Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dark, twisted adult drama is designed to shock and disturb.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
American Horror Story
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 72 parent reviews
Based on 345 kid reviews
Kids say the show is highly entertaining yet extremely graphic, featuring intense themes of violence, sexual content, and substance use that make it unsuitable for younger viewers. Many reviews emphasize that while it can be captivating and well-acted, its disturbing subject matter warrants caution, with recommendations varying widely depending on individual maturity levels and the specific season being watched.
- mature audience only
- graphic themes
- varied season intensity
- caution advised
- parental discretion recommended
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Each season of AMERICAN HORROR STORY centers on a different storyline, in a different location and time period. Seasons have been set in present-day Los Angeles, a sideshow in 1952 Florida, a summer camp in the 1980s, and in a post-apocalyptic world. The dark, complex stories focus on witches, ghosts, mental illness, and underground American subcultures, with each storyline acted by skilled actors ranging from Connie Britton to Jessica Lange to Kathy Bates. While each season is unique, they all use extreme examples to create social commentary on stereotypes, religion, race, and many other sensitive but important topics.
Is It Any Good?
This eerie anthology comes from the minds of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto -- the same men who created the peppy series Glee. But American Horror Story is nothing like the feel-good TV musical. Parents and caregivers should be fully aware that this darkly disturbing (and long-running) series with psychosexual undertones was clearly intended for adults, and not their children.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about American Horror Story's central premise that "the world is a horror show" full of pain and human-made misery. Do you agree with that negative worldview, or do you believe the world to be a more positive place?
Why do we sometimes like watching things that scare us? What feelings do scary shows bring up? Do they make us see the real world in a different way?
How does the show push the envelope when it comes to violence, language, and sexual content?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 5, 2011
- Cast : Jessica Lange , Sarah Paulson , Frances Conroy
- Network : FX
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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