Touching nearly every corner of TV, Ryan Murphy shows range from irreverent comedies to gripping horror and everything in between. With a career in television stretching back to the 1990s, Murphy has established himself as the modern-day hitmaker and is a trusted name in TV production. Whether his shows air on basic cable or are streaming exclusives, Murphy’s signature touch is instantly recognizable, and he is known for his hyper-stylized historical portraits and his eye for diverse stories. Not without his controversies, Murphy has been positioned as the TV iconoclast of the 21st century and he hits big with nearly every new release.
Starting with Popular, his very first show in 1999, Murphy’s career hasn’t slowed down and he has continued to blaze his own trail for the first three decades of the 21st century. Noted for his frequent LGBTQ+ characters, Murphy’s oeuvre is specifically aimed at diversity, and according to The Guardian, he “brought marginalized characters to the masses”. Outside of that, Murphy’s unique worldview colors nearly all of his TV output, and his series often feature over-the-top characters, situations, and production design that present a point-of-view that is deliciously off-kilter. He has created nearly 20 series, and Ryan Murphy shows aren’t going away any time soon.
21 American Horror Stories (2021 - Present)
The Anthology AHS Spin-Off
American Horror Stories
- Release Date
- July 15, 2021
- Network
- FX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck
Cast
Sierra McCormick
Paris Jackson
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Manny Coto, Brad Falchuck
- Franchise(s)
- American Horror Story
Coming as a spinoff of Murphy’s wildly popular American Horror Story, American Horror Stories explores the franchise’s horror universe in an anthology-style format. Many AHS actors have ed the cast and several episodes hearken back to familiar locations or places from the original series.
Ryan Murphy Characters, Ranked From Least To Most Likely To Win The Hunger Games
Ryan Murphy has created some of the most complex and unique characters in all of TV. If they met in the Hunger Games, the winner might be unexpected.
Though the first season was met with largely negative reviews, season 2 improved upon the format and found its terrifying footing. American Horror Stories captures much of the same spirit as its predecessor but isn’t hampered by the need for long-form storytelling.
20 American Sports Story (2024-Present)
The Anthology Sports Drama
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American Sports Story
- Release Date
- September 17, 2024
- Network
- FX
- Directors
- Paris Barclay, Carl Franklin
Cast
Josh Andrés RiveraShaneah Jenkins-
Patrick SchwarzeneggerShayanna Jenkins
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Ryan Farley, Liz Tuccillo, Tracey Scott Wilson
American Sports Story, another addition to Murphy's anthology series, examines pivotal moments in sports history, blending factual recounting with dramatic interpretation. While the series offers insightful commentary on the cultural impact of sports events, it has faced criticism for sensationalizing real-life tragedies, a recurring concern in Murphy's true-crime portrayals. Despite this, the series maintains a strong following, reflecting Murphy's ability to captivate audiences with his distinctive storytelling approach.
19 The Watcher (2022)
The Chilling Stalker Story
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The Watcher
- Release Date
- October 13, 2022
- Network
- Netflix
- Directors
- Jennifer Lynch, Ryan Murphy
Cast
Dean Brannock
Henry Hunter HallDakota
WHERE TO WATCH
The Netflix series The Watcher follows a couple who start getting letters from a stalker after moving into the home of their dreams. was based on a true story, which made it much more creepy, though it ultimately fell short of impressive. Like many Ryan Murphy shows, the suspense, atmosphere, and performances were all strong, but the execution was uncharacteristically lacking. Tonal shifts and outlandish changes to the true story made The Watcher intriguing, but wholly dissatisfying in the end.
18 Glee (2009 – 2015)
The Groundbreaking Musical Sitcom
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Glee
- Release Date
- 2009 - 2015-00-00
- Network
- FOX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Cast
Dianna Agron-
Chris Colfer
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk
Though Glee was the series that put Ryan Murphy on the map as a bona fide hitmaker, its inconsistency was its downfall. The show centers on the students of a high school glee club, and focused on their quirky lives both in and out of class. The ambitious idea to produce a weekly musical TV series did pay off, and many of Glee’s covers became hits in their own right. However, the quality dipped noticeably after a few seasons, and it wasn’t without its problematic elements as well. Many of Glee’s musical numbers haven’t aged well, and much of the fanbase dropped away before it finished its six-season run
17 The New Normal (2012 – 2013)
The NBC Sitcom That Didn't Hit The Mark
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The New Normal
- Release Date
- 2012 - 2013-00-00
- Network
- NBC
- Directors
- Ryan Murphy, Miguel Arteta, Scott Ellis
Cast
Andrew RannellsBryan Collins-
Jackie Hoffmans
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Adam Barr
A rare misfire among Ryan Murphy shows, The New Normal failed to launch for NBC. The series centers on a wealthy gay couple who hires a surrogate mother whom they move into their lavish Los Angeles home. While it checked the typical boxes of a Ryan Murphy product, including LGBTQ+ characters at the forefront of the story, the writing was ambitious but alienating. The film’s deconstruction of class and privilege was somewhat half-baked, and its lone 22-episode season didn’t do enough to develop the characters into likable protagonists.
16 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020 – Present)
The Pulse-Pounding Procedural
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9-1-1: Lone Star
- Release Date
- 2020 - 2024
- Network
- FOX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear
Spinning off from the original 9-1-1 show, also created by Murphy, 9-1-1: Lonestar explores how the emergency systems from the first show might operate differently in a more conservative setting. Though it succeeds at capturing the same spirit as its predecessor, Lone Star’s interpersonal drama isn’t nearly as interesting as the original. It has proved to be a successful spinoff though, and the 9-1-1 franchise is yet another extended universe that Ryan Murphy has blessed with his nearly flawless TV track record.
15 Halston (2021)
The Lesser-Known Ryan Murphy Netflix Project
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Halston
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2021-00-00
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Daniel Minahan
Cast
-
Krysta Rodriguez
-
Gian Franco Rodriguez
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Daniel Minahan
- Writers
- Daniel Minahan
Murphy’s collaborations with Netflix helped to take the prolific producer into the world of streaming, and the real-life story, Halston, was a lesser-known example of his Netflix work. The series depicts the exaggerated life of iconic fashion designer Halston as he navigates the turbulent 1960s. Starring in the titular role, Ewan McGregor won an Emmy for his turn as the designer, and his performance was critically acclaimed. However, the series lacked depth and mostly missed opportunities to explore Halston’s place in the society of the 1960s. Murphy’s shows simultaneously glamorize and tear down the past, but Halston mostly did the former.
14 Grotesquerie (2024-Present)
The Disney+ Horror Show
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Grotesquerie
- Release Date
- September 25, 2024
- Writers
- Ryan Murphy
Cast
Niecy Nash-BettsLois Tryon
Courtney B. VanceMarshall Tryon
WHERE TO WATCH
- Creator(s)
- Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy's Grotesquerie, debuted on Disney+ in 2024. This horror series centers on Detective Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash-Betts) as she investigates a series of gruesome murders linked to satanic rituals, delving into themes of family conflict and societal decay. The show's provocative blend of sex, violence, and religious imagery showcases Murphy's signature style, with Nash-Betts delivering a compelling performance. However, the series has been critiqued for its narrative inconsistency, as it juggles multiple subplots ranging from climate crises to women's issues, potentially leaving viewers disoriented.
13 Scream Queens (2015-2016)
The Overshadowed Horror-Comedy
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Scream Queens
- Release Date
- 2015 - 2016-00-00
- Network
- FOX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy
Cast
Abigail Breslin
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Ryan Murphy
- Writers
- Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy teamed up with Glee co-creators Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan for the dark comedy Scream Queens. Starring frequent Murphy collaborators Emma Roberts and Lea Michele, the show explores the gruesome past of a college sorority, where a serial killer has begun picking off its . Rather than the darkness of American Horror Story, Scream Queens was full of camp and comedy that poked fun at the failings of the horror genre. Though there were scary scenes in Scream Queens, it was mostly humorous, though the jokes were hit or miss. In the end, Scream Queens was somewhat lost in the shadow of Murphy's more popular American Horror Story.
12 Popular (1999-2001)
The Cult Classic Teen Drama
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Popular
- Release Date
- 1999 - 2001-00-00
- Network
- The WB
- Directors
- Jamie Babbit, Craig Zisk, Elodie Keene, Lev L. Spiro, Perry Lang, Lawrence Trilling, Ryan Murphy, Arvin Brown, Brian Robbins, David Petrarca, Marc Buckland, Matthew Harrison
- Writers
- Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Oliver Goldstick, Ari Posner, Eric Preven, James Duff
Cast
Leslie BibbUncredited-
Carly PopeMs. Ross
-
Tamara MelloSam Mherson
Christopher GorhamBrooke McQueen
- Creator(s)
- Gina Matthews, Ryan Murphy
Created with Gina Matthews, Popular was the first of many Ryan Murphy shows and has gone down as a cult classic. The series presents the life of the American high schooler in a campy, tongue-in-cheek style that incorporates musical numbers and over-the-top scenarios. Though it only lasted two seasons, Popular was indicative of Ryan Murphy’s style, and it gained a larger audience after the fact. While the execution wasn’t perfect, Popular mostly suffered from being released at the wrong time.
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