Summary

• Despite the absence of key stars like Lange, Peters, and Paulson, American Horror Story: 1984 received positive reviews for its straightforward horror plot.
• The simplicity of the storytelling in 1984, compared to previous seasons like Cult and Apocalypse, allowed viewers to deeply invest in the protagonist's story.
• Peters and Paulson returned for season 10 of American Horror Story, Double Feature, which ultimately fell short due to the split storyline and lack of character development.

While one season of American Horror Story season 12's ending.

While American Horror Story: Delicate introduced actors like Kim Kardashian, Matt Czuchry, and Cara Delevingne to the show’s sprawling stable of recurring guest stars, this came at the cost of its usual ensemble. Stars like Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga, Lily Rabe, Cody Fern, and Angela Bassett were all absent from Delicate, with Emma Roberts and Denis O’Hare being some of the season’s few returning actors. This might seem like an obvious cause of American Horror Story: Delicate’s low critical ratings, but dropping cast isn’t always a problem for the long-running series.

American Horror Story: 1984 Didn’t Include Evan Peters, Sara Paulson, Or Jessica Lange

All Three Were Major American Horror Story Players For Several Years

As surprising as it might sound, American Horror Story’s best season in years didn’t feature three of the show’s biggest stars. American Horror Story: 1984 didn’t include Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, or Sarah Paulson, yet the slasher pastiche still managed to earn some of the show’s best reviews in years. 1984 boasted a more straightforward horror plot than its predecessor, Apocalypse. Apocalypse’s convoluted Coven sequel was messy, bloated, and painfully slow, whereas 1984 made up for its lack of star power with a comparatively streamlined and dynamic story. In classic American Horror Story fashion, the plot eventually involved complicated time loops.

Unlike Cult and Apocalypse, 1984 was clear about who its protagonist was.

However, 1984 was otherwise refreshingly simple in its storytelling. Although Apocalypse was American Horror Story’s worst season, its comparatively solid predecessor, Cult, was bogged down by intensely timely satire and a massive cast of characters. 1984 also had a large lineup, but its slasher story ensured that the show tore through the superfluous ing players quickly and without pity. This meant that, despite the absence of Lange, Peters, and Paulson, it was easier for viewers to care about the show’s heroine and get invested in her story. Unlike Cult and Apocalypse, 1984 was clear about who its protagonist was.

American Horror Story: 1984 Ended A Divisive Era For The Series

The Outing Was Better Received Than Seasons 5, 6, 7, and 8

While Jessica Lange was central to the early success of American Horror Story, she was also the first major recurring star to leave the series. Lange played major roles in seasons 1, 2, and 3, before portraying the protagonist of season 4, Freak Show. Elsa Mars was Lange’s most complex character yet and her exit from the series signaled a shift in its critical reception. Peters and Paulson remained mainstays in seasons 5, 6, and 7, despite American Horror Story’s critical struggles. American Horror Story season 5 wasted multiple promising characters with its bleak, slow story.

The season’s slasher story featured plenty of dark humor, but its campy tone felt justified.

Meanwhile, season 6’s ambitious meta-premise made its pacing a slog despite its intriguing subject matter. Season 7 fared better largely because of stellar central performances from Paulson and Peters but, outside of these central turns, Cult failed to find its footing. The season bounced between intense, gory horror and goofy political humor without warning, a problem that 1984 ironed out. The season’s slasher story featured plenty of dark humor, but its campy tone felt justified since the entire season functioned as a love letter to the horror movies of the ‘80s.

American Horror Story’s Comeback Was Short-Lived

Peters and Paulson’s Returns Couldn’t Salvage Season 10

While 1984 might have improved American Horror Story’s critical standing, the show’s comeback was short-lived. Ironically, while Lange is yet to return to the series as of season 12’s finale, both Paulson and Peters were back by season 10. Unfortunately, American Horror Story season 10, Double Feature, wasn’t well received thanks in large part to the misjudged titular gimmick. While American Horror Story season 12 was the first in the series to adapt an existing text, season 10 split its episodes between two unrelated stories. The first half, Red Tide, centered on a town full of vampires.

Although Red Tide had a lot of potential, the story was over before it could get truly interesting since season 10 needed time for its second story, Death Valley. This sci-fi tale focused on a government conspiracy involving aliens, but it was hard to care about this plot when neither story’s cast felt fully fleshed out by the end of the season. Thus, although 1984 helped American Horror Story’s reputation in the absence of the show’s central stars, their comeback in the next season also saw the return of the show's recurring problems.