After a rollercoaster of a season, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk somehow pulled off a show that many had dismissed on the very early stages – myself included – with a pretty decent ending to the Harmon family. Now that the first season of American Horror Story neatly tied up loose ends and was left with a tidy little bow, what could be in store for season 2?

At the beginning stages of this series, I was never quite sure of whether or not they would continually focus on the same characters or whether it would be a revolving door of stories season to season. After the dust had settled on the season one finale our answer to that question has been made. Ryan Murphy has created a show that will feature new stories and characters season to season. (That means no more Harmon family! Queue the marching band in celebration.)

Before the season finale of American Horror Story aired, the actual house that was used for the first season was put up for sale. The house itself was only used once to film the pilot, an exact replica had been made to film the rest of the series. That’s right folks, for those who want to move to Los Angeles to own a piece of television history, you can buy the “Murder House” for a cool $4.5 million. Funny enough, the real-estate agent of the home never makes mention of the house’s television appearance.

So now onto the American Horror Story season two information! What will be the new nightmare for the holiday season this year? (As creator Murphy suggested this will be a “holiday tradition.”) I’m sure I’m not the only one who is excited about a new band of characters being introduced along with a new story, but this will not be the last we see of the original cast as they may make appearances as other characters in the upcoming season(s).

As the first season dealt with a haunting, the information that Murphy gave could imply that we may get a serial killer or something a little more bizarre than ghosts. (Perhaps this show is an adult version of Goosebumps in a full season run?) And even though the message may have been muddled in the first season (infidelity), a theme will run through each season.

Here is a list of all the things you can expect from American Horror Story to come until we meet again hopefully this October.

• Each season of the show will feature a different haunting: a new home, building, prison, etc.
• Each season will feature new principal actors, but previous actors may make appearances as completely different characters with different looks.
• Each season will showcase new creatures and monsters.
• Each season will answer the question of what an American horror can be.
• Each season will explore a new theme, as in the theme of infidelity for season one. (Murphy also commented that a hint to season two’s theme was hidden within the last three episodes of season one. Any thoughts? Check out our recaps to refresh your memory!)
• A DVD boxset of season one will be available, allowing fans to watch the series from the beginning and pick up on clues to the Harmon family’s fate that were present from the outset.
• Stories of true crimes in American will continue to be featured in future episodes.
• Each season will feature a new title sequence that is relative to the theme of that particular season. Murphy commented that he is trying to keep the same music team to keep consistency through the score.
• There won’t be a second “haunted house.”
• The story won’t be set in L.A. and the setting will be very different from the California home.
• You won’t see Connie Britton or Dylan McDermott as the Harmons, though there is a chance they may appear as secondary characters. (Murphy commented on his fondness for the Mercury Theater, which had a cast of rotating actors performing different characters for different plays.)
• There won’t be any vampires! (Murphy expressed this explicitly.)

Thank the heavens that there will be no vampires. I’d be interested to see if they tackle zombies and compete with The Walking Dead. There are many classic horror clichés to grab, so hopefully Murphy and Falchuk pick something that can become just as relatable as a haunted house.

If anyone is wondering what season two may deal with, Murphy hints that within the last two episodes the theme of season two is hidden within. “Go through it frame by frame. I planted it in there. I will never reveal it,” Murphy tells EW, referring to the episode “Birth,” which was the second to last episode.

American Horror Story is up for two Golden Globes this year: Best Television Series – Drama and Best Supporting Actress in Television for Jessica Lange as the eerie neighbor Constance.

Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, Collider, and Entertainment Weekly for these stories.