What is American Horror Story About?

American Horror Story is the visual embodiment of campfire horror stories. Each season of American Horror Story is a miniseries based on different horrific topics. So far, there are 9 seasons released with season 10 in the works to be released sometime this year, possibly in September or October.  

Before we delve into what seasons 1-9 are about, let’s first discuss the speculations surrounding the theme of season 10. As of now, there are no teaser trailers, but a number of season 10 poster photos have been posted online, leading fans to question what the next season could possibly be about.

One theme speculation is based on the alien abduction at the end of season two. Because the season ended with Kit getting abducted with no answers, fans believe that the producers will round out that plot twist with a season devoted to aliens. 

Another, possibly more realistic, theme speculation is sirens based on the official season 10 poster shown above and the below photo of some humanoid creature climbing out of the water. Creator Ryan Murphy captioned this photo with “Things are beginning to wash up on shore.” Based on mythology, sirens are sea dwelling creatures with beautiful voices that they use to lure sailors to their deaths. These creatures could definitely be the source of some terrifying scenes in the next season. Regardless of the plot… we know one thing for sure. It will be an exciting season. 

And of course, season 10 wouldn’t be possible without the excitement of seasons 1-9. 

Season 1: Murder House

Season 1 follows the Harmon family as they move from Boston to Los Angeles to make a fresh start after relationship and family struggles. They find a beautiful house priced below retail value and they bounce on that opportunity even after being told that the previous owners died tragically in the house. What they later find out is that the realtor left out a lot of prior, morbid details about the house. Parents Vivien and Ben Harmon attempt to rekindle their relationship and daughter Violet Harmon tries to make new friends in a new town while also dealing with the terrors of living in… a murder house. 

Season 2: Asylum

Season 2 follows the patients and staff members of Briarcliff Manor, run by Sister Jude and her right-hand-man Sister Eunice. Like most back stories about insane asylums from the past, there is a sadistic doctor that performs scientific and supernatural procedures on the patients without their consent. Journalist Lana Winters (played by Sarah Paulson) visits the asylum as a new patient to attempt to get an inside story on the goings-on in the building. Little did she know the horrors that she would encounter during her secret investigation. 

Season 3: Coven

Season 3 follows the dwindling descendants of the surviving witches of the Salem witch trials. After mysterious attacks increase on their kind, the girls are sent to an all-girls boarding school in New Orleans to protect them from impending dangers of people discovering their identity. The long-absent Supreme swoops into town determined to protect the Coven and hell-bent on decimating anyone that tries to get in her way. 

Season 4: Freak Show

Season 4 follows a struggling freak show led by Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) in the small town of Jupiter, Florida. Decades have passed since people have seen freak shows as entertainment, but Elsa is determined to find a home for her “monsters” as well as gain fame and fortune for herself. As the season progresses, it is revealed that multiple dark entities arrived in Jupiter with their eyes set on the freaks and ending the show. The most terrifying aspect of the show is their clown known as Twisty who wreaks havoc on Jupiter, targeting freaks and townspeople alike. 

Season 5: Hotel

Season 5 follows the strange and dangerous happenings centered around the Hotel Cortez in Los Angeles, California. Detective John Lowe arrives at the hotel to investigate a string of murders, each exemplifying a sin in violation of the Ten Commandments. The hotel is led by Elizabeth Johnson (played by Lady Gaga) who is also known as the Countess. The Countess was turned into a vampire by her former lovers. During John’s investigations, he becomes entangled in the dangers of the hotel and discovers the secrets hid deep in the walls of the mysterious Hotel Cortez. Season 5 is also one of the more provocative seasons of AHS because of the many sexual scenes involving Lady Gaga’s character and her victims. 

Season 6: Roanoke

Season 6 follows the supernatural events that occur in a renovated farmhouse in North Carolina, which is situated on the land where the Roanoke Colony moved after their infamous disappearance in the 1580s. Some former inhabitants, the Millers, of the farmhouse recount their experience in a documentary series called My Roanoke Nightmare. This documentary includes their encounters with the violent and vengeful ghosts of the house’s previous residents and the Roanoke Colony, the cannibalistic Polk family who live nearby, and the seductive English witch, Scathach. The Millers agree to return to the farmhouse for a documentary sequel. The production eventually descends into a chaotic, yet tragic disaster, as cast and crew are targeted when the violent entities begin to surface. 

Season 7: Cult

Season 7 is set in the fictional town of Brookfield Heights, Michigan, which is left divided in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president. A dangerous cult leader (Evan Peters) is elated by the election of Donald Trump as president and uses people’s fear as a weapon against the town as he runs for city council. This was the first AHS season not surrounding supernatural elements and instead it focuses on people’s vulnerabilities and anxieties that they may have experienced after the 2016 election.  

Season 8: Apocalypse

Season 8 is set in the near future and the Antichrist that we are introduced to at the end of season 1, Michael Langdon, brings about the apocalypse by instigating nuclear warfare. A group of chosen survivors, Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt, Coco’s personal assistant Mallory, Mr. Gallant a hairstylist, his grandmother Evie, Dinah Stevens, Stevens’ son Andre, Timothy Campbell and Emily take refuge in a fallout shelter named “Outpost 3.” This season also brings back the witches from Season 3 as the coven attempts to save humanity and to defeat Michael Langdon. 

Season 9: 1984

Season 9 is set, obviously, in 1984 and follows Brooke Thompson as she travels to a remote, newly reopened summer camp, known as Camp Redwood, to work as a counselor following a terrifying encounter with serial killer Richard Ramirez. Not long into their first week at the camp, news breaks that deranged murderer Benjamin Richter, also known as Mr. Jingles, has escaped a local insane asylum and is presumed to be heading for the camp, where he has a violent history. In this season, the counselors learn that the only thing scarier than campfire tales is the past coming to haunt you. 

Conclusion

Overall, if you want to watch a new show revolved around both horror and entertainment, AHS is the show for you. Because each season is a new miniseries, you don’t have to watch every season and can skip around and watch ones that really interest you. The only one that I would recommend you watch other seasons prior is season 8 Apocalypse since it combines both Murder House and Coven characters and plot lines. Watching Murder House and Coven will make Apocalypse easier to understand, but it is not necessary. Finally… be on the lookout this fall for the release of season 10.