FX’s New Horror Show Is Bad News For American Horror Story Fans

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Although The Beauty appears to be a promising and humorous horror series, its release might disappoint fans of American Horror Story, as it seems to be taking its place. Since it was first announced, Ryan Murphy’s new sci-fi show, The Beauty, has sparked controversy, and the recently released trailer has only intensified these concerns.

The new series, The Beauty, is set in a world where a treatment for sexually transmitted infections has a strange side effect: it makes people incredibly attractive, but also causes disturbing physical changes. The trailer suggests it has the same style as a typical Ryan Murphy show, with a well-known cast and a darkly comedic tone. Viewers who enjoy the 12 seasons of American Horror Story will likely find this show familiar.

As a big fan of American Horror Story, I’ve been eagerly waiting for news about season 13 or 14 ever since the season 12 finale aired in early 2024. It’s been over two years now with no announcements, which is a little frustrating! Seeing the trailer for The Beauty, though, it honestly feels like it could be a season 14 promo. If that’s the case, it might be a while before we actually get a new season of the show.

FX’s The Beauty Has Seemingly Replaced American Horror Story Season 14

The first big horror series of 2026, The Beauty, is taking a chance with a deliberately over-the-top and comedic tone, largely due to Ashton Kutcher’s performance. The trailer for the FX series reveals an absurd horror comedy that feels like a wacky, live-action cartoon.

Okay, I’m a little worried about the new Murphy horror show! It seems like “The Beauty” is going for a really different tone, and honestly, horror comedy hasn’t done great on TV in the past. “Tales from the Crypt” was a big hit, but that was ages ago. More recently, “Ash vs Evil Dead” and the “Chucky” show worked, but those already had built-in fans from the movies. So, I’m hoping this new show can break the mold, but it feels like a bit of a gamble.

Many horror comedy shows haven’t lasted long, including titles like Reaper, The Bondsman, Shining Vale, and even Ryan Murphy’s own Scream Queens. But American Horror Story offers a good sign for The Beauty. From its very first season, Murder House, all the way through season twelve’s Delicate (which was inspired by Rosemary’s Baby), American Horror Story has consistently embraced a similar lighthearted and campy tone.

Murphy’s previous horror series had genuinely scary moments and plenty of gore, but it also had a campy, over-the-top style, and it seems his new show, The Beauty, is similar. This is a positive for viewers who enjoy that quirky tone, but it might disappoint fans hoping for a return to the darker, more serious horror of American Horror Story.

American Horror Story Season 12 May Have Killed The Series

Season 12 of American Horror Story, inspired by Danielle Valentine’s novel Delicate Condition, is widely considered the show’s worst season yet. While Kim Kardashian’s appearance generated a lot of attention, her part ultimately wasn’t the biggest problem with a season that was generally a failure.

The twelfth season ended with the show’s lowest-rated finale ever on IMDb, and overall, the season had shockingly few viewers. The poor reviews for Delicate were the worst the series had ever received, and the low ratings showed that even longtime fans weren’t engaged with this season.

However, The Beauty stands out as a strong original series. It’s based on the comic book of the same name by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, and features a talented cast including Ashton Kutcher, Rebecca Hall, Anthony Ramos, Evan Peters, Ari Graynor, and Bella Hadid.

However, the new show also faces some challenges. Its basic idea is quite similar to the popular 2024 horror film The Substance, and the show’s serious tone actually highlights those similarities. A key difference could have been the show taking itself very seriously, while the movie was much more exaggerated and over-the-top.

After watching the full trailer, it’s clear that Murphy’s new series will feel very similar in tone to the 2024 film The Substance, and the plots are already sounding alike. Because of these similarities, The Beauty will face an uphill battle in proving its story is worth telling in a longer format when a successful version already exists.

The Beauty Can’t Save The American Horror Story Franchise

Look, as a long-time watcher of American Horror Story, I’m hearing a lot about this new Ryan Murphy project, The Beauty. But here’s the thing: even if it is a hit, it probably won’t help the original AHS series. It’s being positioned as a standalone show, not directly connected to the American Horror Story universe like American Horror Stories was. So, The Beauty‘s success, while great for everyone involved, won’t necessarily translate to a boost for the seasons we already know and love.

Look, even if The Beauty becomes a massive success after that rough 2025 season, it’s staying completely separate from American Horror Story. Honestly, that’s really worrying news for fans like me. With Monster: The Ed Gein Story and All’s Fair being so poorly received, it feels like season 13 of American Horror Story is practically impossible, even if The Beauty does well. It’s just a tough situation, and I’m not sure how much longer the show can realistically continue.

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2026-01-07 19:12