FX's anthology series returns with a b-witching hour that I'm sure thrilled its fans and left the uninitiated with a serious case of whiplash. Also, Jessica Lange said "Twitter" unlike anything I've ever heard.
Let's get something out of the way, I love American Horror Story. I've loved it since its twisted, wild premiere back in October 2011. It would have to do a lot of things wrong for me to object to whatever batshit insanity Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the creators, are feeding me. I get that a lot of people don't like it, and it's certainly not for everyone, but when the show clicks, there is quite honestly, nothing like it on TV. Wednesday's premiere, Coven, the show's third season, had everything AHS fans have come to love about the series. Historically (accurate?) flashbacks, over-the-top characters with insane personalities and a hint of emotional depth to be dealt with later, and balls-to-the-wall filmmaking that features more tricks and treats than Halloween. Suffice to say, I'm glad it's back.
Set in New Orleans in the 19th and 21st centuries, Coven begins with arguably American Horror Story's most horrifying sequence to-date. It's 1834 and Madame LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) is hosting a dinner party of sorts. Unbeknownst to her guests, in the attic of her home, LaLaurie hosts a different kind of party – a prison full of tortured slaves. Imprisoned for punishment or sadistic pleasure, she uses the blood from their wounds (and other things) as a face-mask to better preserve her youth. Oh, and did I mention she makes an actual minotaur out of one of the them? It's disgusting and disturbing and just when you think you can't take the horrific imagery any longer, the opening credits roll. Not like it matters, Coven's opening credits are just as creepy as the show itself, complete with the instantly iconic AHS theme song. The graphics change every season but the music stays the same, albeit with some slight alterations. It's grown to be such an integral part of the show, Ryan Murphy revealed the credit sequence two weeks prior to Wednesday's premiere.
From there, we flash-forward to present day where things don't get any less weird. Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) is gettin' funky with her boyfriend and just as things start to heat up, boom, the boyfriend starts convulsing, blood bleeding and bursting from his eyes and nose. And... dead. She kills him while having sex. Weird. She must be a witch. That's basically how quick things move and it's something the AHS audience has come to expect. Spare us the set-up, let's get to the goods. In lieu of further conversation with her mother detailing the history of witchcraft in their family, we're treated to a brief expositional monologue while Zoe travels, by train, to The Big Easy. The train ride immediately calls to mind Harry Potter and Farmiga's dry delivery while riffing on the history of witchcraft in her family feels very reminiscent of Twilight. The proceedings give the opening minutes of the premiere a much younger feel than the first and second season but things mature as the hour progresses. Upon arriving in New Orleans, Zoe lands at the front gate of Miss Robicheaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, a school for witches in training, and Zoe's new home.
Upon entering the mansion, Zoe meets Nan (Jamie Brewer), Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), and Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts). Zoe recognizes Madison from her days as a young Hollywood starlet, ya know, before becoming a witch. The three of them don't exactly but what can you expect when you force three young witches, all with different powers, to live together. The headmistress of the academy, Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson [yay!]), formally welcomes Zoe and explains the origins of the school along with the some necessary mythology AHS has concocted for Coven. Going forward, it appears the most important concept is the idea of "The Supreme" witch, a once in a generation all-powerful witch who possesses all witch-ly powers and in turn is the most feared amongst the society.
Enter the current reigning supreme, and Coredelia's mother, Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange), who after a brief visit with a special doctor in Los Angeles, returns to New Orleans after hearing of a recent modern-day witch being burned at the stake. She was in L.A. seeking the latest and greatest medicine to restore her youth – to no success. You see, the one power Fiona doesn't have is the power of never-ending youth. It's obvious Cordelia and Fiona do NOT get along and there's a hint at a very rocky past between them. Another big riff they both disagree on is how Miss Robicheaux's should be run. Fiona thinks the girls shouldn't hide who they are, that they need to fight for their witch rights, while Cordelia thinks that keeping quiet and living anonymously amongst the population is the best course of action. Lange and Paulson are incredible in their first scene of the season together. Their relationship, so full of contempt and misery is the first sign of the sadness that often surrounds the characters within the American Horror Story universe. On the outside, it's a fantastic bitch fight, but when Coredlia says bluntly to Fiona, "When are you gonna die already?" it strikes a different chord with the audience, and it's kind of heartbreaking. Cordelia neglects Fiona's advances as she declares "a storm is coming..." and that these witches can't hide in the shadows as there are no shadows anymore hint at a big through-line of the season. Is anyone safe from public scrutiny and can secrets even be kept in a society that has risen to value being constantly connected at all times? Are our shadows gone, too? It should also be noted that Jessica Lange's line delivery of "Twitter" in this scene breathed new life into me. It was incredible. Iconic.
Outside of the premiere's cold open, the other equally disturbing scene arrives when Madison and Zoe, who Madison has deemed her new best friend, attend a frat party at a nearby college campus. It's here where Zoe meets one of the frat boys, Peter (Evan Peters), and they instantly take a liking to one and other. They are given a pretty dramatic introduction where they gaze upon each other through an ice sculpture. It's a fancy frat party, okay?! It's fun seeing Taissa Farmiga and Evan Peters back on screen together since their love story was one of the biggest stories of American Horror Story's premiere season. Sadly, the swooning doesn't last long. Madison ends up getting drugged and raped by a group of frat bros, excluding Kyle, who don't take a liking to her attitude. It's horrifying to say the least. The scene is shot intensely without getting overly graphic and it doesn't need to. The idea and quick cuts alone are enough to make your stomach turn. This after all, is an American horror that is all too real for many people. Kyle walks in the group and is disgusted. He grabs his boys and they all sprint out of the house to their bus. Madison stays on the bed, defeated. Once Zoe finds her, she slowly rises in rage. Does she think she let this happen to herself? She was defenseless after all. The thing is, now she's not defenseless, she's a witch, rising from the ashes. The two leave the house and run towards the fraternity bus careening down the street. With a flick of her wrist, Madison sends the bus tumbling, flipping down the street. It's a violent crash that all but confirms the entire bus has come to a tragic end. For the audience, it's kind of awesome. It's one of several moments where Coven plays off an extremely serious moment with a wink and maybe a bit of a laugh. Your results may vary, but I happen to love these kinds of moments. They don't always land but when they do, it's glorious. Yes, rape is an incredibly serious issue that needs to be handled with care, but allowing the victim to fight back and feel empowered is something else entirely and something I think Coven will deal with a lot this season. An exploration of feminism and what can happen when a person takes control of their own decisions and the future in front of them.
There is a LOT of other stuff that happens throughout "Bitchcraft," the title of the premiere. More history is quite literally "dug up" in a fantastic final twist to end the hour. I won't spoil it here but let's just say, the characters of New Orleans in the 19th and 21st century might not be too far removed from each other after all. The season premiere hints at a lot of things to be explored: the attempt to gain power, the lengths you will go to attain it, and what happens when you do. Additionally, the importance of youth in our culture, the supposed "evils" of growing old, the effects of oppression throughout American history, and finally how long someone can be beat down before losing it all in rage and perhaps, dropping a house on someone? That's a lot of stuff. But what I find so fascinating about American Horror Story is how these themes slowly reveal themselves and their impact through the season while you're too busy focusing on its insanely impressive cast or its arresting images. The show puts a lot of emphasis on the slickness of its presentation, and its production value is one of the highest on television, but it all means nothing if the show isn't saying anything grander than what it's presenting. Luckily, in this case, I think the smoke and mirrors will clear and reveal that Coven has a lot to say.
GRADE: A-
Stray observations:
- Jessica Lange had so many epic one-liners it was impossible to keep track throughout the episode. She commands attention and the writing for Fiona is flat out fantastic. "The world isn't going to miss a bunch of assholes in Ed Hardy t-shirts" "You were being a little witch-bitch..."
- I loved Fiona's quick reference to her visit to Los Angeles. "It's tragic, the glamour's gone, they put a shopping mall on Sunset and Vine." Jessica Lange has such an amazing way of evoking rich history in her delivery. Also, props to Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk who penned the episode.
- I didn't mention Angela Bassett or Frances Conroy's characters here as they have a very brief introduction in the premiere. To put it simply, they are dressed in the most insane outfits and they are probably going to be bad ass.
- Based off the premiere, Coven is definitely much lighter than last year. I loved Asylum but boy was it tough to sit through at times, though I do think Coven will grow darker as the season progresses.
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