document_title: M4 carbine

question_text: when did the army switch to the m4

question_tokens: when did the army switch to the m4

root

text: M4 carbine

text: History[edit]

text: Following the adoption of the M16 rifle, carbine variants were also adopted for close quarters operations. The CAR-15 family of weapons served through the Vietnam War. However, these carbines had design issues, as "the barrel length was halved" to 10 inches which "upset the ballistics", reducing its range and accuracy and "led to considerable muzzle flash and blast, so that a large flash suppressor had to be fitted".[9] "Nevertheless, as a short-range weapon it is quite adequate and thus, (despite) its caliber, (the XM177 "Commando") is classed as a submachine gun."[9] In 1984, Colt began work on a new carbine design called the XM4 combining the best features of the Colt Commando and later the M16A2 rifles.

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text: In 1984, the first model was made, and it was tested in May 1985. The first model have a Upper A1 Sight, and was given a shorter 11.5-barrel, but later it was giving a longer 14.5-inch barrel for the bayonet and the M203 Grenade Launcher. The second model was made in May 1986, and it was tested from May 1986 though May 1987, at the time it have a A2 Upper Sight, and it have the M16A2's 1:7 inch rifle twist, to use the heavier 62-grain M855 rounds. The extended barrel improved the XM4's ballistics, reduced muzzle blast and gave the XM4 the ability to mount a bayonet and the M203 grenade launcher. The XM4 was also given the cartridge deflector, as well as other minor refinements.[citation needed] In May 1991, the XM4 was renamed to the M4, and Colt made a manual. In 1994, the U.S. military officially accepted the M4 into service to replace M16A2s in certain roles.[10] The M4 carbine has also replaced most submachine guns and selected handguns in U.S. military service,[10] as it fires more effective rifle ammunition that offers superior stopping power and is better able to penetrate modern body armor.[citation needed]

text: The United States Marine Corps has ordered its officers (up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel) and staff non-commissioned officers to carry the M4 carbine instead of the M9 handgun.[11] This is in keeping with the Marine Corps doctrine, "Every Marine a rifleman". The Marine Corps, however, chose the full-sized M16A4 over the M4 as its standard infantry rifle. United States Navy corpsmen E5 and below are also issued M4s instead of the M9.[12] While ordinary riflemen in the Marine Corps were armed with M16A4s, M4s were fielded by troops in positions where a full-length rifle would be too bulky, including vehicle operators and fireteam and squad leaders. As of 2013, the U.S. Marine Corps had 80,000 M4 carbines in their inventory.[13][14]

text: By July 2015, major Marine Corps commands were endorsing switching to the M4 over the M16A4 as the standard infantry rifle, just as the Army had done. This is because of the carbine's lighter weight, compact length, and ability to address modern combat situations that happen mostly within close quarters; if a squad needs to engage at longer ranges, the M27 IAR can be used as a designated marksman rifle. Approval of the change would move the M16 to support personnel, while armories already had the 17,000 M4s in the inventory needed to outfit all infantrymen who needed one.[15] In October 2015, Commandant Robert Neller formally approved of making the M4 carbine the primary weapon for all infantry battalions, security forces, and supporting schools in the U.S. Marine Corps. The switch was to begin in early 2016 and be completed by September 2016.[16] In December 2017, the Marine Corps revealed a decision to equip every Marine in an infantry squad with the M27, replacing the M4 in that part of the service.[17]

text: Improved M4[edit]

text: On 1 July 2009, the U.S. Army took complete ownership of the M4 design.[18] This allowed companies other than Colt to compete with their own M4 designs. The Army planned on fielding the last of its M4 requirement in 2010.[18] On 30 October 2009, Army weapons officials proposed a series of changes to the M4 to Congress. Requested changes included an electronic round counter that records the number of shots fired, a heavier barrel, and possibly replacing the direct impingement system with a gas piston system.

text: The benefits of this, however, have come under scrutiny from both the military and civilian firearms community.[19][20] According to a PDF detailing the M4 Carbine improvement plans released by PEO Soldier, the direct impingement system would be replaced only after reviews were done comparing the direct impingement system to commercial gas piston operating system to find out and use the best available operating system in the U.S. Army's improved M4A1.[21]

text: In September 2010, the Army announced it would buy 12,000 M4A1s from Colt Firearms by the end of 2010, and would order 25,000 more M4A1s by early 2011. The service branch planned to buy 12,000 M4A1 conversion kits in early 2011. In late 2011, the Army bought 65,000 more conversion kits. From there the Army had to decide if it would upgrade all of its M4s.[22]

text: On 21 April 2012, the U.S. Army announced to begin purchasing over 120,000 M4A1 carbines to start reequipping front line units from the original M4 to the new M4A1 version. The first 24,000 were to be made by Remington Arms Company. Remington was to produce the M4A1s from mid-2013 to mid-2014.[23] After completion of that contract, it was to be between Colt and Remington to produce over 100,000 more M4A1s for the U.S. Army. Because of efforts from Colt to sue the Army to force them not to use Remington to produce M4s, the Army reworked the original solicitation for new M4A1s to avoid legal issues from Colt.[24] On 16 November 2012, Colt's protest of Remington receiving the M4A1 production contract was dismissed.[25] Instead of the contract being re-awarded to Remington, the Army awarded the contract for 120,000 M4A1 carbines worth $77 million to FN Herstal on 22 February 2013.[26][27] The order is expected to be completed by 2018.[28]

text: Army upgrades[edit]

text: The M4 product improvement program (PIP) is the effort by the U.S. Army to modernize its inventory of M4 service rifles. Phase I consists of converting and replacing regular M4s with the M4A1 version. This variant of the rifle is fully automatic and has a heavier barrel, and is given ambidextrous fire controls. Phase II of the PIP explored developing a new bolt carrier. 11 designs were submitted. The competition was scheduled to conclude in summer 2013, but ended in April 2012. Over six months of testing revealed that the current bolt carrier assembly outperformed the competing designs, especially in the areas of reliability, durability, and high-temp and low-temp tests. Phase II also includes a competition for a free-floating forward rail assembly. The Army may award contracts to up to three finalists in early 2013, with the selection of a final winner in early 2014. If the Army determines that the winning rail system should be procured, delivery of new rail is anticipated by the summer of 2014.[29]

text: In March 2015, the Army launched a market survey to see what the small-arms industry could offer to further enhance the M4A1 to an "M4A1+" standard. Several upgrade options include an extended forward rail that will allow for a free-floated barrel for improved accuracy with a low-profile gas block that would do away with the traditional triangular fixed front sight, removable front and rear flip-up back-up iron sights, a coyote tan or "neutral color" rail for reduced visual detection, a more effective flash suppressor/muzzle brake, an improved charging handle, and a new single-stage trigger module.[30] In June 2016, the M4A1+ was canceled after reviewing the offerings and determining that there were no major upgrades currently offered.[31]

text: Design[edit]

text: The M4 and its variants fire 5.56×45mm NATO (and .223 Remington) ammunition, and are gas-operated, magazine-fed, selective fire firearms with either a multi-position telescoping stock or a fixed A2 or LE tactical stock.[32]

text: The M4 is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 rifle, with 80% parts commonality.[33] The M4 is similar to much earlier compact M16 versions, such as the 1960s-era XM177 family. Some of those visual similiarities are obvious in both weapons.

text: As with many carbines, the M4 is handy and more convenient to carry than a full-length rifle. The price is slightly inferior ballistic performance compared to the full-size M16, with its 5.5" (14 cm) longer barrel. This becomes most apparent at ranges of 180 m (200 yards) and beyond.

text: While the M4's maneuverability makes it a candidate for non-infantry troops (vehicle crews, clerks and staff officers), it also makes it ideal for close quarters battle (CQB). The M4, along with the M16A4, have mostly replaced the M16A2 in the Army and Marines. The U.S. Air Force, for example, has transitioned completely to the M4 for Security Forces squadrons, while other armed personnel retain the M16A2. The US Navy uses M4A1s for Special Operations and vehicle crews.

text: Some features of the M4 and M4A1 compared to a full-length M16-series rifle include:

text:
Compact size
Shortened barrel 14.5 in (370 mm), which includes the shorter carbine gas system.
Telescoping buttstock

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text: However, there have been some criticisms of the carbine, such as lower muzzle velocities and louder report due to the shorter barrel, additional stress on parts because of the shorter gas system, and a tendency to overheat faster than the M16A2.

text: Accessories[edit]

text: Like all the variants of the M16, the M4 and the M4A1 can be fitted with many accessories, such as night vision devices, suppressors, laser pointers, telescopic sights, bipods, either the M203 or M320 grenade launchers, the M26 MASS shotgun, forward hand grips, and anything else compatible with a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail.

text: Other common accessories include the AN/PEQ-2 and AN/PEQ-15 multi-mode laser and light modules, Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), and M68 CCO. EOTech holographic weapon sights are part of the SOPMOD II package. Visible and IR (infrared) lights of various manufacturers are also commonly attached using various mounting methods. As with all versions of the M16, the M4 accepts a blank-firing attachment (BFA) for training purposes.

text: In January 2017, a USMC unit deployed with suppressors mounted to every infantry M4 service weapon. Exercises showed that having all weapons suppressed improved squad communication and surprise during engagements; disadvantages included additional heat and weight, increased maintenance, and the greater cost of equipping so many troops with the attachment.[34]

text: Feedramps[edit]

text: M4 feedramps are extended from the barrel extension into the upper receiver. This can help alleviate feeding problems which may occur as a result of the increased pressure of the shortened gas system of the M4. This problem is primarily seen in full-auto applications.

text: SOPMOD Block I[edit]

text: U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) developed the Special Operations Peculiar Modification (SOPMOD) Block I kit for the carbines used by units under its jurisdiction. The kit features an M4A1, a Rail Interface System (RIS) handguard developed by Knight's Armament Company, a shortened quick-detachable M203 grenade launcher and leaf sight, a KAC sound suppressor, a KAC back-up rear sight, an Insight Technologies AN/PEQ-2A visible laser/infrared designator, along with Trijicon's ACOG TA-01NSN model and Reflex sights, and a night vision sight. This kit was designed to be configurable (modular) for various missions, and the kit is currently in service with special operations units.

text: SOPMOD Block II[edit]

text: A second-generation SOPMOD kit (now known as SOPMOD II) includes innovative optics, such as the Elcan Specter DR, Trijicon's ACOG TA01 ECOS model, and the Eotech 553. Block II uses the RIS II rails manufactured by Daniel Defense in both a 9.5 and 12.5 length.

text: Variants[edit]

text: Except for the very first delivery order, all U.S. military-issue M4 and M4A1 carbines possess a flat-top NATO M1913-specification (Picatinny) rail on top of the receiver for attachment of optical sights and other aiming devices — Trijicon TA01 and TA31 Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights (ACOG), EOTech 550 series holographic sights, and Aimpoint M68 Close Combat Optic (M68 CCO) being the favorite choices — and a detachable rail-mounted carrying handle. Standards are the Colt Model 920 (M4) and 921 (M4A1).

text: Variants of the carbine built by different manufacturers are also in service with many other foreign special forces units, such as the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). While the SASR uses weapons of essentially the same pattern built by Colt for export (Colt uses different models to separate weapons for the U.S. military and those for commercial/export purposes), the British SAS uses a variant on the basic theme, the Colt Canada (formerly Diemaco) C8SFW.

text: M4 MWS (Modular Weapon System)[edit]

text: Colt Model 925 carbines were tested and fitted with the Knight's Armament Corporation (KAC) M4 RAS under the designation M4E2, but this designation appears to have been scrapped in favor of mounting this system to existing carbines without changing the designation. The U.S. Army Field Manual specifies for the Army that adding the Rail Adapter System (RAS) turns the weapon into the M4 MWS or Modular Weapon System.

text: The M4A1 carbine is a fully automatic variant of the basic M4 carbine intended for special operations use. The M4A1 was introduced in May 1991, and was in service in 1994. The M4A1 has a "S-1-F" (safe/semi-automatic/fully automatic) trigger group, while the M4 has a "S-1-3" (safe/semi-automatic/3-round burst) trigger group. The M4A1 is used by almost all U.S special operation units including, but not limited to, Marine Force Recon, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, United States Air Force Pararescue and Air Force Combat Control Teams. It has a maximum effective range of about 500 to 600 meters (550–660 yd).[6] The fully automatic trigger gives a more consistent trigger pull, which leads to better accuracy.[35] According to Mark A. Westrom, owner of ArmaLite, Inc., automatic fire is better for clearing rooms than burst fire.[36]

text: In the last few years, M4A1 carbines have been refitted or received straight from the factory with barrels with a thicker profile under the handguard. This is for a variety of reasons such as heat dissipation during full-auto, and accuracy as a byproduct of barrel weight. These heavier barrel weapons are also fitted with a heavier buffer known as the H2. Out of three sliding weights inside the buffer, the H2 possesses two tungsten weights and one steel weight, versus the standard H buffer, which uses one tungsten weight and two steel weights. These weapons, known by Colt as the Model 921HB (for Heavy Barrel), have also been designated M4A1, and as far as the government is concerned the M4A1 represents both the 921 and 921HB.

text: Conversion of M4s to the M4A1 began in 2014, the start of all U.S. Army forces being equipped with the automatic variant.[37] Though in service with special forces, combat in Afghanistan showed the need for providing automatic suppression fires during fire and movement for regular soldiers. The 101st Airborne Division began fielding new-built M4A1s in 2012, and the U.S. 1st Infantry Division became the first unit to convert their M4s to M4A1-standard in May 2014. Upgrades included a heavier barrel to better dissipate heat from sustained automatic firing, which also helps the rifles use the M855A1 EPR that has higher proof pressures and puts more strain on barrels. The full-auto trigger group has a more consistent trigger pull, whereas the burst group's pull varies on where the fire control group is set, resulting in more predictable and better accuracy on semi-automatic fire. Another addition is an ambidextrous selector lever for easier use with left-handed shooters. The M4-M4A1 conversion only increases weapon weight from 7.46 lb (3.38 kg) to 7.74 lb (3.51 kg), counting a back-up iron sight, forward pistol grip, empty magazine, and sling. Each carbine upgrade costs $240 per rifle, for a total cost of $120 million for half a million conversions. 300 conversions can be done per day to equip a brigade combat team per week, with all M4A1 conversions to be completed by 2019.[38][39]

text: Mark 18 CQBR[edit]

text: The Mk 18 Close Quarters Battle Receiver is an M4A1 with a 10.3-inch barrel upper receiver.[40] Current contractors for the Mark 18 are Colt and Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) NSN 1005-01-527-2288.

text: Enhanced M4[edit]

text: For the Individual Carbine competition, Colt submitted their Enhanced M4 design, also known as the Colt Advanced Piston Carbine (APC). The weapon has a suppression-ready fluted barrel, which is lighter and cools better than previous M4 barrels. It is claimed to have "markedly better" accuracy. To improve reliability, Colt used an articulating link piston (ALP) which "reduces the inherent stress in the piston stroke by allowing for deflection and thermal expansion".[41] In traditional gas piston operating systems, the force of the piston striking the bolt carrier can push the bolt carrier downwards and into the wall of the buffer tube, leading to accelerated wear and even chipped metal. This is known as carrier tilt. The ALP allows the operating rod to wiggle to correct for the downward pressure on the bolt and transfers the force straight backwards in line with the bore and buffer assembly, eliminating the carrier tilt. This relieves stress on parts and helps to increase accuracy.[42] The Individual Carbine competition was canceled before a winning weapon was chosen.[35]

text: Colt Commando[edit]

text: Though Colt has focused its attention on carbines with 14.5-inch barrels and rifles with 20-inch barrels, Colt continues to make carbines with 11.5-inch barrels, which it calls Commandos. The Colt Model 733, is their first design, and it was made in 1987. It was referred to as the M16A2 Commando, and later the M4 Commando. Unlike the XM177, the Colt Commando was a shorter variant of the M16A2. Originally, Commandos were assembled from whatever spare parts are available, so Model 733 Commandos could have A1-style upper receivers with case deflectors or A2-style upper receivers, and M16A1-profile 1:7 or M16A2-profile 1:7 barrels. Depending on the specific models, Commandos may have had three-position fire control groups (safe/semi-automatic/three-round burst), or four-position having both full-automatic and burst. The modern Model 933 has a "flattop" receiver, with a removable carrying handle and a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail, with semi-automatic and automatic fire. The Model 935 Commando has the features of the Model 933, but has three-round burst fire instead of automatic. Though originally called the M16A2 Commando, Colt markets them as the M4 Commando around 1995.

text: Armwest LLC M4[edit]

text: In 2014, American firearms designer Jim Sullivan provided a video interview regarding his contributions to the M16/M4 family of rifles when working for Armalite. A noted critic of the M4, he illustrates the deficiencies found in the rifle in its current configuration. In the video, he demonstrates his "Arm West LLC modified M4", with enhancements he believes necessary to rectify the issues with the weapon. Proprietary issues aside, the weapon is said to borrow features in his prior development, the Ultimax. Sullivan has stated (without exact details as to how) the weapon can fire from the closed bolt in semi-automatic and switch to open bolt when firing in fully automatic, improving accuracy. The weight of the cyclic components of the gun has been doubled (while retaining the weapon's weight at less than 8 pounds). Compared to the standard M4, which in automatic fires 750-950 rounds a minute, the rate of fire of the Arm West M4 is heavily reduced both to save ammunition and reduce barrel wear. The reduced rate also renders the weapon more controllable and accurate in automatic firing.[43]

text: Performance[edit]

text: The M4 carbine has been used for close quarters operations where the M16 would be too long and bulky to use effectively. It has been a compact, light, customizable, and accurate weapon. This has come at the cost of reliability and maintainability. Failure to maintain the M4 causes malfunctions. This became apparent as it saw continued use in the sandy environments of Iraq and Afghanistan.[44] Despite this, in post-combat surveys, 94 percent of soldiers rated the M4 as an effective weapons system.[45]

text: Early feedback[edit]

text: By late 2002, 89 percent of U.S. troops reported they were confident with the M4, but they had a range of problems. 34 percent of users said the handguards rattled and became excessively hot when firing, and 15 percent had trouble zeroing the M68 Close Combat Optic. 35 percent added barber brushes and 24 percent added dental picks to their cleaning kits. There were many malfunctions, including 20 percent of users experiencing a double feed, 15 percent experiencing feeding jams, and 13 percent saying that feeding problems were due to magazines. 20 percent of users were dissatisfied with weapon maintenance. Some had trouble locking the magazine into the weapon and having to chamber a round in order to lock the magazine. Soldiers also asked for a larger round to be able to kill targets with one shot. New optics and handguards made usage of the M4 easier, and good weapon maintenance reduced the number of misfeeds.[46]

text: 2006 CNA report[edit]

text: In December 2006, the Center for Naval Analyses released a report on U.S. small arms in combat. The CNA conducted surveys on 2,608 troops returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 12 months. Only troops who fired their weapons at enemy targets were allowed to participate. 917 troops were armed with M4 Carbines, making up 35 percent of the survey. 89 percent of M4 users (816 troops) reported they were satisfied with the weapon. 90 percent (825 troops) were satisfied with handling qualities such as handguards, size, and weight. M4 users had the highest levels of satisfaction with weapon performance, including 94 percent (862 troops) with accuracy, 92 percent (844 troops) with range, and 93 percent (853 troops) with rate of fire. Only 19 percent of M4 users (174 troops) reported a stoppage, while 82 percent of those that experienced a stoppage said it had little impact on their ability to clear the stoppage and re-engage their target. 53 percent of the M4 users (486 troops) never experienced failures of their magazines to feed. 81 percent (743 troops) did not need their rifles repaired while in theater. 80 percent (734 troops) were confident in the M4's reliability, defined as level of soldier confidence their weapon will fire without malfunction, and 83 percent (761 troops) were confident in its durability, defined as level of soldier confidence their weapon will not break or need repair. Both factors were attributed to high levels of soldiers performing their own maintenance. 54 percent of M4 users offered recommendations for improvements. 20 percent of requests were for greater bullet lethality, and 10 percent was better quality magazines, as well as other minor recommendations. Some M16 users expressed their desire to be issued the M4.[47] Some issues have been addressed with the issuing of the improved STANAG magazine in March 2009,[48][49] and the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round in June 2010.[50]

text: 2007 dust test[edit]

text: In the fall 2007, the Army tested the M4 against three other carbines in "sandstorm conditions" at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: the Heckler & Koch XM8, Fabrique Nationale de Herstal SOF Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) and the Heckler & Koch HK416. Ten of each type of rifle were used to fire 6,000 rounds each, for a total of 60,000 rounds per rifle type.[51] The M4 suffered far more stoppages than its competitors: 882 stoppages, 19 requiring an armorer to fix. The XM8 had the fewest stoppages, 116 minor stoppages and 11 major ones, followed by the FN SCAR with 226 stoppages and the HK416 with 233.[52][53]

text: Despite 863 minor stoppages—termed "class one" stoppages which require 10 seconds or less to clear, or "class two" stoppages which require more than ten seconds to clear—the M4 functioned well, with over 98 percent of the 60,000 total rounds firing without a problem. The Army said it planned to improve the M4 with a new cold-hammer-forged barrel to give longer life and more reliable magazines to reduce the stoppages. Magazine failures caused 239 of the M4's 882 failures. Army officials said the new magazines could be combat-ready by spring if testing went well.[54] The Army began issuing an improved STANAG magazine in March 2009.[48][49]

text: According to the Army, the M4 only suffered 296 stoppages, and said that the high number reported could be attributed to discrepancies in the scoring process. The Army testing command stated that if the number of stoppages caused by a broken part met some threshold, they would be eliminated from the final report pending redesign of the part. Colt also claimed that the testing conditions were unfair to the M4, as the M4s used in the test were normal guns from active inventory, with remaining service life varying randomly. Further, the trial M4s had burst-mode fire groups, which are more complicated and prone to failure than the fully automatic fire groups the other manufacturers presented for testing.[55]

text: There were three extreme dust tests performed in 2007. The 2nd Summer 2007 results showed a large difference from the later fall test with the M4 having 148 class 1 stoppages due to rifle malfunctions and 148 class 1 stoppages due to magazine stoppages. The full-size M16 rifle had a total of 61 stoppages during the same extreme dust test.[56]

text: Reliability[edit]

text: In early 2010, two journalists from the New York Times spent three months with soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan. While there, they questioned around 100 infantrymen about the reliability of their M4 Carbines, as well as the M16 rifle. Troops did not report to be suffering reliability problems with their rifles. While only 100 troops were asked, they fought at least a dozen intense engagements in Helmand Province, where the ground is covered in fine powdered sand (called "moon dust" by troops) that can stick to firearms. Weapons were often dusty, wet, and covered in mud. Intense firefights lasted hours with several magazines being expended. Only one soldier reported a jam when his M16 was covered in mud after climbing out of a canal. The weapon was cleared and resumed firing with the next chambered round. Furthermore, a Marine Chief Warrant Officer reported that with his battalion's 700 M4s and 350 M16s, there were no issues.[57]

text: The reliability of the M4 has increased as the design was upgraded. In 1990, the M4 was required to fire 600 mean rounds between stoppages using M855 ammunition. In 2013, the current M4A1 version can fire 1,691 mean rounds between stoppages using M855A1 ammunition.[58]

text: During the 2009 Marine Corps Infantry Automatic Rifle testing the Colt IAR displayed a MRBS of CLASS I/II Stoppages of 952 rounds, with a MRBEFF of Class III Stoppages of 60,000 rounds.[59]

text: Gas piston[edit]

text: An array of firearms accessory makers have offered gas piston conversion kits for the M4. The claimed benefits include less needed lubrication for the bolt carrier group to run reliably and reduced fouling.[60] The argument against it is increased weight and reduced accuracy.[citation needed] The Enhanced M4 uses an articulating link piston operating system.

text: Complicating the Army search for higher reliability in the M4 is a number of observations of M4 gas piston alternatives that suffer unintended design problems. The first is that many of the gas piston modifications for the M4 isolate the piston so that piston jams or related malfunction require the entire weapon be disassembled, such disassembly cannot be performed by the end user and requires a qualified armorer to perform out of field, whereas almost any malfunction with the direct-impingement system can be fixed by the end user in field. The second is that gas piston alternatives use an off-axis operation of the piston that can introduce carrier tilt, whereby the bolt carrier fails to enter the buffer tube at a straight angle, resulting in part wearing. This can also tilt the bolt during extraction, leading to increased bolt lug failures. The third is that the use of a sound suppressor results in hot gases entering the chamber, regardless of a direct-gas impingement or gas piston design choice. The gas piston system may also cause the firearm to become proprietary to the manufacturer, making modifications and changes with parts from other manufacturers difficult.[20][61]

text: Manufacturers[edit]

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text:
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Lewis Machine and Tool Company in Milan, Illinois, US
Bushmaster Firearms International, US
U.S. Ordnance, US
Remington Arms Company, US
THOR Global Defense Group, US
Daniel Defense in Black Creek, Georgia, US
Forjas Taurus São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
FN Herstal, Belgium.
SME Ordnance, Malaysia[62]
Sarsılmaz, Turkey[63]

text: Trademark issues[edit]

text: The M4 was developed and produced for the United States government by Colt Firearms, which had an exclusive contract to produce the M4 family of weapons through 2011.[64] However, a number of other manufacturers offer M4-like firearms. Colt previously held a U.S. trademark on the term "M4".[65] Many manufacturers have production firearms that are essentially identical to a military M4, but with a 16" barrel. The Bushmaster M4 Type Carbine is a popular example. Civilian models are sometimes colloquially referred to as "M4gery" (/ɛmˈfɔːrdʒəri/ em-FOR-jə-ree, a portmanteau of "M4" and "forgery"). Colt had maintained that it retains sole rights to the M4 name and design. Other manufacturers had long maintained that Colt had been overstating its rights, and that "M4" had now become a generic term for a shortened AR-15. In April 2004, Colt filed a lawsuit against Heckler & Koch and Bushmaster Firearms, claiming acts of trademark infringement, trade dress infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin, false advertising, patent infringement, unfair competition, and deceptive trade practices. Heckler & Koch later settled out of court, changing one product's name from "HK M4" to "HK416". However, on December 8, 2005, a District court judge in Maine granted a summary judgment in favor of Bushmaster Firearms, dismissing all of Colt's claims except for false advertising. On the latter claim, Colt could not recover monetary damages. The court also ruled that "M4" was now a generic name, and that Colt's trademark should be revoked.[66]

text: Users[edit]

text:
Afghanistan: Used only by Afghan Army commandos.[67][68] M4s sold as part of a 2006 Foreign Military Sales package.[69] Additional M4s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70]
 Albania: Used by Albanian Land Force 2015.[71]
 Antigua and Barbuda: M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Argentina: Used by Argentine Army, Argentine Navy and Argentine National Gendarmerie[72]
 Australia: Used by the Special Operations Command, Clearance Divers.[73]
 Bolivia[citation needed]
 Bosnia & Herzegovina: M4A1s used by the military and air guard units.[70]
 Bangladesh: Used by Bangladesh Army Paracommandos, Dhaka Metropolitan Police SWAT teams and Special Warfare Diving And Salvage.[74][75]
 Bahrain: M4A1s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Belize: M4s/M4A1s sold as part of a 2006 Foreign Military Sales package.[69] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Brazil: Used by Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State,[76] the Brazilian Federal Police and Special Forces of the Brazilian Army and Brazilian Navy.[77]
 Canada: Used by various police units.[78] License made copies continue to be developed by Colt Canada, a successor to DIEMACO, and are known collectively as the C8 carbine.
 Croatia: User since 2003, several hundred purchased for Croatian ISF contingent as well as special forces in Croatia.[79]
 Czech Republic: Bushmaster M4A3 B.M.A.S. is used by (601st Special forces group, Military police, 43rd Airborne mechanized battalion) of Czech Army.[80]
 Colombia: M4A1s as part of a 2008 Foreign Military Sales.[70] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Ecuador: M4s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70]
 El Salvador: M4s sold as part of a 2007 Foreign Military Sales package.[81] Additional M4s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70]
 Georgia: Bushmaster AR-15 and M4 for police and military. A concept analogue, the G13 carbine was developed by the Scientific Technical Center Delta in 2012.[82][83][84] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Ghana[85][86][87]
 Greece: Used by EKAM, All SF Army, Navy, Airforce units.[88]
 Hungary: M4A1 SOPMOD by Hungarian MH 34th Bercsényi László special operation battalion[89] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 India: M4A1s as part of a 2008 Foreign Military Sales.[70] M4A1 is used by the Mizoram Armed Police, PARA, MARCOS, Garud and Force One of the Mumbai Police.[90][91]
 Indonesia: Used by Detachment 88 Counter-terrorism Police Squad operators.[92] Also used by Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) tactical diver group and Komando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) special forces group.[93]
 Iraq: Used by the Iraqi Army.[94] Main weapon of the Iraqi National Counter-Terrorism Force.[95] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]

 Iraqi Kurdistan[citation needed]

 Israel: Sold as part of a January 2001 Foreign Military Sales package to Israel.[96]
 Italy: Special Forces[97]
 Jamaica: M4s sold as part of a 2007 Foreign Military Sales package.[81]
 Japan: M4A1s as part of a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] M4A1 SOPMOD rifles are in use by the Japanese Special Forces Group.[98]
 Jordan: M4s sold as part of a 2007 Foreign Military Sales package.[81] Additional M4s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Lebanon: M4 components being sold to Lebanese special forces.[99] M4/M4A1s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Liberia: Used by Liberian Emergency Response Unit.[citation needed]
 Macedonia: M4s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70]
 Malaysia: Made under license by SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd.[62] Used by military and police special forces,[100]
   Nepal: Sold as part of a 2005 Foreign Military Sales package.[101]
 New Zealand: Used by NZSAS operators and standard issue to New Zealand Police including Special Tactics Group and Armed Offenders Squad units.[102][103][104]
 Pakistan: M4A1 variant used by Special Services Group of the Pakistan Army and special Security Unit of sindh police.[105][106] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Palestinian Authority: Used by Palestinian security forces.[107][better source needed]
 Panama: M4A1s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] More M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Philippines: Colt M4/M4A1s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70] New orders for 63,000 R4A3 rifles from Remington Arms for the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps.[108][109] Several units also used by the Defense Intelligence and Security Group.[110]
 Poland: Used by Wojska Specjalne military unit JW Grom.[111]
 Portugal: Used by Marines special forces DAE (Destacamento de Acções Especiais).[112]
 Romania: M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Russia: Used captured Georgian M4s by the Spetsnaz in the 2008 Russian-Georgian War.[113]
 Senegal: M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Serbia: Used by various police units.[114]
 Singapore: Used by the Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation.[115]
 Slovakia: M4/M4A1s announced to be sold via FMS program in 2017.[72]
 Taiwan: Used by Republic of China Army and National Police Agency[116]
 Thailand: M4A1s sold as part of a 2006 Foreign Military Sales package.[69]
 Tonga: M4/M4A1s sold as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales package.[70]
 Turkey: Produced under licence by Sarsılmaz Arms.[63] Used by Turkish Armed Forces[117][unreliable source?]
 United Arab Emirates: Purchased 2,500 M4 carbines in 1993.[118]
 United States[119]
 Yemen: M4s sold as part of a 2006 Foreign Military Sales package.[69]

text: U.S. civilian ownership[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Sales of select-fire or fully automatic M4s by Colt are restricted to military and law enforcement agencies. Only under special circumstances[vague] can a private citizen own an M4 in a select-fire or fully automatic configuration.[citation needed] While many machine guns can be legally owned with a proper tax stamp from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, an amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 barred the transfer to private citizens of machine guns made or registered in the U.S. after May 19, 1986. The only exception was for Special Occupational Taxpayers (SOT): licensed machine gun dealers with demonstration letters, manufacturers, and those dealing in exports and imports. As such, only the earliest Colt M4 prototypes built prior to May 19, 1986 would be legal to own by civilians not in the categories mentioned.[citation needed] The modular nature of the AR-15 design, however, makes it a relatively simple matter to fit M4-specific components to a "pre-'86" select-fire AR-15 lower receiver, producing an "M4" in all but name.

text: The M4 falls under restrictions of Title II (National Firearms Act): the 14.5 inch barrel makes the M4 a Short Barrel Rifle (SBR) and select fire capability (semi-automatic and full automatic or burst-automatic) makes the M4 a machinegun. Civilian replicas of the M4 typically have 16 inch barrels (or standard 14.5 inch M4 barrels with permanently attached flash suppressors to bring the effective length to 16 inches) and are semi-automatic-only to meet the legal definition of a rifle under Title I (Gun Control Act). Civilian-legal M4s are also popular with police as a patrol carbine.


document_title: American Horror Story

question_text: how many series are there of american horror story

question_tokens: how many series are there of american horror story

text: American Horror Story

text: Episodes[edit]

text: SeasonTitleEpisodesOriginally airedFirst airedLast aired1Murder House12October 5, 2011 (2011-10-05)December 21, 2011 (2011-12-21)2Asylum13October 17, 2012 (2012-10-17)January 23, 2013 (2013-01-23)3Coven13October 9, 2013 (2013-10-09)January 29, 2014 (2014-01-29)4Freak Show13October 8, 2014 (2014-10-08)January 21, 2015 (2015-01-21)5Hotel12October 7, 2015 (2015-10-07)January 13, 2016 (2016-01-13)6Roanoke10September 14, 2016 (2016-09-14)November 16, 2016 (2016-11-16)7Cult11September 5, 2017 (2017-09-05)November 14, 2017 (2017-11-14)8ApocalypseTBASeptember 12, 2018 (2018-09-12)TBA

text: Murder House (2011)[edit]

text: Set in the year 2011, the season follows the Harmons, consisting of psychiatrist Ben (Dylan McDermott), his wife Vivien (Connie Britton), and their teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga), as they move from Boston to Los Angeles to make a fresh start after Vivien's miscarriage led to Ben having an affair with one of his students, which almost tore their family apart. They move into a restored mansion and soon encounter the residence's housekeeper, Moira O'Hara (Frances Conroy and Alexandra Breckenridge), as well as their neighbors – the eccentric Langdon family consisting of Constance (Jessica Lange) and her daughter Adelaide (Jamie Brewer). The Harmons' lives are troubled by the meddling Langdons, the incompetent realtor Marcy (Christine Estabrook), as well as by the disfigured Larry Harvey (Denis O'Hare), a former resident of the mansion who is secretly in love with Constance, and the scorned Hayden McClaine (Kate Mara), Ben's student who follows him to Los Angeles and is pregnant from their affair. Ben and Vivien try to rekindle their relationship as Violet, suffering from depression, finds comfort with Tate (Evan Peters), the ghost of Constance's psychopathic son. The family soon discovers that the home is haunted by the ghosts of anyone who has ever died on the property, including its creators Charles (Matt Ross) and Nora Montgomery (Lily Rabe); and their deformed son Thaddeus (Ben Woolf). Flashbacks depict the mansion's previous homeowners throughout the last century, dating back to its construction in the 1920s.

text: Asylum (2012–13)[edit]

text: Set in the year 1964, the season follows the patients and staff members of the church-owned Briarcliff Manor, located in Massachusetts, which was founded to treat and house the criminally insane. Kit Walker (Evan Peters), accused of being prolific serial killer "Bloody Face" after the disappearance of his wife Alma (Britne Olford)—though he claims she was abducted by aliens—is incarcerated at Briarcliff. This piques the interest of ambitious journalist Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson), who is yearning to find a story for her big break. At Briarcliff, Kit meets the other patients, many of whom claim to be unjustly institutionalized, including microcephalic Pepper (Naomi Grossman), who was framed for her nephew's murder; nymphomaniac Shelley (Chloe Sevigny); and the unassuming Grace Bertrand (Lizzie Brocheré) from France, who appears to be harboring a deep secret of her own. Believed to be a violent serial killer, he becomes the subject of interest of pragmatic psychiatrist Oliver Thredson (Zachary Quinto) and the sadistic Dr. Arthur Arden (James Cromwell), the latter of whom routinely conducts scientific operations on patients. The institution is run under the watchful eye of the stern Sister Jude (Jessica Lange), as well as her second-in-command, the naive Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe), and the founder of the institution, Monsignor Timothy Howard (Joseph Fiennes). Briarcliff's inhabitants are routinely subject to supernatural and scientific influences, including demonic possession and extraterrestrial abduction.

text: Coven (2013–14)[edit]

text: Set in the year 2013, the season follows the dwindling descendants of the witches who survived the Salem Witch Trials and their struggle to hide their identity in the modern world. Those who share this genetic affliction are being subjected to violent attacks from outside forces, such as religious townspeople and witch hunters. Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga), a young teenager completely unaware of the existence of witches, discovers her identity as a Salem descendant after a violent accident that causes the death of her boyfriend. She is sent to an all-girls boarding school in New Orleans which aims to protect and house young women who carry this unique bloodline, and keep them from the dangers of the outside world. There, she meets the other students, narcissistic film star Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts), outspoken Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), and enigmatic Nan (Jamie Brewer), and gets romantically entangled with Kyle Spencer (Evan Peters), a non-witch and good-natured college student. The school is run by headmistress Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson), head of the Witches Council and eccentric fashionista Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy), and the mute butler Spalding (Denis O'Hare). Cordelia's mother, Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange), is the Supreme and most powerful witch of her generation, though she regularly avoids her responsibilities, much to the chagrin of Cordelia and her long-time rival Myrtle. After a mob of townspeople discover and nearly kill a young witch living in the swamps named Misty Day (Lily Rabe), Fiona returns to the school to ensure the safety of the other young witches, but also to fulfill her own hidden agenda. Events reveal a long-held rivalry between the witches of Salem and the voodoo practitioners of New Orleans, as well as a historic grudge between Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) and socialite serial killer Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates).

text: Freak Show (2014–15)[edit]

text: Set in the year 1952, the season follows a struggling freak show led by Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) in the quiet town of Jupiter, Florida. Decades have passed since the public has looked upon freak shows as a form of entertainment, but Elsa dreams of finding a home for her "monsters", as well as for her own fame and fortune. Other members of her troupe include Jimmy Darling (Evan Peters), a boy born with syndactyly who dreams of living a normal life, and his mother Ethel (Kathy Bates), a bearded lady who is Elsa's second-in-command by maintaining law and order under the tent. A strongman from Ethel's troubled past named Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis), and his three-breasted wife Desiree Dupree (Angela Bassett), make waves when they arrive to join the freak show. To drum up business and save her troupe once and for all, Elsa also recruits conjoined twin sisters Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson) to perform for her show. In a time when the era of television is beginning to reign high above sideshow acts, these individuals must overcome those who persecute them based on their looks. However, as events unfold, it is revealed that multiple dark entities have taken up residence in Jupiter, with all of their eyes being set on the freaks. A conman named Stanley (Denis O'Hare), posing as a Hollywood executive, arrives with his young protege Maggie Esmerelda (Emma Roberts), with the intention of murdering the freaks and sending their bodies to a museum for profit. The wealthy and spoiled Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock), enabled by his doting mother Gloria (Frances Conroy), develops an unhealthy obsession with the freaks, particularly Bette and Dot. Perhaps most dangerous of all is a mysterious, deformed killer clown, only known as Twisty (John Carroll Lynch), who wreaks havoc among the town and appears to be targeting freaks and townspeople alike.

text: Hotel (2015–16)[edit]

text: Set in the year 2015, the season follows the strange and dangerous happenings that seem to center around the retro Hotel Cortez in downtown Los Angeles, California, initially built as a secret torture chamber to fulfill the violent desires of founder James March (Evan Peters). Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley) arrives at the hotel, based on intel from an anonymous tip, to investigate a grisly string of murders, each of which exemplify a sin in violation of one of the Ten Commandments. He has become estranged from his wife Alex (Chloe Sevigny), who suffers from depression, and his daughter Scarlett (Shree Crooks), after the disappearance of their son Holden (Lennon Henry). As the season unfolds, the Lowes discover that the disappearance of Holden may be related to the strange activities at the hotel, led by March's fashionista widow Elizabeth Johnson (Lady Gaga), also known as the Countess—who was turned into a vampire by her former lovers, actor Rudolph Valentino (Finn Wittrock) and his wife Natacha Rambova (Alexandra Daddario)—and her current lover Donovan (Matt Bomer). Throughout his investigation, John also becomes entangled with the spirits of heroin junkie named Sally (Sarah Paulson), hotel maid Hazel Evers (Mare Winningham), and James March, who is looking for a protege to continue the violent acts he started when he was alive. The hotel's tireless staff includes the surly front desk manager Iris (Kathy Bates), Donovan's mother who took the job to be close to her son, and her best friend, the transgender bartender Liz Taylor (Denis O'Hare), both of whom hesitantly cater to Elizabeth and her vampiric children. Elizabeth's relationship with Donovan becomes troubled with the arrival of male model and cocaine addict Tristan Duffy (Wittrock), New York fashion designer Will Drake (Cheyenne Jackson), and her scorned ex-lover Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett), all of whom become entangled in her violent life.

text: Roanoke (2016)[edit]

text: Set in the years 2014-2016, the season follows the supernatural events that occur in a renovated farmhouse in North Carolina, which is situated on the land where the Roanoke Colony moved after their infamous 1580s disappearance. In 2015, Shelby Miller (Lily Rabe), her husband Matt (André Holland), along with Matt's sister Lee Harris (Adina Porter) recount their harrowing experience living in the farmhouse a year prior in a popular documentary series titled My Roanoke Nightmare, including their encounters with the ghosts of the house's previous residents, the violent ghosts of the Roanoke Colony, the cannibalistic Polk family who live nearby, and the beautiful, yet terrifying Celtic goddess, Scáthach (Lady Gaga). The documentary becomes a huge success, featuring dramatic reenactments of the Millers' story starring Audrey Tindall (Sarah Paulson) as Shelby, Dominic Banks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) as Matt, Monet Tumusiime (Angela Bassett) as Lee, Agnes Mary Winstead (Kathy Bates) as Thomasin White, leader of the ghost colony, Audrey's husband Rory Monahan (Evan Peters) as Edward Philippe Mott, the creator and first owner of the house, William van Henderson (Denis O'Hare) as Dr. Elias Cunningham, a professor who becomes entranced with the paranormal happenings of the area, and Dylan (Wes Bentley) as Ambrose White, Thomasin's son and accomplice. In 2016, the success of the documentary leads to a sequel titled Return to Roanoke: Three Days In Hell, spearheaded by the producer of the original series, Sidney Aaron James (Cheyenne Jackson), who invites the Millers, as well as many of the reenactment actors, to return to the farmhouse for three days, where all their actions will be captured by hidden cameras. Although the Millers are aware of the entities that reside in the house, all three agree to return, each with their own agenda. The production eventually descends into disaster, however, as cast and crew alike are quickly targeted when the violent entities begin to surface.

text: Cult (2017)[edit]

text: Set in the year 2017, the fictional town of Brookfield Heights, Michigan, is left divided upon the wake of Donald Trump's presidential election. Local restaurant owner Ally Mayfair-Richards (Sarah Paulson) is left utterly distraught, along with her wife Ivy (Alison Pill). Despite the help of her psychiatrist, Dr. Rudy Vincent Anderson (Cheyenne Jackson), Ally becomes increasingly unstable in the following weeks, her long repressed phobias begin to re-emerge, and they begin to affect her relationships with her wife as well as their son Oz (Cooper Dodson). Across town, misogynistic alt-righter Kai Anderson (Evan Peters) rejoices at the election results, enticing him to pursue political power by running for city council, led by Bebe Babbitt (Frances Conroy), an old-school feminist, with the help of his reluctant, liberal sister Winter (Billie Lourd), who was also hired by the Mayfair-Richards household as their nanny. As Ally attempts to adjust to regular life despite her growing anxiety and paranoia, she becomes terrorized by a group of masked assailants in clown attire who are only present when she is alone, leaving those around her to wonder if she was truly attacked, or if they were merely hallucinations. Kai's faithful followers include Ally's eccentric neighbors Harrison (Billy Eichner) and Meadow Wilton (Leslie Grossman), newscast reporter Beverly Hope (Adina Porter), rogue detective Jack Samuels (Colton Haynes), as well as local grocery cashier Gary K. Longstreet (Chaz Bono). With Kai's rise to power revealing sinister motives, Ally starts to draw connections between her alleged clown attackers and the many strange incidents occurring in Brookfield Heights. She begins to fear that everyone in town is out to get her, amplifying her growing distrust of those around her, especially her neighbors.

text: Apocalypse (2018)[edit]

text: In the year 2020, nuclear holocaust breaks out and results in the collapse of human civilization. Billionaire-heiress Coco St. Pierre Vanderbilt (Leslie Grossman), her personal assistant Mallory (Billie Lourd), hairstylist Mr. Gallant (Evan Peters) and Gallant's grandmother Evie (Joan Collins) board a private jet and are taken to a secret underground bunker known as Outpost 3, where they meet fellow survivors Dinah Stevens (Adina Porter), Andre (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman), Timothy Campbell (Kyle Allen) and Emily (Ash Santos). Wilhelmina Venable (Sarah Paulson) and Miriam Mead (Kathy Bates) run the Outpost with an iron fist, punishing its residents for all manners of indiscretions, including unauthorized copulation. After 18 months, Emily and Timothy, who were selected by the "Cooperative" for their unique genetic makeup, have established a secret relationship, and along with the other survivors are living off a single gelatinous cube of nutrients per day. Before long, Michael Langdon (Cody Fern), the Antichrist, arrives at the Outpost to evaluate the necessity of its survivors, and lead the valuable ones to the "Sanctuary". It is soon that the Outpost is shaken up by the arrival of Cordelia Goode, Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) and Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy) as well as the other Coven witches, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), Misty (Lily Rabe) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe). Their arrival not only changes the course of the season but also provides the background and events leading up to the apocalypse, with the inclusion of characters from Murder House.

text: Future seasons[edit]

text: On January 12, 2017, the series was renewed for a ninth season, with a two-season renewal alongside Apocalypse.[7] Subsequently, on August 3, 2018, the series was renewed for a tenth season.[8]

text: Production[edit]

text: Conception[edit]

text:
What you saw in the finale was the end of the Harmon house. The second season of the show will be a brand-new home or building to haunt. Just like this year, every season of this show will have a beginning, middle and end. [The second season] won't be in L.A. It will obviously be in America, but in a completely different locale.
– Murphy on the series' anthology format[9]

tag: div

text: Creators Murphy and Falchuk began working on American Horror Story before their Fox series Glee began production. Murphy wanted to do the opposite of what he had done previously and thus began his work on the series. He stated: "I went from Nip/Tuck to Glee, so it made sense that I wanted to do something challenging and dark. And I always had loved, as Brad had, the horror genre. So it just was a natural for me."[10] Falchuk was intrigued by the idea of putting a different angle on the horror genre, stating that their main goal in creating the series was to scare viewers. "You want people to be a little bit off balance afterwards," he said.[11]

text: In February 2011, FX officially announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, with both Murphy and Falchuk writing and Murphy directing. Dante Di Loreto was announced as executive producer. Production on the series began in April 2011.[12] In July 2011, FX officially announced the project had been picked up to series.[13]

text: From the beginning, Murphy and Falchuk planned that each season of the series would tell a different story.[9] After the first season finale aired, Murphy spoke of his plans to change the cast and location for the second season.[14] He did say, however, that some actors who starred in the first season would be returning. "The people that are coming back will be playing completely different characters, creatures, monsters, etc. [The Harmons'] stories are done. People who are coming back will be playing entirely new characters," he announced.[9] In November 2012, FX chief executive, John Landgraf, described the unique format of the series stating: "[T]he notion of doing an anthological series of miniseries with a repertory cast – has proven groundbreaking, wildly successful and will prove to be trendsetting."[15]

text: At the 2013 PaleyFest, Falchuk compared the series to horror films: "It does demand a little bit of compassion at the end because you fall in love with these characters in a different way than you would in a movie," he said. "If you want to kill everybody in a movie except one person, you can kind of get away with that, but if you're looking to do a horror TV show, you have a different responsibility to the characters because the audience has a different affection for them."[16]

text: Murphy then explained the process of planning a series' season takes about a year. "We come up with story first and then we come up with the characters," he said. "It is a repertory company, so we'll move people around and sometimes there won't yet be a role for somebody. Like when we started [the second season], I really had no idea that Dylan [McDermott] would be the person to play Sarah's son, but the deeper we got, I thought, that would work great."[16]

text: In an August 2015 article for Entertainment Weekly, Murphy revealed that the show is mulling producing two seasons a year. The first being broadcast in the spring and the second in the fall. He explained, "We're doing something that we've never done before on the show where we're doing two different groups of writers rooms. Some of our writers will be bouncing around but a whole different group coming in late August. The next thing we’re crafting up is very, very different than [Hotel]. Not smaller. But just not opulent. More rogue and more dark."[17]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Connie Britton was first to be cast in the series, portraying female lead Vivien Harmon on Murder House.[18] Denis O'Hare joined second as Larry Harvey.[19] Jessica Lange soon followed as Constance, her first regular role on television.[20] Dylan McDermott joined the cast soon after Lange as the male lead Ben Harmon.[21] Taissa Farmiga and Evan Peters were the last actors to be added to the main cast, portraying Violet Harmon and Tate Langdon, respectively.[22]

text: In March 2012, Murphy revealed that the second season had been planned around Jessica Lange, who portrays Sister Jude, a sadistic nun who runs the asylum.[23] Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe and Zachary Quinto also return, with the latter three joining the main cast.[24] Peters portrays Kit Walker, an inmate accused of murdering his wife.[25] Paulson portrays Lana, a lesbian reporter who gets committed to the asylum because of her sexuality and intent to snoop around the sanitarium.[26] Rabe's character is Sister Mary Eunice, clumsy second-in-charge to Sister Jude.[27] Quinto portrays Dr. Thredson, a psychiatrist at the asylum.[28][29] Lizzie Brocheré stars as Grace Bertrand, a character described originally as "a fierce, ferocious, extremely sexual, and dangerous wild-child sexpot", but the role was later heavily revamped.[30][31] James Cromwell co-stars as Dr. Arthur Arden, who proclaims to be in charge of the asylum and performs dark experiments on its patients.[32][33][34] Joseph Fiennes starred as Monsignor Timothy Howard, a possible love interest for Sister Jude.[34][35][36]

text: For the third season, series executive producers and co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk stated that, as with the second season, "many actors" would return in different roles, beginning with Jessica Lange.[37] Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson were confirmed to return, portraying Kyle Spencer and Cordelia Foxx, respectively. Murphy added that Lange would portray a "real glamour-cat lady", later revealed to be named Fiona Goode.[38] Taissa Farmiga, Violet in the first season, starred as Zoe Benson, a character that is involved in a prominent romance during the season.[39] Lily Rabe co-starred as Misty Day.[40] Recurring cast member Frances Conroy joined as a main cast member, playing the character of Myrtle Snow.[39] Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates was confirmed to co-star. It was first reported that she would portray "a woman who, at the start, is Lange's character's best friend, but will become her worst enemy", but this was altered.[41] Murphy stated that Bates' character will be "five times worse than [her] Misery character" and is also inspired by a "true event". She portrayed Madame Delphine LaLaurie, an immortal racist.[42] It was announced in May 2013 that Emma Roberts had been added to the cast. Roberts played Madison Montgomery, a "self-involved party girl".[43] In July 2013, season one alum Denis O'Hare also joined the cast in an unknown role,[44] later revealed as Spalding.

text: In November 2013, Ryan Murphy confirmed that Jessica Lange would be returning for a fourth season, although in a reduced capacity. It was later revealed she would be playing Freak Show owner Elsa Mars.[45] Kathy Bates returned in a main role, portraying bearded lady Ethel Darling.[46] On March 29, 2014, Murphy announced that Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy, Emma Roberts, Denis O'Hare, and Angela Bassett would all return for the fourth season.[47] Paulson portrayed conjoined sisters Bette and Dot Tattler; Peters portrayed "Lobster Boy" Jimmy Darling; Conroy played the well-off Gloria Mott; Bassett portrayed three-breasted hermaphrodite Desiree Dupree; and O'Hare played Stanley, a conman working with Roberts' Maggie Esmerelda. At PaleyFest 2014, it was revealed that Michael Chiklis would be joining the cast as Dell Toledo, the father of Jimmy, ex-husband of Ethel, and current husband of Desiree.[48] Finn Wittrock later joined the main cast as Gloria's spoiled son, Dandy Mott.

text: For the series' fifth cycle, singer-songwriter Lady Gaga was announced as the first and newest main cast member on February 25, 2015.[49] After a special guest appearance on the previous season, Matt Bomer joined the fifth season's cast along with series newcomer Cheyenne Jackson during PaleyFest 2015.[50] Chloë Sevigny and Wes Bentley were promoted as main cast members, after they appear as recurring special guests in Asylum and Freak Show respectively.[51] Murphy later announced the returns of Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Angela Bassett.[52] In June 2015, it was announced Denis O'Hare would also return for the fifth season.[53] In August 2015, Murphy announced the character roles for the cast: Gaga's Elizabeth Johnson also known as "The Countess", a fashionista vampire who owns the Hotel Cortez; Jackson's Will Drake, a desperate fashion designer; O'Hare's Liz Taylor, a transgender bartender who works at the hotel's Blue Parrot Lounge bar; Sevigny's Alex Lowe, a pediatrician who was the wife of Bentley's John Lowe, a detective who investigates the murders inside the hotel; Bomer's Donovan, the lover to the Countess whom often had conflict with his mother and hotel manager, Bates' Iris; Bassett's Ramona Royale, a former actress who was the former lover of Elizabeth; Paulson's Sally, a drug addict who had a rivalry with Iris and forms a bond with John since his visit in the hotel.[54] Peters co-starred as serial killer James Patrick March and the original hotelier of the Hotel Cortez.

text: In February 2016, Angela Bassett confirmed she would return to join the main cast of the sixth season during an interview with Larry King.[55] Denis O'Hare announced that he will also appear in the season in a May 2016 interview.[56] In June 2016, Cheyenne Jackson, Evan Peters, Wes Bentley, and Kathy Bates announced their returns for the sixth season.[57][58][59] In August 2016, Sarah Paulson announced that she would return to the series in the sixth season and Ryan Murphy announced that Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. had joined the main cast.[60][61] In September 2016, the full main cast was announced after the first episode with the inclusion of André Holland and returning series veteran Lily Rabe.[62] On Halloween 2016, Murphy announced that Paulson's Asylum character, Lana Winters would also appear in the series after the recent appearance of the actress' first role Billie Dean Howard from Murder House in the final episode of the fifth season.[63][64]

text: For the seventh season, Paulson and Peters were set to return to the series, as announced during the Winter 2017 TCA Press Tour.[65] Billie Lourd, who made her breakout appearance with Murphy in 2015, was confirmed to join the main cast in April, while Jackson was the next series regular to return in the next month.[66][67][68] In June, Alison Pill was announced to co-star in the season, portraying the partner of Paulson's character.[69]

text: On October 2017, Paulson announced that she'll return for the series' eighth cycle. [70] The next year, Peters was announced to appear in the main cast while Bates returned to the series after Roanoke, leading the season with Paulson.[71] Jackson confirmed he will return while Adina Porter was promoted to the series' main cast after her first appearance in Murder House as well as Leslie Grossman since Cult.[72] Lourd later returned to the main cast the next month. [73] On June, Roberts announced that she'll reprise her Coven character Madison Montgomery in the eighth season.[74] The next month, Australian actor Cody Fern was cast as the adult Michael Langdon who was last seen at the first series' final episode.[75]

text: Filming[edit]

text: The pilot episode was shot on location in a house in Country Club Park, Los Angeles, California, which serves as the haunted house and crime scene in the series. Designed and built in 1908 by Alfred Rosenheim, the president of the American Institute of Architects' Los Angeles chapter, the Tudor or Collegiate Gothic-style single family home was previously used as a convent.[76][77] The first season was filmed on sets which are an exact replica of the house.[78] Details such as Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows and hammered bronze light fixtures were re-created to preserve the look of the house.[76]

text: Production and shooting for the second season began in late July 2012 for a scheduled premiere in mid October.[79] The exteriors for the second season were filmed in Hidden Valley, Ventura County, California, a rural area outside Los Angeles, although the season took place in Massachusetts.[80]

text: Principal photography for the third season began on July 23, 2013,[81] in New Orleans, Louisiana.[82][83] It was first reported that the season would film in multiple locations, but filming primarily took place in New Orleans.[84]

text: Principal photography for the fourth season began on July 15, 2014, in New Orleans, though the story takes place in Jupiter, Florida.

text: Principal photography for the fifth season began on July 14, 2015, in Los Angeles, California, where the story also takes place.[85] Murphy revealed a six-story hotel set was being built on the Fox lot. A dummy set of the hotel was built at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con, showing an Art Deco style building from the 1920s, inspired by the old Hollywood era.[86]

text: Filming for the sixth season began on July 6, 2016 at Santa Clarita, California.[87] Set constructions include a colonial settler home to speculate the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony.[88]

text: Filming for the seventh season was originally planned to begin in Orange, California on June 2017 before it was moved to May instead.[89][90]

text: Filming for the eighth season is set to begin on June 16, 2018.[91]

text: Title sequences[edit]

text: American Horror Story's title screens offer vague hints to important plot elements and events that compose each season. For Murder House, Murphy described the sequence as a mini-mystery and stated that: "By the time you see the ninth episode of this season, every image in that title sequence will be explained," establishing the purpose of the title sequence for future seasons.[92]

text: The opening title sequence was created by Kyle Cooper and his company Prologue. He also created the title sequence for the AMC series The Walking Dead and the 1995 film Seven. The theme music was composed by sound designer Cesar Davila-Irizarry and musician Charlie Clouser.[93] The cinematography was done by Juan Ruiz Anchía and the editing by Gabriel J. Diaz.

text: For Murder House, the sequence is set in the Harmons' basement and includes images of postmortem young children, fetuses in jars, skulls, a christening dress, a nurse's uniform, and a figure holding a pair of bloody hedge clippers. A photo of alleged axe murderer Lizzie Borden is also shown.

text: Asylum's opening sequence is done by the same creative team. "We are shooting a new title sequence with the same team that did last year's," series creator Ryan Murphy said. "The song may stay... not sure."[94] The music was kept, and the new title sequence was set around the Asylum, using shots of inmates raving and surgeons operating on patients with bandages obscuring their faces. Elements include a young girl walking backwards on her hands and feet up a staircase and a shot of the Virgin Mary's smile changing from one of benevolence to one of spite.

text: Coven's opening sequence keeps the same music, and this sequence is the first one to be filmed primarily outside and not in an enclosed location. Shots include figures wearing black robes and capirotes, a bony-skeleton creature with wings and shots of dead goats, the Minotaur from the season also appears. For the first time, there are actual backgrounds that appear with the actor names instead of an all-black background, some of these images include witches hanging and Santa Muerte. Other elements include a black man with piercing eyes and a disturbing smile as well as voodoo dolls. The final shot continues after the figures in black capirotes seize one of their own who is later seen burning at a stake where young, dress-clad witches dance around.

text: Freak Show's opening sequence changed things up, the series theme music remains intact albeit with an added carnival-like soundscape. The sequence is composed of both CGI and stop-motion animation and features strange characters such as a skeleton chimera of a human being and an elephant riding a bicycle, a skeleton of what appears to be a single head but two bodies, a devil-like man, a boy in a wheel chair with deformed legs, a character with severe syndactyly of the hands and feet, a clown who can twist his head around, a woman with a third leg where her genitalia should be, and a demonic cymbal-banging monkey toy. There are also shots of side show attractions like the Human Blockhead, knife throwing and sword swallowing. The main recurring element features a balloon twister popping balloons with a knife.

text: Hotel's opening sequence also was very different from previous seasons', taking a more biblical approach. The font, while remaining the same as the first four seasons, glow in red against a hotel wallpaper. The Ten Commandments are also shown throughout the video. The intro returns to live-action like the first three seasons. Visuals include many people scrubbing blood all over the walls and the floor, strange things shown through peepholes, people being victims to the hotel, little kids running around the hotel, as well as many different creatures.[95]

text: Roanoke featured no title sequence or opening credits, instead opting for a simple title card from the first season, Murder House, while the series theme music plays over the end credits. At the end of the finale's credits, the title of the season "American Horror Story: Roanoke" was revealed.

text: In the development of Cult, Murphy confirmed that the opening sequence will return. Cult's opening sequence features the series theme music played by a marching band. The sequence is live-action. Visuals include: a gang of clowns rises from a casket, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton masks, a George Washington statue, a dead dog killed by toxic gas, a Merry Go Round, bloody hands that cannot be washed, beehive, toxic smoke released from a grenade, holes in several forms, bloody US flag with sound of a xylophone playing The Star-Spangled Banner, blood covered couple having sex and a handcuffed pinky promise. Clowns also appear throughout the sequence.

text: Apocalypse's opening sequence features the original theme music from the first three seasons. Red and white are the main colors, visually representing Murder House and Coven. The sequence includes images of nuclear disaster and sketches of demons fusing together. Others visuals include candles burning, snakes, skulls of both humans and goats, a scorpion, a blooming flower, and photos of nuclear-testing documents. Visuals from the title sequences of both season 1 and season 3 are also included with slight alterations, including the skeletal winged creature in the forest (Coven), the nurse's blouse (Murder House), a picture of a baby that has been set on fire (Murder House), and the goat skulls (Coven). It is notable that many images are shown in reverse.

text: The title sequence for all seasons of the show use a variation of the Willow typeface that very closely resembles a style for which Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh was known.[96]

text: Promotion[edit]

text: As part of the promotion for the series, FX launched a "House Call" campaign, in which viewers at home could sign up and come face-to-face with a character from the series.[97] Prior to the series premiere, FX released several clues to shine light on the series. They were offered on the show's official YouTube channel. Ten clues were released.[98] In September 2011, FX launched a website which allows visitors to tour the Murder House throughout the decades and look for clues.[99]

text: In August 2012, the first promo for the second season was released on the American Horror Story Facebook page entitled "Special Delivery", in which a nun carries a couple of buckets filled with body parts through a field. As a church bell rings, the nun empties one bucket's bloody contents, leaving the empty bucket behind, and resumes her trek.[100] Over 20 subsequent teasers were released.[101] Four photos were also released on EW.com.[102] Two televised teasers, titled "Meet the Residents", were released on August 31, 2012. They feature the patients and some staff (such as Dr. Thredson, played by Zachary Quinto, and Sister Mary Eunice, played by Lily Rabe) lying in twin beds and dealing with their individual issues as the heads of the asylum (Jessica Lange, Joseph Fiennes and James Cromwell) look on. The song "Que Sera, Sera", mixed with the show's theme music, plays.[103] To promote Cult, a competition was set up where fans who donated to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles could get a chance to get a walk-on role in an episode, and lunch with Evan Peters.[104]

text: Universal's Halloween Horror Nights[edit]

text: On August 16, 2016, FX announced a deal had been struck to feature an American Horror Story exhibit at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando for their Halloween Horror Nights. The maze will feature sets and themes from Murder House, Freak Show, and Hotel. Universal said of the experience, "Twisted scenes from Murder House will unleash the evil spirits that possess the Harmon estate, spiraling guests through decades of the tortured dead who previously resided there. In Freak Show, guests will join a troupe of biological misfits in a sinister sideshow where they'll be stalked by the murderous and deformed Twisty the Clown. Finally, guests will succumb to the warped desires of The Countess after checking into the haunted Hotel Cortez, conceived from the beginning as a torture chamber for its customers."[105]

text: In 2017, the show returned as haunted attractions to both parks, with Universal Orlando having an attraction based on Asylum, Coven, and Roanoke, and Universal Studios Hollywood basing their attraction solely on Roanoke.

text: Broadcast[edit]

text: The series premiered on October 5, 2011, and is broadcast on the cable television channel FX in the United States. In November 2011, it premiered internationally on the respective countries' Fox Networks Group. The first season premiered on October 5, 2011, and concluded on December 21, 2011. The second season premiered on October 17, 2012, and concluded on January 23, 2013. The third season premiered on October 9, 2013, and concluded on January 29, 2014. The fourth season premiered on October 8, 2014, and concluded on January 21, 2015. The fifth season premiered on October 7, 2015, and concluded on January 13, 2016. The sixth season premiered on September 14, 2016, and concluded on November 16, 2016. The seventh season premiered on September 5, 2017, and concluded on November 14, 2017. The latter three seasons premiered on the same day and same time with the American broadcasts on FX in Canada, though the first season followed a slightly different schedule as that network launched on October 31, 2011. The series is aired in India on STAR World Premiere HD shortly after its U.S. airing. Along with it, it airs on FX India on standard definition.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text:
Season

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes

Metacritic

Murder House

73% (39 reviews)

62 (30 reviews)

Asylum

84% (44 reviews)

65 (23 reviews)

Coven

84% (35 reviews)

71 (24 reviews)

Freak Show

79% (34 reviews)

69 (19 reviews)

Hotel

64% (48 reviews)

60 (24 reviews)

Roanoke

76% (14 reviews)

72 (9 reviews)

Cult

73% (46 reviews)

66 (24 reviews)

Apocalypse

93% (62 reviews)

63 (6 reviews)

text: The first season of American Horror Story: Murder House received generally positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 74% of 38 critics gave the first season a positive review. The site's consensus stated: "Convoluted yet effective, American Horror Story is strange, gory, and twisted enough to keep viewers hooked."[106] The first season scored 62 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 30 reviews.[107] Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly awarded the pilot episode a B+, stating: "AHS is pretty much all scare, all the time: a whole lotta screams, sex, jolts, mashed faces, psychotic behavior, and dead babies."[108] Hank Stuever from The Washington Post said in his review that: "Overdoing things is one of Murphy's trademark flaws, but this show has a captivating style and giddy gross-outs."[109] Not all reviews were favorable: Alan Sepinwall of HitFix gave the series a D−, saying: "It is so far over the top that the top is a microscopic speck in its rearview mirror, and so full of strange sounds, sights and characters that you likely won't forget it – even though many of you will wish you could."[110] Sepinwall would later go on to call it one of the worst TV shows of 2011.[111] The Los Angeles Times' Mary McNamara gave it a mixed review, stating that it "collapses into camp... upon more than one occasion" but also noting that it is "hard to look away."[112]

text: The second season, American Horror Story: Asylum, received mostly positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 84% of 43 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus is: "American Horror Story: Asylum crosses boundaries to shock and scare with sexy subplots and some innovative takes on current social issues."[113] It scored 65 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 23 reviews.[114] James Poniewozik from Time stated: "AHS: Asylum feels like a more focused, if equally frenetic, screamfest. It's also gorgeously realized, with a vision of its '60s institution setting so detailed you can smell the stale air and incense."[115] Maureen Ryan of The Huffington Post said: "It's to the credit of Asylum's writers, directors and cast that the emotional pain of the characters often feels as real as their uncertainty and terror."[116] Verne Gay from Newsday gave the season a C grade, stating it "has some good special effects, just not much of a story to hang them on."[117] Linda Stasi of the New York Post thought the season was "over the top," adding: "I need to enter [an asylum] myself after two hours of this craziness."[118]

text: The third season, American Horror Story: Coven, received positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 84% of 34 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus reads: "A noteworthy ensemble cast combined with creepy storytelling and campy, outrageous thrills make American Horror Story: Coven a potently structured fright-fest."[119] It scored 71 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 24 reviews, the highest score for the show to that point. Not all reviews were positive, however, with criticism focused mainly in regards to the progression of both the story and certain character arcs in the second half of the season. The A.V. Club gave this season the low rating of a D+, with critic Todd Van DerWerff remarking: "It lurched drunkenly from idea to idea, never settling on one long enough to build anything of worth."[120]

text: The fourth season, American Horror Story: Freak Show, received mostly positive reviews. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 79% of 32 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus is: "Though it may turn off new viewers unaccustomed to its unabashed weirdness, Freak Show still brings the thrills, thanks to its reliably stylish presentation and game cast."[121] It scored 69 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 19 "generally favorable" reviews.[122]

text: The fifth season, American Horror Story: Hotel, received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 63% of 43 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus is: "Favoring garish style over effective storytelling, the fifth American Horror Story strands a talented cast at Ryan Murphy's Hotel." Audience reception on the same website was also mixed, with 57% of viewers giving the show a favorable review.[123] Hotel scored a 60 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 24 "mixed or average" reviews.[124]

text: The sixth season, American Horror Story: Roanoke, received positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 78% of 13 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus is: "American Horror Story: My Roanoke Nightmare takes a surprising turn away from prior AHS formats, revisiting the deliberate pace of earlier seasons on a spookier, smaller scale, even if the true-crime format feels overdone."[125] It scored a 72 on Metacritic based on six reviews.[126]

text: The seventh season, American Horror Story: Cult, received generally positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 73% of 47 critics gave the season a positive review. The site's consensus is: "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."[127] It scored a 66 on Metacritic based on 24 "generally favorable" reviews.[128]

text: The eighth season, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, received positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 93% of 105 critics gave the season a positive review.[129] It scored a 63 on Metacritic based on 6 "generally favorable" reviews.[130]

text: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have been credited with creating a series that increases both the LGBT creators and storylines in the industry. Harriet Earle has stated that they utilize "the formal structure of the serialized anthology...to present serial narratives made by and about 'queers,' openly subverting gender and sexual norms that define the majority of television".[131]

text: Ratings[edit]

text: The pilot episode of American Horror Story was watched by 3.2 million viewers and averaged a 1.6 rating in the 18–49 years adult demographic, the most sought after by advertisers.[132] These were the best numbers FX had ever received for a series premiere.[133] The episode was seen by 3.2 million total viewers in 59 countries.[134] Ratings increased as the season progressed, with the season finale being watched by 3.22 million viewers and receiving a 1.7 ratings share in the 18–49 years adult demographic.[135] The series premiere aired in November 2011 across Europe and Latin America on Fox International Channels, and ranked as first or second most watched telecast in its timeslot among all paid television in most metered markets.[134] "Numbers so strong, it's scary. American Horror Story has brought droves of new viewers to a killer global lineup", said Hernan Lopez, the president of Fox International Channels.[134]

text: The second season's premiere gained a 2.2 18–49 ratings share and gathered 3.85 million viewers,[136] marking the highest numbers for the series.[137] By the season's sixth episode, the numbers dropped to a series-low 0.9 18–49 ratings share and 1.89 million viewers;[138] however, they rebounded to above two million viewers for the subsequent episodes,[139][140] and reached 2.29 million viewers for the season's finale.[141] The premiere of the fifth season of the series became the second most-watched telecast in the network's history, only behind the premiere episode of the previous season, which was watched by 6.13 million viewers.[142] The show was subsequently renewed for another season; John Landgraf, the CEO of the network, commented on the show's success by saying that American Horror Story, the network's highest rated series, "has unquestionably joined the ranks of television's landmark series."[143] In 2016, a New York Times study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found that "unlike a lot of shows about the supernatural", American Horror Story was "more popular in cities, but also throughout parts of the Southwest".[144]

text:
Season
Timeslot (ET)

Episodes

First aired

Last aired
TV season
Avg. viewers(millions)

Date

Viewers(millions)

Date

Viewers(millions)

1
Wednesday 10:00 p.m.

12

October 5, 2011

3.18

December 21, 2011

3.22
2011–12
2.82

2

13

October 17, 2012

3.85

January 23, 2013

2.29
2012–13
2.53

3

13

October 9, 2013

5.54

January 29, 2014

4.24
2013–14
4.00

4

13

October 8, 2014

6.13

January 21, 2015

3.27
2014–15
3.85

5

12

October 7, 2015

5.81

January 13, 2016

2.24
2015–16
2.89

6

10

September 14, 2016

5.14

November 16, 2016

2.45
2016–17
2.93

7
Tuesday 10:00 p.m.

11

September 5, 2017

3.93

November 14, 2017

1.97
2017–18
2.22

8
Wednesday 10:00 p.m.

TBA

September 12, 2018

3.08

TBA

TBD
2018–19
TBA

text: Accolades[edit]

text: American Horror Story has won 73 of its 303 award nominations. The franchise has garnered 28 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, with Jessica Lange winning for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie, James Cromwell winning for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, and Kathy Bates winning for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. It received an additional 50 Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations, winning eleven times, including Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie, Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, and Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special.[145] It has received nine Golden Globe Award nominations, with Lange winning for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film,[146] and Lady Gaga winning for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film.[147] The series has also received three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, with Lange winning for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.[148] Additional accolades include eighteen Critics' Choice Television Awards nominations, with four wins,[149] the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Miniseries,[150] four Costume Designers Guild Awards nominations, winning three times,[151] eight wins out of ten nominations at the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild,[152] five People's Choice Awards nominations, winning once,[153] and eleven Satellite Awards nomination, with three wins.[154]

text: Spin-off[edit]

text: On October 7, 2014, it was announced that FX had ordered a 10-episode spin-off[155] titled American Crime Story, developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski.[156] While each season of American Horror Story focuses on a new horror theme, each season of American Crime Story focuses on a new true crime story. The series features American Horror Story cast members Sarah Paulson, Connie Britton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Finn Wittrock and Cody Fern.