In an age of binge-watching and catch-up streaming, American Horror Story: Coven is appointment television worth clearing your schedule for every week, starting now. But why, you ask, should I make room for this show at the end of semester, when I have papers to write and exams to cram for? Because AHS: Coven is quite simply the best program on television right now, and possibly the most badass show I’ve ever seen.
Here are seven reasons why. And yes, watch out for spoilers.
1. AHS has the coolest concept ever. Each season is like a self- contained mini-series, telling a complete story from beginning to end. Continuity from season to season is achieved by using the same group of core actors, making it really interesting to see their interactions and chemistry in completely different settings and relationships.
Each season is also relatively short—13 episodes—meaning watching this show is not a life- time commitment. And since it’s only in its third season, you could easily marathon the entire series in a weekend if you really wanted to. And trust me, you’d want to.
2. Following a haunted house in season one and an asylum in season two, this season of AHS is about witches.
While this point doesn’t really need elaboration, what makes Coven’s take on witches great is that it doesn’t focus on light magic or creepy rituals. Instead of making the witches’ powers about something far- fetched, the show uses magic to explore very human emotions and moral questions.
For example, Sarah Paulson’s character struggles with whether or not to use her magic to con- ceive a child after learning she is infertile, and some of the younger witches debate bringing a boy back from the dead to deal with feelings of guilt and grief.
3. The acting is top-notch, featuring a stellar cast that combines acting legends with Hollywood celebrities and character actors. Lily Rabe is hypnotizing as a hippie-witch obsessed with Fleetwood Mac, searching for her coven, and Emma Roberts does a fine job of providing comic relief as a spoiled celebutante learning to harness her powers (how much of a stretch this is for the niece of Julia Roberts, I can’t say).
Here are seven reasons why. And yes, watch out for spoilers.
1. AHS has the coolest concept ever. Each season is like a self- contained mini-series, telling a complete story from beginning to end. Continuity from season to season is achieved by using the same group of core actors, making it really interesting to see their interactions and chemistry in completely different settings and relationships.
Each season is also relatively short—13 episodes—meaning watching this show is not a life- time commitment. And since it’s only in its third season, you could easily marathon the entire series in a weekend if you really wanted to. And trust me, you’d want to.
2. Following a haunted house in season one and an asylum in season two, this season of AHS is about witches.
While this point doesn’t really need elaboration, what makes Coven’s take on witches great is that it doesn’t focus on light magic or creepy rituals. Instead of making the witches’ powers about something far- fetched, the show uses magic to explore very human emotions and moral questions.
For example, Sarah Paulson’s character struggles with whether or not to use her magic to con- ceive a child after learning she is infertile, and some of the younger witches debate bringing a boy back from the dead to deal with feelings of guilt and grief.
3. The acting is top-notch, featuring a stellar cast that combines acting legends with Hollywood celebrities and character actors. Lily Rabe is hypnotizing as a hippie-witch obsessed with Fleetwood Mac, searching for her coven, and Emma Roberts does a fine job of providing comic relief as a spoiled celebutante learning to harness her powers (how much of a stretch this is for the niece of Julia Roberts, I can’t say).
But of course, Jessica Lange is the true star of the show. She is captivating as Fiona, the coven’s ruthless supreme leader, delivering a powerhouse performance tinged with pain, poise, and pure evil. Lange alone is reason enough to watch. 4. AHS takes horror seriously, translating many of the conventions of classic horror films to television.
Just because AHS is on TV, doesn’t mean you should expect sub-par scares; in fact, because each episode doesn’t offer the closure of a movie, the fear lingers from week to week. Coven also makes full use of eerie music, suspense-inducing camera tricks, gory make-up, and high-tech special effects, scaring the pants off audiences every week.
5. AHS: Coven has a nearly all-female cast constantly being badasses, kicking ass and taking names. It’s the best kind of feminist show because it’s not presented as a “women’s show”; it’s just a show that happens to feature women being awesome in powerful roles.
Coven uses the witch concept as a vehicle to talk about women’s oppression and what witch- hunting was really about – policing female sexuality and progressive behaviour. It’s also one of the few shows where female characters are defined according to their person- ality, positions, and power, instead of how they measure up to social definitions of beauty.
6. The show is, according to executive producer Tim Minear, about oppression of minorities. In addition to its feminist slant, Coven shows the harsh realities of American slave culture. It also features the most positive portrayal of a person with down syndrome in popular culture. Jamie Brewer’s Nan is feisty and witty, and charms the coven’s hot new neighbour.
Coven is far from being preachy though, choosing to present ideas and people audiences might be uncomfortable with, pushing them to check their assumptions and prejudices.
7. It has style for days. All these great things I’ve mentioned are gift-wrapped in a package of glam- our and sophistication created by sleek filming and atmospheric music. AHS: Coven is a pleasure to watch, a creative and terrifying gem; simply bewitching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMy5BNoUMhM
Vanessa Del Carpio
Recruitment Manager
Just because AHS is on TV, doesn’t mean you should expect sub-par scares; in fact, because each episode doesn’t offer the closure of a movie, the fear lingers from week to week. Coven also makes full use of eerie music, suspense-inducing camera tricks, gory make-up, and high-tech special effects, scaring the pants off audiences every week.
5. AHS: Coven has a nearly all-female cast constantly being badasses, kicking ass and taking names. It’s the best kind of feminist show because it’s not presented as a “women’s show”; it’s just a show that happens to feature women being awesome in powerful roles.
Coven uses the witch concept as a vehicle to talk about women’s oppression and what witch- hunting was really about – policing female sexuality and progressive behaviour. It’s also one of the few shows where female characters are defined according to their person- ality, positions, and power, instead of how they measure up to social definitions of beauty.
6. The show is, according to executive producer Tim Minear, about oppression of minorities. In addition to its feminist slant, Coven shows the harsh realities of American slave culture. It also features the most positive portrayal of a person with down syndrome in popular culture. Jamie Brewer’s Nan is feisty and witty, and charms the coven’s hot new neighbour.
Coven is far from being preachy though, choosing to present ideas and people audiences might be uncomfortable with, pushing them to check their assumptions and prejudices.
7. It has style for days. All these great things I’ve mentioned are gift-wrapped in a package of glam- our and sophistication created by sleek filming and atmospheric music. AHS: Coven is a pleasure to watch, a creative and terrifying gem; simply bewitching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMy5BNoUMhM
Vanessa Del Carpio
Recruitment Manager
