The latest installment of American Horror Story, "Devil of a Good Time," has hit a record-low 2.5/10 on IMDb. This score marks the lowest rating in the 15-year history of Ryan Murphy's FX horror anthology, even as the season achieved unprecedented streaming success.
A 2.5/10 rating breaks the record held by "The Auteur"
The season 13 finale has officially become the most poorly received episode in the franchise's history. as reported by the source, the 2.5 score was drawn from approximately 1,100 ratings, eclipsing the previous record held by the Season 12 episode "The Auteur," which sat at 3.3/10. This decline is part of a troubling trend for the series, as the worst-received episodes have increasingly clustered in more recent years, often appearing as season finales or penultimate installments.
Season 13 has been particularly difficult for fans to embrace. The report notes that four different episodes from this season now rank among the ten lowest-rated installments of the entire series. Specifically, "Madison's Happy Ending" holds fifth place, "Sisters in Arms" is eighth, and "Date Night" occupies the ninth spot in the show's all-time low rankings. Notably, no episodes from the first nine seasons appear on this list of failures.
The disconnect between 4 million views and a 31 percent Rotten Tomatoes score
There is a glaring contradiction between how many people are watching the show and how much they actually enjoy it. According to FX internal data, Season 13 delivered the largest streaming premiere in the history of the horror series, pulling in four million views within its first four days. This three-episode launch actually saw 50 percent more viewership than the previous season, titled "Delicate."
However, high viewership has not translated into critical or audience approval. On Rotten Tomatoes, Season 13 earned a 60 percent score from critics and a mere 31 percent from the audience, both of which represent record lows for the franchise. This suggests that while Ryan Murphy's work continues to command massive attention on platforms like Hulu and Disney+, the actual content is failing to satisfy the core audience.
Why returning favorites like Jessica Lange failed to fix the narrative
The recent season attempted to bolster its appeal by bringing back legendary faces from the series' past. This included the return of Constance Langdon, played by Jessica Lange, and the witches from the "Coven" era. Even high-profile pairings, such as scenes featuring Lange alongside Evan Peters, were unable to prevent the downward spiral in ratings.
Critics have pointed to several structural flaws that undermined the season's impact. The primary complaints centered on short episode runtimes, lackluster dialogue, and a general lack of narrative cohesion. Even with new characters like Ben DeSoto, played by Joey Pollari, and Mr. nas,played by Paul Anthony Kelly, the season struggled to maintain the quality that defined its earlier years.
What character or plot details will FX reveal for Season 14?
Despite the intense criticism, FX has already confirmed that American Horror Story will return for a 14th season. However, the production remains shrouded in mystery,as no specific character or plot details have been released to the public. This leaves fans wondering if the show will return to its roots of self-contained stories or continue the recent trend of crossover elements.
There are also questions regarding the creative direction of the franchise. Ryan Murphy has previously suggested to The Hollywood Reporter that another crossover season is unlikely, implying a return to the anthology's traditional format. Whether the upcoming season can address the issues of runtime and cohesion remains the most significant unanswered question for the series.
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