American Horror Story: My Top Ten Fave Characters

American Horror Story celebrated its 100th episode last night. An incredible milestone that is worthy of a look back at some of my fave characters. This will not be in any particular order as that would be nearly impossible. I also predict that my choices may skew heavily towards my two favourite seasons - Hotel and Freakshow.

I am not including characters from 1984 as that season is currently airing (and I am not sure where all the characters will end up).

There are so many amazing characters and performances that it was hard to narrow it down, but these are my personal ten favourites.

1. Dandy Mott (Finn Wittrock) - Freakshow

Not only does Finn Wittrock absolutely slay the role of Dandy Mott but he also happens to be a fascinating character. His mix of American Psycho and old money with some mommy issues thrown in for good measure made for a dangerously fascinating character.

2. Liz Taylor (Denis O'Hare) - Hotel

Denis O'Hare's Liz Taylor was a stand out in an incredibly stacked season. There was something so achingly beautiful about this character and Denis' portrayal. Liz's snark, glamour, and intelligence is all the more reason to love her.

3. Tristan Duffy (Finn Wittrock) - Hotel

Tristan Duffy enters the scene in a memorable fashion. His model good looks catch the eye of the Countess (and pretty much everyone watching), but it's his biting humour, and sweet love story that made quite the impression. He may be a little clueless, but he proves himself to have a heart of gold in the end.

4. Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) - Coven

This list would not be complete without some Jessica Lange on it, and Fiona Goode in all her complicated, sexy, bad ass glory is one of her best performances. The character is made all the better by the strength of her interactions with Sarah Paulson's Cordelia Foxx. This role, for me, proved that Jessica Lange can still slay, and look incredible while doing it.

5. Michael Langdon (Cody Fern) - Apocalypse

Cody Ferns nails the part of the part child/all antichrist Michael with utter perfection. He is graceful and languid when it matters, and possess a child like innocence when it is needed. The character's extreme father issues are only second to his abandonment ones, and it makes for a complexly endearing character who pulls at your heartstrings

6. Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) - Asylum

Lana Winters is iconic and Sarah Paulson is one of my all time faves. I could have easily said EVERY character that Sarah has played on this show but I limited myself to two. She not only slays serial killers, but she also manages to be one bad ass reporter.

7. Countess (Lady Gaga) - Hotel

Not only does the Countess deliver what is probably my favourite line in the show (see above) but her obsession with great jawlines is entirely relatable. Hotel is the sexiest season and a large part of that is the chemistry Countess has with plenty of the male characters. It also showed us that Gaga can actually act.

8. James March (Evan Peters) - Hotel

I am probably committing some kind of crime by not having Tate Langdon on my list, but he is not my favourite. I, instead, am drawn to the H. H. Holmes mixed with Clark Gable inspired James March. It is the one role where I feel Evan is truly having fun. It seeps out of him in every scene. Mr March is a zany, over the top character who's comedic one liners delighted me to no end.

9. Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange) - Murder House

Another iconic performance from Jessica Lange. Constance is undoubtedly the worst mother of the year, but Jessica Lange plays this deadly Southern Belle to perfection.

10. Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson) - Coven

Cordelia and Fiona's relationship is one of my favourite elements of Coven and that is in large part to how Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson play off each other. I adored this strong Supreme in Apocalypse. She stands up for her coven, is entirely selfless, and also manages to have incredible hair while doing so. Oh, and she stands up to the antichrist. She's a bad ass.

Characters - Do They Have To Be Likeable?

I find that as a reviewer I spend a lot of time discussing the characters in the novel I just read. I discuss what I thought of them and how it impacted my enjoyment of the story. Characters have the ability to resonate with us, and stay with us long after the novel's last page as been turned. There are some characters destined to become legend and whose name, and story, will be remembered long after the novel has been published.

For some people it all comes down to likability. Is the character likeable? Are they someone I can relate to? For me these questions are not the ones I ask myself. My questions will always be was this character realistic? Did this character impact me? And was the character flawed? It's these characters, the flawed, layered, conflicted, and sometimes unlikeable that stay with me. My favourite books and characters exist in a shade of grey where right and wrong are often blurred.

Dexter Morgan from the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay is certainly not someone you would "like". He is, however, compelling, complex and fascinating. The same could be said for Jazz from Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers. Both these characters are chilling, yet charming. Patrick Bateman from American Psycho will leave you analyzing him long after you finished Brett Easton Ellis's shocking read.

A young woman haunted by an accident, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and potentially a little unstable. Of course I am referring to Mara Dyer from Michelle Hodkin's amazing The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. She's imperfect, and you may not always like her actions but I was drawn to her. As a selfish, oblivion seeking, guilt ridden socialite Araby Worth from Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death may not be liked by everyone. I found her vulnerable and realistic for the society she lived in. Her guilt, while making her act out, also endeared her to me.

Cassel Sharpe, the main character from Holly Black's Curse Worker's series is another great example. He's capable of becoming a member of the "mafia" type organization that many of his family belong to. His skills lend themselves to criminal activity. Cassel spends a lot of time resisting this side of himself and tries to do right; his version of right is just a skewed. His school betting ring, his walking the fine line between lawful and unlawful, and all while being so charming make him fascinating.

Lastly, Lisbeth Salander from Steig Larsson's Millennium Trilogy shows a gritty, tough exterior to the outside world. Underneath this is a vulnerability that makes her captivating. Her unlawful computer hacking is matched with her desire to dish out her own brand of justice on men she deems deserving. Her brilliance and intelligence coupled with the tragic events in her life offers a fascinating character study.

I don't need a character to act the hero to enjoy the plot. Give me the misfits, outcasts and deliciously flawed characters. They make the fiction I read much more intriguing and entertaining.

What about you? Does a characters likability matter to you? Are you more interested in an honest, yet story driven, character with flaws? Or do you need there to be something redeemable in your characters? Let me know in the comments.