The 21st Century’s Defining Horror Show Return Scares Away The Streaming Competition

Published Sep 26, 2026, 12:57 PM EDT

Matthew Rudoy is one of ScreenRant's Movie & TV News Editors. He covers the latest in movie & TV news, with a focus on major franchises like Star Wars, The Boys, and Game of Thrones, and also writes some features and reviews. He wrote lists for ScreenRant from 2017-2022, became a news writer in 2023, a senior staff writer in 2024, and an editor in 2025. 

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The defining horror show of the 21st century is back and already dominating streaming. There are no shortage of great 21st century horror shows, including Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House, Apple TV's Widow's Bay, and MGM+'s From. These series do not adhere to a single tone or sub-genre, as Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House, and From are more dramatic, while Widow's Bay fully leans into being a horror-comedy.

Another one of the most important horror shows of the current century is American Horror Story, whose popularity has led to the series now being in its 13th season. From haunted houses and hotels to serial killer clowns, the anthology storytelling has run the gamut of the horror genre. While most seasons follow new characters, season 13 brings back many familiar faces, and the new episodes are already proving to be a massive streaming hit.

American Horror Story Is The #1 Show On Disney Plus & Hulu

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HouseSeason 1

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ShowSeason 4

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01

In Season 1, the Harmon family moves into the infamous Murder House. What is the name of the latex-suit-wearing ghost who becomes central to the plot?

AChad Warwick BTate Langdon CBen Harmon DLarry Harvey

✓ Correct! Tate Langdon, played by Evan Peters, is the troubled ghost teen who haunts the Murder House. His relationship with Violet Harmon and his dark history as a school shooter made him one of AHS’s most iconic and controversial characters.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is Tate Langdon. Played by Evan Peters, Tate is the ghost who wears the rubber suit. Chad Warwick (Zachary Quinto) is another ghost in the house, Ben Harmon is the father, and Larry Harvey is the burned neighbor.

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02

Season 2 takes place in Briarcliff Manor, a mental institution run by the Catholic Church. What is the name of the terrifying nun who rules the asylum with an iron fist?

ASister Mary Eunice BMonsignor Timothy Howard CDr. Arthur Arden DSister Jude

✓ Correct! Sister Jude, played by Jessica Lange in one of her most acclaimed roles, is the strict disciplinarian who runs Briarcliff. Her complex arc — from cruel authority figure to sympathetic victim of the very institution she controlled — is considered some of the best writing in the series.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is Sister Jude. Jessica Lange’s portrayal of the iron-willed nun earned widespread acclaim. Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe) becomes possessed by the Devil, Dr. Arden is the sadistic doctor, and Monsignor Howard is the ambitious priest.

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03

In “Coven,” the witches of Miss Robichaux’s Academy are searching for the next Supreme. What title is given to the most powerful witch who leads the coven?

AThe Supreme BThe High Priestess CThe Grand Witch DThe Matriarch

✓ Correct! The Supreme is the leader of the coven, possessing mastery of all Seven Wonders of witchcraft. Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) holds the title at the start of the season, but her power is fading as a new Supreme rises among the younger witches.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is The Supreme. The Supreme must master the Seven Wonders — telekinesis, concilium, transmutation, divination, vitalum vitalis, descensum, and pyrokinesis — to claim the title and lead the coven.

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04

AHS is famous for reusing actors in different roles each season. Which actress has appeared in more seasons than any other cast member, becoming the show’s most prolific performer?

AJessica Lange BEvan Peters CSarah Paulson DLily Rabe

✓ Correct! Sarah Paulson has appeared in more AHS seasons than anyone else, playing wildly different characters — from Asylum’s journalist Lana Winters to Coven’s two-headed Bette and Dot Tattler to Roanoke’s Shelby Miller. She’s the definitive AHS actress.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is Sarah Paulson. While Jessica Lange starred in the first four seasons and Evan Peters appeared in many, Sarah Paulson holds the record for the most season appearances, delivering transformative performances across the anthology.

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05

In “Freak Show,” Jessica Lange plays the German-accented owner of one of the last freak shows in America. What is her character’s name?

AFiona Goode BElsa Mars CConstance Langdon DSister Jude

✓ Correct! Elsa Mars is the glamorous but desperate ringmaster of “Fraulein Elsa’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” set in 1952 Jupiter, Florida. She dreams of Hollywood fame and performs David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” in one of the season’s most memorable scenes.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is Elsa Mars. Fiona Goode is Lange’s character in Coven, Constance Langdon is from Murder House, and Sister Jude is from Asylum. Elsa Mars is her Freak Show role — a German émigré chasing stardom in 1950s Florida.

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06

Season 5 “Hotel” introduced Lady Gaga to the AHS universe. What is the name of her character, the ancient vampire-like owner of the Hotel Cortez?

AHypodermic Sally BRamona Royale CNatacha Rambova DThe Countess

✓ Correct! The Countess, also known as Elizabeth, is Lady Gaga’s glamorous and ruthless vampire character. She won a Golden Globe for the role. The Countess collects beautiful lovers, turns children into vampire-like creatures, and has haunted the Hotel Cortez for decades.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is The Countess. Hypodermic Sally (Sarah Paulson) is a ghost in the hotel, Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett) is a rival vampire, and Natacha Rambova is a silent film actress connected to the Countess’s past. Lady Gaga plays The Countess Elizabeth.

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07

American Horror Story was created by Ryan Murphy and which other writer-producer, who also co-created “Glee” and “Nip/Tuck” with Murphy?

ABrad Falchuk BTim Minear CDante Di Loreto DIan Brennan

✓ Correct! Brad Falchuk co-created AHS with Ryan Murphy. The two have been longtime collaborators, also creating Glee and Nip/Tuck together. Falchuk has written and directed many of the series’ most pivotal episodes across multiple seasons.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is Brad Falchuk. He and Ryan Murphy are the creative duo behind AHS. Tim Minear is a frequent writer/producer on the show but not a co-creator. Ian Brennan co-created Glee but not AHS.

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08

Season 6 “Roanoke” used an unusual format for AHS. What was the show-within-a-show structure that framed the season’s first half?

AA police procedural investigation BA found footage horror film CA true crime documentary series DA reality TV competition

✓ Correct! Roanoke was presented as “My Roanoke Nightmare,” a true crime documentary show with talking-head interviews and dramatic reenactments. This meant actors played both the “real” people and the actors portraying them in the reenactments — a mind-bending meta twist that divided fans but made it one of the most unique AHS seasons.

✗ You’re dead wrong! The answer is a true crime documentary series. Roanoke was framed as “My Roanoke Nightmare,” featuring real testimonials and dramatic reenactments. The second half flipped the format entirely with a “Big Brother”-style return to the house — making it one of AHS’s wildest structural experiments.

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Just two days after season 13's three-episode premiere, American Horror Story is at the top of the streaming charts for Hulu and Disney+ in the U.S. On Hulu, it is ranked number one compared not only to the streamer's other shows, but against all content, including movies, on the platform. Among the titles in the top 10s that are being outperformed by the horror anthology series are Dancing with the Stars, The Drop: A Snowfall Saga, RJ Decker, Doc, Best Medicine, General Hospital, Chad Powers, Loki, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Along with leading the top 10 chart for TV shows on Disney+, the series also has claim to the third spot, which is held by the AHS: 13 Official Podcast. The episodes feature various American Horror Story season 13 cast members and crew interviewing each other as they discuss the show, including Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Joey Pollari, Paul Anthony Kelly, costume designers Lou Eyrich and Catherine Crabtree, and production designer Anu Schwartz.

American Horror Story Season 13 Is The Ultimate Crossover Season

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While the series has remained a popular fixture of the horror genre for over a decade now, part of what sets this season apart is how many familiar characters it brings back. There are characters from many prior American Horror Story seasons, including Murder House, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Cult, Apocalypse, and Double Feature. This has the ability to entice viewers who enjoyed some of the earlier seasons but who have not watched some of the more recent ones.

Season 8, Apocalypse, was a Murder House and Coven crossover, and there are frequently connections that pop up in the seasons. The sheer number of returning characters, and not just from one or two seasons, makes this the ultimate crossover, though, even more so than Apocalypse. Based on the early streaming success, this approach is working, as it not only entices viewers to watch the new season, but to revisit previous American Horror Story episodes where the established characters were previously introduced and explored.

American Horror Story releases new episodes on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET on FX.

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