Can we please be done with Murder House?

American Horror Stories Season 1 Episode 7 would have been the perfect end for the house that has stalked our dreams since American Horror Story Season 1 Episode 1.

We had a convincing new story, the return of some fan-favorites, and a fiery conclusion that would have worked as a way to end the house's reign of terror for good.

The last-minute switcheroo to reveal that everything that happened was all part of version 2 of Michelle's videogame took me by surprise. However, it also suggested that Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk want the Murder House to still be alive in the franchise.

The fundamental issue with American Horror Stories Season 1 is that the series started as a pale imitation of the original season. It excelled when it branched out to more original stories.

What's even more concerning is that the franchise seems more interested in retconning previous events, making everything seem constructed purely for drama with no real consequences for any of the characters.

The meta moments were fun because following Connie and Dylan into the house as American Horror Story superfans was a different approach, as were Connie's comments about Sarah Paulson hating on Roanoake.

For such a socially aware season-ender, it was a copout to render all events false. Remember when all those big events on American Horror Story Apocalypse were ruined because of the time travel?

This felt eerily similar in ways that were simply not exciting. The concept was great, and the wider issue with American Horror Stories is in the execution of these stories.

Connie and Adam as the first kills worked well, as did the returns of AHS favorites like Addie and Ben, but I knew something was up the moment Twisty the Clown appeared.

How is it possible to have this villain back in the mix in the house where it all started?

Michelle constructing a videogame as a means to connect with her son was a bit farfetched, but at least she wanted to honor the series's legacy.

Why would you want to make this experience only feel like the terrible first two episodes of the spinoff?

Rory setting off on a mission to burn down the house was another exciting development, and it was perfectly plausible that half of the ghosts wanted the house to be gone.

You can only spend so much time in the one place before it becomes monotonous, and Ben Harmon had been in the house too long. He was ready to pass over, but people like Ruby were more concerned about killing every single freaking Halloween.

Scarlett wanting to preserve the sight in some capacity made sense. Her fathers and the love of her life were ghosts, so of course, she would want to want to find a way to get close to it.

The idea of creating apartments on the ashes of the Murder House could have made for an exciting story down the line, but giving the ghosts the option to choose peace or not was a compelling development.

Knowing that everyone bar Ruby chose to pass on was a big development, but it also showed that she held on, waiting in case she could meet with Scarlett again.

Even though their love story seems forced, the fact that they found their way back to each other seemed more like a message that love is timeless.

Now that we know the Murder House is still alive and kicking, the series needs to move on. Let it remain dormant because it will continue to get new owners who the ghosts will kill.

For such a big house, it probably felt small because of all the people roaming the walls. Leaving the house burnt to a crisp would have been a better development because the sense of finality was needed to end this arc.

Hopefully, the renewal for AHS Season will allow the show to come into its own without relying on the stories already been told. The show really has messed up some of the best plots from the original series, and it's not OK.

Original horrors, such as the missing kid in the woods and the totems, were some of the strongest.

Okay, American Horror Stories fans!

What are your thoughts on how the show burned Murder House to the ground, only to rewrite history?

Are you tired of the constant visits to the place where it all began?

Hit the comments.

AHS returns in 2022 to FX on Hulu.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.