American Horror Story

We already knew Ryan Murphy was plotting a “secret” American Horror Story season, so we wouldn’t exactly call this a jump-scare. Three episodes into American Horror Story: Roanoke, FX has booked a return visit in 2017 with an official Season 7 renewal. Start your insufferable speculation!

Even as American Horror Story is already looking forward to its next season in secret, Roanoke has only just begun to lay out its mystery (at least before tossing it aside midway through). We’ve heard Ryan Murphy will start to lay groundwork for all the seasons to connect, and our first Roanoke tease of that will connect back to Freak Show.

It’s safe to say that American Horror Story is open to experimentation in its advanced age, whether testing out mystery formats or shortening its Roanoke run, but FX and Ryan Murphy may have been cooking up their biggest mystery right under our noses. Murphy says a “secret season” of the FX horror-drama is in the works, but what does that mean?

Just when you thought our long national eye-roll was over, and American Horror Story had finally unveiled its meta-Roanoke premise, Ryan Murphy will throw another curveball. The enigmatic showrunner teases that Season 6 will have a major shakeup midway through, and then again by Roanoke’s end.

Now that American Horror Story Season 6 has officially given up the ghost of its mystery theme, FX must take stock of their unorthodox approach to promotion. It seems viewers may not have been enticed to tune in for the big reveal after all, as early ratings for American Horror Story: Roanoke (that’s the name, we checked) are below that of last year’s Hotel.

After weeks of enigmatic and intentionally misleading teasers (and one that was little more than a promo for Lady Gaga’s new single), American Horror Story finally revealed its mystery theme for Season 6 with last night’s premiere of My Roanoke Nightmare — or is it My Roanoke Nightmare: A True American Horror Story? Or American Horror Story: Roanoke? Whatever it is, it’s not likely to make up for the whiplash-inducing shifts in quality of the last three seasons, despite creator Ryan Murphy’s promise of a shorter, tighter and less convoluted installment in the anthology series.

The cat finally ran screeching out of the bag last night, as American Horror Story Season 6 finally revealed its mystery theme as … well, they didn’t really give it a succinct name, but welcome to “My Roanoke Nightmare”! And with the revelation, comes our first proper trailer for the season, introducing a few returning favorites in the creepy new footage.

Our long national nightmare has finally come to an end, just in time for a new national nightmare to begin. American Horror Story has finally premiered its sixth season, revealing the show’s newest theme as My Roanoke Nightmare. Find out what woodland scares went down in the premiere and what to expect from the coming season of American Horror Story!

We’re just one day away from American Horror Story finally pulling back the curtain on Season 6, but it’s hard to argue that the mystery approach has affected anticipation. Ahead of the big reveal, FX marketing admits to some uncertainty with viewer expectation, as well how the promotional strategy could affect premiere ratings.

Sarah Paulson stands as proof that anyone in Ryan Murphy’s orbit and end up on multiple series, and Cuba Gooding Jr. will learn by example. O.J. himself, the American Crime Story star will make the leap to American Horror Story with a confirmed role alongside Paulson in Season 6.