Genre: Horror | Drama
Creators: Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk
Network: FX
Air Date/Time: November 6, 2013, 10/9c
Written by: Jessica Sharzer
Directed by: Jeremy Podesma
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: Besieged by Marie Laveau’s army, Zoe unleashes a new power. Fiona and Myrtle clash over control of the Coven. Madame LaLaurie is confronted by old ghosts.
American Horror Story: Coven has hit the groove. Everything clicks this week, just as it did last week. We get some shocks, some nasty/fun visuals, some Dutch-angled camerawork, some cool effects, some development of storylines, and some excellent Jessica Lange. We’re a little light on comedy and snappy dialogue this week, and oh how I wish the show was allowed to go extra-long, because we miss out on a few storylines for the sake of others. Still, I prefer decent development of some plots over bouncing from one story to another in rapid succession, trying to service everything. This episode, by the way, is an excellent reminder that Ryan Murphy‘s apparent mommy issues can go toe-to-toe with Damon Lindelof’s presumed daddy issues any day of the week.
This week’s production is likely aided by the fact that we once again have an AHS veteran writer and director on board for the episode. Writer Jessica Sharzer wrote Asylum‘s “I am Anne Frank Pt 1” and the original season’s penultimate episode “Afterbirth,” amongst others. Jeremy Podeswa is relatively new to AHS as director but has excellent geek cred, having directed last season’s “Coat Hanger” episode (Lana’s attempted abortion), as well as the upcoming “Dead Weight” episode of The Walking Dead.
I’m ever-so-slightly disappointed with Kathy Bates‘s role this season, because I think we were all imagining that she and Jessica Lange would be having some fun-to-watch dustups, which hasn’t really come to pass. I’m also not exactly enamored of her character in flashbacks, but of course we’re not meant to be. This is only episode 5 of 13, however, so we’re not even halfway through this always-too-short season. She was a treat on last week’s Halloween episode – she had the title line “Fearful Pranks Ensue” – so I’m hoping for perhaps more of that in the future.
Jessica Lange, on the other hand, makes her dislikable character likeable, because she’s Jessica Lange. We are totally spoiled by her performances, and it’s a privilege to have her on our screens in such an excellently written, shot, and produced series. This week is no exception; she shines.
As does the rest of the production. It’s easy to forget how fantastic the set is when we see it every week, or how fabulous the wardrobe is, because the actors wearing it are so excellent, so kudos to all of the production for once again excelling in the presentation.
This week’s episode of American Horror Story: Coven is terrific, better than most episodes of most shows currently on TV, but just ever-so-slightly missing the magic. This is one of those times when I really wish we gave in-between ratings here at SciFiMafia.com, because I’d love to give it a Four and a Half Stars, knowing that they can do even better, but this episode is no Four Stars. Therefore…
I give American Horror Story: Coven, Episode 5 “Burn, Witch. Burn!” Five Out of Five Stars.
