"American Horror Story" Seasons, Ranked

American Horror Story transformed the landscape of TV horror. Prior to its premiere, the genre was viewed as too labor-intensive. It was believed the series couldn't be sustained beyond feature films due to its dependence on constructing and relieving tension. However, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk were able to solve that problem. 

Popular among viewers around the world, each season of this anthology series showcases a rotating ensemble of stellar actors such as Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, and Angela Bassett. And now, the incomparable Kim Kardashian is joining in on the fun - making a special appearance in the highly anticipated twelfth season, entitled Delicate, due to arrive this summer. Undeniably, American Horror Story cemented its mark in pop culture as one of the landmarks shows of the modern era. Here are the Top 10 American Horror Story seasons ranked.

American Horror Story: 1984 endured the lack of long-term cast members, the weakest array to date. Billie Lourd and Emma Roberts valiantly tried to fill the gap, yet without Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson, it was too much. The season, a parody of the Friday The Thirteenth set in a summer camp, mimicked tropes of 1980s slasher flicks. Certain elements were successful, but the idiosyncratic tone of AHS showed in the montage scene with its spandex, it felt like American Horror Story rather than an 80s homage.

The most desirable season is widely known as one of its worst. Hotel sounded incredibly promising at the beginning: a mysterious hotel in Hollywood, with Lady Gaga in her first major acting debut, and vampires and murderers? It had all the expectations of a stellar season. Despite a magnificent performance from The Countess played by Gaga and an eye-catching aesthetic, the rest of it was mediocre or worse. It felt like a bizarre combination of a slasher flick with a romantic thriller that never quite achieved what it set out to do or produced any lasting shock. Further, the departure of the show's beloved Jessica Lange certainly did not help.

The parade of beautiful men Ryan Murphy has focused on previously was well-casted, yet Cody Fern as Michael Langdon was unconvincing. He lacked the necessary sinister presence for a season dedicated to him. Though other seasons have refocused attention on more successful characters, American Horror Story: Apocalypse didn't, staying solely tight-knit around this central performance. It eventually incorporates witches from AHS: Coven in the second half but fails to explore more Satanic motifs. The highlight of the season is Jessica Lange's return as Constance Langdon from Season 1, though it ultimately proves too short-lived to salvage the convoluted story arcs.

American Horror Story has rarely sought to depict current times, with Cult being the sole exception. This season is an answer to the 2016 presidential election and the uproar that President Donald Trump stirred up in American politics. Two primary characters are showcased: Ally, brilliantly portrayed by Sarah Paulson, who breaks down from fear in response to Trump's win, and Kai, superbly acted by Evan Peters, who is empowered by the president and finds a cult of killer clowns. Depending on one's political opinion, this season might prove controversial - yet its power is undeniable.

American Horror Story: NYC is a return to its roots. Taking a far cry from the original, it offers an experience far superior to many of their recent seasons. Billie Lourd's remarkable performance reigns supreme, with the integration of real-life events handled delicately and discreetly. This season boasts a massive breadth, delivering new avenues for the story spread out widely and gracefully, avoiding any possibility of being stuck in redundant horror cycles. As well, Murphy has provided a much-needed representation of LGBTQ+ within the genre, something they have become renowned for.

American Horror Story: Freak Show has a powerful conclusion that doesn't make up for its somewhat anticlimactic plot. What begins as a captivating beginning quickly evolves into a drama more than a fright fest. The untimely demise of Meep in AHS: Freak Show is indicative of this. The season is essentially an extended remake of the renowned film The Freaks, which itself is featured in the show. Lange revives her past brilliance with a great performance, while Evan Peters as Jimmy Darling captures our hearts with his adorable mannerisms. This season is more sorrowful than scary, exhibiting the evil that lies within the depths of human nature - and oh yeah, semi-terrifying clowns.

The original American Horror Story is close to faultless and has its purest iteration. Every character is deeply drawn, with a tragic tone that reaches its peak by the end. Rather than being overly structured, it allows events to unravel slowly and carefully, creating an intensity so strong one can almost feel it. Eventually revealed as a portal to Hell in AHS: Apocalypse, Tate remains at the core of the sinister Murder House. Jessica Lange's remarkable performance is what ultimately led to the show's second season and lasting legacy.

Double Feature has it all - twice. Two locations, two stories with shockers, and double the dread. This season will bring you Red Tide and Death Valley - one at the seashore, the other on land. The interesting thing is how the topics and moods in each interconnect. 

Red Tide stars a struggling scribe and his family as they arrive at a seaside village for wintertime. There, the inhabitants show their true horrific side. It reads like something out of Stephen King's work. In Death Valley, a college gang goes camping only for them to be embroiled in an epic conspiracy that surpasses their imaginations. Both tales depict people taking a chance, only for them to regret it. Taking that plunge put Double Feature firmly in the success column of American Horror Story Seasons.

Often favored by viewers, American Horror Story: Coven leaves much to be admired, particularly for its bold and assertive performances. The season features an excellent cast with talented additions Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates joining Paulson's Fiona and Lange's Cordelia. Unfortunately, the conclusion, though abrupt, fails to do justice to its characters. The season also marks a noteworthy performance from the late Leslie Jordan.

Asylum marked the first attempt of American Horror Story to use an anthology approach. After the resounding success of Murder House, the show moved on to a new tale entirely in Season 2. It surpassed expectations, set in the 1960s and centering around Briarcliff Manor, a mental asylum presided over by those who preferred to hide their atrocities instead of helping the afflicted. The narrative begins as a reporter is unjustly institutionalized for being a lesbian and then becomes witness to the macabre terror that exists within those walls. Jessica Lange gave one of her most memorable performances in AHS. The plot was so ambitious it has yet to be rivaled.