Here's What Season AHS Fans Think Has The Best Opening Credits
With each season of "American Horror Story" comes a new theme, a new cast, a new setting, and, of course, a new opening credits sequence. The FX horror anthology is known for retaining fan-favorite cast members like Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, and Kathy Bates. They also frequently connect seemingly unrelated seasons with Easter eggs, giving fans plenty to speculate about online.
That online speculation often takes place on the r/AmericanHorrorStory subreddit, where fans have also declared which season has the best, most fear-inducing opening credits. What people may not know, however, is that the sonic link tying each introduction together wasn't initially created to scare listeners. In 1998, music student César Dávila-Irizarry created an experimental combination of various digital noises and elongated versions of everyday household sounds. Years later, that track was recreated by Nine Inch Nails composer Charlie Clouser for the "American Horror Story: Murder House" opening credits (via HuffPost).
And now, nine seasons later, that same chilling track has been reinvented time and time again. So, which season's opening credits have fans decided reigns supreme?
Come one, come all, to the greatest AHS introduction yet
As Redditor u/InTheGardenOfSpite plainly put it, "Freak Show has the best opening Credits [sic]." Other fans on the subreddit agreed that "American Horror Story: Freak Show" has the most iconic, frightening title sequence. 2014's circus-themed season follows a motley crew of misfits as they juggle their eclectic lives at the circus with being persecuted for their freakishness by the outside world — including a killer clown, con artists, and a deranged circus enthusiast.
The season's opening credits, making use of the now-iconic distorted theme song, also feature a subtle melody you'd hear walking around any fairgrounds and the uncomfortable squelches of balloons being tied and suddenly bursting. Paired with the jarring stop-motion and CGI circus figurines twitching around on the screen, it produces a nightmarish effect. Additionally, the twirling clown heads play on the common fear of clowns which "American Horror Story: Cult" later went on to explore.
With a new season, "American Horror Story: Double Feature," premiering on August 25, fans may have to reconsider which opening credits are the best. For now, though, it's been decided that "AHS: Freak Show" holds the title.