Genre: Horror | Drama

Creators: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk

Network: FX

Air Date/Time: January 29, 2013, 10/9c

Written by: Douglas Petrie

Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Synopsis:

American Horror Story: Coven tells the secret history of witches and witchcraft in America. Over 300 years have passed since the turbulent days of the Salem witch trials and those who managed to escape are now facing extinction. Mysterious attacks have been escalating against their kind and young girls are being sent away to a special school in New Orleans to learn how to protect themselves. Wrapped up in the turmoil is new arrival, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), who is harboring a terrifying secret of her own. Alarmed by the recent aggression, Fiona (Jessica Lange), the long-absent Supreme, sweeps back into town, determined to protect the Coven and hell-bent on decimating anyone who gets in her way. American Coven features an extraordinary cast including Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga, Emma Roberts, Gabourey Sidibe, Frances Conroy, Lily Rabe, Denis O’Hare, Patti LuPone, and Danny Huston. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto, Tim Minear, James Wong, Jennifer Salt, and Brad Buecker are Executive Producers of American Horror Story: Coven. It is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television.

Episode Synopsis: A new Supreme rises.

So, it all comes down to this. The new Supreme. Or is it the same one? I’ve seen some speculation around the ‘net that Fiona may not be gone after all. Well, look elsewhere for your spoilers, friends, cuz you won’t get them here.

What I will tell you, though, is that this is the third in what can now be considered an American Horror Story tradition of very successful, wrap it up with a bow-type season/story finales. Maybe not as good as my favorite episode this season, but nevertheless a wonderful conclusion. Thanks to everyone involved in front of and behind the camera; absolutely excellent work. There is little more I can say about the finale that won’t touch on spoilers, other than if you have been a fan of this season, you will not be disappointed. Just watch. It is absolutely, completely satisfying.

Much of what I will miss most about American Horror Story: Coven, now that this story is concluding, is represented beautifully in the finale. For me that means the overall feel of the season, supported to perfection with the production in the framing, the sets, the costumes.  The look of it will stay with me for a long long time. The only favorite thing missing in  this episode is the great snappy dialogue that Jessica Lange could toss out like she could toss her hair, though it was never quite often enough for me. Ah well. 

Coven has been cooler – both in the “hip” and in the “aloof” sense – and quieter than the first two American Horror Story seasons/stories, and coolness has its own allure. The combination of the crazy Dutched camera angles from the first two seasons with the spare but quietly gorgeous look of this third season really made a unique statement.

But Coven was also less intense than its predecessors. Less intense than the gory horrific Asylum, and less intense than the roller coaster ride of edgy sexy terror that was Murder House. While the intensity of Murder House is one of the things that made it one of my favorite seasons of TV ever, Coven was nevertheless addictive in its own way.

I’m going to miss Fiona, Myrtle, and maybe Zoe the most, though that may be because I miss Violet from Murder House. There are admittedly one or two characters I won’t miss, and one or two I’ve already forgotten, and there are also admittedly some visuals and even a character or two that I hope I’ll forget. There was, overall, a good balance, but I could live happily without ever again remembering anything about Madame LaLurie as she was in her day.

I am definitely going to miss that Academy. Do people actually live like that, with no “stuff” lying around? It was so… peaceful. Gorgeous. And I’ll always remember the magic that Stevie Nicks brought to her episode, and that her music brought to several episodes. That, too, was part of the cool.

That’s Coven in a nutshell for me: never intense, often magical, and nearly always cool.

 

I give American Horror Story: Coven, Episode 13 “The Seven Wonders”, Five Out of Five Stars.