Finding shows similar to AHS is a weirdly specific mission. You aren’t just looking for "scary." If you were, you’d just go watch The Conjuring or whatever is trending on Netflix's top ten list this week. No, fans of American Horror Story are chasing a very particular, chaotic high. It’s that Ryan Murphy cocktail: one part genuine nightmare fuel, one part campy melodrama, and a massive splash of "I can't believe they actually filmed that."
The thing about AHS is that it’s an anthology, or at least it was before it started folding in on itself with Apocalypse. It changes its skin every season. If you loved the high-fashion witchcraft of Coven, your "similar show" is going to look nothing like the person who thrived on the grimy, claustrophobic dread of Asylum.
Honestly, the landscape of TV has shifted. We aren't just stuck with network procedurals anymore. There are some truly unhinged things out there that capture that same spirit of "this is beautiful and I hate it."
The Ryan Murphy DNA: Beyond the Main Series
If you want something that feels exactly like AHS, you basically have to go to the source. It’s the easiest win. Ratched on Netflix is the obvious first stop. Sarah Paulson—who is effectively the patron saint of the AHS universe—plays a younger version of the infamous nurse from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
But here is the thing: it’s not really a prequel in any way that matters. It’s a neon-soaked, hyper-violent fever dream. The color palette is so aggressive it feels like it’s vibrating. It has that same obsession with institutional horror that made Asylum work, but it swaps the grainy 1960s film look for something that looks like a high-end fashion magazine had a mental breakdown.
Then you’ve got Scream Queens. Look, if you’re the type of fan who thinks Coven or 1984 are the peak of the franchise, you’ve probably already seen this. If not, get on it. It leans way harder into the comedy, but the slasher elements are surprisingly solid. It captures that "mean girl" energy that Emma Roberts perfected as Madison Montgomery. It’s loud, it’s obnoxious, and it’s deeply entertaining.
The Genre-Bending Anthologies
A lot of people looking for shows similar to AHS are really just looking for the anthology format done right. They want a new world every year.
Channel Zero is the best show you probably never watched. It aired on Syfy, which usually scares people off because of the "low budget" stigma, but this was different. Each season is based on a "creepypasta"—those internet urban legends like Slender Man or the Tooth Child.
It is much more restrained than AHS. It’s quiet. It’s eerie. It doesn't rely on jump scares or Ryan Murphy’s signature frantic editing. Instead, it builds this sense of "something is fundamentally wrong with this neighborhood" that sticks in your ribs. The first season, Candle Cove, about a mysterious kid's show that may or may not be causing murders, is genuinely unsettling in a way AHS hasn't been in years.
Then there is The Terror.
The first season is a masterpiece.
It follows a real-life historical event—Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition to the Arctic in the 1840s—and adds a supernatural monster into the mix. It captures that "trapped" feeling of Hotel or Murder House but replaces the ghosts with sub-zero temperatures and lead poisoning.
Why Mike Flanagan is the Modern King of This Genre
You cannot talk about horror TV without talking about Mike Flanagan. He’s the anti-Ryan Murphy. Where Murphy is loud, Flanagan is emotional. Where Murphy is camp, Flanagan is sincere.
- The Haunting of Hill House: This is the gold standard. It’s about a family dealing with trauma, but the ghosts are used as metaphors for that grief. It has the "creepy house" vibes of AHS Season 1 but with a writing quality that, frankly, blows most of AHS out of the water.
- Midnight Mass: This is for the Asylum fans. It deals with religious fanaticism on a small, isolated island. It’s talky—some people find it too slow—but the payoff is a bloodbath that feels earned.
- The Fall of the House of Usher: This is the closest he’s ever gotten to the AHS "vibe." It’s flashy, it’s about a rich, terrible family, and it features a recurring cast of actors playing new roles, which is the most AHS thing a show can do.
The Gory and the Surreal
Sometimes you don't want a "story" so much as you want a visual experience that makes you feel like you're losing your mind. Brand New Cherry Flavor on Netflix is a total trip. It’s set in 90s Hollywood and involves a young director getting revenge on a sleazy producer through... well, through vomiting up kittens and dark magic. It is weird. It is gross. It’s exactly what you want if you liked the body horror of AHS: NYC or Roanoke.
Hannibal is another one. It’s not an anthology, but it’s the most beautiful show ever made about people being turned into mushrooms or human cellos. The aesthetic is incredibly high-end. Mads Mikkelsen plays Hannibal Lecter with a sophisticated menace that makes the villains in Hotel look like amateurs.
And don't sleep on Chucky. Seriously. The TV series is way better than it has any right to be. It manages to balance the absolute absurdity of a killer doll with a surprisingly heartfelt queer coming-of-age story, which feels very much in line with the themes Murphy often explores.
The International Contenders
If you’re willing to read subtitles, the world of shows similar to AHS opens up massively.
Marianne (France) is one of the scariest things on Netflix. Period. It’s about a horror novelist whose characters start coming to life. The actress who plays the titular witch in the first few episodes has a face that will haunt your nightmares. It has that relentless, "no one is safe" energy that AHS used to have in its prime.
Kingdom (South Korea) is a period piece about zombies. Think Game of Thrones but with much faster monsters and way more political intrigue. The costume design and cinematography are breathtaking.
The Guest (South Korea) is perfect for people who liked the exorcism subplots in Asylum. It follows a psychic, a priest, and a detective chasing a powerful demon. It’s gritty, dark, and long, but it stays with you.
Understanding the "Vibe" Shift
When we look for shows like this, we have to admit that AHS has a flaw: it often starts amazing and falls apart by episode seven. That’s the "Murphy Curse." A lot of the shows listed above actually have better "landing" rates. They finish their stories well.
If you specifically like the social commentary of AHS (like Cult), you should check out Them on Amazon Prime. It is incredibly polarizing. Some people find it too "trauma porn-y," while others think it’s a brilliant look at racism in 1950s Los Angeles. It uses horror tropes to highlight real-world terrors in a way that feels very much like a more intense version of AHS: Cult.
✨ Don't miss: How to Actually Find Movie Times SA TX Without Getting Lost in Apps
For the fans of the camp and glamour, Interview with the Vampire (the AMC series) is the current reigning champ. It’s sensual, violent, and deeply dramatic. It understands that horror is often just a high-stakes soap opera with more blood. It’s got that "gothic romance" feel that made Hotel so popular.
How to Choose Your Next Binge
Stop trying to find a 1:1 replacement. You won't. AHS is its own weird, messy thing. Instead, pick what part of AHS you liked most and follow that trail:
- For the "Repertory Theatre" feel (same actors, different roles): Watch Mike Flanagan’s Netflix shows.
- For the "Gay Horror" and camp aesthetic: Go with Interview with the Vampire or Chucky.
- For the "Urban Legend" and creepy vibes: Watch Channel Zero.
- For the "History but make it scary" vibe: Watch The Terror.
- For the "Absolute Chaos" vibe: Brand New Cherry Flavor is your best bet.
Most people get wrong the idea that horror has to be scary to be "like" AHS. It doesn't. AHS is about the spectacle. It’s about the "I can't believe they did that" moment.
Actionable Next Steps for Horror Fans
Don't just add these to a list and forget them. If you're genuinely looking for a new obsession, start with The Fall of the House of Usher. It’s the most accessible bridge between the Ryan Murphy style and "prestige" horror. It has the wealth, the terrible family dynamics, the creative deaths, and the ensemble cast.
If you want something shorter, watch the first season of Channel Zero. It’s only six episodes. You can finish it in a weekend, and it provides a completely different flavor of horror that feels fresh compared to the jump-scare-heavy stuff we usually get.
Lastly, check out the American Horror Stories (plural) spinoff if you haven't. It’s hit or miss—mostly miss, honestly—but episodes like "Ba'al" or "Dollhouse" actually capture the old magic of the early seasons. It's a low-commitment way to stay in that universe while you're branching out into these other series.
Whatever you choose, just remember that the best horror isn't always about the monster in the closet; sometimes, it's about the gorgeous, terrible people living in the house with it. That’s what Ryan Murphy taught us, and that’s what these shows continue to prove.