6 Reasons This Could Be the Best American Horror Story Season Yet

At the show's premiere, cocreator Brad Falchuk admitted to drawing from old horror tropes that are present in classic horror films. And with Hotel, it's hard not to think of The Shining. But in the case of American Horror Story, the tricks are a welcome return. Recent seasons, like Coven and Freak Show, seemed sparse in these elements, but the genre is part of why we watch in the first place. The tense opening sequence — where one of the Scandinavian girls goes to get ice — has you on the edge of your seat. The slashed throats, the horrifying creature that lurks the halls — it's all working. And it's terrifying.