Seth Gabel Returns as Dahmer in AHS Season 13, Reunites With Evan Peters in Crossover Episode
Seth Gabel reprises his role as Jeffrey Dahmer in the 13th season of American Horror Story, which features a major crossover event with characters from previous seasons. The sixth episode revives the "Devil's Night" storyline from the Hotel season, bringing back serial killer characters to clash with witches from the Coven season in a major cliffhanger. Gabel's return creates a meta moment as he shares the famous killer role with Evan Peters, who played Dahmer in the Monster franchise's first season.
American Horror Story's thirteenth season features an ambitious crossover structure that brings together characters and storylines from multiple previous installments. The season's sixth episode specifically revisits the "Devil's Night" concept, a memorable Hotel season episode that dramatized a gathering of historical serial killers as fictional characters. This revival episode orchestrates a confrontation between these killer characters and the witch coven from the Coven season, setting up plot developments for subsequent episodes.
Gabel's casting alongside Evan Peters—who later portrayed the same historical figure in Murphy's Monster anthology series—created an interesting dynamic on set. According to Gabel's account, Peters remained focused on his own character and encouraged Gabel's independent interpretation of Dahmer, suggesting a collaborative rather than competitive approach to their shared dramatic history.
This story may appeal to devoted fans of the franchise who value continuity and character callbacks, potentially boosting viewership for the season. However, the repeated dramatization of real serial killers could generate discussion about entertainment's responsibility when depicting actual violent crimes and real victims' families. Audiences with different comfort levels regarding crime content may experience the crossover episode differently, while the show's continued exploration of these narratives contributes to broader cultural conversations about how media handles true crime material.