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Ryan Murphy Says American Horror Story Could Run For 20 Seasons

Ryan Murphy Says American Horror Story Could Run For 20 Seasons

Co-creator Ryan Murphy detailed his nine favourite episodes as well as revealing that the show could run for quite some time

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

This week fans far and wide will be able to feast their eyes upon the 100th episode of American Horror Story which will air on FX.

If you were worrying that the series could be coming to a close given the current monumental instalment, then fear no more, because the show's co-creator Ryan Murphy has said it could go on to season 20.

To mark this week's centenary occasion, Murphy shared his all time favourite AHS episodes and, naturally, he couldn't narrow it down to just one.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the 53-year-old said named Season 1 (Murder House) 'Pilot' episode as one of the best, saying: "The first, and always number one in my heart, for several reasons.

"One, Brad [Falchuk] and I spent so long on it... years on the pitch, years on the script, until [FX CEO] John Landgraf and [co-head of 20th Century Fox TV] Dana Walden and Brad and I got it to where we wanted. From rough idea to day one of filming took four years.

Murder House's Pilot from Season 1.
FX

"It was a huge risk at the time, creatively and financially. Dana Walden has said to me several times it was one of the most out of the box ideas in the history of modern television, and I think she's right.

"I remember John saying to me when I gave him the final pitch, 'Wait a minute...you're going to burn down the sets every year and start over every season?' I said, 'Yes.' He paused and then said 'This scares me... but excites me, too. Let's do it.'

Jessica Lange starring in 'The Name Game'.
FX

Next up was Season 2's (Asylum) 'The Name Game', which Ryan revealed was Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange's favourite season.

The list went on to name Season 5 (Hotel) 'Checking In'. Ryan said: "I love this episode for so many reasons, most of them Gaga. I loved working with her so much then, and now.

"I am so proud of where she's gone as an actress, but she always had chops, right from the minute she stepped on the set. She is a born actress. My favourite sequence in the episode was the vampire stalking with her and Matt Bomer."

Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer.
FX

Then came Season 8 (Apocalypse) 'Return to Murder House' with Murphy saying: "I love love love this episode, largely because I love love love Sarah Paulson so much."

Ryan listed Season 4 (Freak Show) 'Monsters Among Us' as another favourite, saying: "I HATED making it. It was 105 degrees every day and I was covered in bug bites, but it was like out of a dream. The sets, the clothes, the actors in the ensemble."

Ryan's favourite season altogether is Season 7 (Cult), he explained: "I think Falchuk agrees. We both felt so passionately about the story, about the terrifying rise of Trump, of people falling under the spell of the cult of personality."

His favourite episode of that season is 'Great Again', with his most enjoyable instalment of Season 3 (Coven) being 'The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks'.

Speaking about the latter, he explained: "I honestly think Stevie Nicks saved my life when I was a teenager because I saw in her a way out, a way to be unique in the world and not give a s*** what anyone says or thinks about you. Just follow yourself. And your dreams."

More recently, Ryan thinks Season 9's (1984) episode 'Red Dawn' is up there, yet he says it was a 'b**ch to make'. He added: "Everyone has lost their minds. It is the youngest cast we've ever had, and a real homage to when Brad and I were growing up in the '80s."

Roanoke 'Chapter 6' was also a hit.
FX

Finally, Murphy praised Kathy Bates in Season 6's (Roanoke) 'Chapter 6', explaining: "This is one of her greatest roles for us, I think. I have never been more enthralled than when Kathy gets upset because of the Saturn Awards and the injustice of it all."

He added: "This was the season that made me think 'OK, this show can go for 20 years.' Because we can keep playing with the format, the form.

"It proved to me we didn't have to have every season be a grand spectacle. We could be raw and rough and verité. It reinvigorated me in some way, after the operas we had done. This felt like an independent film approach. It felt like, 'Ok...season 20? Bring it on.'

Featured Image Credit: FX/PA

Topics: American Horror Story, Entertainment, TV and Film