American Horror Story

About American Horror Story

American Horror Story, a television series released in 2011, has since become a popular mainstay of TV horror. Created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the show is unique in its anthology format, which presents a different setting and story each season while typically using many of the same cast. Each season is conceived as a self-contained miniseries, following a different set of characters, settings, and storyline but all with a connected thread of disturbing horror.

Making / Production

The makers of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, have worked together previously on successful shows like Glee and Nip/Tuck. They decided to take a different route with American Horror Story, opting for an anthology format much inspired by shows like The Twilight Zone. This allows them to explore varied horror themes and styles in different seasons. The show is produced by 20th Century Fox Television.

Actors

• Sarah Paulson played many roles across the seasons including Lana Winters, Cordelia Goode, and Ally Mayfair-Richards, showing her acting prowess in a range of complex, strong-willed characters. She won acclaim for her versatile performances.
• Evan Peters appeared in key roles throughout the series, including Tate Langdon, Kit Walker, and Kai Anderson. He has been lauded for his complex, often disturbed characters.
• Jessica Lange starred in the first four seasons, giving powerhouse performances as characters such as Constance Langdon and Fiona Goode.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Many actors, including Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, have appeared in every season of the series, playing different characters each time.
• The opening credits for each season feature disturbing images that hint at events for that particular season.
• The show features a recurring character known as "Pepper", who appears in both "Asylum" and "Freak Show", thus linking the two seasons together.

Awards

The series has won numerous awards since its inception, with actors Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates receiving Emmy Awards for their performances. The show itself has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for its first three seasons.

Quotes

• "I'm the devil. I'm here to do the devil's business."- Richard Ramirez
• "Normal people scare me." - Tate Langdon
• "I am the queen of every hive." - Fiona Goode

Music / Soundtrack

• The opening theme for every season is a variation on the same piece of music, but altered slightly to fit with each season's unique theme.
• The second season, "Asylum", features a song called "Dominique" by Soeur Sourire that plays on a loop throughout the season.
• The series frequently uses popular music songs to complement the storyline.