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Roanoke – American Horror Story

Play trailer Poster for Roanoke – American Horror Story Sep 2016 Horror Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
74% Tomatometer 160 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Young couple Shelby and Matt are tired of the problems of city life in Los Angeles and move to Roanoke Island, N.C, where they take up residence in an old farmhouse.
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American Horror Story — Roanoke

American Horror Story — Roanoke

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Critics Consensus

American Horror Story: Roanoke 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.

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Critics Reviews

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J. Bryan Lowder Slate 09/16/2016
This is all very fun, but I'm actually more excited -- at least for now -- by the show's format. Go to Full Review Inkoo Kang MTV 09/15/2016
Between the tensions among the trio and the potential resurrection of the documentary presentation, consider us teased and tempted back into the haunted house. Go to Full Review Jen Chaney New York Magazine/Vulture 09/15/2016
After watching last night's episode, I'm still not sure whether this season can accomplish what earlier seasons of American Horror Story and this summer's Stranger Things did: spin all those embedded references into something engrossingly new. Go to Full Review Matthew Brockmeyer Cultured Vultures 10/08/2019
Unfortunately, the writers only use this historical story as a mechanism for creating ghosts to torment the modern-day dwellers, and don't really take the time to explore the time period and story with the depth it deserves. Go to Full Review Britt Hayes ScreenCrush 06/19/2018
Here it seems that Murphy and his writers believe they have found a solution to the over-stuffed, gleefully excessive seasons of the past; instead, they've merely found a different approach to heavy-handed storytelling. Go to Full Review Isaac Feldberg We Got This Covered 09/15/2016
6/10
Despite its mockumentary format, this season of American Horror Story feels smaller and spookier than the last, like a campfire story read off a glowing smartphone that still manages to tap into our primitive fear: that of the great ghastly unknown. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Joe L @Hoagie1013 Apr 8 Absolutely loved the way they brought two different times together so well at the same location. See more Roger Wayne A @Rogeradams6oh6 Dec 29 A lot of people I know didn’t like this season but I thought it was very good. What’s scarier than a giant pig? Loved Kathy Bates character in this one! See more Vagner S @RT98188681 Nov 26 Despite some challenges in execution, Roanoke masterfully explored an old legend and managed to reinvent the series when it seemed to be declining after AHS: Hotel. An underrated season. See more Nicky A @RT02542971 Nov 24 I loved the documentary approach on this. It was really interesting and a great story line. See more Laurian D @Laurian Nov 8 Back on track. A supernatural story with relatable and likeable main characters. It derails a bit into tasteless gore during episodes 8 and 9, but the final episode makes up for that. A very thrilling and enjoyable ride. See more ludvig a @RT79348504 07/27/2025 This season started out fantastic. Yes, it has the tired trope of the loving couple buying a spooky house in the middle of nowhere that, of course, is evil. But the unnerving things that happen, the unsettling nature of these initial events, are truly scary and makes you wonder what the hell is going on. The backstories of different characters all work well and make sense. They're revealed at the right time and it heightens the threat, the stakes and the consequences. The characters are well written and you care about them. But as the fifth episode ends, so does everything good about this season. Those five episodes plotline should have been the entire season, but it is ended in this episode. In episode six, everything turns cynical, sarcastic and the characters you liked become stupid, vapid and terrible people as the show goes very 'meta' with itself and I think that was a horrible mistake on the writers part. Everything up to episode five: great. Everything after episode five: terrible. See more Read all reviews
American Horror Story — Roanoke

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Cast & Crew

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Kathy Bates

Agnes Mary Winstead

Sarah Paulson

Audrey Tindall

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Dominic Banks

Lily Rabe

Shelby Miller

André Holland

Matt Miller

Denis O'Hare

William van Henderson

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 14, 2016 Chapter 1 After being violently attacked in Los Angeles, Matt and Shelby Miller relocate to a secluded, old house in rural North Carolina and begin experiencing unexplainable, supernatural events. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 21, 2016 Chapter 2 Matt's sister, Lee, brings her young daughter Flora to visit the house; Matt and Shelby discover a root cellar that may contain answers to the mysteries of the house. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 28, 2016 Chapter 3 The search for Flora leads to disturbing secrets in the woods; a strange medium may be the family's last chance to find her. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 5, 2016 Chapter 4 Cricket learns the source of the settlers' power; an ancient evil threatens the Millers' lives. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 12, 2016 Chapter 5 The dark origins of the house come to light; Shelby and Matt experience a terrifying encounter with the Polks. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 19, 2016 Chapter 6 "My Roanoke Nightmare" producer Sidney Aaron James invites Matt, Shelby, Lee and the original cast members back to the house during the Blood Moon to shoot a follow-up season titled "Return to Roanoke: Three Days in Hell." Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 26, 2016 Chapter 7 Agnes makes a last ditch effort to be a part of the show; Shelby discovers the dark motives behind Matt's return to the house, the women's search for help leads them deep into the woods. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 2, 2016 Chapter 8 The Polk family holds Lee, Monet and Audrey captive; Shelby and Dominic plan their escape from the house. Details Episode 9 Aired Nov 9, 2016 Chapter 9 Audrey and Lee hatch a plan to rescue Monet from the Polk compound; a group of hikers explore the woods in search of the infamous Roanoke house. Details Episode 10 Aired Nov 16, 2016 Chapter 10 Lee stands trial for murder; famed Lana Winters steps out of retirement to interview Lee Harris; a team of Spirit Chasers breaks into the house during the blood moon. Details

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American Horror Story — Roanoke

American Horror Story American Horror Story American Horror Story American Horror Story CR: Frank Ockenfels/FX View more photos

Season Info

Synopsis Young couple Shelby and Matt are tired of the problems of city life in Los Angeles and move to Roanoke Island, N.C, where they take up residence in an old farmhouse.
Director
Elodie Keene, Nelson Cragg, Alexis Korycinski, Michael Goi, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Chambers Lynch, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Marita Grabiak, Bradley Buecker
Screenwriter
Tim Minear, Ryan Murphy, Akela Cooper, Ned Martel, Crystal Liu, James Wong, John J. Gray, Todd Kubrak, Brad Falchuk
Network
FX
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Horror, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 14, 2016