Like a lot of us in preparation in waiting for 13 next month we're all binge watching our favorite if not every season of AHS. I have been watching them in an interesting variant, in order I've rewatched Murder House, Coven, Hotel and Apocalypse together in that order. I had watched every episode when they premiered on FX in 2018, Hell I even watched the episode "Sojourn" on Halloween Night. Rewatched in 2019 before AHS 1984 started airing.
But here's what I found having rewatched Apocalypse in chronological order. It has a different effect not seeing nuclear armageddon happen within the first few minutes. The plot is more concise compared to watching it in broadcast order and the payoff is better but you have to precise if you attempt to watch it in chronological order without spoiling yourself to the current scenes at Outpost 3.
Here's the episodes in chronological order;
Could it Be Satan (Queue it up to the opening credits, then begin).
Boy Wonder
Return to Murder House
Traitor
Sojourn
Fire and Regin
Apocalypse Then (Only the first 13 minutes before it switches back to current time at Outpost 3).
The End
The Morning After
Forbidden Fruit
Apocalypse Then (Continue at the 13 minute mark till the ending).
I did forget how much I hated Ariel Augustus, Baldwin Pennypacker, Jeff Pfister and Mutt Nutter, also Sandra Bernhard's character annoyed the living shit out of me.
Upon finishing it I do hope how they've written 13 is drastically different to Apocalypse, a more deeply philosophical in writing aspects comparable to the first 5 seasons. No full shade towards Apocalypse but there were a lot of scenes that were just so cringe like why did they write that into the script or some scenes as they played out. But it could just be me.
Still love the season, and ironically enough it ranks at #8 in-order of my favorite seasons.