American Horror Story: Double Feature

The tenth season of the American horror anthology television series American Horror Story, subtitled Double Feature (stylised in the opening credits with the alternate subtitle Chapter 10), is composed of two stories, each taking up half the season. The first story, Red Tide, focuses on a family in Provincetown, Massachusetts, who meet the town's mysterious true inhabitants. The second story, Death Valley, follows a group of camping students who find themselves in the midst of a conspiracy involving extraterrestrials. The ensemble cast includes veterans Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Finn Wittrock, Frances Conroy, Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Adina Porter, and Angelica Ross, as well as newcomers Macaulay Culkin, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Neal McDonough, Kaia Gerber, Nico Greetham, Isaac Powell, Rachel Hilson, and Rebecca Dayan.
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX, the series is produced by 20th Television. Double Feature was broadcast from August 25 to October 20, 2021, consisting of 10 episodes. Originally scheduled to premiere in late 2020, its production was delayed as result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On August 3, 2018, the series was renewed for a 10th season, set to air in 2020. On May 26, 2020, it was announced that season 10 would be pushed back to 2021 due to production being stalled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the interruption, series co-creator Ryan Murphy told in an interview with TheWrap that the delay could potentially change the season's theme, since his initial idea needed to be filmed during the warmer months of the year. The following month, Murphy unveiled a promotional poster for the season via his Instagram account; the image features a wide-open mouth with razor-sharp teeth while a hand is tattooing "AHS 10" on the tongue. The tenth season has received an estimated amount of $48 million in tax credits under the California Film Association's "Program 2.0" initiative. On March 19, 2021, Murphy revealed the seasons's title to be Double Feature; it will encompass two different stories, "one by the sea, one by the sand." Later, on Instagram, Murphy referred to "Double Feature" as "Two seasons for the fans airing in one calendar year[...] So double the viewing pleasure. One set by the sea (this cast has already been announced). A second by the sand (that cast announcement coming)." On June 24, 2021, FX released the first promotional poster for the season, depicting a female humanoid creature french kissing an alien with a black pill resting on her tongue. On July 6, 2021, FX unveiled a promotional video, disclosing new footage from their upcoming slate of television. The promotional video unveiled footage of the characters portrayed by Sarah Paulson, Leslie Grossman, Lily Rabe, Finn Wittrock, Frances Conroy, and Evan Peters, respectively. On July 27, 2021, the first official teaser was released on social media, confirming the titles of the two parts as Red Tide and Death Valley, respectively. Red Tide spanned over the first six episodes and Death Valley over the last four episodes. On August 13, 2021, the official trailer for Red Tide was released.
In November 2019, Murphy announced that some cast members from the first three seasons may return for the upcoming tenth season, saying, "[T]he people who helped build this show into what it is, who believed in it from the beginning, have been contacted and are interested. So, if you look at the iconography of the first three seasons, you can figure who I've gone to and who might be coming back." He also said that the tenth season would be "about reuniting fan-favorite actors to come back." Later that day, Paulson confirmed that she would be returning to the series for its 10th season in a lead role. On February 26, 2020, Murphy published a video in his Instagram account revealing that Grossman, Peters, Rabe, Wittrock, along with Kathy Bates, Billie Lourd, Adina Porter, Angelica Ross, and series newcomer Macaulay Culkin were cast in the 10th season. In a May 2020 interview with E! Online, Murphy revealed that Culkin accepted his role after Murphy told him the character's personality over the phone. He affirmed, "I told him he has crazy, erotic sex with Kathy Bates and does other things. And he paused and he goes, 'This sounds like the role I was born to play.' So, he signed up right then and there." On November 18, 2020, Murphy announced the casting of Spencer Novich. On February 5, 2021, Conroy was confirmed to return in season 10, replacing the role Bates was to play. On March 20, 2021, Murphy confirmed via Instagram that former series regular Denis O'Hare would return for the first time since Roanoke. On June 15, 2021, Neal McDonough joined the cast as a series regular.
It was initially reported that production was scheduled to resume filming in October 2020; however, Rabe confirmed to Digital Spy that filming for the season would start on December 2, 2020. On July 20, 2021, it was reported that production had been temporarily halted due to a positive COVID-19 case and potential exposure to the illness. Filming resumed a week later and concluded on September 27, 2021.
The season was released in consecutive installments: Red Tide premiered on August 25, 2021, and Death Valley premiered on September 29, 2021, one week after the finale of Red Tide.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an 80% approval rating, based on 61 reviews for the season, with an average rating of 9.00/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Though its second tale is still a mystery, the first half of Double Feature proves a spine-tingling good time with terrific performances."
Liz Shannon Miller of Collider praised Double Feature for its concise and inventive storytelling, particularly complimenting the "Death Valley" segment as the most enjoyable part of the series. She highlighted the effectiveness of the split-season format, saying it allowed for a tighter, more focused narrative. Miller appreciated the fast pacing and the season's engaging alien conspiracy storyline, describing it as a fun and imaginative take on familiar themes. Despite some issues with the finale, she noted the season's bold nihilism and lauded its brevity for keeping it from overstaying its welcome. Riley Runnells of The Post described Double Feature as one of the strongest seasons in the anthology series, said Finn Wittrock and Lily Rabe deliver strong performances, along with notable contributions from Evan Peters and Frances Conroy. She highlighted Sarah Paulson’s portrayal of Tuberculosis Karen as raw, unglamorous, and both heartbreaking and terrifying. Runnells also complimented the writing for its polish and originality, specifically appreciating the fresh take on the vampire plot and the cinematic production style that elevated the season. Andy Swift of TVLine described Double Feature as a "return to form" for the long-running series, appreciating its chilling atmosphere and strong performances. He particularly highlighted Sarah Paulson's portrayal of Tuberculosis Karen as wonderfully disturbing and found Finn Wittrock and Lily Rabe to be standout performers. Swift also commended the premiere's fast-paced plot and unique approach to horror, noting that the mix of eccentric characters and suspenseful storyline made the two-part premiere especially engaging.
Kayla Cobb of Decider noted that Double Feature might mark a return to the show's horrifying roots, praising its frightening creatures and the performances, particularly from Finn Wittrock, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, and Frances Conroy. She also highlighted Macaulay Culkin's portrayal of Mickey, appreciating his unapologetically sexualized yet smug character. While Cobb found the pacing slower than typical for American Horror Story, she acknowledged it as an intentional choice to build suspense and recommended streaming it for both its horror elements and standout performances. Matt Fowler of IGN described Double Feature as starting slowly with "Cape Fear," but gaining momentum significantly in "Pale." He complimented the series for its fresh take on vampire lore, incorporating a writer's block twist, and noted its effort to address previous pacing issues by presenting two distinct narratives. While Fowler found the opening episode lacking in excitement, he highlighted the engaging performances of Finn Wittrock, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, and Frances Conroy within a familiar horror setup. Ron Hogan of Den of Geek rated Double Feature three out of five stars and appreciated the unexpected convergence of the two storylines. He highlighted Paulson's performance and the portrayal of Mamie Eisenhower as a pivotal character in the alien plot. While acknowledging some rushed elements and unanswered questions, Hogan found the blend of horror and conspiracy theories enjoyable. However, he felt the ending was abrupt, leaving several storylines unresolved.
According to market research company Parrot Analytics, which looks at consumer engagement in consumer research, streaming, downloads, and on social media, American Horror Story experienced an increase in demand in the United Kingdom following the start of its tenth season on August 25th. The demand rose from 22.4x the average in August to 23.2x in September. It was the most in-demand horror series in the United States from October 1 to 25, 2021. American Horror Story was also the most in-demand horror series of 2021 for the period of January 1 through December 31, 2021.