Asylum (story)

Asylum is the subtitle for the second season, or miniseries, of American Horror Story. The second miniseries premiered on October 17, 2012 and ran for thirteen episodes. Cast members returning from the previous season include Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe and Frances Conroy along with new notable cast members Joseph Fiennes, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell and Chloë Sevigny.

The season was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for Jessica Lange. Asylum was also nominated for seventeen Emmy Awards, winning two.

Plot

In a New England sanitarium, presided by ministers of faith and science, the innocent and the mad run from greater dangers and their own pasts. Bookended by modern day explorations of the ruins, a darker mystery lies in wait for new victims.

Main Characters

Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Thredson, a therapist on an assignment and a mission.
Joseph Fiennes as Cardinal (formerly Monsignor) Timothy Howard, an ambitious man of the cloth.
Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters, a reporter willing to go to any length to tell her story.
Evan Peters as Kit Walker, a simple man with an incredible story.
Lizzie Brocheré as Grace Bertrand, an inmate with an axe to grind.
Lily Rabe as Sister Mary Eunice, An innocent nun but the vessel of the devil himself.
James Cromwell as Dr. Arthur Arden, a man of science and conviction.
Jessica Lange as Sister Jude, a steadfast disciplinarian, with hidden appetites.

Supporting and Guest Characters

Clea DuVall as Wendy Peyser, cool under pressure, her love will be her undoing.
Chloë Sevigny as Shelley, serving a sentence, but committed no crime.
Frances Conroy as Shachath, who kills with kindness.
Jenna Dewan Tatum as Teresa Morrison, a newlywed who stumbles into a mystery.
Dylan McDermott as Johnny Morgan, heir to a dark legacy
Britne Oldford as Alma Walker, Missing in action, or abducted?
Barbara Tarbuck as Mother Claudia, a nun with a passion for justice.
Adam Levine as Leo Morrison, a husband in dire straits.
Lily Rabe (while possessing Sister Mary Eunice) as Satan, a parasitic seed of pure evil.
Mark Consuelos as Spivey, a patient in the asylum with ungodly urges.
Ian McShane as Leigh Emerson, a dark vision of a holiday guest.
Chelsey Valentine as Missy Stone, a little girl in blue and a haunting memory.
Micro-Bot
Franka Potente as Charlotte Brown, could she truly be Anne Frank?
Naomi Grossman as Pepper, a playful woman with a dark family secret
Bloody Face, a serial killer representing a legacy of murder.

Asylum

Episode	#	Premiere	Writer(s)	Director
Welcome to Briarcliff	1	2012-10-17	Tim Minear	Bradley Buecker
Tricks and Treats	2	2012-10-24	James Wong	Bradley Buecker
Nor'easter	3	2012-10-31	Jennifer Salt	Michael Uppendahl
I Am Anne Frank: Part 1	4	2012-11-07	Jessica Sharzer	Michael Uppendahl
I Am Anne Frank: Part 2	5	2012-11-14	Brad Falchuk	Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
The Origins of Monstrosity	6	2012-11-21	Ryan Murphy	David Semel
Dark Cousin	7	2012-11-28	Tim Minear	David Semel
Unholy Night	8	2012-12-05	James Wong	Michael Lehmann
The Coat Hanger	9	2012-12-12	Jennifer Salt	Jeremy Podeswa
The Name Game	10	2013-01-02	Jessica Sharzer	Michael Lehmann
Spilt Milk	11	2013-01-09	Brad Falchuk	Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Continuum	12	2013-01-16	Ryan Murphy	Craig Zisk
Madness Ends	13	2013-01-23	Tim Minear	Alfonso Gomez-Rejon