Ryan Murphy picks his favourite American Horror Story season, and it’s a controversial choice

Ryan Murphy has revealed his favourite American Horror Story season, and it’s one that even Sarah Paulson has publicly admitted she can’t stand.

The creator of the long-running horror series was speaking to Page Six at the premiere of American Horror Story: 13 earlier this week when he was asked which season is his favourite.

His answer might be slightly controversial.

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

“My favorite season is the season which everybody hates, which is ‘Roanoke,’” Murphy told Page Six.

“That is my favorite season; it’s my favorite form,” he said. “I loved making it because it was playing with form.”

AHS: Roanoke was the show’s sixth season and took a pretty big swing with its format, initially presenting itself as a paranormal documentary called My Roanoke Nightmare.

The season followed a couple who leave Los Angeles and move into a remote farmhouse in North Carolina, only to discover that their new home is very much not the peaceful escape they were hoping for.

Via FX

While Roanoke initially became known as one of the more unpopular AHS seasons, Murphy reckons the reaction has shifted over time.

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“‘Roanoke’ started off being everyone’s most hated season, but now it’s kind of getting up there,” he explained, referring to the social media commentary about the different seasons. And a lot of people are discovering it and it’s become a lot of people’s favorite, so I’m like, ‘Justice for ‘Roanoke!’”

Not everyone from the AHS universe is quite as passionate about Roanoke. Sarah Paulson previously told Entertainment Tonight that she can’t stand the season, and apparently gets plenty of backlash whenever she admits it.

Perdoem ela… Ela bebe 😭 Sarah Paulson comentando sobre seu ódio por Roanoke durante a premiere de #AHS13. pic.twitter.com/Dh89Qjnwgj

— American Horror Story Brasil (@ahsfxoficial) September 24, 2026

“I don’t care,” the actress exclaimed on the red carpet. “Bite me! Bite me hard! I don’t give a s**t, sorry!”

Murphy also opened up about why he thinks American Horror Story has managed to stick around for so long, admitting that he never imagined the show would make it all the way to a 13th season.

“I think it is a very othered show,” he said. “It started off with that, a show about outsiders, as a lot of my work is. They were about people who were overlooked and marginalized and unseen, and I’ve always done that in my work, but I also think there is a very queer sensibility to this show, always.

“I think a lot of queer people love horror because they relate to the idea of others and the idea of revenge, justice, which this show has a lot of.”

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Featured image via FX