CliqueClackAmerican Horror Story: Coven almost redeems last season
After last season’s awful ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’, I was very hesitant to even give ‘Coven’ a try. After watching the premiere, I’m highly encouraged.
Let’s face it: if you liked the first season of American Horror Story, then continued to enjoy the second season … I dunno who I’m talking to. Unless you’re Chuck. Sorry, Chuck. I love you, man, but last season was pretty damned awful, confusing and just downright … bad. It was a far cry from the first self-contained season of the series, which itself wasn’t exactly perfection. However, that first season was good enough to make me look forward to the next which, as I said, fell flat.
This season of American Horror Story takes on yet another different “horror” to follow, this time with witches (which some people think is an overdone subject these days — it’s not like it’s zombies!) Many people were pretty excited for the addition of Kathy Bates to the cast, who we’ve already come to know on the show as being — presumably — a witch, with one hell of a serious past. So far her casting has proven to be right on the mark.
Setting up the flashbacks to long-ago New Orleans — and seeing Bates’ Madame Delphine LaLaurie’s sadistic rituals for eternal youth — was right away a step in the right direction as well. True to the show’s form were cringe-worthy scenes of awfully tortured men, uncomfortable-to-behold (to say the least) gang rape, and blood, blood everywhere — even being painted on faces with a shaving mug and brush. What’s different, though, is how the story is unfolding. Unlike the past two seasons, we seem to be falling right in line with following this group of “special” girls, instead of following different ongoing story lines. That could certainly change as the series continues, but the setup definitely had a different feel to it — it almost felt like Hogwarts for witches … except with torturing and rape and stuff.
Some early predictions I have, though nothing very insightful: Kyle Spencer (Evan Peters) will return due to one of the witches’ being able to bring back the dead (according to IMDb, he’s back later in the season, so the question isn’t “if” it’s “how.”) Also, Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga) will likely become a “Supreme” witch at some point, likely by figuring out that every which has this capability, just that they need to know how to release it all. Maybe all the witches have the ability to gain all the powers.
I’m not sure if this season technically makes up for last season, but it’s so far an improvement. If I had one gripe about it, it’d be this: why the hell did Zoe resort to jerking off and fucking a guy in his deathbed to exact her revenge, when holding a pillow over his head or, heck, zipping a knife across his throat would’ve done just fine? I get that it makes his death painful and mysterious to investigators, but … she has to fuck the guy to do it!
11 Comments on “American Horror Story: Coven almost redeems last season”
I know last season was unsatisfying, but there were still things I loved about it, mostly in the performances of Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, James Cromwell, and especially Lily Rabe (of whom I expect we’ll see more of this season after her apparent demise by fire in the opener). I enjoyed the premiere this season very much because it just had a less oppressive feel and it was damned funny at times — amusing that you mentioned Hogwarts since one of Lange’s best lines was a dig at the fictional institution. I also loved her “Let me buy you a drink, Mary Todd Lincoln” line after exhuming Bates’ LaLaurie. I also loved the stylized flashbacks to Salem. From the previews, I’m pretty sure Evan Peters will be back in the next episode … or at least parts of him. You’re probably right about Farmiga’s character becoming the Supreme, because Lange’s Fiona is going to kill one of the girls by episode three who she believes is the next Supreme (my bet is on Emma Roberts’ character after her bus flipping that impressed and angered Fiona). I can’t wait to see the fireworks erupt between Fiona, LaLaurie and Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett). And there will be zombies … but the good, old-fashioned voodoo kind! I think it’s gonna be a good season!
Last season wasn’t that bad, but it had 2 major flaws, slow and uninspiring 2 final episodes and no Devil vs Alien confrontation (it’s like, cmon, show was begging for it from the start!! Can’t believe they copped out!)
This season has started well. Although there’s one big thing that’s been bothering me. Show creator made an interview saying how he wanted to make this season more light and less dark than the other two… right after an episode with a messed up date drug gang rape. I never thought I would be one to call foul on stuff like that, but that comment kinda irked me, lol.
Ryan Murphy never said it was going to be a comedy. Compared to last season, the first episode was certainly “less dark,” but it is called American Horror Story, so if you’re expecting Bewitched you’re watching the wrong show.
Well see, I’ve watched plenty of horror movies and none had rape in them (though I’m aware some do). We already had rape in the 2nd season (and depending on who you talk to, the first), to say this season has a lighter tone (and you should know me better from my comments in these boards than to think I expected Charmed!) but start with that is like saying, oh, girl got raped but is no big deal because she gets to have a Carrie moment! (and to some extent, o guy gets raped but is ok because he deserved it!)
Like I said I’m not usually a PC-zealot but rape IS a dark and serious matter and saying something is lighter does imply more fun/campy and less gutting.
Still, compared to just about everything in the second season, and even with the rape — which was unquestionably disturbing — the season, overall, will still have a lighter, less oppressive tone than season two which was just depressing to watch from beginning to end. Nevertheless, it’s still not going to be sunshine and daffodils, Charmed, Hocus Pocus, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Harry Potter or anything like those types of comedic, whimsical movies and shows. Perhaps you should check out Lifetime’s Witches of East End as an alternative for fun/camp.
And I’m pretty sure you can find some horror films, particularly of the 70s/80s exploitation variety, that feature rape as a plot point. I Spit On Your Grave comes immediately to mind. Both the 1978 original and the 2010 remake.
Yeah like i said, my problem is not with the series itself (I enjoyed both last seasons and the 1st episode) but with the comments in themselves. Just a personal pet peeve I guess, I’m not usually in the PC-zealot group!
I did watch Witches of East End, made me miss Charmed, lol.
Why does this reviewer think season 2 was flat out “awful”…? It really wasn’t.
This guy obviously doesn’t know good acting when he sees it. Though Asylum’s plot got a bit convoluted by the end, the acting and visuals were still flat out amazing. There was nothing awful about that season at all…
Well acted, I’ll grant you. But I’ve never understood the degree of fan-love this show gets for taking great, if derivative, horror premises and then piling on layers and layer of convoluted plotting and unpleasantness. I might not agree with “flat out awful,” but I can see how someone might arrive at that conclusion.
Yeah I’ll stick with what JD said. Acting was good, yes, but for me acting just isn’t enough.
I generally when I read a review and the reviewer doesn’t even put in the facts , FACT; despite your “opinion” it got a totally of 17 Emmy nominations for just “THAT” season , FACT; It’s a dark ass show don’t go up in there thinking that its going to be about hugs and puppies , FACT; The people who loved it out way it a hell of a lot then the people who don’t , You can cast your opinion but do throw unnecessary shade.
FACT: Bears love beets
Sorry, you lost me on “out way” …