American Horror Story

The various horrors that have plagued these crazy United States, glimpsed anthology-style through the minds of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk.
This show will return in the fall of 2013.

Wednesdays, 10 PM ET, FX

Current Season: 2 - Total Episodes: 25
Highest Rated: Ep 10, Season 1

A-

“Madness Ends”

by Todd VanDerWerff January 23, 2013 -

A surprisingly moving season finale moves the goalposts on what this show can be.

“Continuum”

by Todd VanDerWerff January 16, 2013 -

A structurally daring episode earns the ultra-rare A/F grade.

B-

“Spilt Milk”

by Todd VanDerWerff January 9, 2013 -

An oddly paced episode plays with time in ways that are interesting but not terribly effective.

B+

“The Name Game”

by Todd VanDerWerff January 2, 2013 -

The greatest scene ever televised anchors a solid return for the show.

Ep. 13, Season 2
“Madness Ends”
Ep. 12, Season 2
“Continuum”
Ep. 11, Season 2
“Spilt Milk”
Ep. 10, Season 2
“The Name Game”

Features Reviews

Season

newest oldest

“Afterbirth”
Episode 12

The show closes out season one with a strange episode that's not nearly strange enough.
-
C
“Birth.”
Episode 11

Vivien gives birth in an episode, and we learn how to banish ghosts. Practical.
-
B
“Smoldering Children”
Episode 10

Even if you guessed the show's big twist, you probably still enjoyed the reveal.
-
A
“Spooky Little Girl”
Episode 9

-
C
“Rubber Man”
Episode 8

-
B
“Open House”
Episode 7

Sadly, it’s kind of a boring. At least we got more Rubber Man!
-
B
“Piggy Piggy”
Episode 6

-
C
“Halloween, Part II”
Episode 5

-
B
“Halloween, Part 1”
Episode 4

-
C+
“Murder House”
Episode 3

-
D+
"Home Invasion"
Episode 2

-
C
American Horror Story
Episode 1

It’s pretty bad, but every TV fan should watch the pilot.
-
D

“Madness Ends”
Episode 13

A surprisingly moving season finale moves the goalposts on what this show can be.
-
A-
“Continuum”
Episode 12

A structurally daring episode earns the ultra-rare A/F grade.
-
A
“Spilt Milk”
Episode 11

An oddly paced episode plays with time in ways that are interesting but not terribly effective.
-
B-
“The Name Game”
Episode 10

The greatest scene ever televised anchors a solid return for the show.
-
B+
“The Coat Hanger”
Episode 9

Arden learns how to call the aliens, and we meet an old friend in a new role.
-
B
“Unholy Night”
Episode 8

A bugnuts, batshit hour posits Ian McShane as a murderous Santa Claus, then gets even crazier from there.
-
A-
“Dark Cousin”
Episode 7

Oh, sure! Now we have a death angel!
-
B
“The Origins of Monstrosity”
Episode 6

The show lets us down with a thoroughly predictable episode filled with too-pat psychological explanations.
-
C
“I Am Anne Frank, Pt. 2”
Episode 5

An outstanding episode sets up mysteries and knocks ’em down just as quickly.
-
A
“I Am Anne Frank, Pt. 1”
Episode 4

Someone claiming to be Anne Frank turns up because sure. Why not?
-
A-
“Nor’easter”
Episode 3

Been missing that batshit insanity in your American Horror Story? Well, tonight's episode brings it back full-force.
-
B
“Tricks And Treats”
Episode 2

Just how much value do you place on this show being all crazy bullshit, all of the time?
-
B+
“Welcome To Briarcliff”
Episode 1

The second season grows more focused without removing any of the series' haphazard goofiness.
-
B

You are cordially invited to watch New Girl end its second season while continuing to best all sitcom comers
You are cordially invited to watch New Girl end its second season while continuing to best all sitcom comers. Also: Mindy heads off to Haiti and the walking dead (not The Walking Dead) come to Portland.
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American Horror Story picks an appropriately witchy title for its new season with all the witches
What do you call a group of witches?
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Kathy Bates to come talk some sense into the next season of American Horror Story
She's not gonna go for any of that crazy stuff, let's get that straight right now.
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Lily Rabe will be one of the ladies on the next American Horror Story, for the ladies
As a lady.
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The 30 Rock finale is tonight? Blergh!
Tonight is Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy’s (and Tracy Jordan’s and Jenna Maroney’s and Kenneth’s and, hell, probably Lutz’s and maybe even Subhas’) last stand? Blergh! Also: An hour with Dunder-Mifflin and the Big Bang Theory episode that’ll bury everything on NBC.
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Sarah Paulson on the twisty second season of American Horror Story
The Emmy-nominated actress talks mental illness and musical numbers as the season wraps up.
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It’s last call for Last Resort
It’s last call for Last Resort. Also: Liz Lemon sounds the “save my show” alarms and Dunder Mifflin meets some documentarians.
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TV Club Classic becomes 17 percent more Canadian with Slings & Arrows coverage
We begin our TV Club Classic coverage of Canada's greatest (and only?!) drama series, Slings & Arrows. Also: The end of another American Horror Story and drones on Nova.
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Ryan Murphy says the next American Horror Story is all about the ladies
The glamour-cat ladies.
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Nick Kroll hopes to get a boost for his new sketch show from the Workaholics
Comedy Central hopes it can persuade you to watch Kroll Show by sticking it after Workaholics. Also: The Middle tries a fun structural gambit, and the Suez Canal gets distorted.
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FX at the TCA winter press tour: (Almost) everybody loves John Landgraf until he promises years of Anger Management
If there’s one constant of Television Critics Association press tours, it’s this: TV critics and reporters love FX president John Landgraf.
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Remember when you thought Nashville held such promise, then prepare yourself for disappointment
We all once had such high hopes for Nashville, but now we're to the point where we just expect tonight's return to dash them all over again. Also: Celebrity high diving!
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Pop-culture resolutions for 2013
Every year, we vow to do the next year better. What are your entertainment goals for 2013?
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New TV trickles back in, so The Hour, its job done, leaves the airwaves for another year
New TV is back, so The Hour, sensing its job of entertaining us through the holidays is finished, leaves us for another year. Also: An elderly clown falls in love with a teenage orphan. Seriously!
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Beyond the top 30: Our favorite episodes of shows that didn’t make the cut, part two
Everything from series finales of long-running cult hits to aging sitcoms to news coverage makes our supplemental list.
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The best TV series of 2012: The ballots
Find out what series almost made the list—and which writers need to be bugged about not watching Game Of Thrones.
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Do you hear the (dead) people sing? 20 films and shows that end with posthumous reunions
Another list from The A.V. Club.
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The Golden Globes also like Lincoln, but prefer The Newsroom to Mad Men
And also several nods for Homeland and Django Unchained, so it’s not all bad.
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Christmas? Modern Family is more popular than Christmas now
Celebrate Christmas? Modern Family has no need for your puny human holidays! Modern Family does what it wills itself to do! Also: Something something Amish Mafia.
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Contemplate your own imperfections while staring into the chiseled abs of Arrow
We hear Arrow started getting pretty good, so we're going to ponder our imperfections while staring at his chiseled abs. Also: The hour of Murder Santa is at hand!
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Can we entice you into watching The Hour by promising you Q from Skyfall is in it? No?
The Hour returns, because BBC America believes launching new seasons during the holiday season is a great idea. Also: Modern Family visits a big-box store.
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Have some pre-Thanksgiving turkey with Emeril and Tom from Top Chef
It's happy food time in the United States. Celebrate with Emeril Lagasse, Tom Colicchio, and all of the Top Chef contestants. Also: You could celebrate with Snoopy!
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American Horror Story renewed for a third season of crazy and Jessica Lange
And Jessica Lange dealing with crazy.
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“Glease” is the word—even if it isn’t a real word
“Glease” is the word—even if it isn’t a real word. Also: The Knope-Biden Summit of 2012 and more cancer in Philadelphia (must be all that sunniness).
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American Horror Story proceeds with plan to reveal everyone's a famous historical figure—even you
American Horror Story, at this rate, is going to reveal everyone in the asylum is a famous historical figure—even you. Also: ABC's comedies celebrate Thanksgiving.
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