This Is the Best Season of American Horror Story (And It Isn’t Even Close)

It’s tough to find horror series these days when most of the focus in this genre is on feature films. But if anyone knows how to do it well on TV, it’s Ryan Murphy. Many of his productions, including the ultimate Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez and Grotesquerie, have been nominated for and won Emmy and Golden Globe awards, but it’s clear that American Horror Story is his greatest creation (along with Brad Falchuk). The series, launched in 2011 (with its next season already in the works), was a game-changer and continues to this day with its anthologies. Because of this, many fans wonder which story is the best.

With 12 seasons so far, each telling a very different plot, there are still some that stand out more, whether it’s for their narrative, characters, or how they tackle social issues. In fact, this question has a different answer for each fan, but one thing’s for sure: Asylum, Season 2, is definitely a top favorite for most people.

What Makes Asylum the Best Season of American Horror Story?

After the success of Murder House, Asylum basically turned American Horror Story into a promising TV series, proving that audiences were really into the idea of different stories each season. To give an idea, Asylum was the only one to get the highest number of award nominations with 89, and it also became the series’ biggest winner with 28 statuettes. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of 84% with an audience approval of 90%. Clearly, the whole show is great when it comes to horror, but how does Asylum compare to the others? Several things answer this, but one of the main ones is: depth.

The story revolves around a series of macabre events that take place in the 1960s at the Briarcliff Sanatorium in Massachusetts. It follows a range of characters, including Lana Winters, a journalist wrongfully imprisoned; Kit Walker, accused of being the Bloody Face killer; Sister Jude, a strict religious overseer with a dark past; and Dr. Arthur Arden, a doctor with sinister secrets. Throughout the season, themes like mental sanity, religion, abuse of power, scientific experiments, and supernatural events are explored as the characters face horrors that challenge morality and reality itself.

American Horror Story has often tackled societal issues in its stories (with seasons like Freak Show, Cult, and NYC being particularly strong in this area), but Asylum had a unique edge in this respect.

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Through excellently developed characters, the plot focuses on how institutions not only chase but also exploit individuals marginalized by society, highlighting that the real horror is often not the supernatural, but the inhuman and oppressive treatment inflicted by power structures. Asylum tells a story that hits the viewer differently compared to the other seasons, not because it scares, but because it makes you feel uncomfortable and empathize with something that still happens today – how systems of control can dehumanize individuals in the name of “morality” or “order.”

For all of this to work, and still maintain the classic horror tone of American Horror Story, a perfect balance of genre and drama was needed, which the season achieved flawlessly. This is how an emotional connection is made with the viewer, keeping them hooked from beginning to end. On top of that, the scenes seem to have been carefully crafted to become iconic, such as the moment when Dr. Thredson tells his story, Lana’s unjust internment at Briarcliff, and even the striking alien abduction in the first episode. When looked at closely, the whole story is filled with complex details, yet it’s considered a masterpiece for developing everything cohesively and without confusion.

It’s also worth mentioning Jessica Lange’s performance of “The Name Game,” one of the most absolutely incredible scenes. However, it’s Asylum‘s finale that truly tops it all, especially with the impact of Sister Jude’s final line, “If you look in the face of evil, evil’s going to look back right at you.” This phrase captures the central theme of the season, emphasizing how the fight against evil can also corrupt those who oppose it. Combining an emotional conclusion with a deep reflection on human nature, it greatly elevates the season, leaving a powerful and lasting message for the audience.

Even years after its release, Asylum is still capable of giving anyone goosebumps.

American Horror Story: Asylum Was Based on Real Events

Some American Horror Story stories were inspired by real events, and Asylum was no different. Briarcliff Manor was based on Willowbrook State School, an institution for children with intellectual disabilities in New York. Everything that happened inside was, in fact, a terrifying experience. Running from the 1940s to the late 1980s, the place was overcrowded with poor sanitation, and the children struggled with malnutrition and all kinds of abuse. A research study in which patients were intentionally infected with the hepatitis A virus was also conducted at the time.

The characters were also inspired by real individuals, such as Lana, who was based on Nellie Bly, a journalist who took on a secret mission to expose and report on the conditions at the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island. Kit (and his wife Alma) were inspired by Betty and Barney Hill, a couple who reported being abducted by an alien spacecraft in 1961. Dr. Arthur Arden was modeled after Josef Mengele, one of the doctors responsible for the Auschwitz concentration camp, who conducted human experiments and horrific procedures that led to the death of many. Dr. Oliver Thredson, on the other hand, was based on the infamous serial killer Ed Gein.

All seasons of American Horror Story are available to stream on Hulu.