American Horror Story: Coven Review

"American Horror Story" is one of those series that burst on to the scene a few years back, but I never got around to watch. I'm not exactly sure why, whether it had been my schedule or the fact that the initial reception wasn't particularly good. It always seemed like something I would enjoy though, so I decided to give it a try. My friend who watches the show suggested I just skip to the third season since each season is its own story and that "Coven" was the best one so far; and boy am I glad I finally gave it a try, this really is an amazing show. "American Horror Story: Coven" follows a group of witches down in New Orleans. Witches are a dying bread; hundreds of years of hunting have all but wiped them out. Many years before the story takes place, a school was set up in New Orleans for the sole purpose of helping young witches learn to control their powers. The current headmaster is a witch named Cordelia, an intelligent and caring woman who only wants the best for the young witches. Cordelia is the daughter of the current supreme (the most powerful witch who leads the coven) Fiona, a cruel and selfish woman who puts herself above all others. The events of Coven really start when a young girl named Zoe learns she is a witch, her parents then ship her off to the school where she starts to learn the true extent of her powers. There are three other young witches at the school, each of which is looking out for number one. Everything seems to be alright until sick Fiona shows up out of the blue and decides to take charge of the school. While out on a field trip, a young clairvoyant witch senses something. She finds the location of a trapped woman named Delphine, a wicked slave owner from the 1800's who had an immortality spell placed in her by a vengeful witch. Fiona is obsessed with finding a cure for her aging, so she decides to release Delphine in order to find out what type of spell was used on her to make her immortal; but doing so re-sparks a century old rivalry between another group of witches in the city, led by the same woman who put the spell on Delphine. So while teaching all these young witches, Fiona and Cordelia also have to worry about this other group who seem to want to start a war. What ensues is nothing more than death and mayhem. I'm actually mad at myself I didn't start watching this show until episode ten, I should have been on board since the beginning. I think what struck me so immediately would be the visual accepts of this show, the production value and cinematography are better than almost anything you'll see on cable TV. The show stars a number of actresses, from lesser known's to some major stars. All of them do a great job as their characters; whether they’re despicable characters you hate or kind ones you want to see succeed. The writing was great throughout the season, but there were a couple times where the writing didn't match the rest of the show. I think what I loved most was the setting, having it take place in New Orleans was a very smart decision. New Orleans has always been a bit of a mystic city, plus the voodoo elements and local legends work great with the show's vibe. I will say some of the later episodes weren't as great as the beginning of the season and throughout the season there was never a really coherent plot line; there's a lot of stuff that happens in the season and the main story can get a little muddled. I'd like to mention again that I haven't seen the first two seasons of "American Horror Story," so I can't really compare this one to the previous two; but I loved "Coven" from start to finish, and I'll certainly go back and watch the previous two seasons. While it may be a little too gruesome and dark for some, it's become the premier horror show on TV right now and can't wait for season four.