American Horror Story: Coven Review

From the makers of Glee, we have American Horror Story.

It's a seasonal anthology of horror stories with often the same actors faithfully slipping into new, creepy roles.

Coven is the showcase for the third season, which centers on a group of dysfunctional witches.

This series is certainly ambitious

It’s like Harry Potter on acid from the word go.

Every horror trope is harnessed in the name of girl power.

But what if the girls are too busy fighting each other?

In Coven, the witches are at war.

But there’s too much going on, despite a great ensemble cast starring Jessica Lange and Emma Roberts.

Coven is too convoluted.

But it’s still entertaining.

Strange camera angles, spooky lighting, and great acting, with an attempt to break out of the tired horror genre make Coven worth watching.

Multiple characters and colossal cross-cutting with occasional voiceovers make for a riveting black comedy.

Yes, the overlaps between different historical eras and the constant resurrection of people after they’ve been killed can be a little tiresome at times.

There is also a cruel abundance of blood and gore.

Kinky sex is heavy in the air.

Many episodes are often over the top, but Coven is better than Walking Dead, True Blood, Buffy, or Charmed in its attempt to create a new horror mythology.

The leading witches in the war are eventually sent to hell, but the younger surviving witches create a new paradise after a seemingly terminal decline.

Hogwarts was never like this.

Beware, the old warning that power leads to corruption is rampant here.

But out of this animalistic abyss comes the hope that magic can be tamed for the common good and that the re-enchantment of our planet can be achieved.