New Info About 'American Horror Story' Season 4

If you're loving the modern day feel of American Horror Story: Coven, be prepared for a change in Season 4. According to creator Ryan Murphy, we'll be stepping back in time next season: "It's a period piece. We try to do the opposite of what we've done before," Murphy told Entertainment Weekly. He also gave us this hint about what historical events that the show will incorporate into the storyline this year: "If you look historically what happened in the year 1950, there's some more clues in that year... Jessica Lange has already started practicing her German accent so I'm very excited!"

Hmm... 1950s, German accents... could we be looking at a show dealing with the after effects of World War II? According to Murphy, the show will directly connect with events that occurred in 1950. Here are some events that American Horror Story could tackle:

The Beginning of The Korean War

American Horror Story: Asylum didn't deal directly with a war, but it did have a former Nazi working within Briarcliffe. Perhaps Season 4 will deal with the horrors of war.

The Beginning of McCarthyism and the Communist Witch Hunt

Murphy said he likes to do the opposite of what he's done the previous year, so we're assuming he won't literally hunt witches again. Unjust persecution is a recurring theme in American Horror Story, mixed with some crazy supernatural element. Could the so-called "communists" actually be something else — say, aliens, maybe?

The Threat of Nuclear Warfare

In the 1950s, tensions about nuclear weapons were at an all-time high. Could American Horror Story be set after — or just before — a fictional nuclear apocalypse? It'd be a great excuse to bring back those zombies from Briarcliffe...

The Polio Epidemic Hits

The threat of a major illness with no known cure is definitely scary.

The Beginning of the End of Segregation

Ryan Murphy made much of this season about racial tension, but he could dive into it even more with a season devoted entirely to the period before the Civil Rights Movement.