Four days after the three-episode premiere of American Horror Story: 13, the numbers look like they belong to two different shows.
On Rotten Tomatoes the audience score sits at a historic low of 40 percent — the worst any season of the series has ever received. On Hulu and Disney+ the same season is sitting at or near the top of the charts. FlixPatrol data shows it topping Hulu among all programs right after premiere and ranking among the highest series titles on Disney+ internationally. In Australia it even hit No. 1 on Binge.
That gap is not a glitch. It is the story.
Photo via @rmurphyuniverse on X
Thoughts on the ‘American Horror Story 13’ title sequence with the main cast? Sarah Paulson Evan Peters Angela Bassett Kathy Bates Emma Roberts Billie Lourd Gabourey Sidibe Leslie Grossman Frances Conroy Joey Pollari AND Jessica Lange #AmericanHorrorStory #AHS13
— Ryan Murphy Universe (@rmurphyuniverse) September 28, 2026
The Lowest Audience Score in Franchise History
Before Season 13, the previous floor belonged to Season 12 (Delicate) at 42 percent. Season 13 opened at 40 percent based on more than 50 audience ratings. Critics have been kinder so far — early reviews from outlets like TheWrap, Radio Times and Slate have called it “superfan candy,” “fiendishly fun,” and a “relieving return to form.” The audience has not been as generous.
Common complaints in the early ratings are familiar: the half-hour runtime feels rushed, the plot jumps between timelines and characters without enough breathing room, and the heavy reliance on returning faces from past seasons plays like a greatest-hits reel instead of a new story. Some viewers are already using the word “cancel.”
Meanwhile, the Streaming Numbers Tell the Opposite Story
While the score sank, the viewership rose. FlixPatrol reported that after the September 24 premiere, American Horror Story sat at the top of Hulu’s overall chart and ranked high among series on Disney+ in multiple countries. JustWatch daily streaming charts in the U.S. still have Season 13 inside the top five several days later.
This is the classic superfan versus casual viewer split that has defined the later years of the franchise. Longtime viewers who know every Constance Langdon monologue, every Twisty kill, and every Coven power are treating the season like a reunion special. Newer or more casual viewers are walking into a dense web of references and feeling locked out.
Why the Divide Makes Sense
Ryan Murphy openly billed Season 13 as “all the seasons” coming together — Sarah Paulson playing multiple roles, Jessica Lange returning as all four of her iconic characters, Evan Peters doing five. That promise is catnip for people who have been watching since Murder House. For everyone else it can feel like homework.
The shorter episode length (most run between 22 and 33 minutes) makes the problem sharper. There is less time to re-introduce characters or explain why a particular cameo matters. Superfans do not need the explanation. Casual viewers do.
The result is two audiences watching the same three episodes and walking away with opposite reactions. One side is posting “Jessica Lange is back and I am thriving.” The other side is posting “I have no idea what is happening and the score reflects it.”
What the Numbers Actually Mean Going Forward
A 40 percent audience score this early is a red flag, but it is also still early. Scores often shift as more people rate the later episodes. The October 1 batch of three new episodes will be the first real test of whether the season can convert the curious into believers or push the frustrated toward the exit.
What is already clear is that the brand still has enormous pull. People are watching even while they complain. That combination — high curiosity, low early satisfaction — is exactly the tension the next few weeks will either resolve or make worse.
For now the black sludge is not the only thing dividing the room. The score and the charts are doing the same job.
What Hulu Chart Success Means When Audience Scores Are Split
Chart position and audience sentiment are not the same currency. American Horror Story Season 13 can top Hulu rankings while a visible slice of viewers calls the half-hour chapters incomplete. That split is not a paradox. It is how franchise television works in a stack era: curiosity and completion drive streams, while satisfaction shows up later in scores, social arguments, and week-two retention.
The premiere’s job was to reintroduce a universe. Reintroduction creates clicks even when it frustrates people who wanted immediate depth. If October’s episodes convert that curiosity into attachment — to Mr. Nas’s pattern, Constance’s collection, the coven’s older powers — the chart success becomes a foundation. If the numbers stay high while the conversation stays stuck on runtime complaints, the show will have won the open and stalled the middle.
For readers tracking both metrics, the honest stance is dual. Commercial heat is real. Creative proof is still being written on Thursday nights. Season 13 has the traffic. Now it has to decide what the traffic was for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Rotten Tomatoes audience score for American Horror Story Season 13?
It opened at 40 percent, the lowest audience score in the history of the series, based on more than 50 ratings in the first few days.
Is American Horror Story Season 13 really performing well on Hulu?
Yes. FlixPatrol data showed it topping Hulu’s overall chart after the premiere and ranking high on Disney+ internationally. JustWatch still lists it inside the U.S. top five several days later.
Why are critics and audiences so far apart?
Critics are largely treating the season as fan-service spectacle. Many casual viewers are finding the dense references and shorter episodes hard to follow. Longtime superfans are the group most likely to enjoy it.
Has any previous season scored lower with audiences?
No. Season 12 (Delicate) previously held the low mark at 42 percent. Season 13 is now the franchise low.
Author: Shivam Das. Independent coverage for U.S. readers. Updated September 28, 2026.
