For the past four years, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and their team of undoubtedly genius yet alarmingly twisted actors have produced horror spectacles that have continuously shocked the nation. Taking viewers from a ghost-filled “Murder House” to a homicidal carnival in “Freak Show” (making pit stops in a psychopathic “Asylum” and witches’ “Coven” along the way), the upcoming installment will surely leave a terrifying impact on the anthology series’ franchise; “Hotel” premieres Oct. 7th and is rumored to be the darkest season to date. Before buckling down for what will surely be an exciting — and most definitely disturbing — ride, let’s consider some alternative ideas for what the fifth season could have been:
“American Horror Story: Mars”
The second season briefly touched on the idea of aliens, but there was a little too much action coming from the sadistic Bloody Face serial killer, zombie-creating Nazi surgeon and mental institution patients to really give the theme a chance to develop. With all of the surrounding talk about the forth-coming “Mars One” mission and the incredible successes of movies like “Interstellar” and “Gravity,” a twisted season about the red planet could really grab the nation’s attention — something I would definitely not put past Ryan Murphy.
“American Horror Story: Farm”
A quiet, rural town with hidden horrors amongst crazed farmers sounds like the perfect opportunity for Murphy and Falchuk to unleash their darkest ideas. I’m talking scarecrows, pitchforks, deserted barns and cornfields with some unexpected “American Horror Story” twists that will be sure to keep you up at night. We’ve seen some horror approaches to this concept in films like “The Crazies,” in which a fast-spreading zombie-like disease runs rampant in a small farm town, but with the iconic “American Horror Story” touch, the idea could be transformed into something gruesomely unpredictable.
“American Horror Story: Quarantine”
Speaking of fast-spreading zombie-like diseases, a season that follows a quarantined community faced with a killer illness would make for some great “American Horror Story” creations. There have been various interpretations of the zombie-disease outbreak idea in movies like “I Am Legend” and “World War Z,” but the anthology series would be sure to stand out through its insanely unpredictable character development, sporadic musical numbers and plethora of hard-to-watch/hard-to-look-away scenes.
“American Horror Story: Murder House Pt. II”
There’s nothing like a great throwback, let alone when it’s a return to one of the most memorable television show seasons in history. “Murder House,” the first installment of “American Horror Story,” shocked unprepared audiences everywhere with its never-ending plot twists and disturbing scenes — the finale alone was enough to make you seriously question whether the show should actually be allowed to air on a public television channel. However, countless consistent viewers and fans argue that the first season is by far the best; thus, a second part to the original horror story would surely be a terrifying success.
