Many fans of American Horror Story know that this Netflix original is filled with binge-worthy episodes- if you can stomach them. However, something that isn’t too commonly known amongst fans is that this show bases its seasons and characters off of real-life events, and all of the seasons link back together.

If you’re not caught up, then spoiler alerts ahead because this is an analysis of American Horror Story’s storyline, as well as the connections between the seasons.

The show jumps back and forth through time as it connects the dots leading to the inevitable Apocalypse. Throughout each season, there are references to previous seasons and when something happens in one season, it affects the story in another. For example, the half-ghost baby born at the end of season 1 ends up being the main villain in season 8’s apocalypse, as is foretold before the baby is born in season 1. The coven members in season 3 also make appearances throughout the show.

The seasons are based on real events and characters, which is something I find incredibly fascinating. Murder House is based on haunted houses where lots of death and tragedy happened. Some of these houses had mysterious disappearances, mass murders, suicide, cults, etc.

Asylum looks into the treatment of patients in asylums that are now shut down because of their malpractice.

Coven links back to witch hunts and the treatment of women considered as witches, but with a modern perspective and more dramatized witchcraft.

Freak Show shows what actual freak shows were like, and dramatized versions of what happened when the “freaks” weren’t in the ring.

Hotel is interesting, because what haunted hotels are run by ghosts and vampires? Well, the Hotel Cortez is inspired by the Cecil Hotel in Chicago. While the Cecil Hotel isn’t run by ghosts, its history and the way people died are similar to the events shown in season 5.

Roanoke is one of my favorite seasons. It’s different from the other seasons, as it is filmed more like a documentary than an overdramatized show. Despite being dramatized, this season is more based on the events of the Roanoke house and more open about it than other seasons, which is awesome, in my opinion.

Cult is about events that happened more recently in 2016, with the murderous clown sightings and the election of Donald Trump. It portrays the die-hard fans of Trump as members of a cult, as they harass and torture someone who has many phobias.

Apocalypse is set in the future, and it connects all the previous seasons back together. It has the Antichrist, born in the Murder House, and it shows characters from previous seasons 1 through 5 and connects the seasons. It shows the events of a prophecy come true, as foretold by a medium in season 1. This doesn’t connect to real life, as it is told in the future, but it’s still fascinating.

The most recent season, 1984, shows more of the characters relating to real life. Specifically, with an assassin named The Night Stalker. At first, I thought that the Night Stalker was just a fancy character that the writers made to add some spice to the story until I found a documentary on Netflix about him.

Richard Ramirez, more commonly known as The Night Stalker, is a serial killer who is featured in the latest season of AHS. He was a brutal man who terrorized the streets of Los Angeles in 1984 and 1985. He was captured by police in 1985, convicted in 1989, and sentenced to 19 life sentences, and given the death sentence. His victims were of all ages, races, and backgrounds, but he earned his name because the crimes took place as victims slept. He died in 2013 while on death row at the age of 53 from B-cell lymphoma and other illnesses.

The connections in American Horror Story are what have made me love this show, despite the gory backgrounds and inspirations. It may be creepy, but this is one of my favorite shows of all time, and I would recommend it to anyone who can stomach it and interested in thriller, horror, and a little bit of American History if you can connect the dots.