Ryan Murphy Crowns the Most Divisive ‘American Horror Story’ Season as His All-Time Favorite

After more than a decade of haunted houses, witches, and killer clowns, ‘American Horror Story’ fans have endlessly debated which chapter reigns supreme. Now Ryan Murphy has weighed in on his favorite ‘American Horror Story’ season, and his answer is sure to reignite one of the fandom’s longest-running arguments.

The timing is no accident. The cast and crew are currently promoting the anthology’s 13th season, an all-star installment that brings back beloved characters from across the franchise’s history, and Murphy has been doing plenty of reflecting on the red carpet.

Speaking to Page Six, Murphy revealed that his favorite chapter is the one he admits everybody seems to hate: ‘Roanoke’. He explained that the sixth season is his favorite form, saying he loved making it because it allowed him to play with the show’s structure.

He doubled down on social media, too. In a post celebrating the season, Murphy called for justice for ‘Roanoke’, noting that it’s his favorite but Sarah Paulson’s least favorite, while praising her performance and admitting the 2 have had arguments over it.

Not everyone was surprised by the reveal. One commenter replying to the New York Post’s coverage expressed considerable doubt that the pick was all that shocking.

‘Roanoke’ aired on FX from September 14 to November 16, 2016, across 10 episodes. Its first half was presented as a paranormal documentary called ‘My Roanoke Nightmare’, following married couple Matt and Shelby Miller after they moved to a haunted North Carolina farmhouse.

Justice for Roanoke (!!) “American Horror Story” creator Ryan Murphy revealed his controversial take on his favorite season so far when we caught up with him at the Season 13 NYC premiere. pic.twitter.com/Obvje5xuco

— Page Six (@PageSix) September 24, 2026

The cast included Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lily Rabe, André Holland, Denis O’Hare, Wes Bentley, Evan Peters, Cheyenne Jackson, and Angela Bassett. Despite its polarizing reputation, the season earned 4 Emmy nominations.

New trailer for ‘AMERICAN HORROR STORY 13’.

Premieres September 24 on FX and Hulu. pic.twitter.com/AIDH7o6nfn

— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 10, 2026

Its unconventional format was also a big part of why some viewers pushed back, as fans grew frustrated with the multiple mock shows layered within the story. Still, many social media users sided with Murphy this week, with some calling it the season that genuinely scared them the most. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Murphy has picked an unexpected favorite. A few years ago, he named ‘Cult’ as his top season, specifically because of its subject matter.

In an interview with Vogue, Murphy went deeper into his love for ‘Roanoke’, explaining that it made him feel he had entered a new creative place. He also admitted that he had felt somewhat trapped by his responsibility and contractual obligation to keep making ‘American Horror Story’ at the time.

The new season is designed as a love letter to longtime fans. Murphy told TheWrap that the team relied heavily on the first 6 seasons for its greatest hits approach, describing it as a cross between ‘Murder House’, ‘Coven’, and ‘Hotel’.

According to Vogue, Paulson will play 6 of her former characters, Jessica Lange will play 4, and Evan Peters will portray 5. Murphy is also directing the season’s first episode, something he hasn’t done since the fifth season.

The season also welcomes newcomers like John Waters and ‘Love Story’ star Paul Anthony Kelly. On the red carpet, Murphy even revealed he has a completed ‘Glee’ revival script and has reached out to around 10 original cast members.

With Murphy already telling The Hollywood Reporter that he’s developing ideas for a 14th season, the anthology shows no signs of slowing down. And judging by his latest comments, he’s still happily defending one of its most unusual experiments.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!