10 Reasons Murder House Is The Best Season Of American Horror Story
9. We Didn't Know It Was An Anthology
When American Horror Story arrived on our screen in 2011, we were all a bit confused at how it worked. We left the murder house with more questions that answers: Would Constance Langdon return with her demon child next year, or how on Earth would there be a second season with everybody dead? While it was sad to wave goodbye to the Harmon family, the series grew to much bigger things in Season 2, but Murder House would always be the template. Dylan McDermott returned in a tiny cameo, Taissa Farmiga was out until Season 3, and Connie Britton is yet to return to the show at all.
Horror anthologies were a thing in film, but rarely had we seen an anthology idea on TV. The formula worked so well it has been adopted by the likes of Black Mirror, Scream Queens, and American Crime Story. While Murphy is the self-proclaimed king of anthologies, if the AHS formula hadn't worked, he would probably have canned the whole idea.
The best bit about Murder House was that it was its own entity. As everyone's favourite actor/actress was hacked to pieces, no one had any idea that they could only turn up same time next year. Where many shows would be flagging by their sixth season, the whole anthology idea has kept American Horror Story fresh, and Murder House is to thank for that with its no nonsense idea of killing everyone and anyone - Murder House spun everyone's expectation on what a horror series could be head.