With season 11 of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story already green-lit (per Digital Spy), fans have been speculating on what the new season will be about. Many believe it will be about a plague, which is apropos. One thing fans do know is it will be set in New York, which has set off a new wave of theories. No matter what, fans are excited to see what Ryan Murphy brings this time around.
Of all the seasons so far, American Horror Story: Coven has divided fans of the show like no other. Fans either love it or hate it, there's no in-between. However, those who loved it are steadfast as to why it is in fact the best season of the show.
Relatable To The Times
Coven came out in the early 2010s and one Redditor, menhflmemtutvt said, "the vibes were very 2013. I was a senior in high school and we all dressed like that and listened to Stevie nicks and Lana del Rey. So very 2013."
It's always fun to watch a show and relate to the fashion and music portrayed in each episode. Coven's wardrobe stuck to the trends of the time where viewers would see wide-brim hats, a lot of black lace, and midi-skirts. The season was essentially an ode to Stevie Nicks as Misty Day was her doppelgänger in almost every way. These fashion trends were a big reason why fans loved this show because it was different from the previous two seasons of American Horror Story.
Unabashedly Feminine
One Redditor, appayeetyeettt says, "Coven is so far the only season with so many iconic quotes and the moment when AHS become a brand of pop culture due to their aesthetically pleasing to the eyes cinematography, fashion and showcasing all female diva attitude. It’s unabashedly feminine with theme of motherhood and coming of age stuff."
With an almost entirely female cast, it's hard not to think of Coven as inherently feminine. This is one of the reasons why so many fans loved it. Women were finally starting to see themselves represented the way they deserved in the media, and in Coven viewers see young women taking their power back and growing into their own.
Representation
Representation in TV and movies had been practically non-existent until the 21st century. Redditor TheCurlyHairedHippie cites Queenie and the representation she bought as a reason to love the series, stating: "The moment Queenie said 'I grew up on white girl shit like "Charmed", and "Sabrina, the Teenage Cracker". I didn't know that there even were black witches. But as it turns out, I'm an heir to Tituba. She was a house slave in Salem.' Black kids like fantasy too."
Black people and POC deserve to be represented in the fantasy/horror genre. And while it may not be perfect in the show, it's certainly a start. There are heavy race issues discussed with respect and reality, which was surprisingly rare in 2013.
Madison Montgomery
As an anthology, the characters of American Horror Story change every season, despite the cast remaining largely the same. Coven presented viewers with a brand new character that was an immediate fan favorite as stated by talia-gustin: "2 words Madison Montgomery."
Madison is charismatic, overly confident, and vain but her best AHS quotes keep her relatable. She's always ready with a quippy retort and fantastic one-liner. She's exactly who she wants to be, and yet miserable with who she is. She's certainly flawed but in the end, is a loyal witch who stands by her coven when they need it the most.
Fiona Goode
Played by Jessica Lange, it's hard not to appreciate Fiona Goode. One Redditor, winterbough, says "say anything you want about Coven but Fiona is just so so so good as a villain," while InTheGardenOfSpite says, "Fiona is one of the best characters in TV history."
Fiona is a character fans love to hate. Jessica Lange always delivers on her incredible performances, especially in AHS. Ironically, Fiona Good was Jessica Lange's least favorite character to play, according to an interview she gave with her performance as Fiona was outstanding.
Less Scary Overall Season
Redditor CaptainCroissant14 says, "Ooooo Coven is definitely a big favorite! It has a sort of less dark vibe to it but way more sass, I mean Fiona, Madison, Queenie, Marie Laveau, and Myrtle Snow deliver that sooo well. Some semi scary bits here and there but it's mostly a catfight."
After the intensity of the first two seasons of American Horror Story, Coven was a nice break from the truly horrific and macabre storytelling that had taken place in Murder House and Asylum. There's certainly a fair share of gruesome scenes, but overall it's about the storylines and characters than the gore. This was, in part, what made fans love Coven so much more than the other seasons.
One Word: Camp
One Redditor, VividWorld says, "It looked camp right in the eye." As defined by Susan Sontag in Notes on Camp, Camp "sees everything in quotation marks. It’s not a lamp, but a ‘lamp’; not a woman, but a ‘woman.’ To perceive Camp in objects and persons is to understand Being-as-Playing-a-Role.” The exaggerated, never-ending performances and over-the-top costuming gave fans everything they wanted and more and epitomized the meaning of Camp.
This is perhaps one of the main reasons fans loved Coven so much. The exaggerated acting by Emma Roberts, Myrtle Snow's fashion, and humor (to name a few) all come together to create a masterpiece.
Accurate Depiction of Lore
Coven is rife with folklore from New Orleans. The story about Madame Lalaurie torturing and killing slaves is unfortunately true, as is Marie Laveau and the Axeman. ThirdEyeFish41 says, "I think it's because I'm originally from Louisiana and majority of the lore that was depicted in that season was very accurate. My granmere would tell us stories that's been ed on through the generations about Madame Lalaurie and Marie Leveau [sic]."
If the folklore written into Coven had been largely incorrect, the show wouldn't have hit the mark with the fans as much as it did. Seeing the horrific things Madame Lalaurie did to her slaves in the show, and knowing it's an accurate depiction of real-life events makes watching it all the more abominable.
Each Character Brought Something Different
What makes American Horror Story so great is the ensemble cast, and Coven is no different. Each character brings something unique to the table as Redditor Lower_Lemon4925 says, "In my humble opinion, coven was the absolute best season! I loved the characters that were introduced throughout the season. Each had an interesting role. The ax man, the voodoo guy, Spaulding, Kathy Bates' character, etc. The story was exciting and I was hooked from the first few minutes."
From the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau to Cordelia, the characters are vastly different and that's what makes this show so fun to watch. With over 10 main characters, fans can easily find someone they can relate to and love.
Humor Not Seen Before
One reason many fans enjoyed Coven so much was the humor. gilbertlaroo says, "coven was my favorite. I can definitely understand the AHS fans that were expecting the same type of horror from Season 1 and 2 to be disappointed, but I didn't mind the different style, and really enjoyed the humor." While awkwardskribble also said, "It's absurd and fun."
It's no surprise that certain horror fans that were looking for the same horror from seasons 1 and 2 were disappointed, but that's why other fans were so taken with season 3. It didn't have the same style as the first two seasons which is why fans are so divided on whether Coven was good or not.