Photo credit: @AHSZone on X
Billie Lourd on Evan Peters #AHS13
— @AHSZone September 2026
Photo credit: @paulkellydaily on X
Paul Anthony Kelly at premiere
— @paulkellydaily September 2026
The first three episodes of American Horror Story Season 13 landed on September 24 and immediately split the room. Some critics called the premiere a chaotic but cathartic reunion. Others said the storytelling was busy, disjointed, and still setting up the board rather than delivering a finished meal.
American Horror Story Season 13 ratings and reviews show a split: superfans praise the crossover cameos while critics call the premiere busy and disjointed. Here is the early scorecard for FX and Hulu viewers in the United States.
'AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 13' launches its massive crossover season with kills, camp and cathartic cameos—but its busy, disjointed opening is still setting up the board.
— Brad Miska @ Dread Central (@DreadCentral) September 25, 2026
Read our ⭐⭐⭐ review:
Image credit: @DreadCentral
Early audience scores and critic write-ups reflect the same tension that has defined the franchise for years: the more characters and timelines Murphy packs into a single season, the harder it becomes to give any one of them room to breathe.
What the Early Reviews Are Saying
Cast celebrates AHS 13 Number 1 on Hulu and Disney+. Photo credit: @JoeyPollari on X
Cast celebrates AHS 13 Number 1 on Hulu and Disney+ #AHS13 #AmericanHorrorStorySeason13
— @JoeyPollari September 2026
Official poster for American Horror Story Season 13. Photo credit: @AHS___Spain on X
Official poster for American Horror Story Season 13 #AHS13 #AmericanHorrorStorySeason13
— @AHS___Spain September 2026
Dread Central gave the opening a solid but measured three stars, praising the kills, camp, and cathartic cameos while noting that the premiere still feels like table-setting. Other outlets have been harsher, pointing to abrupt scene transitions, unexplained connections, and dialogue that seems written for trailer clips rather than sustained drama.
Jessica Lange is the near-universal bright spot. Multiple reviews single out her Constance as the element that still feels fully inhabited. Sarah Paulson’s dual presence as Cordelia and Venable has also drawn positive notes, even from writers who found the overall structure messy.
The number 13 motif—plane crash, vials of blood, clown-school body count, Rauhnacht gathering—is acknowledged as both the season’s strongest organizing idea and its most repetitive one. Viewers who already love the franchise’s maximalism are treating the density as a feature. Viewers who wanted a tighter story are treating it as the same problem the show has had since Apocalypse.
Audience Reaction So Far
On social platforms the conversation has split along familiar lines. Longtime fans are posting stills of Lange, the Black Dahlia return, and Twisty’s massacre. Newer or more casual viewers are asking why so many characters are alive again and what the Apollyon actually is. The Mr. Nas mystery is generating the most consistent speculation.
IMDb episode scores for the first three installments have hovered in the mid-to-high 6s and low 7s, which is typical for a Murphy premiere that is still introducing its rules. The real test will come after the October 1 block, when the season either starts paying off its setups or continues stacking new ones.
Why the Split Was Predictable
Season 13 was sold as an Avengers-style crossover. That pitch guarantees two audiences: people who want every favorite character in the same frame, and people who want a coherent single story. The first three episodes lean hard toward the first group. Constance’s party, the portal reveal, and the leading-ladies recruitment are designed to make longtime viewers feel seen. They are less designed to orient someone who has not watched Murder House, Coven, or Apocalypse in years.
The result is a premiere that feels generous to superfans and exhausting to everyone else. That is not a new problem for the franchise. It is simply the problem this season chose to lean into from the first hour.
What Comes Next for the Scores
Critical consensus usually hardens after the midpoint. If the October episodes clarify the rules of Club Hell, the identity of Mr. Nas, and the witches’ response, the early complaints about incoherence may soften. If the season continues to add characters and symbols without resolving the ones already on the board, the “messy reunion” label will stick.
For now the numbers and the write-ups agree on one point: Jessica Lange is carrying the opening, the number 13 is doing the structural work, and the rest of the cast is still waiting for the story to decide what it wants from them.
Watch: Official Trailer
Video: Official trailer — FX Networks / YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the early critic scores for American Horror Story Season 13?
Early reviews are mixed. Dread Central gave the premiere three stars, praising camp and cameos while calling the opening disjointed. Other outlets have been more critical of the structure.
How are audiences reacting?
Longtime fans are largely positive about the reunion elements. Casual viewers are more divided, citing confusion over returning characters and unexplained connections.
Who is getting the best reviews?
Jessica Lange’s Constance is the most consistently praised performance in the first three episodes.
Will the scores improve?
Historically the franchise’s mid-season episodes clarify rules and improve coherence. The October 1 block will be the first real test of whether Season 13 can convert setup into payoff.
Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy behind the scenes of “American Horror Story: 13!” #AHS13
— The AHS Zone (@AHSZone) September 25, 2026
Image credit: @AHSZone
Photo credit: @forumbunklr via X/Twitter — Jessica Lange performance still
Photo credit: @AHSZone via X/Twitter — Lange & Conroy BTS
Jessica Lange and Frances Conroy behind the scenes of American Horror Story: 13! #AHS13
— The AHS Zone (@AHSZone) September 25, 2026
Image credit: @AHSZone
Photo credit: Original X/Twitter source, hosted on site CDN. American Horror Story Season 13 coverage.
Photo credit: Original X/Twitter source, hosted on site CDN. American Horror Story Season 13 coverage.
Related coverage
Author: Shivam Das. Independent coverage for U.S. readers. Updated September 26, 2026. All images via original Twitter/X posts with credit.
