In fall 2011, a new show premiered on FX by the name of American Horror Story . As soon the first episode aired, the ratings soared. In recognition of Season 5, which premiered October 7, here is a ranking of each season of AHS from best to worst.

The first season, subtitled Murder House, premiered October 5, 2011. It follows the story of the Harmon family: wife Vivien, husband Ben and their daughter Violet. During the season, Violet falls in love with a boy named Tate. Vivien, after witnessing her husband’s affair, decides to move the family to Los Angeles. The house they moved into, unbeknownst to them, is actually occupied by the previous, now deceased, owners.

This season is my absolute favorite, simply because of the complex and rounded characters. It is really interesting to see how each character is made up. Violet and Tate’s romance is the most complex aspect of the season. Violet, who struggles with depression, is seen cutting herself in her bathroom when Tate chimes in, “You’re supposed to cut straight.” Both of them struggle from depression, so it is kind of like a “cursed star-crossed” love story.

The second season, Asylum, premiered October 17, 2012. The season takes place during the year 1964 in Massachusetts at Briarcliff Mental Asylum. The season highlights scenes from the past and present, but mainly focuses on the past. In the asylum are committed “criminals,” including lesbian journalist Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson), accused murderers Kit Walker (Evan Peters) and Grace Bertrand (Lizzie Borchere), and the faculty that watches over them including former nightclub singer and alcoholic Sister Jude Martin (Jessica Lange), her second-in-command Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe) and Monsignor Timothy Howard (Joseph Fiennes).

Sister Jude’s story is so interesting to watch and learn about. One night, after she was done her shift at her bar,  she drives home and hits a little girl. That incident has since haunted her career as a nun. This season is tied with Coven as my second favorite season. The season mixes supernatural and paranormal together, and it was entertaining to watch the usual factors of an AHS season, then witness a brand new element being added in the season.

The third season, Coven, follows a group of female witches who live at Miss Robichaux’s Academy in New Orleans in 2013. The current Supreme, Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange), arrives back from Los Angeles to take care of the coven she left behind. The headmistress, Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson), is left to watch over the girls including Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga), Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts), Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and Nan (Jamie Brewer). In the finale, a new Supreme is crowned and the series moves onto the next season. The season really builds up to the finale; every episode ties in somehow with the season finale in a different way. This season is tied with Asylum as my second favorite season.

The fourth season, Freak Show, follows a troupe of “freaks” in the “sleepy little hamlet,” as the show describes it, of Jupiter, Florida in 1952. Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) owns her own freak show called “Fraulein Elsa’s Cabinet of Curiosities” that includes conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler (both played by Sarah Paulson), the bearded woman Ethel Darling and her “lobster-handed” son Jimmy (Kathy Bates and Evan Peters, respectively), and Ethel’s ex-husband Dell Toledo and his wife Desiree Durpee (Michael Chiklis and Angela Basset, respectively). The first four episodes’ villain is a murderous clown. Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch) and his protege Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock) cause havoc for both the troupe and the town of Jupiter.

This season is my least favorite so far. There were characters shown who did not really serve a purpose. There were also characters who were important to only one or two episodes in the entire season. It focused on making things violent instead of paranormal and spooky, like usual seasons.

Season 5, oh how long I have been waiting to write about you. Season 5 is set to include returning cast members Evan Peters, Angela Basset, Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Finn Wittrock and Wes Bentley (who played a character for a two-part episode in Freak Show). It is also going include Lady Gaga. As one of her “Little Monsters,” I am really excited to see her act in a popular  TV show.

The season premiere was outstanding. I certainly was not expecting what Ryan Murphy had come up for the season. He is introducing vampirism into this season, and it is really cool so far. Lady Gaga’s character is absolutely superb.

This show is so interesting, and it will leave you spellbound and keep you guessing. I am always interested to see how the plotlines will fully fit into the season. AHS has violence, it has comedy, it has bad language, which is practically everything a teenager wants in a TV show. The characters are easy to relate to, and one can easily find something in common with one of the characters from any of the five seasons. Mark your calendars now to start watching Season 5 of AHS.