With the news that American Horror Story is returning for Season 13 (and reuniting some of our favourite original cast members), fans and newcomers alike are once again turning to revisit what this anthology does best: reinventing the horror wheel. As is tradition, every season brings a new setting, new characters — and a fresh way to terrify. If you’re thinking of rewinding through the series (or dipping in for the first time), here are six seasons we believe best capture the spirit of the show — ranked, not just by popularity, but by how distinct and memorable they are.
1. Coven (Season 3)
The combination of New Orleans, witchcraft, and women taking back their power makes Coven the glittering crown of the AHS universe. This season follows the women of Miss Robichaux’s Academy — a New Orleans finishing school for young witches — as they battle dark forces from both outside their walls and within. It stars Jessica Lange, Angela Bassett, and Kathy Bates, who deliver camp and gravitas in equal measure, as well as Stevie Nicks as the White Witch in a musical guest spot. This season will long stand the test of time as AHS' breakthrough.
2. Asylum (Season 2)
Haunting and hallucinatory, Asylum traps us in Briarcliff Manor — a 1960s mental institution where faith, madness, and morality blur. Between alien abductions, exorcisms, and the sheer force of Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange’s performances, it’s AHS at its most psychologically daring. The entire season serves as a chilling study of what it means to lose (and reclaim) your mind.
3. Murder House (Season 1)
This is the season that started it all — and it's still one of the best. Murder House introduced us to the show’s twisted formula: a haunted mansion, a broken family, and a lot of ghosts who just won’t let go. It’s also the season that defined the show (and Ryan Murphy's) DNA.
4. Roanoke (Season 6)
Roanoke is the season that broke away from tradition. The first half of the season (which is about a couple who move into an old farmhouse in North Carolina and are terrified by supernatural forces) takes the form of a documentary, while the second half
is presented as "found footage". This split formatting makes Roanoke one of the most experimental chapters in the AHS series.
5. Freak Show (Season 4)
Set in a dying carnival in 1950s Florida, Freak Show is all about outsiders. When the circus troupe arrives in town, so too do several dark, supernatural events. The group, and the residents of the town, must do everything in their power to survive.
6. Hotel (Season 5)
The haunted Hotel Cortez sits in the heart of Los Angeles – but is a glamorous trap built by serial killer James March to house the damned. Detective John Lowe checks in chasing a murder case and instead finds himself spiralling into its nightmare halls. Presiding over it all is the immortal Countess – played by Lady Gaga, who really steals the season.
