Every Season Of American Horror Story, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes

American Horror Story’s eleventh season, subtitled NYC, ended its ten-episode run in November. The season attracted positive reception, with many critics considering it the best AHS effort in years.

Once the crown jewel of the FX network, AHS is far from the phenomenon it used to be during its first four seasons. However, the show is still an enthralling, if uneven, exploration of horror and excess, tackling issues that most other shows would never even consider. And while it has never been universally acclaimed, it more often than not garners good reviews. Indeed, every season of AHS has a “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although some certainly were better received than others.

11

Hotel (2015) – 64%

Otherwise known as the Lady Gaga season, Hotel is the worst-received season of AHS by a considerable margin. The season, the first one without AHS first lady Jessica Lange, followed a group of misfit living and deceased guests at the dangerous Hotel Cortez, owned by the mysterious Countess.

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Gaga did a perfectly serviceable job in a role that didn’t require much from her, and even won a Golden Globe for her efforts. However, critics called the season’s plot convoluted and uninteresting, and criticized the characters, particularly Wes Bentley’s detective. AHS:Hotel went for spectacle to make up for its narrative shortcomings, but fans could see straight through its facade.

10

Murder House (2011) – 72%

American Horror Story began as a typical horror show with an above-average cast and an intriguing premise. Murder House was full of intelligent characters, creepy storylines, and enough of Ryan Murphy’s trademark over-the-top, campy sensibilities.

Most of the praise went to the incredible Lange, whose Constance Langdon is one of the best characters in modern television. However, Murder House was unique and compelling enough to signal AHS’ potential. The show featured provocative storylines and dialogue, blending excess with an unsettling plot in a way that would become the show’s bread and butter.

9

Cult (2017) – 73%

The horror genre has many scary cults, and the seventh season of American Horror Story delved into this always-reliable trope to tell a story that mixed horror and politics. Cult followed the ideological battle between a “woke” woman and an incel, using the 2016 US Presidential Election as background.

Led by show staples Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, Cult is AHS at its most blunt and socially conscious. The show tries to make a political statement but adopts a needlessly clumsy and gratuitously violent approach. Still, critics had high and decisive praise for the season, particularly Paulson and Peters’ performances.

8

Roanoke (2016) – 74%

Even the show’s detractors will say Roanoke is the most daring and unique season on AHS; logically, it’s also the most divisive. Some fans consider it thrilling, scary, and daring in planning and execution, while others think of it as forgettable, messy, tonally unbalanced, and ultimately unsatisfying.

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The season presents a meta-commentary on horror and reality television by revisiting one of AHS’s favorite concepts: the haunted house. Critics praised Roanoke’s willingness to make fun of itself and Paulson’s always reliable performance. However, the latter half of the season received a mixed reception, and the ending remains controversial because of its rushed storytelling.

7

Freak Show (2014) – 77%

Freak Show was AHS at the peak of its powers. Following the campy delight of Coven, American Horror Story opted for a gorier approach with Freak Show, a circus-based season that dealt with the discrimination and exploitation of minorities.

Although far from the scariest season of American Horror Story, Freak Show is an effective, compelling story. Critics highlighted its production values and performances, with newcomer Finn Wittrock getting singled out. Freak Show could be considered the end of AHS’ first stage; it was Lange’s last season, allowing Paulson to take her place as the show’s resident leading lady.

6

Apocalypse (2018) – 79%

The world of American Horror Story received a major crossover with season 8. Apocalypse saw the return of the most powerful Coven witches and the rise of the Antichrist himself, Michael Langdon, from Murder House. The season featured gratuitous cameos by fan-favorite characters and the return of beloved performers, including Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, and Lange.

Apocalypse’s earlier episodes received a mixed reception, but things improved once the witches arrived and the Antichrist plot became more prominent. Critics and fans appreciated the interconnected storyline and the cast’s performances, although the ending was met with a mixed reception.

5

Double Feature (2021) – 80%

After an extended hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, American Horror Story returned with its tenth season, subtitled Double Feature. As the name implies, the season follows two stories, Red Tide and Death Valley, which explore themes of addiction, ambitions, secrecy, and manipulation.

Double Feature received positive reviews initially, with most critics praising the performances and unsettling setting. However, Red Tide’s ending and most of Death Valley attracted negative reactions, with much criticism aimed at its rushed storytelling and unsatisfying ending.

4

NYC (2022) – 83%

The most recent season of American Horror Story took the action to New York City, like many shows and movies before. The story adopts a more realistic approach to horror, showcasing the difficulties of marginalized communities during the erratic 1980s.

Critics reacted positively to NYC, praising it as a refreshing take on a well-known topic and considering a return to form for the franchise. It might not have been as well-viewed, but it’s one of its greatest storytelling triumphs in years. NYC proves that, sometimes, the real horror is in everyday life.

3

Asylum (2012) – 84%

Quite possibly the most ambitious season in the show, Asylum is arguably AHS’s finest hour. The season, led by Lange, focuses on several characters in a psychiatric hospital during the 1960s. Asylum is notorious for introducing sci-fi horror to the series, blending genres and storylines, and resulting in a chaotic but satisfying season.

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Asylum received considerable praise from critics, who celebrated Lange and her castmate’s performances and the show’s risk-taking nature. Asylum remains American Horror Story’s most progressive season; it was the moment the show proved it was more than the average horror series, cementing itself as one of television’s most zealous and daring offerings.

2

Coven (2013) – 85%

Many fans consider Coven the best season of American Horror Story, and it’s easy to see why. It embraces and celebrates camp, featuring a story about a coven of witches who face inner turmoil on their quest for the next Supreme.

Lange, in all her sharp-tongued glory, leads a cast that welcomes future series regulars Emma Roberts, Bates, and Bassett. Coven finds AHS at its funniest and most sarcastic, expertly blending humor with effective storytelling. It considerably tones down the horror, but the cast’s performances are enough to elevate the season, turning it into one of the best in the show’s history.

1

1984 (2019) – 88%

Surprisingly, the best-received season of American Horror Story is not one of its most famous but rather one of the most recent. 1984 took a classic approach to horror, using the beloved slasher genre to tell an ’80s-inspired story about a group of camp counselors stalked by a dangerous killer.

Roberts led a cast of AHS regulars, including Billie Lourd and Leslie Grossman. Critics praised 1984’s approach and celebration of the slasher genre, singling out Roberts as a near-perfect final girl. 1984 felt like a back-to-basics approach for the series, especially after the massive crossover-like event that was Apocalypse. The season was smaller in scale, allowing for a tighter and more focused plot that still included the familiar AHS tropes fans expect.

NEXT: Best Episode In Each American Horror Story Season, According To IMDb