Line #14 Series/AmericanHorrorStory


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/american_horror_story_title_card_9182.jpg]]
2	->''"Murder. Madness. Magic. Misfits. Mayhem… Mystery?"''
3	-->-- '''Season 6 "Anthology" Promo Description'''
4
5	''American Horror Story'' is a {{horror}} anthology series created by Creator/RyanMurphy (''Series/NipTuck'') and Brad Falchuk (who co-created ''Series/{{Glee}}'' with Murphy) airing on Creator/{{FX\|Networks}}.
6
7	Described as a "movie buff's delight", its plots, soundtracks, and visual style thrive on references to numerous classic movies and horror stories (including, but not limited to: ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/{{Frankenstein}}'', ''Film/BramStokersDracula'', ''Film/TheSixthSense'', ''Twisted Nerve'', ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest'', and ''Film/{{Carrie\|1976}}''), with some elements of {{supernatural soap opera}}s (like ''Series/TwinPeaks''), as well as homages to American urban legends and folklore.
8
9	The seasons of ''American Horror Story'' to date are as follows:
10
11	[[folder:''American Horror Story'' seasons]]
12	[[index]]
13	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryMurderHouse'' (2011) [[note]]{{Retronym}} subtitle; it was marketed as a limited series simply titled ''American Horror Story'' while it aired.[[/note]]
14	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum'' (2012-2013)
15	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'' (2013-2014)
16	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryFreakShow'' (2014-2015)
17	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryHotel'' (2015-2016)
18	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryRoanoke'' (2016) [[note]]The title and plot of which weren't confirmed until ''after'' its first episode aired.[[/note]]
19	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCult'' (2017)
20	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryApocalypse'' (2018)
21	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStory1984'' (2019)
22	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryDoubleFeature'' (2021) [[note]]Consisting of [[DoubleFeature two seasons]] produced [[MovieMultipack back-to-back]] & airing within the same calendar year according to Murphy: "One by the sea (''Red Tide''), and one by the sand (''Death Valley'')."[[/note]]
23	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryNYC'' (2022)
24	* ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryDelicate'' (2023) [[note]]The first season to be based on existing source material, in this instance the novel ''Delicate Condition'' by Danielle Valentine. Also the first season to be entirely written and showrun without series creators Ryan Murphy or Brad Falchuk, with Halley Feiffer taking over those duties for the season.[[/note]]
25	[[/index]]
26	[[/folder]]
27
28	As of ''Double Feature'', the series has been renewed up to a thirteenth season, with the potential for more to follow. It has also spawned a number of spinoffs, one literal (''Series/AmericanHorrorStories'') and several spiritual (''Series/AmericanCrimeStory'', ''Series/{{Feud}}'', ''American Sports Story'', ''American Love Story'').
29
30	''American Horror Story'' is also known for employing a rotating cast of repertory actors, some of whom have appeared in every season to date as different (and in some cases, [[SharedUniverse the same]]) characters:
31
32	[[folder: ''American Horror Story'' repertory cast]]
33	* Creator/AngelaBassett (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Apocalypse'')
34	* Creator/KathyBates (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Apocalypse'')
35	* Creator/WesBentley (''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'')
36	* Creator/SandraBernhard (''Apocalypse'', ''NYC'')
37	* Creator/MattBomer (''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'')
38	* Creator/AlexandraBreckenridge (''Murder House'', ''Coven'')
39	* Creator/JamieBrewer (''Murder House'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'')
40	* Creator/ConnieBritton (''Murder House'', ''Apocalypse'')
41	* Creator/FrancesConroy (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Roanoke'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''Double Feature'')
42	* Creator/RebeccaDayan (''Double Feature'', ''NYC'')
43	* Creator/BillyEichner (''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'')
44	* Creator/TaissaFarmiga (''Murder House'', ''Coven'', ''Roanoke'', ''Apocalypse'')
45	* Creator/CodyFern (''Apocalypse'', ''1984'', ''Double Feature'')
46	* Music/LadyGaga (''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'')
47	* Creator/LeslieGrossman (''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''1984'', ''Double Feature'', ''NYC'', ''Delicate'')
48	* Creator/NaomiGrossman (''Asylum'', ''Freak Show'', ''Apocalypse'')
49	* Creator/DannyHuston (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'')
50	* Creator/CheyenneJackson (''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'')
51	* Creator/DotMarieJones (''Cult'', ''Double Feature'')
52	* Creator/LeslieJordan (''Coven'', ''Roanoke'', ''1984'')
53	* Creator/JessicaLange (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Apocalypse'')
54	* Creator/BillieLourd (''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''1984'', ''Double Feature'', ''NYC'', ''Delicate'')
55	* Creator/PattiLuPone (''Coven'', ''NYC'')
56	* Creator/JohnCarrollLynch (''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Cult'', ''1984'')
57	* Creator/DylanMcDermott (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Apocalypse'', ''1984'')
58	* Creator/DenisOHare (''Murder House'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Double Feature'', ''NYC'', ''Delicate'')
59	* Creator/SarahPaulson (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''Double Feature'')
60	* Creator/EvanPeters (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''Double Feature'')
61	* Creator/AdinaPorter (''Murder House'', ''Roanoke'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''Double Feature'')
62	* Creator/IsaacColePowell (''Double Feature'', ''NYC'')
63	* Creator/ZacharyQuinto (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''NYC'')
64	* Creator/LilyRabe (''Murder House'', ''Asylum'', ''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''Apocalypse'', ''1984'', ''Double Feature'')
65	* Creator/EmmaRoberts (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Cult'', ''Apocalypse'', ''1984'', ''Delicate'')
66	* Creator/AngelicaRoss (''1984'', ''Double Feature'')
67	* Creator/ChloeSevigny (''Asylum'', ''Hotel'')
68	* Creator/GaboureySidibe (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Apocalypse'')
69	* Creator/RobinWeigert (''Asylum'', ''Roanoke'', ''Double Feature'')
70	* Creator/MareWinningham (''Coven'', ''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''1984'')
71	* Creator/FinnWittrock (''Freak Show'', ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'', ''1984'', ''Double Feature'')
72	[[/folder]]
73	----
74	!! ''American Horror Story'' generally provides examples of the following tropes:
75	%%Zero Context Example* AbusiveParents: Every season has at least one.
76	%%Zero Context Example* AllMythsAreTrue: See FantasyKitchenSink
77	* AmericanTitle: The entire series in general.
78	* AndStarring:
79	** Creator/JessicaLange in the first four seasons, though she's usually preceded by someone with the "With" citation that varies depending on season(s).[[note]]In ''Murder House'', it's Creator/DenisOHare. In ''Asylum'', it's Creator/JamesCromwell. In ''Coven'', it's Creator/KathyBates. In ''Freak Show'' it is shared by both Bates and Creator/AngelaBassett.[[/note]]
80	** In ''Hotel'': with Creator/AngelaBassett and Music/LadyGaga, omitting Lange altogether thanks to her departure from the show.
81	** In ''Roanoke'': and Creator/AngelaBassett.
82	** In ''Apocalypse'': and Creator/KathyBates.
83	** In ''NYC'': and Creator/PattiLuPone.
84	** ''Cult'', ''1984'', ''Red Tide'' and ''Death Valley'' do not get any with or and citations.
85	%%Zero Context Example* AnyoneCanDie: Well, this is a horror show...
86	* AuthorAppeal: Judging by Dylan [=McDermott=], Creator/ZacharyQuinto, Creator/JosephFiennes, Creator/WesBentley, Finn Wittrock, Creator/MattBomer, Cheyenne Jackson, and Creator/BillyEichner, the show's creator Creator/RyanMurphy, like ''Hotel'''s Countess, has a thing for tall, dark, handsome men with stubble and "jawlines for days."
87	* BigBadEnsemble: The shows usually have multiple antagonists:
88	** ''Murder House'': [[TeensAreMonsters Tate Langdon]].
89	** ''Asylum'': [[SerialKiller Bloody Face]]/[[spoiler:[[PsychoPsychologist Oliver Thredson]]]] and the [[{{Satan}} Devil]].
90	** ''Coven'': [[TheArchmage Fiona Goode]], with [[HollywoodVoodoo Marie Laveau]] as a DiscOneFinalBoss.
91	** ''Freak Show'': [[PsychopathicManchild Dandy Mott]] and [[ConMan Stanley]], with [[MonsterClown Twisty the Clown]] as a DiscOneFinalBoss.
92	** ''Hotel'': [[WickedCultured James Patrick March]] and the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Countess]].
93	** ''Roanoke'': [[EvilMatriarch The Butcher]], with [[WickedWitch Scáthach]] as the GreaterScopeVillain.
94	** ''Cult'': [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain Kai Anderson]].
95	** ''Apocalypse'': [[TheAntiChrist Michael Langdon]].
96	** ''1984'': [[spoiler:[[EvilAllAlong Margaret Booth]]]] and [[HollywoodSatanism Richard Ramirez]], with [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil Mr. Jingles]] as a DiscOneFinalBoss.
97	** ''Double Feature'':
98	*** ''Red Tide'': [[MadScientist The Chemist]] and [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Ursula Khan]], with [[FromNobodyToNightmare Belle Noir]] as a DiscOneFinalBoss.
99	*** ''Death Valley'': [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy Valiant Thor]] and [[HalfHumanHybrid Theta]].
100	** ''NYC'': [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Big Daddy]], with [[DepravedHomosexual Mr. Whitely]] as a DiscOneFinalBoss.
101	* BlackAndGrayMorality: Seems to be a default setting to the series. The protagonist(s) is/are usually {{Anti Hero}}es, with the unambiguously good character(s) characters either get themselves [[KillTheCutie killed off immediately]] or end up not being the driving force of the story.
102	* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The rules for who gets into the series’ conceptions of Heaven and Hell seem to be inconsistent and arbitrary. [[spoiler:Fiona Goode winds up in Hell]] while the also amoral, though not as bad, [[spoiler:Elsa Mars gets sent to Heaven just...because.]]
103	** Not to mention the characters who are doomed to the hellish fate of forever being bound to a specific location simply by virtue of being killed in a “cursed” location, regardless of their innocence or guilt in evil actions.
104	** The Devil and the Antichrist are just as evil as you’d expect, but God is seemingly absent from this world and never interferes directly, not even to protect innocent souls from the aforementioned horrors of the afterlife.
105	* BodyHorror: Mutilations are common in the shows.
106	%%Zero Context Example* BreakTheCutie: Too many to list.
107	%%Zero Context Example, Rhetorical question* {{Camp}}: When you've got a horror show brought to you by the creator of ''Glee'', what else would you expect?
108	* ContinuityCreep:
109	** ''Freak Show'' has several connections with ''Asylum'' (the circumstances behind Pepper's institutionalization as well as Elsa's past history with Hans Gruper).
110	** ''Hotel'' is directly connected to ''Murder House'' (Marcy the realtor and Billie Dean Howard reappear, along with Dr. Charles Montgomery in the Countess's backstory) and ''Coven'' (Queenie reappears).
111	** ''Roanoke'' is tied into ''Murder House'' (the references to Roanoke Colony's disappearance are expanded upon, and the origin of the Pig Man), ''Freak Show'' (Gloria and Dandy's ancestor Edward Philippe Mott appears), ''Coven'' (the first Supreme Witch appears) and ''Asylum'' (Lana Winters reappears and Briarcliff is mentioned).
112	** ''Cult'' connects to ''Freak Show'' (Twisty reappears) and ''Hotel'' (Charles Manson, previously mentioned as a disciple of James Patrick March, appears).
113	** ''Apocalypse'' features several characters from ''Murder House'' and ''Coven'', and was billed as a crossover between them. It also has an appearance by the Hotel Cortez and Mr. March from ''Hotel'', and the movie Bubbles [=McGee=] is seen filming scenes for was inspired by the Santa Claus killer from ''Asylum''.
114	* {{Crossover}}: ''Apocalypse'' is the long-rumored crossover between ''Murder House'' and ''Coven''.
115	* CrossoverCosmology: The series has accumulated an eclectic assortment of higher beings. To wit:
116	** Michael Langdon, the Antichrist, produced from an unholy union between the living and the dead.
117	** An unidentified demonic entity, possibly Satan himself, who [[DemonicPossession possesses]] people to cause destruction. This entity was destroyed in 1965 by...
118	** Shachath, a benevolent {{Psychopomp}} who can be summoned by the dying to ease their passage with a kiss.
119	** Papa Legba, the guardian of the spirit world. He is a collector of souls and has the power to banish a soul to its own personal hell.
120	** Edward Mordrake’s demon face. He bound himself to a 19th century nobleman at birth and drove him to suicide. Whenever a “freak” performs on Halloween, the demon and his host are summoned and must collect a soul, which joins their coterie. He also has the power to send a soul to its own personal heaven.
121	** The Addiction Demon, a malevolent entity summoned to the Hotel Cortez in 1993. It punishes people for their addictions by raping them.
122	** The Old Gods, who mark their presence by the October Blood Moon and are worshipped by the First Supreme Witch, who bound the ghosts of the Roanoke Colony to a curse that tethers them to the land they inhabit and commands them to commit annual human sacrifices in honor of the gods.
123	** Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth and sacrifices, who is worshipped by a coven of malevolent witches who seek to bring her children into the world in exchange for their own wealth, power and immortality.
124	* EarnYourHappyEnding: If you can survive to the final ten minutes of a season, you have a chance of getting this.
125	* EventTitle: Technically ''Freak Show''. Implied with ''Apocalypse''.
126	* EvilIsHammy: Villains in this series are usually the biggest hams of them all which is no small feat.
127	* DeepSouth / SouthernGothic : One of the recurring settings of the show.
128	** ''Coven'' is a pure SouthernGothic tale, depicting a secret witch school in New Orleans, and making full use of its setting by introducing vodoo magic, zombies, religious fanatics, and several [[HistoricalDomainCharacter Historical Domain Characters]] (Marie Laveau, Madame Lalaurie, and the Axeman of New Orleans).
129	** ''FreakShow'' takes place in Jupiter, Florida, in 1952, back when Jupiter was still part of the South. Tensions between close-minded but secretely-pervert townfolks and a freakshow with dubious morals, arise in the middle of a hot, humid, swampy setting, with a three different mentally-disturbed serial killers spicing things up.
130	** ''Roanoke'' borders between this and LovecraftCountry, as it takes place in the rural area of North Carolina and has a family of inbred, murderous HillbillyHorrors that act as a ShoutOut to Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre.
131	* FakeGuestStar: Played with. Some actors/actresses appear in guest/recurring capacity but as different characters, and are nonetheless "mainstays". Most of them are PromotedToOpeningTitles below.
132	* FantasyKitchenSink: The world of ''American Horror Story'' and its spin-off ''Series/AmericanHorrorStories'' is home to [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghosts]], [[FrankensteinsMonster Frankenstein-esque monsters]], [[PsychicPowers psychics]], [[AlienAbduction aliens]], [[DemonicPossession demons]], [[WingedHumanoid angels]], witches (of the [[WitchClassic classic]], [[HollywoodVoodoo Voodoo]] and {{Druid}} varieties), [[VoodooZombie zombies]], loa, [[VampiresAreSexGods two]] [[LooksLikeOrlok variations]] of [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]], immortals, [[ArtificialHuman androids]], [[MadDoctor mad scientists]], cannibalistic mutants, ancient gods, and [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent a Minotaur]]. Sometimes two or more of them will directly interact, too, like a cyborg aiding the Devil's son in causing the Biblical Apocalypse or a witch being drained of blood by a vampire after being stabbed by the ghost of a serial killer.
133	* FinalGirl: See [[FinalGirl/AmericanHorrorStory here]]. Jimmy Darling from ''Freak Show'' and Bobby Richter II from ''1984'' are [[GenderInvertedTrope rare male examples]].
134	* FlashForward: All the seasons have ended the season finale on a flash forward epilogue to wrap things up and finish any loose ends.
135	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The opening of each season utilizes macabre imagery to foreshadow the events of its respective season.
136	* FemaleGaze: Let's just say that if you didn't know Creator/RyanMurphy was gay before watching the show, you certainly will afterwards.
137	* GenreAnthology: It started out as this, with each season being a self-contained {{Horror}} story. With the revelation in ''Freak Show'' that all the seasons take place in the same universe, the trope is less applicable, though each season still makes sense on its own.
138	* {{Gorn}}: The violence in the show gets pretty messy and visceral.
139	* GreaterScopeVillain:
140	** {{Satan}} who was the BigBad for ''Asylum'' is this for ''Murder House'', ''Hotel'' and ''Apocalypse'', therefore most of the series. however despite ''Roanoke'' definitely not having his influence, it's never said if his influence was in ''Coven'' and while Mary Eunice does appear as a cameo in ''Freak Show'', she hasn't been possessed yet. Though the four seasons mentioned, Satan has influenced the actions of others, corrupting them and making them give into their sins and desires, driving them to commit crimes and heinous acts, not to mention fathering TheAntichrist and having him bring about the apocalypse [[spoiler: At least until time was reset.]]
141	** [[AbusivePrecursors The Old Gods]] in ''Roanoke'' as well as possibly the ''entire franchise'' as a whole. They are the masters of Scathach, the first Supreme Witch and progenitor of the Witches and covens to begin with. Scathach's motives and sacrifices are all to appease them, and it's stated that mankind used to worship them until the Abrahamic God arrived and make them not believe in the Old Gods anymore. It's implied that they want humanity to worship them again and that many occult factions, like the Witches and Voodoo, do worship them still. Papa Legba is quite possibly a member of their pantheon or a minor deity in their ranks.
142	* HalloweenEpisode:The show made an habit of having seasonal Halloween episodes.
143	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryMurderHouse'', has the two-part "Halloween" episode, representing Halloween as the only night of the year when ghosts are allowed to leave the places they haunt.
144	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryAsylum'' has the "Tricks and Treats" episode which depicts an exorcism taking place in Briarcliff the night before Halloween, in an homage to ''Film/TheExorcist''.
145	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'' has "Fearful Pranks Ensues" and its sequel "Burn, Witch, Burn!" depicting the witch school undergoing a zombie attack during the Halloween night.
146	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryFreakShow'' has the two-part "Edward Mordrake" episode, presenting the legendary figure of Edward Mordrake, a ghost visiting freakshow every Halloween night.
147	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryHotel'' has "Devil's Night" and its sequel "Room Service": the first episode depicts the titular Devil's Night (Halloween's eve) when the ghosts of famous serial killers gather at the Cortez Hotel, while the second has an outbreak of vampirism happen in a school during Halloween.
148	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryApocalypse'' has "Forbidden Fruit" with an Halloween masquerade ball being held in a post-apocalypse survival outpost, only for supernatural events to wreck havock - it is then followed and concluded after a long series of flashback-episodes, in the finale of the season, "Apocalypse Then".
149	** ''Series/AmericanHorrorStory1984'' has "Rest in Pieces" happening shortly before Halloween.
150	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Almost every season has had some, either in the flesh or as a ghost.
151	** ''Murder House'': Elizabeth Short (AKA "The Black Dahlia")
152	** ''Asylum'': Anne Frank [[spoiler:(which is subverted, as she turns out to be an obsessed impostor)]]
153	** ''Coven'': Marie Laveau, Delphine [=LaLaurie=], and The Axeman of New Orleans
154	** ''Hotel'': Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, Gordon Northcott, the Zodiac Killer, Bernie Madoff, Creator/RudolphValentino, Natascha Rambova, and Creator/FWMurnau
155	** ''Roanoke'': The inhabitants of UsefulNotes/TheLostColonyOfRoanoke
156	** ''Cult'': Creator/AndyWarhol, Valerie Solanas, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, UsefulNotes/JimJones, [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Jesus Christ]] and UsefulNotes/CharlesManson
157	** ''Apocalypse'': [=Anton LaVey=], [[UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia Nicholas II of Russia]], UsefulNotes/AnastasiaNikolaevnaRomanova, Yakov Yurovsky [[spoiler:and the return of Elizabeth Short, Marie Laveau and Delphine [=LaLaurie=]]]
158	** ''1984'': Richard Ramirez (again!)
159	** ''Double Feature - Death Valley'': UsefulNotes/AmeliaEarhart, UsefulNotes/DwightDEisenhower, Mamie Eisenhower, UsefulNotes/RichardNixon, Sherman Adams, UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy, Creator/MarilynMonroe, UsefulNotes/LyndonJohnson, Creator/StanleyKubrick, UsefulNotes/NeilArmstrong, UsefulNotes/BuzzAldrin and UsefulNotes/HenryKissinger [[spoiler:(who is revealed to be [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy an alien infliltrator]])]]
160	* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: The realistic, sometimes even mundane acts of evil perpetrated by human beings tend to be far scarier than any supernatural horrors. In the words of Sister Jude, "''all'' monsters are human." This theme shows up in all seasons, though it is most prominent in ''Freak Show'', ''Cult'' and ''NYC'', the latter two even having very few supernatural elements in general.
161	%%Zero Context Example* JumpScare: Again, it's a show with a blatant ''horror story'' in its title.
162	* KillTheCutie: In a series where AnyoneCanDie, the likable and adorable ones are usually the most likely to go first.
163	* LovecraftCountry: It is one of the recurring settings of the show.
164	** ''Asylum'' takes place in the Briarcliff Institute, a horrible Massachusetts [[BedlamHouse asylum]] which, on top of hosting serial killers and mad doctors, receives the visit of supernatural entities such as aliens or the Devil itself.
165	** ''Roanoke'' takes place on a cursed plot of land in the middle of the North Carolina woods. It is where the original Roanoke colony went to die, and it is now haunted by murderous ghosts, incestuous HillbillyHorrors, creepy pig-men and a zombie-witch. This season also has several nods to other iconic movies depicting this trope, such as ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'' or ''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror1979''.
166	** "Red Tide", the first part of ''DoubleFeature'' is a huge homage to this trope, taking place in Provincetown, a dying seaside Massachusetts town where strange Nosferatu-like monsters roam and great artists come during the winter to make [[DealWithTheDevil strange deals]] and commit hidden atrocities... However the typical idea of a close-minded, Puritan town is completely avoided as Provincetown is a former gay hub whose DyingTown status is due to the AIDS epidemic.
167	* MsFanservice: Anytime Creator/EmmaRoberts or/and Creator/AlexandraBreckenridge appear on screen. That being said, they are not the only ones who offer at the table.
168	* MrFanservice: {{Shirtless Scene}}s and male butt shots are especially common.
169	%%Zero Context Example* NewSeasonNewName: Happens every season.
170	* NothingIsScarier: Invoked by the promos for Season 6, the first season where the audience was left completely in the dark about the theme prior to airing.
171	* PeriodPiece: ''Asylum'' takes place in TheSixties, ''Freak Show'' mostly takes place in TheFifties, ''1984'', appropriately enough, mostly takes place in TheEighties, as does ''NYC''.
172	* ThePlace: ''[[{{Retronym}} Murder House]]'', ''Asylum'', ''Freak Show'' (technically), ''Hotel'', ''Roanoke'' and ''NYC''.
173	* PromotionToOpeningTitles: While this is an anthology series, some actors/actresses usually get upgraded to main.
174	** Creator/SarahPaulson, Creator/LilyRabe and Creator/ZacharyQuinto in ''Asylum''.
175	** Creator/FrancesConroy in ''Coven''.
176	** Creator/AngelaBassett in ''Freak Show''.
177	** Creator/WesBentley, Creator/MattBomer and Creator/ChloeSevigny in ''Hotel''.
178	** Creator/AdinaPorter and Creator/LeslieGrossman in ''Apocalypse''.
179	** Creator/JohnCarrollLynch in ''1984''.
180	** Creator/SandraBernhard and Creator/PattiLuPone in ''NYC''.
181	* RapeAsDrama: Pretty much every season has a graphic rape scene.
182	* Main/{{Retcon}}: Happened several times post-''Coven''. Up until ''Coven'', the show was created to be a series of unrelated stories, each season an enclosed and independent world - hence the conflicting worldbuildings of the first three seasons. Starting with ''Freak Show'', the seasons became a SharedUniverse, resulting in a convoluted FantasyKitchenSink.
183	* RippedFromTheHeadlines:
184	** In ''Asylum'', present day Lana mentions having had an interview with an imprisoned Bernie Madoff. ''Hotel'' reveals that the Countess was among his many victims, and regaining her wealth is a major motivation of hers.
185	** ''Cult'' is literally this, as it focuses on the 2016 presidential election.
186	%%Zero Context Example* RuleOfScary: Naturally, since it's a show with ''Horror Story'' in its title.
187	* SceneryGorn: The series doesn't shy away from showing bleak environments.
188	* SerialKiller: Very common on this show.
189	** ''Murder House'': R. Franklin
190	** ''Asylum'': Bloody Face, Bloody Face II, Jenny Reynolds, Leigh Emerson
191	** ''Coven'': Delphine [=LaLaurie=], the Axeman
192	** ''Freak Show'': Twisty the Clown, Dandy Mott
193	** ''Hotel'': The Ten Commandments Killer, James Patrick March, Richard Ramirez, Aileen Wuornos, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, the Zodiac Killer, Gordon Northcott
194	** ''Roanoke'': Miranda and Bridget Jane
195	** ''1984'': Mr. Jingles and Richard Ramirez
196	* SharedUniverse: WordOfGod has it that all seasons take place in the same universe (which led to some Retcon, see above).[[invoked]]
197	** ''Freak Show'' includes Pepper from ''Asylum'' as the first character to recur in a significant role in multiple seasons, as well as cameos from Sister Mary Eunice and [[spoiler:Dr. Arthur Arden]] from the same season.
198	** ''Hotel'' features supporting appearances by Marcy the realtor, Dr. Montgomery, and [[spoiler:Billie Dean Howard]] from ''Murder House'', and Queenie from ''Coven''.
199	** ''Roanoke'' includes a cameo by Lana Winters from ''Asylum'' and an ancestor of Dandy Mott from ''Freak Show''.
200	** ''Apocalypse'' has main characters from both ''Murder House'' and ''Coven'' in its main cast, and also revisits the setting and characters of ''Hotel''. It was explicitly advertised and promised as a ''Murder House''/''Coven'' crossover season.
201	** ''Cult'' is a bizarre case. It includes Twisty the Clown from ''Freak Show'', but he appears here as a comic book character, making it it unclear if his actions in the 50s were famous enough to be adapted in the media, or if he is in this season a purely fictional character. Similarly it reintroduces the Zodiac killer shown in ''Hotel'', and reveals its identity, but only to create a PlotHole.
202	** The continuity of ''1984'' is just as bizarre as the one of ''Cult''. It is definitively set in the same world as ''Asylum'' due to Margaret being said to have bought Briarcliff Manor, and we have a return of Richard Ramirez from ''Hotel'': however the ''1984'' depiction and fate of Ramirez is wildly different from the one of ''Hotel'', causing a new PlotHole.
203	** ''NYC'' features a cameo by the Angel of Death, Shachath, from ''Asylum'' (albeit portrayed by a different actress).
204	** Currently only ''Double Feature'' has no explicit connection to other seasons. Its first half, ''Red Tide'', explores a medically induced vampirism like ''Hotel'' but the two "infections" are wildly different in causes and effects, while ''Death Valley'' see the return of human-abducting aliens whose experiments leave people pregnant, but they are very different in behavior and appearance from the ones of ''Asylum''.
205	* SinisterSouthwest: California is one of the worst places to live in, according to this show. Both ''Murder House'' and ''Hotel'' depict haunted, cursed buildings infested with demonic activity in Los Angeles. ''Apocalypse'' centers on a nuclear war shelter in Center California that used to be a school for warlocks that hosted the Antichrist himself. Camp Redwood of ''1984'' is your typical Slasher summer camp, with a talent for attracting all sorts of serial killers (plus, it is revealed to be haunted by the victims of the successive massacres). And ''Death Valley'' (the second part of ''Double Feature'') explores alien abductions in the titular valley, the existence of Area 51 and the crash of Roswell.
206	* TeamTitle: ''Coven'', technically ''Freak Show'', and ''Cult''.
207	* WorldOfHam: Subtle acting is not allowed in this series and every season has on ongoing battle between cast members to see who can devour the most scenery.
208	* YouAllLookFamiliar:
209	** Given that WordOfGod said that the entire show has a SharedUniverse, one might wonder why exactly certain characters looked alike. Pepper in particular encountered two characters played by Creator/JessicaLange and Creator/EvanPeters each in the timeline, and [[ConjoinedTwins three]] played by Creator/SarahPaulson.[[invoked]]
210	** [[spoiler: Finn Wittrock, Creator/SarahPaulson and Creator/LilyRabe each appeared as two different characters in ''Hotel'' (though one of Rabe's was just a photo). The resemblance between Tristan Duffy and Rudolf Valentino was a plot point, but no one who sees both Hypodermic Sally and Billie Dean Howard says boo or bah. For that matter, Queenie doesn't comment on any similarity between Iris and Delphine [=LaLaurie=] or Ramona Royale and Marie Laveau.]]
211	** Creator/SarahPaulson appears in the season finale of ''Roanoke'' as both Audrey Tindal and [[spoiler:Lana Winters]], with no comment on their resemblance.
212	** In ''Apocalypse'', [[spoiler: upon Madison and Behold coming to the Murder House, they meet characters who look exactly like characters they conversed with only a few days prior but don't recognize them; also, Mead and Michael don't note Venable's uncanny resemblance to Cordelia.]]
213	** [[note]]It's likely that in-universe, the resemblance between characters that are played by the same actor isn't truly seen - since we're watching with a limited scope, from the outside, the actors playing multiple characters look the same to us, but in-universe, there's not enough resemblance to remark upon; they see different characters played by the same actor the same way we see the same character played by two different people in ''Roanoke'' (the reality TV Tomasyn and the in-universe Tomasyn, for instance - both have similarities, but in the end have two different heights, faces, etc.)[[/note]]
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Context Series / AmericanHorrorStory