Thoughts On American Horror Story: Coven Week 3

A lot of healing needs to happen after last night’s episode of American Horror Story. The love of my life/ favorite character was slaughtered and after the credits began to roll I felt like I needed to confess my sins and take three showers. This show takes dark to a new level in this episode. An old saying is that the third episode of the season is the best, and they may just be right. This episode was incredibly complex and plot driven and the camera work is truly something to marvel at. There is no doubt that this is one of the best and most fun hours on television…even if it makes you feel the need to soak in sanitizer after you watch it. That’s part of the fun…right?

• The girl they got to play young Jessica Lange wishes she could be as flawless as Jessica Lange today. Sorry ‘bout it, girl. It’s not your fault, you were asked to live up to the impossible standard that is Jessica Lange.
• Jessica Lange’s character Fiona begins the episode with a flashback of how ruthless she is as her younger self mercilessly slits the throat of her mentor and watches her bleed out. #Bleak
• Perhaps the funniest moment of the episode came from Kathy Bates who has not played someone so deliciously twisted since her role in Misery. Clearly, she is enjoying herself. Her character’s racist meltdown upon watching an Obama speech and her interactions with Queenie are the highlight of this episode, showing just how layered and socially scrutinizing this season is.
• Patti LuPone is truly a vision and her guest role was so welcome as a bible-thumping new neighbor. Plus, her son in the show is a slice of sexy pie and I want them to stick around just to see him shirtless more.
• Lily Rabe is not featured enough this episode, but you see a dark interior of her character that reveals she has an attachment to Evan Peters. I sense a love triangle coming on. It excites me.
• Just when you thought AHS couldn’t get more twisted and #dark, Tate returns home to his mother so can be at ease….or, you know, bathe and kiss him on the mouth…with tongue. Really, AHS writers? Incest? We had to go there?
• I am super happy Taissa is emoting this season, but her character is beginning to annoy me. You bring a boy back to life then without knowing how twisted he may be from being the un-dead, you casually drop him off at his mother’s house? Girl. What? Her motto must be “I must show up 3 minutes too late to save anyone” because that seems to be a common occurrence for her.
• Will Evan Peters only grunt from now on and say “no”? I just need to know because I like looking at him and would actually prefer he not open his mouth
• In a particularly haunting scene, Jessica Lange takes Emma Roberts under her tutelage. They go out to a bar and play pool and smoke cigs take shots, and flirt with men together. It is fucking adorable until Lange brings Roberts home. She tells Roberts that she has cancer and is dying because Roberts is the new supreme. It’s very sad and emotionally revealing of Lange. That is, until, you know, she just cuts Roberts throat like the stone cold witch she is.
• All I’m going to say in regards to Emma Roberts character being killed off is a lot of healing needs to happen. She was the comic relief in the show, and she will be deeply missed by me. I’m hoping she returns before the season is over because she is by far my favorite character this season.
• If Queen and this Minotaur hook up I’m 500% done is what I was thinking as I watched this episode. Then it happened, so now I’m done.
• “This coven doesn’t need a new supreme. What it needs is a new rug.” Check. Mate. Ms. Lange will always be queen in every aspect of everything in life. Sorry ‘bout it.
• Nan may be the most underrated character on the show. I think something should be said for Ryan Murphy’s progressive stance on characters with down syndrome and using the incredible Jamie Brewer as much more than a filler character. Although it shouldn’t be ground breaking because people with developmental disorders should always be represented respectfully as the humans they are, American Horror Story is the only show (sans Glee but I like to forget Glee exists) to depict a character as fully fleshed out and developed as Nan. Plus, I love how sassy she is. No one beats Nan in sassiness.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Sound off in the comments below!

I write this weekly piece as I watch the episode. If you would like to join in next episode and potentially see your input here,  live-tweet with me at @ShawnBinder or use the hashtag #AHS4TC so I can read your lovely thoughts!