What Was The Inspiration Behind Ryan Murphy’s ‘American Horror Story’ Series? – TheThings

It's clear that Murphy is a fan of the horror genre and knows a lot about it.

Famous for creating the musical TV showGlee, whichpeople say is cursed because of the tragediessurrounding the actors, Ryan Murphy has had a long career in television. Murphy has anet worth of $150 million and one of his most recent shows isRatchedon Netflix.

Murphy is also known for his anthology seriesAmerican Horror Story.From the first season which starred Connie Britton and featured a haunted house, to the most recent 80's set season about slasher movies, every new season is creative and terrifying.

Keep reading to find out the inspiration behind this interesting horror TV anthology series.

Fans are curious about season 10 of American Horror Story, and there aren't a ton of details available yet, so in the meantime, let's look at how this amazing show came to be.

Ryan Murphy loves Halloweenand, according toTV Guide, this is one reason that he wanted to make this TV show.

Murphy shared with the publication he believed there was a ghost in his bedroom and that instead of being freaked out by that, he called it "weird" and said it's "a really cool presence." He also shared that the spooky holiday was almost his birthday: he said,"I was supposed to be born on Halloween. I didn't come out on my due date."

Murphy also shared his love of the Autumn season and the horror genre: "I love that feeling of the fall in October, watching scary movies."

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Ryan Murphy toldCollider.comthat he didn't want the show to be too gory, so he was careful with the first season. He said,I always felt that its interesting to write a horror show for women, not that thats the only people that it will appeal to." He said that his mom is a fan of "scary movies that arent so in-your-face. Thats what were aiming for."

He shared that his other inspirations includedDark Shadowssince it deals with themes of "marriage and obsession" and also the movieDon't Look Now. He's also a fan of Stephen King'sThe Shining.

According toTV Guide, the first season ofAmerican Horror Storywas inspired by moving to California andthe realization that people have lived in that home before. He explained, "No matter where you go, no matter where you live, you will be dealing with someone who was there before you and their memories and their traumas and their lives."

Co-creator Brad Falchuk also said it's a "haunted house" because the couple, played by Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott, were dealing with an affair. He said, "It's not just the haunted house, it's about the loss of your home. It's about not feeling safe in the most safe place," according toTV Guide.

If the first season was inspired by taking the haunted house story and adding more depth, the second season took place in an asylum.Other seasons focused on the circus,a coven of witches, and the world of horror movies from the 1980s.

Murphy talked about the episodes he lovesand he shared withEntertainment Weeklythat he loved the episode of theCultseason called "Great Again." That season was influenced by the political climate in the United States, and he explained, "Many crew members were openly sobbing the day we shot that, months after the election."

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It's always good news when a TV show is popular enough to get a spin-off. According toPeople, Ryan Murphy shared the news of a spin-off ofAmerican Horror Storyin May 2020 and said he had been on a zoom call with the cast.

In November 2020, Murphy tweetedmore information abouta spin-off series calledAmerican Horror Stories. He wrote, "It's the AHS spin-off. We are doing 16 one hour stand-alone episodes delving into horror myths, legends, and lore...many of these episodes will feature AHS stars you know and love. More to follow..."

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In 2012, Ryan Murphy worked with some talented actresses for a horror movie-themed photoshoot forElle. Taissa Farmiga dressed up as the protagonist fromWhen A Stranger Calls, and Murphy talked about how the "horror trope" of a killer being in the house and phoning the main character was "so unexpectedly daring and brazen, you almost felt betrayed by the phone company." Kate Mara also dressed up for aCarriethemed picture.

It's clear that Murphy is a fan of the horror genre and knows a lot about it, and that's why hisAmerican Horror Storyanthology series has become so popular. It's very well-crafted and fans can't wait for season 10, as well as the spin-off.

NEXT:Intertwined: How Each Season Of American Horror Story Is Connected

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Aya Tsintziras writes about travel and pop culture. She loves watching TV, coffee, barre classes, and avocado. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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What Was The Inspiration Behind Ryan Murphy's 'American Horror Story' Series? - TheThings