The third installment of the anthology series American Horror Story has begun, once again filling the television world with the kind of horror usually saved for the silver screen. Season one gave us the classic tale of a haunted house; season two shared the disturbing truth behind an insane asylum circa 1964; and this year will have you bewitched.
Set in present day New Orleans, American Horror Story: Coven follows a school of young witches as they learn to control their craft. Although this season has a very different feel from the last, all of our favorite actors are back. Jessica Lange, who plays the “supreme”, or most powerful witch, is at her best, portraying a fiery, stiletto-clad force to be reckoned with. Sarah Paulson plays Lange’s more ordinary witch daughter and headmistress of the school. Lily Rabe, the actress behind everyone’s favorite possessed nun, returns to the show as a witch. Taissa Farmiga, playing a troubled teenage witch, is back and better than ever. And fear not, for heartthrob Evan Peters is back for the new season, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaY7k2GjguM
In addition to the return of many old characters, several new characters have been introduced, played by actors like Emma Roberts and Kathy Bates. When I first heard that Emma Roberts was joining the cast, I thought it was an odd choice. But after I saw how perfectly she portrayed a privileged movie star with a bad attitude, (I wonder how much research she had to do to prepare for such a role…), she won me over. On the other hand, Kathy Bates’s character brings evil to a whole different level. Featured mainly in flashback scenes for the first few episodes, Bates plays the horrific Madame Delphine LaLaurie, whose hobbies include torturing her slaves in her spare time. While gruesome, this story line also brings up deeper and interesting ideas about slavery during the time period.
The show features new plot lines as well. Ryan Murphy, the creator of American Horror Story, stated in an interview that he missed the “Romeo & Juliet” love story of season one and wanted to reignite the spark between the characters played by Peters and Farmiga.
This season excellently combines history, folklore, and popular culture to create a fantastically dynamic and entertaining story. But beware: the witches in this show are not quirky, seemingly innocent teenagers like Sabrina the Teenage Witch. They’re rough, glamorous, and sarcastic; they will will kill you if they have to, which is truly fitting for an American horror story.
Check out AHS on Wednesdays at 10:00 PM on FX!