Prior to Black Mirror, Fargo, and True Detective, American Horror Story used this format to illustrate and dramatize humanity’s ability to deal with evil and our everyday fears. The anthology format has been largely successful, both technically and for viewers, who are allowed to watch any season without fear of losing the background of previous seasons. It also allows quality cast members to stay on or reappear on the show in different roles, giving busy actors a chance to spread their wings in terms of characters on the show, albeit this is a privilege that only Evan Peters and Sarah enjoyed. Paulson.
American Horror Story is the brainchild of creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the masterminds behind Glee, a funnier, lighter drama, in what is perhaps a metaphor for human duplicity. AHS, as its fans enthusiastically call it, was conceived before Glee went into production. The two creators together sold a story format to TV stations which was eventually picked up by FX, which ordered a pilot in February 2011. The series was officially picked up for a first season in July 2011.
Today, the show has run for eight seasons with season nine already in the works. The idea of making it an anthology series was part of the original idea for the series and part of the creators’ desire to make each new season as unique as possible. This has largely been essential to the show’s survival, with each season earning critical and visual acclaim. In its eight seasons so far, the show has never dropped below 60% on popular review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, whose lowest season was rated at 63%. . It achieved this through exceptional storytelling and an excellent ensemble consisting of a cast that delivers quality performances in every season.
American Horror Story Season 9 Release Date and Cast
The exact release date for the next installment in the anthology series has not been announced, but the show is expected to return in the fall of 2019, as usual with other episodes of the series. No official announcement has been made, but we expect the date to be announced once the creators are certain they want to amaze us.
As for the cast members, no official announcements have been made either. However, due to Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson’s strong attachment to the anthology storyline, there’s a good chance they’ll both return to the show for its final Season 9.
Seasonal Theme
The American Horror Story season 9 theme has been revealed yet again. This is not surprising, as this was the norm with the other seasons before they were released. Typically, the theme and plot are revealed a few months after the release of the first episode, as the creators are keen to keep these details close to the chest to avoid leaks that might undo the suspense created so far.
As mentioned earlier, American Horror Story is an anthology story with each new season largely disconnected from the others. The show was able to use this disconnect to introduce new themes for each new season. So it can be quite difficult to figure out exactly what to expect for AHS Season 9. Here’s a look at each season’s individual themes from previous seasons.
Season 1: Murder House
The first season of American Horror Story was a chance for the creators to show the world the disturbing madness they had concocted and the show did not disappoint.
The first season explored our silent fears and neuroses through the Harmon family who had moved from Boston to Los Angeles. The family, which seemed perfect on the surface, had deep fractures in the relationship between parents Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) and Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton) on the verge of splitting up over Ben’s affair with a student . Moreso, their only daughter, Violet is detached from the family following a depression. The show, which uses the spirits and ghosts of people who have died in their new homes, explores the fears and dynamics of dysfunction in the Harmon family.
Season 2: Asylum
The second installment of AHS Asylum has a theme of horror stories that are commonplace in the horror genre. The sadness of a place isolated from the rest of the world and the possibility of housing some of the worst personalities in the world made it one of the best iterations of American horror history.
This season explored our fears about asylums through Lana Winters, a journalist who tried to uncover the truth about Briarcliff Manor, an asylum in Massachusetts. Her investigation into the practices of the asylum eventually leads her as a patient of the asylum where she discovers the truth about what the management is actually doing with the patients. Also, aliens are involved and unlike Murder House, which has had flashbacks in the past, the story is set in 1964.
Season 3: Coven
The third season of the show brings it back to the present where supernatural figures such as witches attempt to shore up their existence after nearly disappearing during the Salam Witch Trials.
The show explores the desire for survival through the lens of witches, who have striven to protect themselves from the rest of the world. He also looked at the power dynamic that exists between the old and new guard. The story of the season presents a lot of contrasts between two different worlds, showing their differences and their connections. She also featured star actress Angela Bassett.
Season 4: Freakshow
The fourth season was in the past, specifically in 1953. The season is dedicated to a carnival show in Jupiter, Florida, which includes all kinds of monsters. From a three-breasted woman to a bearded woman, to wealthy and seemingly normal men and women who turn out to have dark plans of their own. You could say that the real theme of American Horror Story: Freak Show is the simple fact that no matter what we look like, there’s a dark side to all of us. The season saw actors like Angela Bassett and Neil Patrick Harris portray important characters throughout the season.
Season 5: Hotel
AHS returned to Los Angeles, California, the first city in its history in this season to explore the strange events that characterized the Hotel Cortez in 2015. This season tells the story of the Hotel Cortez and its people through the gaze of John Lowe, an inspector who had taken an interest in the hotel at the expense of his family. He would soon learn the hotel’s role in his son’s disappearance, the dark secrets of the hotel owner and his staff members. Also, spirits and ghosts are involved.
Season 6: Roanoke
The show has continued tirelessly to deliver fear and screams to its viewers in its sixth season across the Roanoke Colony. Ryan Murphy presented a very different style story, presenting the season as an alternating documentary about the events of the 1580s concerning the Roanoke colony and a present-day connection to the colony in the form of a couple who moved to home on Roanoke Island. The sixth season was a much-needed reincarnation in the American Horror Story series that continued with the next Cult install.
Season 7: Cult
AHS has always been about exploring some of the seemingly normal thoughts and behaviors in our regular lives and wrapping them up in some of our worst fears. Things got a little closer to home in 2017 when the season for Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States was set. Through a cult in the fictional Michigan town of Brookfield Heights, Ally is seen exemplifying the prevailing fear and mistrust among surprised and concerned Americans following the election of Donald Trump. The rise of dangerous rhetoric peddled by Donald Trump is explored through the rise of a cult led by Kai Anderson.
Season 8: Apocalypse
Perhaps its biggest season and most ambitious in terms of the scale of fear and anxiety, AHS: Apocalypse tells the story of the Antichrist who had destroyed the world through nuclear war. The season’s story, an exploration of the actions of the Antichrist and the few survivors residing in Outpost 3, bears thematic similarity to the nuclear threats that dominated 2018 between the United States and North Korea. . Working together, those who inadvertently let the Antichrist gain power collaborated with those who were still alive to overthrow his rule and defeat him.
American Horror Story – Cast
American Horror Story through an anthology series, has featured many cast members who have played different characters on the show. Its anthological nature has allowed recurring actors to stretch their metaphorical legs. Some notable cast members of American Horror Story are –
Evan Peters – He appeared in all eight seasons of the show and only played the same character twice.
Sarah Paulson – The creative actress starred in all eight seasons, playing the same character three times. She is one of the main figures of the show.
Frances Conroy – starred in seven seasons, only missing season five. She played two different characters twice.
Angela Bassett – She started appearing on the show in the third season. Since then, she has only missed the seventh season, playing the same character only twice.
Lily Rabe – Lily starred in seven of the show’s eight seasons, only missing the seventh season. She played the same character, Misty Day twice.
Kathy Bates, Denis O’Hare, Taissa Farmiga, Dylan McDermott, Jessica Lange, Finn Wittrock and many more. Special guests include Neil Patrick Harris, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kate Mara, Ian McShane and a few others.