American Horror Story, a series synonymous with flashy style and big scares, is returning once again for its twelfth installment. The long-running FX horror anthology series has entered some rocky territory in recent years. While critical reception continues to bounce back and forth between seasons, overall viewership across live television broadcasts has been gradually dwindling.
While these numbers are, thankfully, made up for with streaming, some may argue that it's time for a bit of fresh air more than twelve years after the series' inception. Luckily, season twelve – titled Delicate – looks to shake things up significantly with not just a high-profile celebrity but with some genuinely surprising changes.
Ryan Murphy, longtime show-runner and co-creator of American Horror Story, is officially handing the reigns over to someone new. Likewise, while previous seasons of this stylish horror series were wholly original stories, the latest season of American Horror Story will be basing itself on a separate book set to release later in the year. It's an exciting proposition for longtime fans and newcomers alike, as these two shifts in direction will likely lead to an overdue revitalization of the series.
Ryan Murphy Out, Halley Feiffer In
Most would probably agree that American Horror Story is a show about extremes. Subtlety was never really its strong suit, but that's what made it spark so much attention, to begin with. The same idea can be applied to American Horror Story's critical reception.
When American Horror Story is good, it's utterly captivating. When it's bad, it's horrendously painful to sit through at times. Combine this with stories that occasionally throw everything at the wall to see what sticks, and you end up with a show that feels uneven as a cohesive whole. Chalk it up to the anthology format, but as the series continued, these weaknesses only ever became more apparent amid some dizzying highs. The episodic spin-off series American Horror Stories occasionally amplifies these issues further.
But this new season of American Horror Story will be heading in a new direction. As in, it's going to be led by a brand-new show-runner. Halley Feiffer, an award-winning playwright, is the mind behind just about every episode of this new season. While Murphy will maintain a producer role, this change represents a possible quality improvement for the series going forward.
Shows like the MCU's Daredevil and Star Trek: The Next Generation benefited heavily from a switch-up in show-runners, and while doing so this late in American Horror Story's run may tug some collars, its format thankfully facilitates a smooth transition.
In addition to this change in direction, Delicate's cast will certainly appease both new and old fans alike. Returning favorites Emma Roberts and Zachary Quinto, who first appeared in Coven and Murder House, respectively, will delight longtime fans of the series. Meanwhile, the involvement of Kim Kardashian has certainly sparked some newfound interest, with many comparing her casting to that of Lady Gaga in Hotel.
Based on a Novel
While American Horror Story typically tells stories inspired by real events or other horror properties, it has never adapted an existing story for the small screen. But, in another series first, American Horror Story will be adapting a new horror novel written by Danielle Rollins. In a way, this change could hopefully amount to a season that's more conclusive, more satisfying, and ultimately of a higher quality than what's come before.
Details about Rollins' novel are purposefully kept under wraps for now, but a scant synopsis paints a wonderfully terrifying picture. The novel, Delicate Condition, follows a woman named Anna who is having difficulties getting pregnant. Chalking her troubles up to an external force, things only escalate after a sudden tragedy afflicts her. With strange physical symptoms getting worse in the presence of a stalker, nobody seems to believe her when she can still feel something crawling around her insides.
American Horror Story always seemed to toe the line, not just in terms of addressing controversial content and themes, but in how much can be thrown at the audience before losing its overall effectiveness. Most consider the comparatively straightforward seasons of American Horror Story, like 1984 and Murder House, to be better for their relative simplicity.
Conversely, the more unfocused seasons, like Apocalypse and Hotel, have drawn more ire for never really capitalizing on their lofty premises. That, or in the case of Asylum, so many ideas are introduced at such a rapid-fire pace that they ultimately tarnish the season's focus.
But, through directly working off of an existing property, there's a chance that this new season of American Horror Story will avoid previous pitfalls. While we'll have to wait and see just how close this season follows Rollins' original book, there's a palpable amount of excitement to be had with the possibilities.
In the wake of both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, both American Horror Story: Delicate and the third season of American Horror Stories do not have a set release date as of writing.