Ryan Murphy has addressed the confusion surrounding comparisons between his new horror project Grotesquerie, and his long-standing series, American Horror Story. While both shows share Murphy’s recognizable world-building and casting, Grotesquerie is a standalone project with a distinct tone and focus, leaning into existential horror and social commentary rather than traditional scares.

In an interview with Deadline, Murphy responded to criticism that Grotesquerie should have been under the American Horror Story banner, or that Aaron Hernandez’s story would’ve been better suited as a new season of American Crime Story rather than the first installment in the new FX anthology series, American Sports Story. Murphy said that he "strongly disagrees" and that Grotesquerie has nothing to do with AHS. Read his quote below:

Grotesquerie has nothing in common with American Horror Story. It just does not. I think it’s the difference between doing Don’t Look Now and Halloween would could never have fit into that show. It was never considered for that. It’s a much different animal.

I think the thing that does overlap is my interest in my tone and my casting and the world building and all that stuff. When it came out, and I started to hear about that, because I don’t read anything, I was like, ‘What are you talking about? No, it’s nothing like that.’

FX Chief and Murphy's long-time collaborator, John Landgraf, echoes Murphy's comments, explaining that, to him, American Horror Story is “a straightforward horror structure with very inventive tone and setting and visual language and characters.”

[Grotesquerie] is not that. You already can see that it’s absolutely not. It’s totally an existential thing. It’s more like Get Out or something that’s filled with misdirection and social commentary, and it’s not an And Then There Were None-type horror.

So I can understand, certainly, you sympathize with people who got confused by it, because it’s nominally horror, but it’s really its own, totally different thing. I think it would have done a disservice both American Horror Story and Grotesquerie to put it in there, because it’s not just a subset of American Horror Story. It’s its own, wholly different thing.

What This Means For Murphy's Shows

More Possibilities For Storytelling

Murphy's decision to distinguish Grotesquerie from American Horror Story leaves the doors open for his creative ventures. By branching out into diverse styles of horror, Murphy avoids the pitfalls of repetition and genre fatigue that often afflict long-running shows. The distinction also helps Grotesquerie reach a larger audience, particularly those unfamiliar with AHS and those who might find the over-the-top nature too much. Meanwhile, AHS can continue to thrive in its exclusive niche, offering the beloved heightened and stylized horror that viewers love, without losing or compromising its essential essence for the sake of telling a different story.

Murphy's commitment to theme exploration might mean that viewers can expect even more variety from his projects. Whether through psychological horror in Grotesquerie, or sports drama in American Sports Story, Murphy continues to push the boundaries when it comes to his storytelling. The diversity between his projects guarantees that each series may stand on its own, offering viewers new experiences free of franchise expectations.

Our Take On This Decision

It Broadens Murphy's Audience

This pivot demonstrates Murphy's ability to adjust to audiences and their ever-changing tastes while staying true to his artistic vision. While AHS will continue to be a space for horror lovers seeking spectacle and complex narratives, Grotesquerie offers a fresh perspective that blends horror with social critique in a way that challenges the traditional genre expectations.

Ultimately, it highlights Murphy's evolution as a creator. While it shares some DNA with his earlier work, Grotesquerie and American Sports Story signal a shift towards more experimental, introspective storytelling. With Grotesquerie, American Sports Story, and American Horror Story now running concurrently, viewers can expect separate perspectives of horror, each with its own message, style, and impact.

Source: Deadline