8 Times American Horror Story Went Too Far

Asylum is often hailed as the best season of American Horror Story, with storylines of demonic possession, serial killers, and aliens only being a small part of what the season entails. However, this particular sub-plot of Asylum centred around a fictionalised adult version of Anne Frank that certainly had audiences split on whether or not it was distasteful.

Ryan Murphy stated on more than one occasion that his intention with this storyline was never to offend, but rather that he had been fascinated by stories of women in the years that followed the end of World War II who had come forward claiming to be the adult Anne after the release of Frank’s diary. He explained how each of the women had later been diagnosed with various mental illnesses which acted as explanations for their delusions.

As this series was based in an asylum, Murphy thought that including this storyline was within keeping of the seasons general trajectory. Much of the issue that was taken by viewers who criticised this storyline was that it sensationalised a girl who had been dead for many years by this point and allowed her story to be one that was warped for the purposes of a tv show.