AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN - Episode 03.01 - Bitchcraft - Review : That was fun, mon petit !

      After waiting for months, American Horror Story: Coven has finally is here. The creepy trailers are over, now it’s time to dive into the witchcraft.

       I’m a huge fan of AHS since the beginning. I had big expectations when its first aired, and I was a bit disappointed by the premieres. Luckily, other episodes were so great it became one of my favorite shows. Same thing happened last year with Asylum. Then, I finally understood. AHS is written as a 13 episodes series, so they take time to place the characters and the location in the first episode. So, this year I really loved the season premieres.

         
      It opened with a sex scene (I’m leaving the prologue), which is not surprising for AHS. As they say in horror movies, if you have sex you will probably die. So, when Zoe tried to loose her virginity, poor Charlie died. Zoe’s power, killing by having sex is quite an unfortunate curse, especially when you’re young and full of hormones. Her kill list : 2 (for now).

       This year Coven is definitely lighter than last year Asylum. The cast and the setting are very bright. Taissa Farmiga has a bright angel face and there are white walls everywhere -specially in the coven.

    
      It was always nice to see previous seasons actors coming back playing new characters. The cast is amazing this year. I’ve always loved Frances Conroy’s characters, her acting is so exquisite. The brief apparition of Myrtle already ranked her at the top of my favorite character list (Constance will be number 1 forever). I can not wait to see her back. Jessica Lange is still the best actress. Fiona is the Supreme witch, no surprise here she’s the best actress. The Witches are fun, love to see Jamie Brewer back as Nan, the clairvoyant, Gabourey Sidibe from The Big C as Queenie the human voodoo doll and Emma Roberts is Madison the telekinetic movie star. Roberts always plays annoying bitch, it suits her apparently.

       Kathy Bates (Madame LaLaurie) and Angela Bassett (Marie Laveau) are great additions to the cast. Evan Peters (Kyle) and Lily Rabe (Misty Day) could have had great parts. Kyle seemed like a nice guy and there is a real chemistry between Peters and Farmiga. Lily Rabe is always amazing on screen. But shocker : they die ! … But in AHS, that doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of them, right ?

 
     So, let’s dig into the story. First, the witches of course ! I expected more girls in the coven, only 4 young witches. The introduction to the coven with the stupid frightening game was a bit boring, luckily Sarah Paulson made her entrance as Cordelia, head’s mistress of the Coven. She’s more rigid than last year, no more Lana Banana… The dinner scene with the girls was far better. I like how we were introduced tot their different powers. I’d love being clairvoyant. The powers are perfectly matched to the characters.

       The party scene with the Frat boys was surprising. That’s what so good on AHS. You think you’re going to watch a frat party and then it turned into a rape scene, quite disturbing to watch. It was well directed, without showing too much but clearly showing what was happening. Poor Madison, drugged and raped. Kyle saved her by making the others guys go away and then, the witch sought her vengeance. Frat boys thought a bus was their way out but Madison used her power : the bus flipped, crashed, exploded and burnt…. Nice vengeance I admit. Too bad Kyle was in that bus too…

      Since Constance's apparition in the first episode eof AHS, I’m always looking forward Jessica Lange’s first scene. When I saw the umbrella, heard the music, I knew it was going to be her. I fell in love with Fiona as soon as she started talking. Jessica Lange is magical. The scene with the doctor was not that interesting. We get the concept : she is old and won’t accept it. She wants to stay young and eternal. I had some doubts whether Fiona was a witch or not. I was worried because I wanted her to be the Supreme… And I wasn’t disappointed. She’s quite powerful. She can throw people at walls, close and open windows, and suck the life out of you…

    When Fiona heard about Misty Day’s death, she came back to the Coven and to see her daughter, Cordelia. That’s so much fun to have Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson playing mother and daughter. I love the dynamic between those two. They have a real chemistry too, Cordelia replies to her mother were so good and funny. They clearly hate each other deeply. I know the relationship between those two will evolve during the season and I think it’s gonna be an interesting arc. Cordelia is clearly withholding her powers, but later or sonner she’s gonna have to use them. I bet she is full of surprising. As Fiona stated, she is the only child of the Supreme. Something isn’t clear for me about the Supreme mythology. So, there is one at each generation but the children of the Supreme are not always the new Supreme, still they have royal blood… That means they are powerful but not Supreme powerful ?

 
    I wanted to end the review by writing about the opening scene because it is clearly linked to the ending. Madame LaLaurie is an excellent character, Bates is a freaking genius. I loved her instantly. The presentation of her daughters, the creepy look in the mirror with the blood crème de jour, and the sadistic tortures on black people made her one of the best AHS character so far. She is old, her dear husband is attracted to young girls so she wants to stay young too… Kinda like Fiona. It was no surprise when Fiona took the girls to see LaLaurie’s old house, in which she died.

       Angela Basset’s character, Marie Laveau, introduction was good too. She offered a love potion to LaLaurie so her husband won’t cheat. Except it wasn’t love potion but poison. And she killed LaMaurie… That’s what she thought. LaLaurie is still alive ! Fiona dug her and now, she wants to have what she was having. Her bloody cream was real good : it doesn’t make you look younger but poison can’t kill you.

Spells Notes :

 • New opening. Coven is the less scary and creepy of all three.
 • Who is the new supreme ? Zoe ? Madison ? Nan ? Queenie ? I’m rooting for Nan !
• Cordelia : what’s her power ?
• I can’t wait to see Madame LaLaurie in our century, specially her relation with Queenie.
• Misty Day : she will be back ! I’m quite certain of that. I mean she has the ability to control death or something like that. She will burn the people who killed her, as she promised.
• The Minotaur ! It’s my favorite mythology creatures too ! It won’t be the last we see of him !
• Like all the French references in the dialogue and character’s names.
• Does the ring rings a bell ? The ringtone is the same in season 1 ;)

Romain Ossust(aka Julian Denton) Writer