10 Scariest Episodes in American Horror Story, According to Reddit

Each season of this anthology series brings unique characters, plots, and eerie atmospheres to life, giving us shivers aplenty. But some episodes have genuinely risen above the rest, burrowing under our skin and haunting us long after we've switched off our TVs.

Here are the ten scariest AHS episodes to give you some sleepless nights, according to Reddit.

1. "Home Invasion" – Season 1, Episode 2

This episode, with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating of 92%, brings the chilling concept of home invasion to the fore. A group of deranged fans of the infamous "Nurse Murders" break into the Harmon house to recreate the brutal killings. With nerve-wracking scenes of suspense and a heart-stopping cat-and-mouse chase, this episode had stroked fear into the heart of Redditors, making viewers question the safety of their own homes, and AHS hasn't stopped doing just that ever since.

2. "Piggy Piggy" – Season 1, Episode 6

This episode features one of the most chilling school shooting scenes ever portrayed on television. Tate Langdon's violent breakdown and subsequent massacre at Westfield High is unnervingly real, played out in gut-wrenching detail. The scene, though brutal and horrifying, is integral to the series' storyline and serves as a dark revelation about Tate's character. The episode earned a high rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and left a lasting imprint on the psyche of viewers, showing the grim reality of school violence.

3. "I Am Anne Frank, Part 2" – Season 2, Episode 5

Season 2, titled "Asylum," arguably contains some of the most horrifying content in AHS history. This episode is a standout for its gripping storyline and intense performances, especially from Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson. In the disturbing conclusion to the Anne Frank story, Dr. Arden's sinister past is revealed, and the true horror of Briarcliff Manor is exposed. The episode, which holds an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, kept Redditors on the edge of their seats as it combined real historical horrors with fictional terror.

4. "The Name Game" – Season 2, Episode 10

Another one from the "Asylum" season, this episode is haunting in more ways than one. Jessica Lange's rendition of "The Name Game" song in the midst of a mental asylum was both disturbing and oddly heartbreaking. But it's the relentless electroconvulsive therapy scene that sears itself into our brains. With a potent blend of psychological and supernatural horror, this episode, which holds an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, takes the horror of AHS to a whole new level.

5. "Return to Roanoke: Three Days in Hell" – Season 6, Episode 6

In an innovative twist, the sixth season titled "Roanoke" delivered a show within a show. This episode marked the horrifying return to the haunted Roanoke house. What was initially presented as a dramatic reenactment turned into a deadly reality for the cast, blurring the line between fact and fiction. The tension is relentless, the scares are genuine, and the stakes are high, resulting in an episode that is truly terrifying.

6. "Welcome to Briarcliff" – Season 2, Episode 1

"Welcome to Briarcliff," the first episode of the "Asylum" season, gives us a bone-chilling introduction to the Briarcliff Manor. From the moment we step into the insane asylum with its stark hallways and nightmarish patients, we're thrust into an oppressive world of fear and madness. The terror only escalates as we encounter the menacing Sister Jude, the deranged patients, and the vile, unorthodox therapies. When the episode culminates in an encounter with the Raspers, mutated humans living in the forest around the asylum, the terror level shoots off the charts.

7. "Devil's Night" – Season 5, Episode 4

The fourth episode of "Hotel" – "Devil's Night" – plunges us into a horrifying dinner party hosted by Mr. March, the ghostly original owner of the hotel. The guest list comprises some of history's most notorious serial killers, from Aileen Wuornos to Richard Ramirez, creating an air of unease and dread.

The episode skillfully weaves together real-life horror figures into a narrative that's both shockingly terrifying and darkly fascinating. The bloody dinner, suffused with grotesque tales of murder and mayhem, is undoubtedly one of the scariest scenes of the entire series.

8. "Edward Mordrake, Part 2" – Season 4, Episode 4

"Edward Mordrake, Part 2," is an episode that uniquely combines historical lore with the supernatural terror of "Freak Show." The episode delves into the sorrowful backgrounds of the performers as Edward Mordrake, a ghostly figure with a second face on the back of his head, searches for a soul to add to his ghostly troupe.

The episode is packed with chilling moments, including Twisty the Clown's brutal backstory, but it's the tragic tales of the freak show members, mixed with the haunting presence of Mordrake, that make this episode truly disturbing.

9. "Chapter 9" – Season 6, Episode 9

In "Roanoke," the penultimate episode ramps up the horror with the reality TV contestants realizing the mortal peril they've walked into. As they scramble for survival against the vengeful spirits of the Roanoke house, the episode plays out like a terrifying found footage horror film. Each moment is fraught with tension, as characters meet their end in gruesome ways. The terror culminates in the gut-wrenching scene of a man's heart being ripped out, solidifying this episode as one of AHS's most terrifying.

10. "Orphans" – Season 4, Episode 10

This episode of "Freak Show" delivers a different kind of terror – the haunting despair and loneliness of the carnival performers. The death of one of their own sends ripples through their tight-knit community, leading to revelations of their pasts, including the heartbreaking story of Pepper and her sister.

The horrifying exploitation and discrimination faced by the 'freaks' offer a disturbing mirror to societal prejudices. "Orphans" does what AHS does best – blending human horrors with supernatural terror to create an episode that's as emotionally devastating as it is scary.