‘American Horror Story’ Episode 7 Release Date, Time, Where to Watch and Preview

The seventh episode of ‘American Horror Story’ is scheduled for Thursday, October 8, under the title “The Baddest Witch of Them All.” It will release on FX and Hulu at the same time, so viewers have two ways to watch on the night. Here is a closer look at the release date, release time, streaming options and what the episode has in store.

The episode belongs to the thirteenth season of the horror anthology created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The season premiered on September 24 and is expected to run until October 29 across thirteen episodes. It features more than a dozen returning actors from earlier seasons, including Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange. With the story now past its midpoint, the ‘American Horror Story’ episode schedule matters for anyone planning a weekly viewing routine.

‘American Horror Story’ Episode Release Date and Season Schedule

The seventh and eighth episodes are both set for Thursday, October 8, and the eighth is titled “Hell No.” That makes the new episode part of a pair rather than a standalone release. Fans who tune in on the night will get two chapters back to back.

The season has followed a staggered rollout. Three episodes arrived on September 24, followed by another three on October 1. After the opening weeks, the show shifts to two episodes at a time, with the finale airing on its own.

The rest of the calendar is already set. Episodes nine and ten follow on October 15, episodes eleven and twelve land on October 22, and the finale, “Devil Of A Good Time,” arrives on October 29. That places the conclusion just ahead of Halloween.

Release Time for the New Episodes on FX

Each episode is released at 9 p.m. Eastern, which is 6 p.m. Pacific. That timing applies to the first episode of the night, so viewers on the West Coast should be ready by early evening. The schedule does not change from week to week.

When a second episode is part of the night, it follows half an hour after the first, and a third comes an hour after the opener. For this week, that should put the eighth episode at half past nine Eastern and half past six Pacific. The two chapters are meant to be watched as a continuous block.

The release pattern is also friendlier to spoiler avoidance than many FX titles. Other FX shows drop every episode on Hulu while airing weekly on television, but this season gives Hulu and FX the same number of episodes at the same time. That setup lets viewers watch on either platform without worrying about being spoiled by those who have already seen it.

Where to Watch on Streaming and Live TV

Viewers who want to watch live on FX can use DirecTV, Fubo, Sling or Hulu + Live TV. Several of these services offer a way to sample the channel before committing. That makes live viewing a workable option for anyone who does not have a traditional cable package.

New episodes also drop simultaneously on Hulu and Disney+. Disney’s own listing confirms the season is streaming on Hulu and on Hulu through Disney+. Hulu no longer offers its own free trial, but the Hulu and Disney+ bundle is included in any DirecTV Signature package, which does come with a five day free trial.

Anyone who has fallen behind has a clear path to catch up. The most recent block of episodes carried the titles “Is That All There Is?,” “Date Night” and “The Return of Devil’s Night.” Watching those first will matter, since the new episode picks up directly from where the story stands.

Preview of ‘The Baddest Witch of Them All’

FX has kept its description of the episode brief. The official synopsis promises a home invasion like no other, and says Cordelia’s Coven finds its worst fears confirmed. That puts the coven at the center of the story, and Sarah Paulson’s return as Cordelia has been tied to a sequel to ‘Coven.’

The episode is written by Ned Martel and Charlie Carver and directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Martel and Carver are also the showrunners for this season. Having the people who shape the season write the episode suggests it is meant to carry real weight in the larger story.

The previous episode sets up the stakes. In “The Return of Devil’s Night,” an unseen threat closes in while the witches of Miss Robichaux’s Academy turn to powers older than the school itself. The upcoming synopsis reads like the point where that threat finally shows its face.

The wider season gives the episode a distinctive backdrop. The story takes place primarily in New York City and follows Ben DeSoto, played by Joey Pollari, a hospice caretaker who takes a strange job at The Apollyon, a building inhabited by characters from seasons past. Do you think Cordelia and her Coven can survive a home invasion that FX says will confirm their worst fears, and which returning witch would you want standing beside her when it happens?