American Horror Story: Coven

Abstract

American Horror Story: Coven (FX 2013) (This review contains spoilers) American Horror Story: Coven is the third iteration of the American Horror Story universe, devising another completely new plot and timeline (interchanging between the present day, the 1970s and 1834), while keeping the series' regular cast list intact (although each plays an entirely new character). The addition of eccentric camerawork, often captured through a fish-eye lens, immediately establishes a distinctive visual style, reminiscent of films such as Suspiria (1977). The preceding and more successful season Asylum humanised its characters to far greater effect, suggesting that it is more appropriate for a horror serial to take a more solemn tone.

American Horror Story: Coven (FX 2013) (This review contains spoilers)

American Horror Story: Coven is the third iteration of the American Horror Story universe, devising another completely new plot and timeline (interchanging between the present day, the 1970s and 1834), while keeping the series' regular cast list intact (although each plays an entirely new character). With the dawn of each season, American Horror Story has been lauded for constantly redefining itself in terms of screenwriting, tone, and cinematography. After criticism of the previous season's (Asylum) darker and more ominous tone, Coven departs from these overtly macabre tendencies in favour of a far more whimsical tenor. Season Three of the franchise endeavours to tell the tale of a coven of witches, descended from their Salem counterparts. The addition of eccentric camerawork, often captured through a fish-eye lens, immediately establishes a distinctive visual style, reminiscent of films such as Suspiria (1977). Despite this exceptionally commendable visual flair, Coven suffers from bouts of uneven scriptwriting and fails to flesh out the characterisations of its large supporting cast. The show as a whole has tended to opt for sprawling plot-lines, with numerous tangents, but in this season that tendency is even more prevalent and the plot is far denser. As a television show that prides itself on horror-oriented narrative, American Horror Story: Coven is indeed the most controversial incarnation of the programme thus far.

The season commences by introducing us to the main timeline (which more or less corresponds to the present day) and setting in which events take place: Miss Robichaux's Academy, an academy that is disguised as a boarding school, but is actually a school for fledgling witches, gifted with supernatural powers. Cordelia Foxx (Sarah Paulson), who presides over the institute, takes the young witches under her wing and attempts to nurture their often-unrestrained powers (which include telekinesis, telepathy, and pyromancy, among others). Cordelia's stringent scholastic system for her protégées is soon thrown into turmoil after her estranged mother and 'supreme' of the coven, Fiona (Jessica Lange), arrives at her doorstep. The supreme is gifted with the power to command 'The Seven Wonders of Witchcraft', the complete spectrum of powers that a witch may possess. Students at the academy all have individual powers; however, some of these are more relevant in terms of plot progression than others, while some are included for sensational effect. Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), a young witch under the care of Cordelia, arrives at Miss Robichaux's due to her ability to exterminate men who happen to engage in sexual intercourse with her. This capability is never fully expanded upon and is not even presented as one of 'The Seven Wonders' once the various cast members' powers are properly accounted for later in the season. Misty Day (Lily Rabe), a witch thought to have been burnt at the stake, is granted the more compelling power of necromancy ('resurgence'), but that raises a further problem by allowing the rather arbitrary plot structure to resurrect any deceased cast members. This constant revival of characters means that American Horror Story: Coven lacks any significant or meaningful deaths, marring any true sense of horror or foreboding that previous seasons have utilised to a far greater extent. Plot points such as the aforementioned examples prove especially problematic in terms of heightening suspense, and make it difficult for the audience to engage fully with the narrative.

The coven's often-flamboyant powers fail to generate any real sense of horror, then, and instead, the mainstay of the season focuses on a wholly comedic element, which it executes to varying degrees of success. Series newcomer Kathy Bates, cast as Madame LaLaurie (based on a real historical socialite/serial killer) features in many of Coven's highlights. During the season's retrospective 1834 timeline, LaLaurie is cursed with immortality and buried by the voodoo witch Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), in revenge for the murderous blood-letting rituals that she practiced upon her slaves in New Orleans in order to create a youth-bestowing wrinkle cream. In the present day, Fiona releases the Madame from her burial site in a quest to even the score with the opposing voodoo faction that plagues the coven with violence, fronted by the similarly immortal Marie Laveau. Once LaLaurie becomes a maid at the academy, African-American witch Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) soon entraps the inherently racist torturer, forcing her to watch the mini-series Roots, which results in her renouncement of her bigoted past. Other realisations about the way in which society has developed during her entombment produce equally comical results, such as LaLaurie's reaction to the news that an African-American president now resides in the White House. Cameos from Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks similarly provide amusement, but quickly become overcooked, only adding to the assortment of incongruous plot devices employed throughout the serial.

Despite its endearing comical quirks, Coven ultimately fails to sustain its overly ambitious plot, presenting a particularly lacklustre conclusion. Cordelia, for example, is blinded by acid during a dispute with the voodoo faction that is warring with the academy. She eventually regains her sight but consequently gouges out her own eyes, finally regaining her vision for a second time during the final episode, in just one example of the season's tendency to pursue over-the-top and over-involved plotlines. Fortunately, sensational performances by Jessica Lange and Lily Rabe manage to offset the at-times farcical whims of the screen writing, thoroughly captivating the viewer. Lange's depiction of a youth-obsessed, abusive mother lies at the true core of the production, counter-balancing the comedic aspects of the show with enthralling dramatic devices. After her arrival at the academy, we learn of her deteriorating health as she is diagnosed with cancer, forcing the selection of the new supreme of the coven from among Cordelia's students. Rather than the lengthy process of the student witches sparring to become the next supreme, though, the main merit of Coven lies in Lange's depiction of a woman who is haunted by her lost youth and the quest to retain her supremacy. This is the one true power that the script truly possesses.

Overall, the strength of American Horror Story, as a show, lies within its depiction of the human emotions of its characters, in the face of the horrific circumstances which are portrayed on-screen. Sadly, in this instance the opposite is true, with Coven deviating too far towards clichéd comedic devices, resulting in the de-humanisation of many of the characters it sought to bring to life. The preceding and more successful season Asylum humanised its characters to far greater effect, suggesting that it is more appropriate for a horror serial to take a more solemn tone. With this in mind, it's good to hear that the forthcoming season Freakshow will purportedly return to the formula that made earlier seasons of American Horror Story so much more successful than this one.

Oisin Vink