‘American Horror Story’: Every Season Ranked From Best to Worst

Eric Andersson September 14, 2019

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: APOCALYPSE — Kurt Iswarienko/FX

We’ve never been so eager for the end of the world! Apocalypse, Season 8 of Ryan Murphy’s anthology series American Horror Story, which aired on FX last year, comes to Netflix September 24.

It’s a good excuse to rank every season, which are all available on the streaming service. Here they are, from best to least favorite.

1. Murder House

The first season is still tops: A troubled couple (Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton) move into an L.A. mansion with ghosts haunting its hallways. A simple concept, and yet so spooky.

2. Coven

For its excellent third installment — set at a New Orleans school for young witches in training (played by Taissa Farmiga, Emma Roberts and more) — the series leaned heavily into its campy side.

American Horror Story: Apocalypse (Credit: FX)

3. Apocalypse

While other seasons obliquely referenced previous chapters, Apocalypse, with Kathy Bates, clearly tied together Murder House, Coven and others — a treat for AHS fans.

4. Hotel

Season 5, the first without Murphy muse Jessica Lange, featured Lady Gaga hamming it up as an immortal bloodsucker.

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5. Freak Show

Step right up and check out this traveling carnival, which introduced the scariest villain yet: Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch).

6. Asylum

The anthology’s second season proved to be overpacked with scary stuff: a serial killer, Satan, Nazis and aliens.

7. Roanoke

While it had some chills, the concept — a couple who survived a haunted house make a documentary about their experience and then film a reality show with the actors who had played them in the doc’s reenactment scenes — was confusing.

8. Cult

Inspired by the polarizing political climate, the seventh installment was the only season that didn’t feature supernatural elements. We missed the ghosts!