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Showrunner: | Ryan Murphy |
Num Episodes: | 11 |
Network: | FX |
Prev Season: | Roanoke |
Next Season: | Apocalypse |
Episode List: | List of American Horror Story episodes |
The seventh season of the American horror anthology television series American Horror Story, subtitled Cult, takes place in the fictional suburb of Brookfield Heights, Michigan, during the year 2017, and centers on a cult terrorizing the residents in the aftermath of Donald Trump winning the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It is a season that does not present supernatural elements. The smallest ensemble cast of the series, it includes Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Cheyenne Jackson, and Alison Pill, with all returning from previous seasons, except newcomers Lourd and Pill. This season marks the first to not feature cast mainstay Lily Rabe.
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for cable network FX, the series is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Cult was broadcast between September 5 to November 14, 2017, consisting of 11 episodes. Paulson, Peters, and Adina Porter received Saturn Awards nominations for their performances. Additionally, Paulson and Porter were nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie respectively at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, while Peters received a nomination for Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series at the 8th Critics' Choice TV Awards. The season is connected with Freak Show.
See main article: List of American Horror Story cast members.
See also: List of American Horror Story episodes.
On October 4, 2016, the series was renewed for a seventh cycle, which premiered on September 5, 2017.[1] [2] [3] Ryan Murphy confirmed that the season will be connected to Freak Show, but will be set in modern day.[4] In February 2017, on Watch What Happens Live, Murphy announced that the season would revolve around the 2016 U.S. election and suggested that it may feature a character based on President Donald Trump.[5] Murphy has said that the season will be representative of both sides of the political divide. He also said that he will be "illuminating and highlighting" groups of people he believes to be "ignored by the current [Trump] administration and who are afraid and feel terrorized that their lives are going to be taken away."[6]
It was later confirmed that the season would be set in the aftermath of the presidential election, with the first episode taking place on election night. Murphy explained it will be about "the fallout of that night, which to many people, from all sides of the camps is a horror story." He also revealed the season would not feature Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, stating "Horror Story is always about allegory, so the election is allegory." In April 2017, Murphy confirmed that archive footage of the election night would be used in the season premiere.[7]
Murphy revealed via Twitter that the details of the seventh season, including the title, would be revealed on July 20.[8] He also teased that the opening sequence of the series would return in this season, following its absence in Roanoke.[9]
On July 20, 2017, it was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con that the title of the season would be Cult. Murphy also revealed it would be set in Michigan, and confirmed it would consist of a total of 11 episodes, premiering on September 5, 2017. For the first time, the series did not air on Wednesdays but rather on Tuesdays. On August 3, 2017, online posters revealed the names of multiple characters of the season.[10] On August 21, 2017, the opening title sequence of the season was revealed, following its absence in the previous season.[11] That same month, Murphy confirmed that, contrary to the past seasons, Cult would not feature supernatural elements.[12]
During the Winter 2017 TCA Press Tour, series mainstays Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters were reported to be starring as the leads in the season.[4] [3] In March 2017, Billy on the Street host Billy Eichner was announced to be cast in the series, playing a role in the life of Paulson's character.[13] [14] His character is slated for appearing in "six or seven" episodes.[13] The next month, it was reported that Scream Queens actress Billie Lourd will also star in the seventh installment of the series.[15] [16] In May 2017, Leslie Grossman, who starred in Murphy's series Popular, joined the cast of the series,[17] and Angela Bassett hinted she may return in a recurring role.[18] Despite this, Bassett didn't appear, but she did direct the episode "Drink the Kool-Aid". Later that month, it was confirmed via set pictures that Adina Porter and Cheyenne Jackson were also returning.[19] [20] In June 2017, Murphy confirmed via his Instagram account that Colton Haynes, whom Murphy worked with previously on second season of Scream Queens, was joining the casting for the seventh season.[21] Later that month, set pictures revealed that Alison Pill was joining the cast of the season, seemingly portraying the partner of Sarah Paulson's character.[22] In July 2017, Murphy revealed via his Twitter account that Lena Dunham was joining the season.[23] She played Valerie Solanas, author of the SCUM Manifesto and attempted murderer of Andy Warhol, via flashbacks.[24] Murphy also confirmed the returns of Frances Conroy and Mare Winningham. Conroy has appeared in all the seasons except Hotel, while Winningham has appeared in Coven, Freak Show, and Hotel.[25] In August 2017, Murphy confirmed the return of Emma Roberts, who appeared in Coven and Freak Show,[26] while Roanoke actors Chaz Bono and James Morosini also confirmed their returns.[27] In the seventh episode, Murder House, Coven, and Freak Show actress Jamie Brewer returned to the show.
On June 26, 2017, it was confirmed that Lady Gaga would not return for the seventh season due to other projects.[28] Despite rumors, Entertainment Weekly reported on July 7, 2017, that Vera Farmiga, sister of American Horror Story actress Taissa Farmiga, would not appear in the season.[29] Later that month, it was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that Kathy Bates will not appear in Cult, after four seasons of regular appearances.[30]
Murphy also revealed via his Instagram account that Freak Show character Twisty the Clown would return in the seventh season, indicating that John Carroll Lynch would reprise his role.[31]
In February 2017, it was announced the season would begin principal photography in June 2017.[5] By the next month, filming was moved to May 2017.[13] On May 24, 2017, writer and producer John J. Gray confirmed the show started filming.[32]
On October 7, 2017, it was confirmed that the sixth episode of the season would be edited as a direct result of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that occurred on October 1, 2017. The episode originally featured a scene lasting 2 minutes and 16 seconds where Leslie Grossman's character Meadow Wilton begins to fire at Evan Peters' character, as well as a crowd, during a campaign speech. The episode was edited to de-emphasize the violence and to mostly have it featured completely off-screen[33] – as a result the opening sequence of the episode was cut in half, several on-screen deaths were removed and two separate close-up shots of the handgun firing were removed.[34]
While only the edited episode was broadcast on FX, the original uncut episode was released via VOD, FXNOW and FX+.
American Horror Story: Cult received mostly positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the season a 73% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.05/10, based on 49 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "American Horror Story: Cult intrigues with timely, over-the-top creepiness - and lots of clowns - despite being hampered by broad political generalizations and occasional holes in the narrative's logic."[35] On Metacritic, the season was given a score of 66 out of 100 based on 24 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews".[36]
See main article: List of awards and nominations received by American Horror Story.
In its seventh season, the series has been nominated for 25 awards, 3 of them were won.
class=unsortable | Year | Association | Category | width=40% | Nominee(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 8th Critics' Choice TV Awards[37] | Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series | Evan Peters | |||
70th Writers Guild of America Awards[38] | Long Form – Original | Brad Falchuk, John J. Gray, Joshua Green, Todd Kubrak, Crystal Liu, Tim Minear, Ryan Murphy, Adam Penn, James Wong | ||||
22nd Art Directors Guild Awards[39] | Television Movie or Mini-Series | Jeffrey Mossa | ||||
20th Costume Designers Guild Awards[40] | Excellence in Contemporary Television | Sarah Evelyn Bram | ||||
Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards 2018[41] | TV Miniseries or Movie Made for TV: Best Contemporary Make-Up | Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Silvina Knight | ||||
TV Miniseries or Movie Made for TV: Best Contemporary Hair Styling | Michelle Ceglia, Samantha Wade, Brittany Madrigal | |||||
TV Miniseries or Movie Made for TV: Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling | Michelle Ceglia, Samantha Wade, Julie Rael | |||||
TV Miniseries or Movie Made for TV: Best Special Make-Up Effects | Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, David Anderson | |||||
Commercials and Music Videos: Best Make-Up | Kerry Herta, Jason Collins, Christina Waltz | |||||
Commercials and Music Videos: Best Hair Styling | Nicki Alkire, Fernando Navarro, Stephanie Rives | |||||
16th Gold Derby Awards | Best Miniseries | American Horror Story: Cult | ||||
Best Miniseries/TV Movie Actor | Evan Peters | |||||
Best Miniseries/TV Movie Actress | Sarah Paulson | |||||
44th Saturn Awards | Best Horror Television Series | American Horror Story: Cult | ||||
Best Actress on Television | Sarah Paulson | |||||
Best Supporting Actor on Television | Evan Peters | |||||
Best Supporting Actress on Television | Adina Porter | |||||
29th GLAAD Media Awards[42] | Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series | American Horror Story: Cult | ||||
70th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie | Sarah Paulson | ||||
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or Movie | Adina Porter | |||||
70th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie | Michelle Ceglia, Samantha Wade, Brittany Madrigal, Julie Rael, Valerie Jackson, Joanne Onorio | ||||
Outstanding Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Michael Mekash, Silvina Knight, Carleigh Herbert | |||||
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Jeff Mossa, Rachel Robb Kondrath, Claire Kaufman | |||||
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup | Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, Kim Ayers, Silvina Knight, Christopher Nelson, Carleigh Herbert, Glen Eisner, David Leroy Anderson | |||||
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited/ Anthology Series, Movie or Special | Gary Megregian, Naaman Haynes, Steve M. Stuhr, Timothy A. Cleveland, Paul Diller, Mitchell Lestner, Sam Munoz, David Klotz, Noel Vought (for "Great Again") |
American Horror Story: Cult – The Complete Seventh Season | ||||
Set Details | Special Features | |||
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Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
[43] | [44] | [45] |