One reason why American Horror Story has built such a massive following over the last 15 years is that, as compared to other long-running horror series that have one continuous narrative, each season of the FX series delivers an all-new story. Because of this structure and the diversity of the stories being told, a narrative that appeals to one person doesn’t appeal to everyone, understandably resulting in every viewer ranking each season differently. It’s not just audiences who have their own favorite seasons, though, as the cast also have their favorite installments, along with their least favorite installments.
Sarah Paulson is set to star in American Horror Story: 13, marking her eleventh appearance in the franchise. When looking back on her favorite seasons, she didn’t mince words about her opinions on Season 6, confirming she didn’t “give a sh-t” about American Horror Story: Roanoke.
“My number one, all-time favorite character to play is [Season 2’s] Lana Winters … Followed quickly by Cordelia, followed by Tuberculosis Karen, followed by Sally, followed by Bette and Dot,” Paulson revealed to Entertainment Tonight. “Roanoke is at the end … People get mad at me. I don’t care. Bite me! Bite me hard! I don’t give a sh-t. Sorry!”
Airing in 2016, the first half of Roanoke presented itself as a mockumentary about the otherworldly events experienced by a couple who lived in the community, while the second half pivoted into a found-footage chronicle of a doomed sequel to that documentary. The format and structure of the season made it one of the more ambitious installments in the series, as did the fact that FX didn’t reveal ahead of time what the season’s subtitle was, sparking endless amounts of speculation about it.
Even if Paulson wasn’t a fan, Roanoke earned relatively positive reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes calculating that 74% of reviews of the season were positive. Still, she added, “I don’t like it! It’s not for me! … I like a lot of things about it, but that one wasn’t for me. I don’t give a sh-t about that season. Sorry!”
This isn’t the first time that Paulson has expressed her disappointment in that season, having previously expressed her frustrations back in 2021.
“I know people will get mad at me for saying it, but for me, this was post having played Marcia [Clark in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story] and it was what I went to do right after finishing Marcia,” Paulson explained to The Awards Chatter podcast. “I was so underwhelmed by the whole experience, because I felt like I had entered into a new place inside of myself in terms of what I thought possible, in terms of what I might be willing to see if I can do. I felt really kind of trapped by my responsibility and my contractual obligation to do American Horror Story.”
Hopefully her experience on American Horror Story: 13 was a more positive one.
What did you think of Roanoke? Let us know in the comments below!