Nominated for six Emmys and the winner of one, “American Horror Story” stands out as one of the most innovative and interesting shows on the air right now. Rather than offering continuity between each season, “American Horror Story” uses many of the same actors between seasons, but the plots and characters widely range. The third season, “American Horror Story: Coven,” premiered last Wednesday with a captivating introduction to a school for witches in New Orleans. As usual, the show is not afraid to amplify the creep factor or display the grotesque as an introduction to each new world.
The premiere has a lot of people to introduce, but it is managed skillfully. Typically, the writers show a character, include a quick introduction and let the character’s actions speak for themselves. The viewers are first introduced to Madame LaLaurie (Kathy Bates, “Titanic”), a woman who is obsessed with two things: maintaining her youth and torturing slaves. Her character is in the 1830s, but as the viewers watch, the plot is catapulted to modern times; LaLaurie is imprisoned, then set free in 2013 at the end of the episode. It is the modern times when the other main characters are introduced- they are all members of an all-girl school for witches to learn to hide their powers. Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga, “The Bling Ring”) has the power to kill anyone she has sex with; Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts, “We’re the Millers”) is a telekinetic movie star; Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious”) is a human voodoo doll; Nan (Jamie Brewer, “American Horror Story: Murder House”) has psychic powers. The four are learning to control their powers from previous “American Horror Story” stars, Jessica Lange (“Big Fish”) and Sarah Paulson (“Serenity”) as Fiona Goode and Cordelia Foxx.
In typical “American Horror Story” style, this first episode is not afraid of displaying the graphic or horrifying, especially in one of the more indicative scenes of LaLaurie’s personality. As she walks through the basement, the camera pans from side to side with tortured and mutilated slaves peering out of cages, eyes burning with fear. The scene is grotesque, but allows for immediate development and audience distaste for her character. When the voodoo queen, Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), imprisons LaLaurie, a sense of safety is falsely provided- when the imprisonment charm is broken, her terrifying figure can once again wreak havoc on the world. The torture that takes place here is brutally graphic, but the rest of the show is relatively tame in its presentation in comparison to other seasons.
One of the more interesting aspects of “American Horror Story” is its use of cinematography. During this episode, the angles are used to present a stark difference from the light airy house of the school for witches to the dark, dank basement of LaLaurie’s torture cells. In addition to utilizing light and viewpoints to its advantage, the show does not shy away from certain camera views that have the potential to come off as campy, such as the overused fish eye lens. Additionally, the show is willing to put a spin on familiar plot arcs. The oft-seen scenario of a young girl being sexually assaulted at a party was presented through Roberts’ character, but instead of presenting her as someone inferior, allows Montgomery a chance at revenge. She telekinetically flips the frat bus carrying the boys, sending most of them to their deaths.
With an astounding all female cast, this premiere already speaks of much greatness to come. Typically, in “Murder House” and “Asylum,” the two preceding storylines, the show has struggled to immediately find its footing and general plot direction while providing explosive and enticing conclusions. “Coven,” in contrast, has already found its path, which only bespeaks of greater things to come.
