It is a television series which has always pushed the boundaries, but the latest episode of American Horror Story has left even die-hard fans in shock.

The instalment, entitled The Replacements, airing on U.S. network FX on Wednesday night, contained a gruesome murder, incest and sex with a Minotaur.

Arguably the most dramatic scene was left until last with Fiona's (Jessica Lange) killing of Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) who met a gory end with a slit throat.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Slit: Emma Roberts's character Madison was seemingly killed by Jessica Lange's witch Fiona on Wednesday night's American Horror story by slitting her throat

Having begun with a young Fiona slashing another witch's throat back in 1971, the episode moved on to explore the Supreme witch's terror at being usurped by Madison whose own powers were getting stronger. 

To keep her away from her throne, Fiona slit the shocked Madison's throat and watched her bleed to death.

But even more disturbing was a scene between Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and a Minotaur sent by Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) to exact revenge on racist killer Madame Lalaurie (Kathy Bates).

Ding dong the witch is dead: Fiona argues with Madison before her demise

The omen: Jessica's character killed Madison, but could she still return?

The living dead: Emma's character is left bleeding to death by Fiona in a gruesome end to the episode

Instead of letting the Minotaur wreak his wrath, Queenie decided to take another tack.

Bizarrely attracted to the animal, she seduced the Minotaur, telling him: 'You just wanted love and that makes you a beast. They call me that, too. But that's not who we are. We both deserve love like everybody else.'

The bull-headed man and the voodoo schoolgirl then had sex in the shed.

Elsewhere, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) made the unfortunate decision to drop the newly resurrected Kyle (Evan Peters) off at his mother's house for some tender loving care.

But in a cruel twist of fate, Evan's mother turns out to be a sadistic rapist who tortured her son for years.

After his mother attempted to seduce him, Kyle snapped and beat her to death with a trophy.

The night of the hunter: Queenie encouraged the Minotaur

The body snatchers: The scene between Queenie and the bull-headed beast shocked fans

The disturbing content continued with Sarah Paulson's teacher character Cordelia asking Marie for help with a fertility spell.

This involved a jar being placed on a fire, much chanting and a goat's throat being slit with blood poured over Cordelia's naked body.

Despite the action-packed content, it seems the show has not reached its dramatic pinnacle quite yet, with creator Ryan Murphy hinting that Madison is not really dead and the Minotaur encounter does not 'end well'.

'Well, I mean, yes, she is dead,' he told Entertainment Weekly. 'The funny thing about a horror show to me is that anybody can die at any time. I love that.

'All I wanna say is wait ’til you see what happens to the body. S*** goes down. When you see episode four and you see what Spalding [Denis O'Hare's mute butler] did to the body, you’ll be like "Oh, okay I get it. Not only do I get it, but I’m very disturbed."'

Evil dead: Kyle (Evan Peters) is nearly seduced by his mother before she clubs him to death with a trophy

Frankenstein's monster: The newly resurrected Kyle was in no mood for his sadistic mother

Fertility ritual: Sarah Paulson's character underwent a rather gory fertility spell

This is unlikely to placate the legions of disgusted fans who took to Twitter to voice their shock at what they had just seen.

Fan Maria Santos Salinas tweeted: 'I'm still regurgitating disgust from yesterday's episode of American Horror Story- Coven. #ThankYouNot #FX #AHSCoven,' while Sara Patterson wrote: ' I don't know if I want to cry or throw up or just sit here in terror and disgust. #americanhorrorstory.'

Some viewers were so appalled that they will be giving up on watching the show in future.

'American Horror Story went too far. I'm not watching it any more. Sorry but that's just too much,' wrote Le Anne.

Avid viewer Laerica agreed: 'Hmmm I love American horror story but uh I don't think I can watch it this season. Too much for me.'