Inside the Lowest-Rated 'American Horror Story' Episode: What Went Wrong?
American Horror Story gave us “Murder House”, “Asylum” and “Coven”. Well, it seems like those golden days might be behind us. This is a dive into what happened with the show's lowest-rated episode to date.
Even the most beloved TV shows have their off days. For American Horror Story, that off day came in the form of "The Auteur," the finale of Season 12.
It encapsulated the season's vibe perfectly: messy, indulgent, and ultimately disappointing. With a rating of just 3.3/10 on IMDb, it's practically in a league of its own.
Why “The Auteur” Failed & the Tragic Fate of ‘AHS’ Season 12
Context: the episode continues to follow Anna, who fresh off her Oscar win, finds herself going to the “hospital” to deliver her baby. After giving birth, she's actually being held captive by Siobhan (Kim Kardashian). Siobhan is playing with Anna's access to her own child, trying to force her into joining their sinister scheme.
“The Auteur” clocked in at just 31 minutes as the shortest episode in AHS history yet. And it's a part of the problem.
The main issue: the writing. The dialogue was laughably on-the-nose. And the intended commentary on feminism and patriarchal structures came across as shallow and contradictory.
The episode (and season) was so bad, the writer had to clarify in the comments to Variety:
“The message of course is not that women should not have it all, but rather that “having it all” is not possible within a patriarchy — and that the only way for women to have power is for them to ascribe to the same oppressive systems that have held them back for so long, as they in turn oppress others.”
What Do ‘American Horror Story’ Fans Think About the Season 12 Finale?
“What could've been a great take on Rosemary's Baby turned into a meandering mess with filler shots and filler characters with little to no attention to the bigger scene, all of which rendered “Delicate” a dull and worthless experience that lacks any wit to revitalize a tarnished brand of AHS,” IzzyMaeDoorite on IMDb wrote.
“A lackluster finale to the worst season of AHS. The cast deserved much better than this. If you expect a lot of answers or clarity you will be disappointed. However if you've made it to episode 9 you're likely a fan of disappointment,” nothing_z-50192 on IMDb said.
Where to Watch ‘American Horror Story’?
American Horror Story is available on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.
