Ever since the first season of American Horror Story debuted in 2011, creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have offered audiences an amalgam of disturbing introductions, music, characters and storylines all of which occur in equally alarming settings. American Horror Story: Coven the FX shows third installment is no exception.
What makes this show different from most is that, although the cast has remained relatively constant over the years, the plot has changed completely. Season one, Murder House, was set in a ghost-filled haunted house, while season two, Asylum, took place in a 1960s mental hospital. The latest season, Coven, occurs in present day New Orleans at a school for young witches.
The continuity of the cast allows for more breadth in the storyline of the show something that the writers use to their full advantage. Because the whole story takes place within one season and is not spread out over an indefinite amount of time, the series leaves very few loose ends. Indeed, both Murder House and Asylum featured tightly knit plots and exciting, fulfilling conclusions. The condensed nature of the show is part of what makes American Horror Story so satisfying to watch.
Despite its unique plot structure, American Horror Story is not universally appealing and is certainly not for the faint of heart. In addition to the gore and horror that is so central to the series, American Horror Story also deals with somewhat disturbing and alienating themes, such as infidelity, sanity and it seems in this season oppression and racism.
Coven may be even gorier than the past two seasons. Already, episodes have incorporated disturbing racial torture, the graphic resurrection of characters from the dead and strange voodoo fertility ceremonies. Three action-packed episodes of Coven have debuted so far, proving that this season is measuring up to the standards of Murder House and Asylum.
The depiction of fantastical figures in mass media is nothing new. Witches have been featured on countless TV shows, including Sabrina: The Teenage Witch (1996-2003), The Vampire Diaries (2009-present), Charmed (1998-2006) and The Secret Circle(2011-present). All of these series have created their own representations of witches, and Coven seeks to do the same. The young, modern witches of Miss Robichauxs Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies have the potential to make this a mystical, magical and monstrous season.
Returning to the cast as new witch Zoe Benson is the beloved Taissa Farmiga from Murder House. Farmigas performance skillfully captures the innocence of her character, causing audiences to take a strong liking to Zoe. Another surprising addition to the cast is Emma Roberts as Madison Montgomery, a spoiled, rich actress who also happens to be a witch. Throughout her acting career, Roberts has mostly taken roles in mainstream romantic comedies like Valentines Day (2010), Aquamarine (2006) and Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012) making her appearance in a show like American Horror Story extremely unexpected. Although it may seem like Roberts is challenging herself with such a different genre, her character is unfortunately very similar to other parts she has played before; Madison is particularly reminiscent of Roberts role in Wild Child (2008).
On the other hand, Jessica Lange never fails to impress with her beautiful representation of complex and dark characters. This season, Lange plays Fiona Goode, the reigning Supreme Witch obsessed with looking young and maintaining her power, which seems to be slipping when a new Supreme (presumably one of the girls in the coven) begins to discover her new magical abilities.
Both the storyline and characters of this season of American Horror Story have the potential for strong development. The multifaceted witches, the gore and the hauntingly alluring atmosphere will have viewers reeling in anticipation for each new episode of Coven.
