American Horror Story will return for season 2 (major spoilers)


Warning: there are major spoilers for American Horror Story’s past and upcoming season below.


American Horror Story is like a series of car crashes on a never ending highway. It’s shocking and it’s very hard to look away. The plot twists are out of control, but it keeps you watching because you want to know what’s going to happen next. While some of the ridiculous twists are way over the top and cliched (do we need grotesquely handicapped creatures in both the attic and the basement?) they do keep you guessing. The one commonality that runs through the show is the house, which is flexible enough to allow for just about any outcome, and they seem to cram at least a dozen in every episode. Plus the house allows most of the characters we’ve seen to flit in and out, since all the people who die there end up haunting it in some capacity.

Given the Harmon’s sort-of sad yet happy demise in this season, I was looking forward to seeing those same characters haunt the next family. Only creator Ryan Murphy has revealed that season two of American Horror Story won’t even feature the house that was just about the only cohesive thing about this first season. They’re going to go somewhere else for season two, and it sounds like just about everything about this show is up in the air. I should have realized that everything Murphy touches turns to sh*t. Here’s more, from E!:

New Cast and New Roles: While Ryan revealed that he is talking to “a handful” of the season-one actors about returning in new roles in season two, he told reporters that next year’s main cast will be all new faces—which was the plan from day one. “Some of them will be coming back. There will be familiar faces and also some new faces,” Murphy teased. “The people that are coming back will be playing completely different characters, creatures, monsters, etc. [The Harmons] stories are done. People who are coming back will be playing entirely new characters.” Unfortunately, he stayed completely mum on which actors might be coming back. “I would have them all back in a heartbeat. I think we’ll announce the full cast and what the new storyline is going to be some time in February.”

New Location: “What you saw in the finale was the end of the Harmon house. The second season of the show will be a brand-new home or building to haunt,” Murphy said. “Just like this year, every season of this show will have a beginning, middle and end. [The second season] won’t be in L.A. It will obviously be in America, but in a completely different locale.”

New Theme: This season’s theme was infidelity, and season two will also have an overlying theme running through the episodes. “The season we’re planning now is very different from the California house approach,” Murphy revealed. Now here comes the cool part: “There is a clue in the last three episodes where we resay what the next season will be about.” Get to searching, AHS fans! And since the new season will have a new building and location, the opening credit sequence will change as well, but Ryan said he will be “hopefully” using the same artist who created season one’s incredibly chilling sequence.

Movie Stars: Because the shooting schedule of AHS is much like a movie commitment (three months or so), and because each season will bring new castmembers, Murphy has targeted film actors who he’s wanted to work with to join the cast of season two. He reasons that since they’ll only be attached to the show for one season, he can bring on people who have film careers so they won’t be locked down for five seasons. “This allows for those who haven’t done television to step up and say ‘let’s do this,'” said Murphy. “I’ve been getting a lot of calls from film actors who have wanted to dabble in television but never could figure out how.”

Season One Postmortem:
The Finale: Murphy promised that the finale was planned since day one, and he was very satisfied that the Harmons got peace in their deaths. “I love those characters and I mourn them. I will miss them,” he says. “But I think as you see in the second season some of those characters will be returning. It was always the plan. I just hope that people who loved the show will love the second season, maybe even more so based on what we’ve already cooked up. I thought [the finale] was a great goodbye to those characters. We were simply not interested in doing another season with those characters trapped in that house. You just have to tell the story you want to tell.”

Easter Egg Hunt: One good reason to rewatch from the beginning? Murphy insists there are plenty of fun clues fans can pick up on. “I think the clues of all the deaths and everything that happened are always there right from the beginning. And there are certainly several references to Dylan and hanging and noose stuff throughout the whole season. I think that’ll be fun for fans to go back and look at all those clues that we were planting right from the beginning.”

[From E! Online]

Oh so Murphy is planning stunt casting for season two. What a surprise. The best way this ass can figure out how to do that will be to just scrap the whole house, not visit the Harmons, and not bother to explain all the crap that was thrown at us seemingly randomly. Conveniently, this will also allow him to keep all the castmembers in line because there will be no job security whatsoever. That’s just the type of boss-employee relationship this megalomaniac enjoys. He’s claiming some characters will be back in some twisted capacity, but I think he’s just playing lip service to the fans. We’ll see though.

There’s a lot of speculation on E!’s comments section that the new season will be in Florida with Vivian’s sister. There’s still the matter of the antichrist kid that Vivian sired with the ghost of Constance’s son, Tate. People think that Jessica Lange (Constance) will definitely be featured next season, since she’s the demon spawn’s caretaker. If Lange asks for too much money for next season, I’m sure Murphy won’t hesitate to axe her, maybe literally. (If her character is even alive.)

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61 Responses to “American Horror Story will return for season 2 (major spoilers)”

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  1. kazoo says:

    I don’t understand how some of the actors may return but as different characters. Like, wtf? Who does that?

    And I swear to God, if Gwyneth Paltrow makes a guest appearance or there’s a musical episode, I am done.

    I really do hate Ryan Murphy.

    • MorticiansDoItDeader says:

      I was thinking the same thing about Paltrow, particularly because Ryan Murphy named dropped her during an Entertainment Weekly Interview, saying he had shared the entire AHS plot with her and she loved it (particularly what she called the “rubber man”). And seeing what a success this season was (with the Golden Globe noms), I bet Goop is dying to attach herself to the show .

    • Lauren says:

      Law & Order SVU does it all the time.. It’s absolutely insulting to my/our intelligence.

    • Meng says:

      Okay, if Gwyneth Paltrow shows up, that’s a deal breaker. Blah.

  2. lucy2 says:

    Murphy can’t make a show good past the first season to save his life, so I’m not surprised to hear he’s going to reinvent it every year.
    I mainly tuned in to see Connie, being a big fan of hers from FNL. Jessica is fantastic too, but I’m not sure they’ll get her back again.
    Considering how underwhelmed I was with how the story wrapped up, I think I’m done.

  3. Bam Bam says:

    I already lost interested when the main characters got killed off and became ghosts. This show will go the way of “Heroes” too much BS in too many directions. Ya, they have a plan, right.

    • Nan says:

      I totally agree. I initially liked Heroes until it became a freakin’ mess and I had to keep asking “where is the plot”.

  4. Jessica says:

    I have never seen this show, what is it about??

  5. merski says:

    I loved this show so much. Now he’s gonna go and screw it up. This is so goddamn annoying!! :/

  6. Pauline Bernoski says:

    Well, it was a good show, hope they don’t f it up!

  7. Isabela says:

    I quite enjoyed the ending of AHS but was sad to hear that the Harmon’s story is over. I think what he might be trying to do is some kind of Twilight Zone deal where the stories always chage and so do the characters. I guess we should have known because there were so many known actors in this season. I just wish we had known that from the beginning…I’m going to miss seeing McDermott every week! Hahhaha And of course besides Lang & Britton, Denis O’Hare is wonderful too! I’m excited to see him back on True Blood. Well, guess we’ll have to wait til February to know the new characters & plot!

    • Launicaangelina says:

      I was thinking Twilight Zone too. I am actually excited about featuring a new house/haunting/cast. I will miss Dylan McDermott though. I think it’s cool that the original actors could come back and play different characters. Several actor,s who appeared on Twilight Zone, played different characters all the time. I’ll give season 2 a shot.

      • Isabela says:

        Exactly! I will give it a shot too. I am excited to see who they can get to be on season two & who is coming back. Because they used some pretty great actors this year, I’m sure they’re going after big names.

    • the original bellaluna says:

      “Back on True Blood”…wait, what?

      • lush33 says:

        Yeah! Didn’t you see the season 4 Finale of TB. He was dug out of the concrete of the parking garage. Pretty sure that he is one the big bads next season.

      • MorticiansDoItDeader says:

        They cast Christopher Meloni from Law & Order SVU and OZ as a new character. I’m pretty sure he’s going to be the “big bad” next season. My guess is he’ll be Victor.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Have to reply to myself (like some self-centered arsehole – hello, Linnocent!) but no, haven’t seen the finale yet. Still catching up!

        YES! *fist pump* LOVE LOVE L-O-V-E Christopher Meloni, and you know he’s gonna be one bad-ass vamp!

      • Isabela says:

        Yel, Russell Edgington is back!! I am beyond excited, even though he was bad I loved his personality & sarcasm! I think the new season is going to be partly vamps vs vamps!

    • Original Bee says:

      I’m definitely going to miss McDermott’s butt. Sorry I couldn’t resist 🙂 As long as Jessica Lange is back I’m fine with a new cast and house. I love the Twilight Zone and the idea of an Anthology series intrigues me. However, as a former fan of Glee and lover of Nip/Tuck I know that Ryan Murphy has a habit of turning good shows into garbage.

      • HadleyB says:

        Ugh, I am SO disappointed that guy from law and order will be on True Blood .. WHY? I like new people, not the same old actors …he’s been law and order for years .. and have NO need to see yet again… and before that some prison show? Bad idea.

        I am disappointed with TB and AHS. Not looking forward to anything .. except Mad Men. Hope its good.

  8. tango says:

    Well how many people can die in the same house with the same main characters without it becoming totally unbelievable and repetitive? Now it’s already inconceivable that after so many murders, that house wouldn’t have been previously demolished since it would be totally unsellable due to disclosure laws. So while I like the house and the Harmons, I can see the point of changing the characters and location every year. Opens up new possibilities and storylines.

  9. the original bellaluna says:

    The HOUSE is what MADE THE STORY!!!!! He is SUCH a dumba$$. It’s the MURDER house, the house’s elaborate history and tragedy, and now they’re selling it and moving to a different location?

    HOW many un-resolved story lines is he leaving hanging?

    Don’t f*ck this up pal, or this will be the ONLY season I watch.

    • Mourning the Death of Music says:

      I agree. I want to know WHY this house. Did it just truly happen because of the botched abortions along with all the successful ones done to create this? It just seems like there is more, so much more, we weren’t told about the whys of this house. Not to mention all the other deaths mentioned on the website.

      Someone said it earlier, everything Ryan Murphy turns to shit and he can’t make a show hold past the first season. I’ve now lost hope. 🙁

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Nope. It happened because he built the house for his “Philadelphia Socialite” wife AND he used “the beating heart of one of our patients” to revive the dis-membered dead child. (Thaddeous.)

        (And because she was a greedy socialite married to an addict who wanted to maintain her lifestyle.)

      • the original bellaluna says:

        I will elaborate.

        “Charles” built the house for Norma. Due to his addiction (like that Cider House movie – ether) he f’d up. (Once their baby was returned in pieces, he made it a priority to return said baby to life, no matter the “form” in which it returned.)

        After that, some psycho dentist moved in and pulled the “Black Dahlia” (courtesy of Charles) from giving her too much anesthetic whilst raping her. Hence the “Black Dahlia” case

        Then you’ve got the nurses murdered in the 60’s (about a 20 year spread, if anyone’s paying attention).

        After that, you’ve got the “Constance going nutso” scenario in the 70’s/80’s.

        In the interim, you’ve got “flame man” enduring his wife (on whom he cheated) burning herself and their 2 children.

        Then in 1994, you’ve got Tate melting down his mother’s (Constance’s) lover and shooting up his school.

        After that, it’s anyone’s game.

  10. Murphy tried to cram too much into that first season. But I do think the show got better as the season progressed.
    I think Demon Spawn will be the center of season 2. I hope that they don’t overuse Constance – I love her character, but I can see Murphy overdosing us on her.
    I have a couple of questions about season one’s finale: who is the newborn that Viv is carrying around? Is it one of her twins, or is it the baby of her husband’s girlfriend? And I thought that Moira had evil intentions towards the Harmons. So Why is she hanging out so happily in the afterlife with them?

    • merski says:

      Well, from what I gather, that baby is indeed one of the twins, the one that was stillborn.
      I don’t think Moira had evil intentions. The way I see it, the only problem she had was with Mr. Harmon’s cheating ways…

    • MorticiansDoItDeader says:

      That baby was Viv’s “stillborn.” The doctor’s wife explained that the baby took a breath before passing on (which would explain why the baby was able to manifest as a ghost).

      Also, I think Tate will return as his demon child. They already aged the baby 3 years in one episode and i think that would make the most sense if they’re going to recast an original character as someone else.

    • the original bellaluna says:

      I think Moira just wanted Viv to realise what a cheating b@st@rd her husband was. Moira was the one to tell Viv she wasn’t safe and to get out of the house.

      I like that Moira told Viv to make her own tea (“I don’t work for ghosts.”) and that Viv made Moira the Godmother of the little dead one. I thought that was sweet.

  11. nigahiga says:

    aha i love this show. really amazing stuff. i have a feeling season two will be featured in Constance’s house. ’nuff said.

    • tooey says:

      That or the Harmon’s house back in Boston maybe.

      • Shelby says:

        The next season won’t be featured around the old house at all. The Harmons are done and gone. The story is over, and they’re moving on to another one. I also read somewhere else that everything is fair game for this show, except Vampires. I’m not sure why, I guess it’s just because they’re overdone. It’s not just about hauntings, it’s whatever makes people scared. I’m sure that goes further than just the paranormal. I just wish we had known from the beginning not to get too attached to the cast and story.

  12. McBeaner says:

    I did grow fond of this show. When the season ended I hoped that season 2 wasn’t just going to be them haunting each new family that moved in. I’m cautiously optimistic that it’s intrigue will continue past this season, although I will miss all the current ghouls.

  13. tooey says:

    I loved this show and I think they really pushed the boundaries of what I think of as “drama series” or straight up narrative. You kind of had to give yourself over to this show and just go with it. So I’m willing to go with this weird idea for season 2. Plus if Murhpy is notorious for not having 2nd seasons in him (isn’t he connected with Nip/Tuck?) maybe this idea of every season being a “first” with all new story and cast will work. I was so impressed with this show that I’m willing to give it a try. I hope to see Tate, whom I loved despite the horrible things he did…

    • Naya says:

      Evan Peters did a remarkable job making a psycho/rapist/mass murdering character still likeable. All of the actors are what made the show for me. The took the mediocre scripts they were given and made the show a must-watch.

      • tooey says:

        Yes, it was a stellar cast and I’m not sure the show would’ve been as good without them. But I’m willing to give season 2 a chance.

  14. Dominique says:

    Thank God. I’m so glad the Harmons and that house are over. There was way too much shit going on there and I’m happy they’ve decided to start completely fresh. Though last season was fun, I was exhausted by the fifth episode. I like the idea of different locales and haunts. It is called AMERICAN Horror Story, after all.

    • Lolita says:

      i agree with you completely, after about the 5th episode it started to go downward for me and im glad it came to an end the way that it did, i dont think i can continue with another season of this. I am thinking that it may be that the little evil boy gets adopted at another house somewhere and unleashes his evil ways 🙂

  15. Kas says:

    I think it sounds rather interesting – will give it a chance before I bash Ryan Murphy.

    He should however bring back Zachary Quinto and Jessica Lange somehow! Both were amazing in the first season!

  16. Maritza says:

    Jessica Lange must continue, she is really great in that role. I love scary shows and this one is so good.

  17. Lolita says:

    i actually like how it ended and wouldnt want to see another season of them haunting new families. Now we would have good ghosts vs. bad ghosts blah blah blah.. I think the new season will be about the hellish son being adopted and causing havoc on his new families! that is one scary little boy!

  18. Eli_Adamczyk says:

    Love it… Quit while your ahead why ruin an amazing thing by dragging it out! Bring on the new “American Horror Story” the clue was in the name all along… http://www.imdb.me/elizabethadamczyk

  19. Zoe says:

    Glad I really never got into this show. Not my type of show. Seems like it has no direction and they just throw it up in the air and see what happens.

  20. JaneWonderfalls says:

    I have to admit, I have a found new appreciation for Dylan McDermott, but I was not totally hooked on this show the first few episodes, but I gave it the whole season and I ended up really enjoying it, I understand when you have a show dealing with the supernatural especially as a series they can’t give you every thing at once, But the season finale left me wanting more so if this show get’s picked up for another season I will def. watch!

  21. Lavender says:

    I tried to watch a few episodes, but could never get into it. It seemed like it was trying so hard to be so gothic and edgy, it just came off kind of like a bad parody or something. Jessica Lange made the show tolerable, but that’s really about it.

    • Andy says:

      I liked it but wish it had a bit more humor to it. Not saying like Glee, but a little more humor like Marcy the real estate lady.

  22. Mourning the Death of Music says:

    @the original bellaluna (since it won’t allow me to reply any further on that particular post)

    I got all of what you are saying while watching the show. But that doesn’t explain what sort of spiritual/metaphysical/paranormal/cosmical reasons as to exactly how Thaddus was able to return from the dead, being pieced back together. Hell, with Frankensten’s monster, we knew it was the jolt of electricity from lightning that “shocked” it into life. Saying that the doctor used a still beating heart from one of his victims… You get what I’m saying?

    There just has to be more to it. Otherwise it’s a massive hole in the plot. The believability factor just isn’t there. There has to be some force connected to the land, that particular longitude/latitude to create an atmosphere which enables this completely out there attempt to actually work. Some intangible force that harnesses and amplifies each death and spirit that becomes connected to that home/land.

    Some cursed wood used in making the home. Some cursed marble in the fireplace, etc.

    As a writer and as a long-time fan of fantasy and science fiction writing, you have to create some sort of solid root of believability to hold all those outrageous points together. Otherwise it’s utter bullshit.

    He failed to properly explain the whys and is now (rumored) to be moving on to the next destination. That leaves me unfulfilled. Not unless he eventually plans to come full circle to explain it all in the end.

    • Andy says:

      So true!!! The first thing they showed Thadious than he was mentioned but only showed claw marks. And on Birth he chased young Tate. He was the first child in the house. History of eerie homes fascinate me. They also did it backwards. It should have been from LA to Boston. Boston is creepier just because it has winter, but the homes are older with more history. There should have been an answer in the history to why it was haunted.

  23. Melissa says:

    They kept talking about Florida, and Vivien’s sister Jo who we never met… I bet it goes to Florida. I am super disappointed they’re changing it though, season 1 was gold.

    • Andy says:

      WRONG. So tired of people rehashing the old! Season 1 was gold. Why ruin it by making season 2 a tired continuance of that. I wish the show Hereos had the guts to do the same thing. I was hoping. The only constant in Heroes was Hiro. Bout time someone had the guts to start fresh every season.

  24. Dusty says:

    Switching the story up like that didn’t work for Heroes and I have a feeling it isn’t going to work for this show either. They left some questions unanswered. If they abandon the house and the characters completely it will leave viewers feeling unfulfilled. We are interested in this story not some other story. They didn’t fully explain why the house holds onto people or why the creepy clown is there. It would be nice to see some of the characters move on to heaven or hell as they introduce new characters into the same house for season 2. I would be really surprised if the show continues after season two if they abandon the house and characters from season 1 completely. I like this show so I’ll hope for the best in any case.

  25. Gilmore says:

    Murphy will ruin this somehow, I’m sure of it, but I don’t understand how he could leave such a cliffhanger like that and then just say ‘oh well f-ck the Harmons and the old house. We’re on to something new!’. It makes me wonder if the show should have just been a one time season thing. Regardless I am actually interested to see who comes back for season two. Jessica Lange will completely come back I think everyone is aware of that but I’m actually interested in seeing Evan Peters come back again. He’s brilliant and I’m quite upset that he didn’t get any nods for his performance because that beautiful bastard put on a f-cking show every night like it was his last. He played the hell out of Tate. So if he doesn’t come back it will be very disappointing for me.

  26. allison says:

    SO MUCH TO SAY:

    1) WTF?!?!??! This storyline has been absolutely amazing and I was excited to see it continue. But since it was wrapped up so perfectly, if the next season still features some of my favorite characters (Tate, Violet, Constance…) and is done very well I think it could actually be good. I actually like how Ryan Murphy put it- that they want to tell the story they want to tell. I would assume that inspired writers are a must for a good show to continue well. And if they can do a different horror story as well as they did this one, it will be excellent and I doubt I’ll be as tremendously disappointed as I could be by the change.

    2) UGH I hate that they’re changing the opening sequence. It was so haunting and set the mood so successfully.

    3) I think continuing with the demon child storyline with Constance moving near Vivien’s sister (and Tate & Violet keeping watch) could be great.

    4) Clue theories?!?! I hope some of you posted some on this thread, I’m going to read through the other comments now!

    5) The relatively unknown actors were so perfect for this show. If R.M. starts bringing big already known “stars” into it- especially Gwyneth f*cking Paltrow -that would probably ruin everything 🙁

  27. Your mom says:

    Jeff Goldblum needs to be in the second season.

  28. Rhea says:

    I’m very dis-appointed. How can they not have the same house????????? Or, the original ghosts……not to mention the anti-christ lives next door. I’m sure they move him, but I looooooooved this show. I don’t want a new show.

  29. Justice says:

    I think it’s a different perspective for a “series” to take on a whole new storyline, use new cast members, use old cast members to play different charaters, there is a certain “fresh appeal” to it. Where could the storyline go now? Everything has been explained, the Harmon family’s story has ended, what do they do now, keep scaring new family’s out of the house. Nothing is left. One thing that can be gained from doing something like this, is there is no shortage of storylines, besides writers often times tend to overwhelm the audience with TOO many storylines….TRUE BLOOD for example, how many storylines were going on at the same time? It got annoying. Let’s get a feel for some other haunted joints. It’s called American Horror Story, not American Haunted House.

  30. Natalie says:

    I will be so annoyed if its totally different! I’ll miss the old characters too! And there should be no celeb cameos etc it’s good as it is!