AHS: Why Ms. Mead Is A Widely Hated Character Among Fans

Despite the five Emmy nominations and general critical praise, Season 8 of "American Horror Story" is divisive among fans. Some felt that "Apocalypse" had failed to deliver on its end-of-the-world theme, while others found the crossovers with "Murder House" and "Coven" to be nothing more than fan service.

One of the season's antagonists was the ruthless Ms. Mead (Kathy Bates), a lackey and mother figure to the Antichrist (Cody Fern). With her slicked-back black hair, stern features, and deep commitment to following brutal orders, the human-turned-robot inspires fear in anyone who encounters her. After all, she openly admits that "killing is in (her) DNA."

While Bates has been a fan-favorite "AHS" returning cast member since "Coven," not everyone was impressed by her role in "Apocalypse." Fans on the show's subreddit agreed that the manipulative character is among the "worst ['AHS'] characters."

So, what do "American Horror Story" fans have against Ms. Mead?

On a Reddit thread started by u/Joesw7770, the user shared that while "American Horror Story: Apocalypse" is one of their favorite seasons, they felt "the characterization of Mead was terrible." "To me it just came off as a person with no personality, which works as a robot I guess but there was nothing likable about that character," they said. "Surprising because Kathy usually always brings it." Another user called her "just another failed attempt at an interesting character in this mess of a season," prompting others to agree that most "Apocalypse" characters were "underutilized and underdeveloped."

Fans on the thread echoed the popular sentiment that the season should've spent more time with the initial underground bunker storyline. However, some said they didn't mind Ms. Mead before she was reanimated as a robot, and others were even more forgiving. "I also don't think it's really fair to blame Kathy," said u/pleasedonotwakeme. "I think sometimes you can only do what you can with what's on the page. Some of AHS's best cast members have had less than stellar seasons because what they were given to do was not that interesting."

While Bates isn't returning (per E!) for the upcoming "AHS: Double Feature," hopefully the beloved actress will get a chance to redeem herself in another season of "American Horror Story."