American Horror Story: Meet The 'Coven'

[Attempted to avoid spoilers, including from previous seasons, for those of you who haven’t seen AHS]

Series 3 of the popular anthological miniseries, American Horror Story, this year subtitled “Coven,” premiered at ten last night on FX with its highest ratings ever–a 3.0 among adults 18-49. Including the encore episode, the premiere was viewed by 7.8 million people, trailing only ABC’s Modern Family.

Aside from a star-studded cast that features old and new faces–Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Taissa Farmiga, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, Sarah Paulson, and more, why should you be watching Coven?

1. It’s a whole new story with a new message

There’s never a dull moment in the American Horror Story universe, which, unlike the Marvel universe, is not interconnected; instead each is a unique and bizarre mishmash of terrors and themes from inside the minds of creators Brad Falchuck and Ryan Murphy. Although we’re seeing many of the same actors from past seasons, the series starts anew.

Series one was set in a haunted “murder” house in Los Angeles, exploring themes related to the family unit and (albeit haunted) home–infidelity, love, and violence stemming from all of the above. Way back in 2011, no one knew it was a miniseries rather than a conventional television show, a stroke of genius when you’re killing off every character.

Series two was even darker still, set in a 1960s Catholic-run mental asylum, it explored some more of Murphy’s personal fetishes–homophobia, interracial relationships, institutionalization, and the rigidity of the Catholic Church during a decade of change. An aside, seriously how did this guy create Glee, Nip/Tuck, and now this? American Horror Story: Asylum, also featured some extraterrestrial encounters, Nazi experiments, demonic possession, and multiple serial killers, just for good measure.

This season’s show is clearly focused on witches and it’s hard to say what the pervading themes and social commentary may entail. Still, at this point, it’s safe to say that slavery and race, sexual violence, and gender relations seem to be in the mix after a premiere that intermixed some humor and camp with the standard envelope-pushing horrors one expects from AHS.

2. A “Golden Age” of horror television?

Last season demonstrated that there are seemingly no limits for this cable TV melodrama, and why should there be? The horror genre is taking over TV with The Walking Dead, Bates Motel, Hannibal, The Following, and several more to come, it has become the closest genre to “sure-things” in both television and film. Case in point The Conjuring, Mama, Evil Dead, and The Purge were all very successful at the box-office this year.

With the two top television horror spots claimed by American Horror Story and The Walking Dead, it’s clear there are seemingly limitless possibilities, especially within cable television. These shows certainly do not fall under the net of family friendly viewing, and neither should they. Both can push boundaries and explore themes in both a serious and outlandish medium.

Even with a somewhat erratic storyline last season on American Horror Story: Asylum, Murphy and Co. managed to tie it all together with both a melancholy and terrifying show that was both critically and demographically successful. Asylum led the pack with 17 Emmy nominations in 2013.

The top demographic for American Horror Story last season? Women 18-to-34. Clearly, there isn’t just a cult nerd following for AHS (I’m looking at you Funkhouser crew.) The show manages to be twisted and simultaneously inclusive.

Last night’s premiere of Coven was no different. “This season is designed to be a little more fun, and specifically to invite [even more] women to the party,” said Murphy.

3. It’s set in New Orleans

We all know Kentucky fans have a special place in our hearts for NOLA. It’s a unique and scary setting for this season of American Horror Story, aside from being the obvious home of voodoo in the United States.

And for a Hatfield and McCoy Kentucky tie-in, Ryan Murphy has expressed that there will be a feud between the voodoo witch clan that originated in New Orleans, and the Salem one that threatens its existence. Who doesn’t love a good feud?

4. The opening sequence couldn’t be much creepier

Witches, voodoo, Klansmen, half-men half-beasts. Standard.

5. Basis in real history

Aside from going the obvious route of adopting much of the history of the Salem witches into the story of the show (more on that below,) New Orleans’ story and history has an important part to play in the show as well.

The episode begins with Kathy Bates’s character, Madame LaLaurie–was an actual socialite born in New Orleans in 1775.

LaLaurie was prominent in the high society of New Orleans until, in 1834, it was discovered a great many of her slaves had been imprisoned, tortured, and killed for sport for many years. A legitimate serial killer and sadist, the real LaLaurie fled to Paris where she died in the 1840s. But in the American Horror Story world of course, the sadistic Madame LaLaurie’s nature is gruesomely portrayed, along with some magic embellishments for the show.

LaLaurie’s Royal Street mansion is a New Orleans a landmark to this day.

Angela Bassett appears briefly in episode one as Marie Laveau, a renowned voodoo practitioner throughout the 1800s, and free-born woman from New Orleans. Laveau will have a role, both in flashbacks to her true time in the 19th century, and to modern day New Orleans throughout the season.

Oh, and just to add some more historical reference ripe for horror to the plot, the “Axeman of New Orleans,” who killed eight victims in 1918-1919, mocking police with letters about his crimes, will have a role in the show as well.

6. Witches=X-Men?

In the show, each witch will have unique powers, most of which are based on the charges against women during the 1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials.

Here’s the ones we know so far:

• The Black Widow

After playing an angsty high school outcast, Violet Harmon, in season 1 of AHS, Taissa Farmiga (The Bling Ring) is back as Zoe Benson, a girl whose “power” is reminiscent of Rogue in the opening of 2000 X-Men film (I really like X-Men, ok.) Zoe is the black widow, except instead of eating her victims after they mate, Zoe’s power is that whomever she has sex with immediately and violently dies. Zoe discovers this horrific ability while sleeping with her boyfriend for the first time. This results in the Orlando high-school student being shipped off to boarding, I mean, witch school in New Orleans.

Isn’t that fun? Definitely a more light-hearted season Ryan Murphy…

This black widow idea was concocted by the writers of the show, when studying the witches of Salem, they discovered one was accused of having intercourse with a man–resulting in his death. Historians believe he may have been a hemophiliac. Coven seized upon this and created what appears to be a rather kind and meek girl in Zoe, with an uncontrollable ability that kills. In true AHS fashion, this ability appears to hyper-accelerate the development of young Zoe into a different person–all within the course of an episode.

• The Clairvoyant

Nan is treated as simple by the other girls, but she can use her power to gain information from people, objects, or locations with her “extra-sensory perception;” Nan is in fact, far from simple. During last night’s premiere, she uses this power to uncover a body (or an immortal person buried alive, whatever you want to call it.)

• The Telekinetic

Emma Roberts character, Madison Montgomery, is a former young Hollywood starlet with an alliteration for a name similar to some names you may have heard of like Lindsey Lohan and Marilyn Monroe. Madison has used her power to move objects with her mind to kill, which resulted in being shipped off to Miss Robicheaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (X-Men similarities never cease!) It’s like a combination of a witches only Hogwarts (Beauxbatons) and Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

• The Human Voodoo Doll

Gabourey Sidibe’s character, Queenie, shows off her strange ability, which Murphy admitted was not based on the Salem witches, but a voodoo power that she has, despite being a Salem witch. Queenie can, for example, stab herself, and her power transfers the effect to her enemy instead; something she casually demonstrates at the dinner table.

• The Supreme

The two-time Oscar winner and Emmy winner for her role in season 1 of AHS, Jessica Lange of course has a central role in Coven. Each generation of witches, though a dwindling kind, has one “Supreme” who encompasses all the powers a witch may possess. Lange is the Jean Gray/Phoenix of the witch world, named Fiona Goode. She returns to New Orleans after a stint in Los Angeles doing witch things. The Supreme’s estranged daughter (played by Sarah Paulson,) is headmistress of Robicheaux’s Academy and is clearly unhappy to see her mother. Goode claims to hope to better guide the pupils, teaching them to embrace their powers, not hide them.

Oh and she’s terrifying and obsessed with youth and immortality, and unafraid to use violence to acquire it.

7. There’s a love story fit for Taylor Swift

The tragic Romeo and Juliet romance of Violet and Tate in season 1 is back in Coven–with the same actors and even more tragedy. Black Widow witch Zoe is charmed at a fraternity party by Evan Peters’ character, Kyle Spencer. The episode doesn’t end well for the Tulane KAG, thanks to some violent theatrics by telekinetic witch, Madison. But something tells me love will find a creepy, unnatural way, thanks to next week’s promo.

8. Wit and Camp

Each season of American Horror Story, despite the name, has not just been about the horror–social commentary was key. In this season, Murphy claimed, there was an attempt to keep the show a bit less dark and grim, by adding some wit and additional camp value (there was already quite a lot of camp) to the Coven, in order to make it more watchable and accessible.

For example, the episode is entitled, “Bitchcraft.” Clever and campy, how fun!

In episode one, there are a great deal more jokes and pop culture references than seen in all of the Asylum series. The Supreme references “make a house fall on her witch daughter,” and jokes about an ironic lack of a broom for the witch to sweep up a mess. Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the Wizard of Oz are clearly referenced in the episode; a witty nod even goes out to Nicholas Cage, who is called, “that guy in Face/Off.”

Nicholas Cage was at one time in fact, the former owner of the real Madame LaLaurie’s mansion in New Orleans. Because, of course he was.

My favorite quip of the night belonged to Zoe (Taissa Farmiga,) with her super mega burn “I thought all frat guys were fascists?” Not all of them Zoe.

I admittedly was a bit disappointed in the lack of jumpy, scary moments in this episode, but the shock-value was still there; the addition of more camp and humor to this season of American Horror Story may be a welcome respite from the dark and dour season 2, and lend itself to a wider audience.

What’s to come in Episode 2, “Boy Parts”

[Promo 1]

[Promo 2]

@BrennanKSR