American Horror Story is moving into its ninth season this week (September 19th, 2019 on FOX UK), with the anthological series this time taking place all the way back in 1984. It's going to be the first season in the show's history that doesn't include Evan Peters at all in the cast, and Sarah Paulson has been reduced to a small role, because of her commitment to another of Ryan Murphy's television projects, Ratched. Despite that, we're still super excited to see what returnees Billie Lourd and Emma Roberts get up to in the new episodes, with the likes of Matthew Morrison and Gus Kenworthy also joining the cast.
Ahead of the premiere however, we've decided to take a look back at all eight season of AHS to-date, and rank them from our least favourite, to the absolute best of the franchise.
8. American Horror Story: Hotel
Despite bringing Lady Gaga into the fold for Hotel, a muddling and extremely predictable story packed full of twists that only really ellicited a 'meh' from audiences, left a lot to be desired. Evan Peters was at the top of his game despite the material he had to work with, however, and still made serial killer James Patrick Marsh one of the most memorable villains in the show's history.
7. American Horror Story: Cult
There were some real big attempts made to bring about a discussion on the modern world through Cult, but a lot of it felt convoluted due a bloated string of storylines that morphed together. Once again, the level of performance from the actors involved was top shelf, with Leslie Grossman in particular standing out for her epic showcase as Meadow Wilton.
6. American Horror Story: Apocalypse
With a groundbreaking crossover, that saw Dylan McDermott return for a guest spot for the first time since Season 2, and the witches from Coven making a comeback in an attempt to save the world, it's hard to place Apocalypse this low. That just goes to show how high the standard for AHS seasons is, though! It was also really nice to see Jessica Lange make a quick appearance, with Cody Fern also debuting in the series for the first time.
5. American Horror Story: Coven
Though the season featured a lot of Stevie Nicks, which is never ever a bad thing, it wasn't enough to save it from turning into a bit of a campy mess when all was said and done. The storyline was loose and predictable, but was saved by the acting which was of course at the top of its game. It's hard to rank AHS seasons, because all of them are rewatchable, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty Coven has to sit towards the lower end of the pack.
4. American Horror Story: Freak Show
Freak Show reminded viewers what it is to be scared again, with the introduction of murderous clown Twisty and charming psychopath Dandy Mott - played perfectly by Finn Wittrock in his AHS debut. The cinematography used throughout by the show's creators is truly something special, and the casting was just spot-on when it came to the 'freaks'. Musical numbers were a little heavy and on the whole let the season down, but we'll never forget Elsa Mars, and I suspect that her singing is just one of the many reasons why.
3. American Horror Story: Roanoke
I'm a sucker for all things reality TV, so when I watched Roanoke, I had a huge level of appreciation for what Ryan Murphy and his behind-the-scenes team were trying to do. For me, it is one of the most entertaining and original concepts to bring to the horror genre, and for that, it should be celebrated.
2. American Horror Story: Murder House
Murder House was the season that kicked off the franchise, paving the way for other horror series to come to television and proving that if something like this was done right, it could be a huge success. People weren't sure what to expect from AHS, but all of the trepadations and worries were quickly chucked aside. Dylan McDermott was a brilliant addition to the show, and we'd love to see him back with the series, as he's now been absent since season two (bar a fleeting appearance in Season 8).
1. American Horror Story: Asylum
What bigger terrors are there than those that are psychological? Asylum managed to not only mess with the character's heads during the season, but the viewer's, too. Despite a dodgy alien subplot, the show managed to surpass even the first and everybody's expectations, making it the most pivotal and exciting season the show has had to-date. Whether it was Jessica Lange's incredible portrayal of Sister Jude Martin or Lily Rabe's brilliant possessed Sister Mary Eunice, there was excellence from every direction. The season also goes down as the finest moment from Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters - both of whom have been involved in all seasons to-date.
American Horror Story: 1984 comes to FX in the United States on Wednesday, September 18th, 2019 and to FOX in the UK on September 19th, 2019.
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