American Horror Story: 10 Most Controversial Moments

Freak Show conjoured a lot of controversy out of its top hat, and while most instances were minor, added together there’s a sizeable chunk of Freak Show mired in the swamp of controversy.

Firstly, there’s the soundtrack. Featuring the yet to be born Lana Del Rey and six year old Jim Morrison, it’s strikingly anachronistic. Ryan Murphy explained he chose musicians who identified as ‘freaks’ to fit the motif, but debate still raged about the immersion breaking song choices.

Next up on the chopping block quite literally is Maggie Esmeralda, whose death by bisection caused controversy for how graphic it became. Like Elsa Mars’ limb removal though, it wasn’t too far out of the ordinary for AHS.

Then there’s the title; by far the meatiest chunk of this controversy stew. While it is set in the era of freak shows, such a title drew instant criticism from disability interest groups. Howard Sherman wrote a scathing takedown of the show for The Guardian, claiming freak to be a ‘slur’ and that AHS were trying to ‘push the vulnerable back into the margins’. The fact the show had used disabled actors like Jamie Brewer prior to Freak Show was apparently lost on Sherman.