"American Horror Stories" Seasons 2-3 Reviews: A Fun Horror Anthology Series

I finally got around to finishing all the episodes of "American Horror Stories". For those not in the know, it's an anthology spinoff of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's "American Horror Story" (which has been going since 2011). There are 3 seasons of "Stories" currently on Hulu. See my preview review here

Season 2 received much better reviews than season 1. On Rotten Tomatoes season 2 is currently at 80% for critics and 50% for audiences. Season 3 is not rated by critics but audiences give it a 46%.

Below are the episodes and my notes on some of my favorites. Should this series be considered horror? A few episodes (such as "Drive") are definitely horror. The series crosses over more into scifi territory on other episodes (such as "Aura"). At times, it might be considered closer to "Black Mirror". 

Season 2:

• Dollhouse-starring AHS alum Denis O'Hare, connects to "AHS" Coven", this is considered by many to be the best episode of the season. 
• Aura- starring AHS alum Gabourey Sidibe, I found this an interesting idea 
• Drive-starring Bella Thorne, my favorite episode of the season. Follows the "there's someone in your back seat" urban legend... with a twist
• Milkmaids- starring AHS alum Cody Fern
• Bloody Mary- ties in African folklore with a twist on Mami Wata
• Facelift- starring Judith Light, this is a callback to a "Twilight Zone" episode
• Necro- a very interesting premise but I dont think it lived up to it's potential in the end. 
• Lake- starring Alicia Silverstone, creepy but predictable

Season 3 was released in two parts. The first four episodes were released as part of Hulu's "Huluween". Part 2 is sometimes referred to as season 4. 

• Bestie- a strange little episode that I really enjoyed. Jeff Hiller is in both this episode and the last of the season. 
• Daphne- The AI voice is Gwyneth Paltrow, considered by many to be the best episode of the season. 
• Tapeworm- reminds me of "The Ugly Stepsister"
• Organ- a fun episode but pretty predictable. 
• Backrooms- starring "The Sopranos" Michael Imperioli. Based on the Backrooms stories/videos popularized on 4chan and YouTube. It's all about liminal spaces. 
• Clone-  starring Victor Garber, it's a wild ride that definitely did not end up where I thought it would... and also made me laugh. 
• X- starring Henry Winkler, I think this is my favorite of the season. 
• Leprechaun- A bank heist goes horribly wrong
• The Thing Under The Bed- A lot of people liked this episode but it didnt do it for me

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). I enjoy "American Horror Stories" because it's an anthology series. If you don't like a story, just move on to the next one. Not all the episodes are a hit. Some arent really horror. They are more "Black Mirror"-ish. But I would still rather watch a 45 minute episode over a full season of a TV series and be let down by the ending (which has happened for me in several "American Horror Story" seasons). While the series has not been officially canceled, I'm cant find any ETA for a new season. I see "AHS" season 13 will drop on Halloween 2026 but nothing on "American Horror Stores". Please let me know if you see anything. 

Photo Credits: here

GMonsterTV

TV: Heavy On Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy & Adventure

January 18, 2026 

2:00 PM