Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Pagan TV Club: American Horror Story Coven (ep. 2)

Pagan TV Club: American Horror Story Coven (ep. 2)

Last updated on: October 25, 2013 at 9:30 am by Jason Mankey

Pagan TV Club: American Horror Story Coven (ep. 2) 2013-10-25T09:30:11-06:00 Jason Mankey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(Every late Wednesday night, or Thursday morning, I’ll be posting my thoughts, 500 words or so, on American Horror Story: Coven. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts on the show in the comments section! This isn’t a review, just some thoughts on the second episode, and it contains spoilers. To understand it, you also probably have to watch the show.)

The biggest difference between magic(k) in real life versus that found in movies and television is ease. In the real world magic is hard work. It takes a great deal of thought, preparation, and finally energy in order to be effective. Television magic merely requires the nod of a head or the flick of a wrist. No one wants to watch a television witch charge High John the Conqueror Root, dress it with oil, and then feed it some whiskey before placing it in a specially made pouch. The actual work that goes into magic is why something like Harry Potter (or American Horror Story) doesn’t breed millions of new witchlings. The reality of magic requires too much heavy lifting for most people

Imagine my surprise last night when Coven portrayed at least a few instances of work. Sure, some of that work involved the stitching together of a Frankenboyfriend and some words in Latin, but at least it was work. A bit more realistic was the preparation involved in a fertility/sex magic rite, and that actually looked like real magic with the candles and circle on the ground. The downside to both instances were some of the other elements that were involved.

The pilot was blessedly free of gods and deity, this week we got Zoey (Emma Roberts) evoking Satan after drawing a pentagram on poor Frankenboy Kyle Spencer (Evan Peters, who is only allowed to play dead people on this show apparently). Using a pentagram here is just lazy, and I always hate seeing a symbol I love so much being used for nefarious purposes. The fertility sex involving Cordellia and Hank (Sarah Paluson and Josh Hamilton) was a bit better, though sexed up with some unnecessary blood and not surprisingly snakes and fire. (“Snakes and fire” used together always makes me think of Oliver Stone’s The Doors film; “To compete with your stuff, it better be about earth, snakes or fire.”) In fairness the snakes and fire might have only been in the mind’s eye of those participating in the spell. The things that get my hackles up will always be the instances when bits of real magic and Witchcraft find their way into American Horror Story.

I’m really like what they are doing with Marie Laveau, and going into this series it was my biggest red flag. If you are going to use such a revered figure as Laveau, make her a complete badass and give her a commanding screen presence. Done and done here so far. Playing fly on the wall as Angela Basset’s Laveau has a little tete a tete with Jessica Lange’s Supreme Fiona Goode was television gold. I’m even kind of digging the references to Salem’s Tituba as the Mother of Coven’s fictional witchcraft and Voodoo. Marie Laveau still working as a hairdresser had me marking out too, it was a nice little nod to real history.

Last night’s episode was a big improvement over the pilot. The show’s starting to feel like it has some actual direction and I’m beginning to really like some of the characters. I like that Gabourey Sidibe’s Queenie is starting to get a little more fleshed out. Her power as “living Voodoo-doll” is completely original and I’m loving how gruesome it is. Having worked around a deep-fat fryer in the past I know how dangerous and painful hot oil is; that scene definitely had me wincing. I was also glad to see Lily Rabe back, after the pilot I wasn’t sure if her Misty Day would end up a recurring character. Her infatuation with Stevie Nicks was a nice touch, I hope Tori Amos is the character’s second favorite artist.

(The other show on Wednesday night I like even more than American Horror Story: Arrow. Somehow this show has captured the moodiness of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films on the small screen, and rarely looks “small” like so many TV superhero shows do. Wisely, it has stayed away from CGI and focused more on stunts and building suspense in its action scenes. It often plays a little too “villain of the week” for my tastes, but the supporting cast has really come into their while Stephen Amell (the title character) has transformed into an actual actor; he’s not just a hunk chiseled out of granite anymore. Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD isn’t half as good as Arrow.)

I didn’t get to watch the show with my wife this week so I only have one sarcastic observation:

“Nice to see the guys from “Duck Dynasty” in the cold open.”

Favorite Lines:

“I grew up on white girl shit like Charmed and Sabrina the Teenaged Cracker, I didn’t know that there were black witches.”

“I couldn’t toast a piece of bread with the heat they were putting on you.”

“The hammer wants the nail’s magic, oh that is rich!”

“You could offer me a unicorn that shit hundred dollar bills and I’d still never give you more than a headache.”

“Who sings this? Fleetwood Mac! Steve Nicks!, is my hero. Stevie Nicks the white witch, the only witch before you I’ve ever known.”

Delphine LaLaurie: “I was a woman of my time.”
Fiona Goode: “Hmm, that is a crock of shit, you’ve got a mean streak wider than your backside.”

See you next week.

For more on American Horror Story: COVEN from Patheos writers, check out the show’s topic page on the Patheos Entertainment channel.

Uncategorized

American Horror Story

Marie Laveau

Witchcraft

Previous Post

October 16, 2013

Halloween Reflections

Next Post

October 22, 2013 We Don't Own Halloween

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Editorializing Gateways to Paganism Guest Posts Holiday Histories Led Zeppelin News and Views Occult Pagan Pagan TV Club Paganism polytheism Ramble On Reviews Ritual Strange Days Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2026 March 2026 February 2026 November 2025 September 2025 August 2025 April 2025 August 2024 April 2024 February 2024 December 2023 October 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 January 2023 October 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What city was Paul heading to when he encountered Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Antioch Rome Jerusalem Damascus