In an era where shows are receiving fewer seasons, American Horror Story continues to be an anomaly. Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, American Horror Story has been going strong for over a decade, with its 12th season, Delicate, currently airing on FX. The popular horror anthology series has already been renewed for a 13th season.
Each season of American Horror Story features new characters and storylines that have been scaring audiences since 2011. From a murder house and asylum to a summer camp and freak show, American Horror Story continues to incorporate creepy settings to expand into every subgenre of horror. If you’re looking for more horror series, check out these three shows like American Horror Story that you should watch.
The Fall of the House of Usher
What Murphy is to FX, Mike Flanagan is to Netflix. The prominent horror creator’s latest series for the streamer is the gothic horror hit, The Fall of the House of Usher. Based on Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, The Fall of the House of Usher follows the exploits of Roderick (Bruce Greenwood and Zach Gilford) and Madeline (Mary McDonnell and Willa Fitzgerald) Usher, twin siblings who achieved power and wealth by building a pharmaceutical giant.
Tragedy strikes when Roderick’s six children all die within two weeks of each other in mysterious ways. Star Carla Gugino said the series is “crazy in the best way possible.” She wasn’t kidding, as The Fall of the House of Usher will surprise you from start to finish. After watching The Fall of the House of Usher, explore the rest of Flanagan’s horror series on Netflix, including The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, and The Midnight Club.
Stream The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror is a nightmare that will probably never happen, but its themes hit close to home and make you feel worse about society. That sounds depressing, but the unease Black Mirror creates about the world is entertaining, a testament to the writing by the show’s creator, Charlie Brooker. Black Mirror predominantly tells sci-fi stories about technology and its stranglehold on society.
Like American Horror Story, Black Mirror is an anthology series that introduces new characters and plots in every episode, meaning viewers can pick and choose what to watch. The list of the best Black Mirror episodes includes San Junipero, USS Callister, The National Anthem, Nosedive, and The Entire History of You.
Stream Black Mirror on Netflix.
The X-Files
Without The X-Files, there is no American Horror Story. Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files is a sci-fi drama that follows the partnership between two FBI Special Agents: Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). Mulder and Scully specialize in investigating the “X-Files,” the unsolved cases involving paranormal activity and supernatural phenomena.
Mulder is a conspiracy theorist who believes in the paranormal, while Scully is the doctor who uses science to come to her conclusions. The X-Files drew comparisons to The Twilight Zone because of its “monster of the week” format as Mulder and Scully face a new case and abnormal creature in each episode. The first seven seasons represent one of the best and most consistent shows of the 1990s.
Stream The X-Files on Hulu and Prime Video.
