scores make this a season for the genre lover.
I love it purely for its simplicity and for Tate Langdon. Obviously.