‘American Horror Story’ Review: Best & Worst ‘AHS’ Seasons Ranked | TVLine

With the finale of American Horror Story: Double Feature now behind us, we’ve officially experienced 10 full seasons of Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology series. So let’s crown a Supreme, shall we?

One quick note: For the purposes of this list, we’re counting both parts of Double Feature (Red Tide and Death Valley) as separate seasons, since they were presented as two complete — albeit slightly truncated — stories.

Actually, one more note: This is all supposed to be fun, so don’t get upset if your favorite season isn’t ranked as highly as you’d prefer. It’s not worth your energy.

Read on to see how we ranked all 10-ish seasons of American Horror Story, then drop a comment with your own order.

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DEATH VALLEY (SEASON 10, PART 2)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

The black-and-white portions of this sci-fi throwback were fun, and Lord knows Sarah Paulson did what she could as Mamie Eisenhower, but this Horror Story — more than any others — felt especially unfinished.

So many concepts were hinted at but never fully explored, a strong example being the reptilian aliens who weren’t even addressed until the final hour. Considering fans have been waiting for a full-blown alien season since the Asylum days, they deserved something more concrete than this four-episode dip into the extraterrestrial pond.
RED TIDE (SEASON 10, PART 1)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

Simple and spooky, the first half of Season 10 felt like a return to form for the long-running franchise, delivering the same energy that drew us to the series in the first place. It even got bonus points for letting us spend time with delicious characters like Frances Conroy’s eccentric Belle Noir and Leslie Grossman’s no-B.S. Ursula.

But as the six-episode saga slumped towards the finish line, culminating in a rushed finale that left way too many loose ends untied, we couldn’t help but wonder: Did the writers stop taking their little black pills?
FREAK SHOW (SEASON 4)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

On paper, an old-timey traveling “freak show” should have been a slam dunk for American Horror Story, providing endless possibilities for tricks and treats. And don’t get us wrong, the season wasn’t entirely without merit; Twisty the Clown was iconic from his very first stab, and we remain in awe of Sarah Paulson’s work as conjoined twins Bette and Dot.

But just like Elsa Mars’ shortsighted leadership, this season’s ambition proved to be its own undoing. An endless parade of half-baked villains and needlessly complicated side stories among the “freaks” weighed down what could have been a solid season.
1984 (SEASON 9)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

After an over-the-top season as grand in scope as Apocalypse, the show opted to narrow its focus for 1984, limiting the escapades to the confines of a sexy slasher summer camp. (OK, it was just a regular summer camp. The “sexy” and “slasher” parts came later.)

But even with its engaging cast of eccentric ’80s stereotypes, the season’s whole die-revive-repeat concept grew stale very quickly.
ROANOKE (SEASON 6)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

Easily the most divisive season American Horror Story has ever thrown our way, Roanoke was part-reality show, part-traditional spookfest — and all completely insane. Seriously, a dramatic reenactment of a bloody haunting that somehow ends at… Paleyfest? What were those writers smoking, and how do we get our hands on some of that good stuff?

The whole thing also felt very actors-on-actors, with Sarah Paulson playing Lily Rabe and Angela Bassett playing Adina Porter, to name just a few powerhouse pairings. And we dare you to complain about that.
CULT (SEASON 7)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

American Horror Story said sayonara to the supernatural in Season 7, opting to tackle something far more terrifying: America’s political landscape circa late 2016. The whole thing felt way too real, even if Kai showing his devotion to Trump by literally rubbing Cheetos into his skin was a little on the nose.

And despite a few questionable tangents, we also have to commend Cult for delivering a full-circle, satisfying conclusion — a true rarity in this anthology series.
HOTEL (SEASON 5)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

Hotel marked the first season of American Horror Story‘s post-Jessica Lange era, and we certainly had our concerns. But Lady Gaga proved every bit her worthy successor with a Golden Globe-winning performance as The Countess, an intoxicating character with a unique lust for life.

If only the rest of the Hotel Cortez’s happenings — from that drawn-out serial killer mystery to those endless barstool monologues — were as sharp as The Countess’ signature nails, this season might have landed a few notches higher.
APOCALYPSE (SEASON 8)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

Apocalypse essentially served as a follow-up to Coven, bringing back several beloved characters from Miss Robichaux’s Academy, while also introducing fans to a new generation of witches, warlocks and even the literal Antichrist.

Throw in some memorable returns from much-missed faces like Connie Britton and Jessica Lange (“I’m Constance Langdon, and this is my f–king house!”), and you had yourself a recipe for pure fan service. Sure, the whole “end of the world” thing was sidestepped pretty conveniently, but something tells us this story isn’t over yet.
COVEN (SEASON 3)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

This bewitching season marked AHS‘ first major gamble, tossing a generous helping of camp and comedy into the usual mix of carnage and creepery. And that gamble paid off big time, resulting in one of the show’s highest-rated seasons that viewers couldn’t get enough of — hence many of the characters returning five years later for Apocalypse.

Jessica Lange was at the top of her game as HBIC Fiona Goode, Angela Bassett was divine as Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, and Kathy Bates crossed every line imaginable as the irredeemable Delphine LaLaurie. And those are only a few highlights of this delicious cast, which also included Frances Conroy as Myrtle Snow, Sarah Paulson as Cordelia Foxx and Stevie Nicks as herself.

(For what it’s worth, Emma Roberts’ Madison Montgomery was also clearly a precursor for the queen bee she would later play on Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens.)
MURDER HOUSE (SEASON 1)

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When American Horror Story premiered in 2011, long before the first season was even referred to as Murder House, it was unlike anything else on television. Sexy, scary and absolutely unapologetic, it laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most engrossing franchises in TV history.

Rubber Man? Constance Langdon? Connie Britton’s hair? The mere mention of these iconic characters should be enough to inspire a rewatch.

The thing is, while Murder House undeniably created the blueprint, there was one other season that perfected it.
ASYLUM (SEASON 2)

Image Credit: Courtesy of FX

American Horror Story gave a big ol’ middle finger to the notion of a “sophomore slump” with Asylum, a nightmare-inducing experience boasting some of the greatest performances and most memorable characters (Sister Jude! Lana Winters! Bloody Face!) to ever grace this franchise. We were also treated to a wonderfully twisted performance of “The Name Game,” which you can watch by clicking on the photo above. Go on, you’ve earned it.