TV: Name and logo revealed for new season of ‘American Horror Story’

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl

We’ve seen a murder house, an asylum and a modern coven be the center of the FX psychological thriller American Horror Story. Now, get ready to be frightened by a carnival.

Ryan Murphy took to Twitter to reveal the name and logo of the latest installment, American Horror Story: Freak Show.

Anyone who follows AHS rumors and news shouldn’t be too shocked by this news. Rumors of the fourth season taking place in a circus/ carnival have flooded fans minds for months, however Murphy firmly denied these rumors. But one week ago, AHS writer Douglas Petrie even confirmed those ideas at the Nerdist Writers Panel podcast. Alas, it is officially law.

My biggest issue is how much Murphy tried to deny the rumors. Fans nailed it and essentially got it instantly, but Murphy stamped his feet and said “no.” Sorry, Murphy you’re not as clever as you thought you were. I would fully bet his original idea had “Circus” or “Carnival” as the subtitle and he only made it Freak Show so that fans wouldn’t be totally correct.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the fourth season will be set in 1950 Jupiter, Fla. with Jessica Lange playing a German ex-pat who is managing one of the last freak shows in the U.S. Her carnies include Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, and Frances Conroy. EW reported Denis O’Hare and Emma Roberts are also in talks to return. The season will track the group as they do anything to save their show.

This will be Lange’s last appearance on AHS, so here’s hoping it lets her go out with a boom — a bang simply wouldn’t be big enough for her. I’m overjoyed Bates and Bassett will return; they were sensational additions to the season three cast. Shoutout to Paulson and Peters for being series favorites and always being incorporated.

How scared are you for the next season? What do you think will happen? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: The next Supreme is revealed in the finale of ‘American Horror Story: Coven’

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
Look for the next installment of American Horror Story in October on FX
Rating: 3/5
Overall Season Rating: 4/ 5

This is it, folks. American Horror Story: Coven has concluded. This has been my favorite season so far for reasons I’ve listed quite a few times. The most important of these is the lighter tone this season took. There was non-stop sass in every episode that was coupled with regular humor and darkness. It was a great mix that allowed for a much easier viewing process than past seasons. I now cringe at the thought of re-watching Murder House or Asylum for fear of having terrible nightmares and/or never sleeping ever again.

Overall, I enjoyed this season. The performances were spectacular and the dialogue was sharp. However, it wasn’t as perfect as it may have initially seemed. I took a few days to reflect on the finale and the season to see how I really felt about the character arcs, development and ending. Let’s get to it.

The finale began with a new music video for Fleetwood Mac’s “Seven Wonders.” Yup, Stevie Nicks — top hat and all — returned one final time and sang the surprisingly applicable song. I actually really loved this. I think this was a MUCH better usage of Nicks than “The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks” episode. That was such a clear-cut example of the writing staff’s play it by ear mentality. There was no point in having Nicks in that first episode. She didn’t advance the plot in the slightest. I would much rather her have just done this sequence. Obviously, I’ve now been listening to “Seven Wonders” on repeat.

Everyone at the academy has a “last supper” together for all the girls — Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), Misty (Lily Rabe) and Madison (Emma Roberts) — are going to attempt to perform the Seven Wonders.

My biggest problem with this season is how inconsistent they were about the witches’ abilities. At first, each witch had her special gift and it seemed to be a big deal when Madison could suddenly do two things. Later on, however, each witch could essentially do just about all of the Seven Wonders. Thus, my apathy for the trials. I’m not impressed by their ability to do these tests since I’ve seen at least one of the girls do them multiple times already. If they really wanted this episode to make an impact, they should have made these powers actually seem important.

After a small glitch at first, everyone completes the telekinesis task. The actual entertainment kicks off when they attempt concilium/ mind control. Misty and Queenie both make the other attack herself because why not? I don’t actually think these two would be so petty to just do that but it’s a smaller argument I’m willing to let go. I really enjoyed Madison and Zoe’s “duel.” Madison forces Kyle (Evan Peters) to kiss her; Zoe does the same then Madison makes Kyle choke Zoe before Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) makes the catfight end.

I cannot get over how awkward filming this season had to be for Peters. He has to look in pain when he makes out with his real-life girlfriend then make out with his on-screen girlfriend in front of his real-life girlfriend. I feel like Ryan Murphy just loved messing with this odd dynamic.

Next up is descensum/ going to hell. Queenie goes in and out like a pro. Madison returns from her hell, which brilliantly consisted of her starring in a network live broadcast of The Sound of Music (yaaaassss. I LOVED this!). Zoe’s hell was Kyle saying he wanted to break up and that he never loved her. That was so sad. They never really developed their relationship this season like they did in season one with Tate and Violet, but this at least showed us there is love there.

Unfortunately, descensum claims the first victim: Misty. She is unable to return from her hell and turns to dust. Her hell consisted of her constantly reviving and then being forced to kill a dissection frog in a science class. This was a really surprisingly dark end for Misty. Her character symbolized life — it was her power and her beliefs — and now she is forced to kill for all of eternity. Nothing is harder to imagine than Misty screaming in that class forever. Her ending really goes to show you how AHS is still a horror show. Just because this season was overall more light-hearted doesn’t mean everyone is going to get a somewhat happy ending.

Queenie, Zoe and Madison decide to have fun with the next task: transmutation. They commence a game of tag in the academy and the front yard as they disappear and reappear tagging the next person. The antics end once Zoe ends up impaled on the fence spikes.

Madison and Queenie are rushed to perform Vitalium Vitalis, but Queenie is unable to do so, meaning she is out of the race for the supremacy. Madison is able to revive a fly but refuses to bring back Zoe since she’s now won and bringing her back would only continue race.

Myrtle (Frances Conroy) finally has more to do this week than provide the sassy one-liners and occasional scene transition role. Except, all she did was encourage Cordelia to attempt to perform the Seven Wonders as well. She babbled on about all the power inside of Delia and how all her life she’s been holding it in and now the time has come to let it go.

Thus, cue the montage of Cordelia breezing through the Seven Wonders that were already tested. My favorite moment was when she made Queenie do some sweet jazzercise moves. That was a great little moment. Unsurprisingly, her hell was her trying to gain Fiona’s (Jessica Lange) approval.

I’m not going to rant again but I’m really annoyed that the rules about powers are so flimsy. Are you really telling me that Cordelia can suddenly feel all of this power and perform all of these tasks? I understand her character was held back but I still feel cheated. Before, all Cordelia could do was botany. Now, she can levitate a piano.

But I digress. The next trial is divination. Cordelia easily finds the hidden item after reading some stones — I especially don’t understand this method — but Madison doesn’t find it so easy. She gets frustrated over her failure and goes upstairs to pack.

Kyle meets her and yells that she let Zoe die. This is of course after he broke my heart as he cried over Zoe’s body, asking why she left him when she promised she would never leave him. My poor baby. But now, he’s less than pleased and wants to know why she left Zoe in that dark place they both had been to and hated. Madison claims she did it because she loves him, but he replies, “You’re not that good an actress.” He then strangles her to death.

He strangled his real-life girlfriend on camera. I can’t say it enough but Ryan Murphy must love messing with their relationship. I think Roberts actually did a good job this season. I was really rooting against her when I first found out she was cast, but her performance proved me wrong. She was great in the role even if the role wasn’t always well written. I just found it too meta to have a love triangle between her, Farmiga and Peters.

It’s important to remember Cordelia’s vision last week. Zoe was hanging up on the wall, in a similar state as her intial end. I believe Misty was just lying on the floor/piano, and she ultimately did just lie down and die. Madison was shown bleeding from the neck, and Kyle ended up strangling her to death. They essentially told us what was going to happen.

Spalding (Denis O’Hare) helps Kyle around the whole murder thing and sets up a plan to make it look like she had left since she had already started packing. Except, instead of burying her we all know she’s going to be his creepy dead doll again.

At the same time Kyle killed Madison, Cordelia performs Vitalium Vitalis on Zoe and brings her back to life. Because why not, right? I’d prefer Zoe to live, but I’m annoyed with the endless back and forth with life and death in this season. Cordelia passes out after reviving Zoe, and I instantly think that she’s gone. However, she awakes — fresh and regular eyes and all — as Myrtle crowns her the next Supreme.

I can’t really see the show ending any other way. I never felt like any of the younger girls deserved/ should be Supreme. Cordelia fits because she seems like the only logical choice. Also, Cordelia hadn’t really done anything this season except gauge her own eyes out. There was a useless side storyline for her trying to get pregnant and the kind-of storyline with Hank, but suddenly now she’s the most important character.

Quickly, she turns into Lana Winters (Paulson’s character on Asylum) and is in a full media blitz and she talks about how witches shouldn’t be in hiding and how Miss Robichaux’s is open to everyone, just “call, email or come to New Orleans.”

While she deals with expanding the witch network, Cordelia also has to deal with Myrtle’s plea to be burned at the stake for killing the Council. Even with Cordelia’s pleading and refusal, Myrtle insists and is burned. Her final word is Balenciaga, a designer.

Cordelia’s day got even busier when she had a visit from Fiona. YUP. Fiona put the memory we saw in the Axeman’s (Danny Huston) mind so that she could wait until everyone figured out who the next Supreme was themselves. I always thought Fiona would seriously just kill everyone and the ending would just her being her sassy, bitchy self. In reality, she’s about to die — for real this time — and doesn’t want to be bald anymore so she wants Cordelia to kill her. She refuses and forces her mother to finally live and experience being a human, not a divine being. Fiona dies in Cordelia’s arms after they finally had embraced. But we see Fiona one more time as we see her wake up in hell: She’s living with the Axeman in the farmhouse in the country. This was an ending to Fiona’s story that I never expected. I’m also really surprised Fiona didn’t end up stabbing Cordelia so that her powers could be restored. I sitting anxiously waiting for that to happen.

Cordelia opens the doors of the academy to the ridiculous amount of girls lined up outside. Honestly, where are they going to put everyone? With Zoe and Queenie as her council, she announces, in the last scene of the season, that witches are no longer going to just survive; they’re finally going to do more. They’re going to thrive.

The season ending on a concise, less bleak note was a breath of fresh air. Murder House ended with so many questions unanswered (what’s going to happen with the demon baby?!) and Asylum was just confusing (did Lana imagine the whole thing?!). Coven, on the other hand, gave us closure and hope, and I can appreciate that.

My final thoughts on Coven:

• Even though it was a much smaller role and oftentimes forgotten about character, Peters was amazing this season. For a majority of his arc, he didn’t speak but his grunts and groans were just as effective as one of Lange’s monologues. I still am annoyed they never explained what happened when Kyle ran out of the house on Halloween. Fill these gaping plot holes!!
• They should have given Cordelia more than being blinded. As I said, her character did nothing essentially all season and now she’s Supreme. It was way too quick and rushed.
• I want to point out the bad decisions made for LaLaurie (Kathy Bates). For quite some time, we saw LaLaurie learning and repenting. Then in one monologue, everything was erased. They should have thought out a clear path for the character instead of just flip-flopping.
• Why did they never explain Spalding’s weird obsession with dolls? We deserved something.
• The first teaser released for the season actually revealed EVERYTHING about the ending. It shows tons of girls marching up to the academy, led by Zoe, Queenie and Nan — Nan is in black while Zoe and Queenie are in white, aka she died — as Cordelia opens the doors. Kyle looks on from the upstairs window (he’s now the butler). It ends with Fiona, Marie and LaLaurie revealing themselves from behind black masks as they all wear long black gowns. I’m not kidding when I say everything was revealed in this video. EVERYTHING.
• Lastly, I’m going to miss the sass.

TV: To “hell” and back, ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ will take you on quite a thrill ride

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story: Coven’s season finale will air January 29 at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 4/5

I may have gasped and shouted at my TV more tonight than any other time I’ve sat in awe at American Horror Story: Coven. We finally know what the Seven Wonders are; we saw resurrections; we saw death; and we saw hell. “Go to Hell” was intense, and I loved most of it. I do have to say there were a few moments that disappointed and disgruntled me.

The night began unconventionally as we saw a 1920s-esque silent film that explained the Seven Wonders. The text on the screen was quite small — or that may have just been my miniscule TV — but the old effects were fun to watch, and it was a really cool way to open the episode while also introducing an important plot element in a creative way. The Seven Wonders are telekinesis (levitation and moving things with your mind), concilium (mind control), transmutation (aka teleportation), divination (“seeing” things), Vitalium Vitalis (power of resurgence/ “breath of life”), descensum (going back and forth between the afterlife and the present) and pyrokinesis (lighting stuff on fire with your mind).

In other words, all the powers you’ve already seen done on the show — Cordelia’s (Sarah Paulson) second sight; Misty’s (Lily Rabe) resurgence power; and Nan’s (Jamie Brewer) clairvoyance. I was surprised there wasn’t anything new we hadn’t already seen. However, one power has still yet to be explained. What on earth happened with Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) when she killed the last zombie in “Burn, Witch. Burn!” What was that?! Explain!!

I’d also like to announce the return of the flawlessness of Jessica Lange. To be honest, I haven’t felt as compelled by her performance lately as I typically am — and you all know how much I love this lady. But, my fears are gone, for she came back as her badass self again and ruled this episode. That ever-biting wit returned full force, and I was reminded why I love her so dearly.

Towards the end of the Seven Wonders educational film, Fiona (Lange) remarks how performing them can get you killed, but if you do them, then you’re the next Supreme. I don’t understand how attempting to do these things could kill you. A nosebleed maybe, but death? I guess we’ll see next week.

However, there is an important note to be made. While Madison (Emma Roberts) is hopping around the room using her newfound transmutation abilities, Cordelia states that in times of crisis, witches’ powers can spike, so developing new gifts doesn’t mean you’ll be the next Supreme. Sort of wipes the slate clean then doesn’t it?

Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) uses her descensum powers to travel to hell to visit Dr. Facilier Papa Legba (Lance Reddick) to talk about Marie. But there aren’t flames surrounding her or even the expected presence of Hitler or OJ Simpson’s lawyer — it’s a Book of Mormon joke, relax. Instead, it’s her hell: the old fried chicken shack she used to work at, where she felt like she had no future and was treated terribly. Queenie presses Legba to figure out what happened to Marie, but he only starts to care when he realizes Marie’s absence and probable dissection at LaLaurie’s (Kathy Bates) hand means his deal could no longer be filled.

Proving her power, Queenie manages to return to the real world and heads to LaLaurie’s old home-turned-historic-site. Except that charming Southern woman is no longer in charge, the old matriarch of the house is. That’s right LaLaurie herself is giving tours of her home. She’s even adorned a new modern attire and haircut (aka allowing Kathy Bates to just look like herself) to fit in more. Along with the new style is a new format for the tour: she claims nothing bad happened at the home and will not allow anyone up to the chamber of horrors.

That decision is for good reason since she’s hiding the old tour guide up there in a cage. Queenie discovers this and pleads for LaLaurie to finally repent. Here, we have an outstanding monologue from LaLaurie about the underlying falsity to all public apologies and how that small moment where we thought she felt bad for her past actions was actually her just weeping for a world run by lies.

I know we’re not supposed to like LaLaurie, but I still really really do.

But that doesn’t fly for Queenie, so she sends LaLaurie to hell. I wish when I said, “Go to hell” that it actually worked like that. The world would be so much better. LaLaurie’s hell consists of her being locked in one of her own cages, with her daughter in another, while Marie (Angela Bassett) tortures them. Marie becomes conscious and realizes where she is, mad that she’s in hell even though she can’t die. Legba informs her she spent many years bringing him innocent babies so it’s only right she’s where she is.

I have to say that I never thought this is where this storyline would end up. I thought it would be interesting to see Kathy Bates looking like herself — not crazy LaLaurie or even Annie Wilkes-esque — and just being a crazy serial killer. On the other hand, why didn’t they explain where LaLaurie had put Marie? They never showed that. Queenie heard Marie but we never saw what happened. Plot holes, Ryan Murphy, fix them!

Fiona prepares for her final days and calls Cordelia in to give her a necklace that belonged to Fiona’s mother, one that is very important to her. Before she can give it to her though, the two fight over Cordelia’s self-mutilation. Fiona yells that a power is always inside of you and that she was foolish to do such an act.

As Fiona puts the necklace on her, Cordelia finally has a vision. We’re walked through the academy, which is now decorated with the dead bodies of all the young witches, including Cordelia. We then see Fiona take back the necklace.

I full on screamed at my television. I always thought Fiona would just kill everyone and there would never be a new Supreme. That was always a plausible storyline.

Cordelia takes this news to the Axeman (Danny Huston). She also tells him Fiona never planned to run away with him, that she has an airplane ticket to leave in the next few days.

“That empty, heartbroken feeling – that’s what it’s like to get close to Fiona,” she tells him.

Continuing her winning streak of suddenly being able to see all the visions, Cordelia uses her renewed powers to find Misty and, after Queenie telekinetically frees her and uses Vitalium Vitalis to restore her, brings her back to the academy, much to Madison’s dismay. The two engage in fisticuffs, and it’s awesome. “I don’t want to waste the magic,” Misty states as she kicks Madison around the whole school. Yaaaaassss Misty, yaaaasssss. Snaps for you.

Zoe and Kyle (Evan Peters) have also unshockingly returned from Florida after Kyle couldn’t control himself and killed a man whom Zoe had to bring back using Vitalium Vitalis. So everyone can do this now???!!!! She also thinks she’s the new Supreme. Honey, everyone thinks she is the next Supreme. Get in line.

That was my biggest problem with this episode. I was so unimpressed with the Seven Wonders because I have seen them all done at one point or another, and I saw them all done at least once in this episode. I understand the “power surge in crisis time” clause, but I think it’s ridiculous how they can all suddenly restore someone’s life or use telekinesis.

To add to my apathy about their powers, they all use telekinesis together when the Axeman comes running toward them, throwing him back down the hallway. He didn’t hit anyone but there’s still blood on his face.

And IT’S FIONA’S BLOOD. HE KILLED FIONA. She came over for a booty call, he called her out for lying, she shrugged it all off and then he stabbed her in the back with his axe multiple times! He chopped her up and fed her to the gators. I never thought that was how Fiona’s storyline would end. Never ever. Obviously, once Cordelia ratted her mother out to him, I wondered if he would kill her out of anger, but before that, I never thought he would be her end. Don’t piss of your boyfriends, especially not if they’re serial killers.

The witches then all grab knives and stabbed him repeatedly — a bit over kill if you ask me — just as the witches had done those many years ago.

The academy mourns her death as they hang her portrait on the wall with all the other Supremes. However, they must deal with the biggest question at hand: Who is the next Supreme? Since Fiona never identified her successor, they must ALL perform the Seven Wonders. Duh duh duuhhhhhhhh.

Which power would you like to have? Who do you think is the next Supreme? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: Orlando, Sprite and Benadryl: The many ways to “protect the coven” on ‘American Horror Story’

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 3.5/ 5

Tonight’s episode of American Horror Story, “Protect the Coven,” marks the beginning of the end of this season. There are only two episodes left, and I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated the season’s ending more. Sure, I loved Murder House but I know I wasn’t waiting on the edge of my seat like this season to see what would happen. I cannot wait until January 29th.

Travel back to 1830, the time when LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) had just moved from Paris to New Orleans — yet managed to instantly pick up that Southern accent — and lamented the lack of stimulation. She soon found her fix: Blood. After beheading a chicken, LaLaurie got that special feeling inside when she touched blood. I’m the same way with Doritos; I get it. But she needs more. A slave injures himself so she takes the opportunity to drain him of all the blood in his body, the first victim in her “chamber of horrors.”

I think we’re finally back to the point in which we realize we are not supposed to like LaLaurie. We are not supposed to enjoy this uncaring, devilish woman who happens to be a solid contender for the queen of sassy comments. Ryan Murphy and crew are reminding us how terrible this woman is and why she ended up the way she did. We all really needed a reality check. I mean I was writing fanfic about Queenie’s (Gabourey Sidibe) zany adventures with LaLaurie’s head. That is not how we are supposed to view this character.

In the present, the coven holds a funeral for Nan, who “fell in the bathtub” according to Fiona (Jessica Lange). As they mourn the loss of one of their own, another witch from the coven’s past returns: Queenie. She’s aaaaaaaaaliiiiiiivvvve! The best part of this return? Queenie reattached LaLaurie’s head to her body and has a collar around her neck like a pet. See?! Zany adventures! That’s what the spinoff was supposed to be, wasn’t it Ryan? Anyway, just like everyone else in the coven, Queenie gained new powers and was able to spit out the silver bullet and not die. In other news, no one cares about this poorly explained new power.

On a side note, what on earth was Queenie doing during the duration of last week’s episode? I’m sure reattaching LaLaurie’s head took some time but don’t you think she would have multi-tasked and made sure to ask the coven for help? I love Murphy’s work on AHS this season but he hasn’t done too fair of a job when it comes to always keeping up with every character. If you aren’t prepared to write for every character in each episode, then don’t introduce us to and make us care about so many characters.

LaLaurie returns to her old post as maid of the house and is more miserable than ever. She’s even resorted to putting feces in the food. What is she missing in life? Oh yeah. Blood. A black worker is injured in the house and LaLaurie offers to help him. Instead, she simply mirrors what she did to her first victim and kills him. Except, this time she’s been discovered. Spalding’s (Denis O’Hare) spirit has come back to tease LaLaurie with a way to kill the immortal Marie (Angela Bassett). But first, she has to buy him a doll. Ew, I’m not OK with this obsession of his. I don’t understand it and it has never been explained. In return for this doll, he gives her the thing that will finally kill Marie: Benadryl. Wow. What are they putting in that stuff these days? No wonder there are all of those warnings at the bottom of medicinal commercials.

As Kyle (Evan Peters) watches, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) performs a spell over the tub and sees that Fiona and Marie were the true causes of Nan’s death. Unfortunately, Madison (Emma Roberts) only sees that they are together and finally reveals her jealous side and proves she will forever be the HBIC. Am I the only one who finds it awkward that Peters and Roberts date in real life but his character chooses Farmiga over Roberts? He doesn’t even want to fool around with Madison anymore; he “only loves Zoe.” I wonder if that was weird for them to film. I simply can’t get over it.

Even the characters on the show ship Zoe and Kyle. Myrtle (Frances Conroy), in all her never-ending glory, urges Zoe to flee the coven and leave with Kyle. They are everyone’s OTP.

Meanwhile, Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) feels a tremendous amount of guilt for failing Queenie and Nan. She becomes obsessed with trying to restore her second sight so that she can help “protect the coven,” but no potion will make her power return. In an attempt to force the power to return, Cordelia pierces her eyes with gardening shears. This is what I’m told happened because I couldn’t bear to look at the screen. I don’t do well with images of sharp things near eyes. No bueno.

The Axeman (Danny Huston) wants to run away with Fiona, and she agrees but only if she does him one favor. Flash to Fiona and Marie’s meeting with the men of Delphi Trust, skip the inconsequential banter over a truce and here you have Fiona’s favor: Have the Axeman kill every one of the men in the room. I jumped when this happened. I thought he was simply some waiter who got Marie a Sprite until he turned around, with his eyes full of crazy, and began hacking into everyone. He left Hank Sr. (Michael Cristofer) for Fiona, whom he tossed the axe to so she could whack him in the jugular. Boom. And Marie then takes pictures of the scene on her phone. #Instagram

Fiona and Marie get drunk on champagne to celebrate their murder spree. Fiona leaves to please her man, and Marie continues to badger LaLaurie as usual. But LaLaurie thinks she has Marie because she put Benadryl in her drink. Oh snap! LaLaurie stabs Marie in the chest, but Marie simply laughs off the pitiful attempt at murder. She chases LaLaurie until Spalding shows up and whacks her on the head with his doll. Marie falls down the steps, and Spalding tells LaLaurie to bury her before she wakes up.

So first, the dynamic duo was LaLaurie and Queenie, then Marie and Fiona and now Spalding and LaLaurie?!

Zoe urges Kyle to pack so they can leave but Kyle says he’s too afraid of hurting her to leave; he’s too afraid of the feelings he can’t control. Zoe embraces him and tells him she’s not afraid. Cut to the bus station and those two crazy kids run like the wind as they jump on the bus to Orlando. “Orlandoooooo, I love you Orlandoooo. Sea World and Disney. Putt putt, golfinngggggg!” Was I the only person who had a Book of Mormon moment just then? Oh well. I also had another pop culture reference pop in my head as I saw this scene: The Graduate. Ben Braddock and Elaine Robinson hop on that bus to escape their old lives as Kyle and Zoe have done, but unlike The Graduate, these two actually look happy. They actually smile — an expression rarely seen on American Horror Story.

Before I begin about how tonight’s episode was one of the more less exciting episodes of the entire season, I have to express my frustration with Zoe’s character. I’ve come to terms with the fact that she’s not written well. I get it; not everyone can be a sassy bitch like Myrtle or Madison. However, Zoe is incredibly inconsistent and I’ve realized that now more than ever. She entered as a weak character who grew to be strong very quickly (she raped the student to death after what he did to Madison in the first episode), then she was weak again (ratted to the police about them all being witches), then saved everyone from zombies, then became the self-confessed champion and new leader of the coven and now she’s run away from it. I don’t know what will happen in Orlando (or if they’ll even get there), but I hope she finds some standards to stick with.

Now let’s all confess how in comparison to the other episodes, this episode wasn’t as flawless. I’ll take this episode in comparison to a subpar episode of Glee any day but we are nearing the end of the season and every moment counts. These last two episodes better thrill and chill like never before.

See you next week “in hell.”

TV: ‘American Horror Story’ returns in the “nick” of time

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story: Coven airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 5/5

American Horror Story: Coven is back and more murder-y and surprising than ever. Ryan Murphy has continuously said around episode 10 is when everyone starts to die, and it’s true. In episode 10 of the first season, we discovered the major game changer that Violet had not survived her suicide attempt. In the second season, both Sister Mary Eunice and Dr. Arden say goodbye in episode 10. The moment of truth has come; it truly is the last few episodes of each season where all the craziness happens. I can’t wait to see what else we’re in store for. For now, let’s go over the insanity that happened tonight in “The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks.”

Fiona (Jessica Lange) welcomes Marie (Angela Bassett) into the safety of the academy. It is her kindness that has brought Marie to tears, not the fact that her entire salon full of friends and acquaintances was just shot down by Hank (Josh Hamilton). This was actually a beautiful monologue. I’ll explain it ten times over, but Bassett was the MVP of tonight’s episode. Sure her sass has been incredibly satisfying all season but we finally got to see more from her character and it was moving and amazing.

Aside from the emotional truths discovered about Marie, we also finally got an answer to some general questions we’ve been asking since episode one: how has she remained immortal and how did she make LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) immortal too? The answer is simple: Sell your soul. But not to just anyone. It has to be to Papa Legba ( Lance Reddick), you know, the Disney villain from The Princess and the Frog. Just kidding. That’s not actually him but he sure looks like Dr. Facilier. Marie sold her soul to Papa Legba, but in return, she must provide an innocent soul every year; in other words, she’s been kidnapping a lot of babies.

Here is where we learn the most about Marie. Her immortality only began once she gave up her own child, a price she regretted accepting the moment it happened. It’s so easy to see how Marie became the sassy BAMF we know today. She had to give up her own child, get used to handing over hundreds of innocent souls and become accustomed to succeeding the lives of her family and friends over and over again. I will always and forever love Jessica Lange on this show more than anything but I have to say that Angela Bassett has given the best performance this season. She plays her character so perfectly, and who doesn’t love that Cajun accent? “Weeeeetch.” It’s amazing.

Even though they bonded two episodes ago over LaLaurie’s head in the box, Fiona and Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) are no longer on good(ish) terms. Fiona is furious but more so upset and disappointed in Cordelia for essentially bringing in a witch hunter into their home. This dynamic is incredible to watch not only between these two characters in this season but also between the actors and the characters they’ve played throughout the whole series. In the first season, they were friends and in the second season, they were at first enemies who then ended up relying on one another for survival. Now, they play such an interesting mother-daughter dynamic. I never saw them as ever going to be friends because with the comfort of finally having a loving mother, Cordelia could grow stronger and that’s the last thing Fiona wants. She needs to be the Supreme in every way and having people be essentially willing subordinate certainly makes that feeling achieved easier.

As you have heard from the buzz — and if you simply looked at the title of tonight’s episode — you know that Stevie Nicks made her cameo in this episode. She was used as a ploy to show Misty (Lily Rabe) the positives of being the Supreme. So not only can you do the Seven Wonders but you can also apparently conjure up any celebrity you want. Hmmm, I’m thinking Zachary Levi on my doorstep wouldn’t be too shabby. Folks, major plot twist. I’m the new Supreme. Zach, I’ll be waiting.

Though I loved having Stevie sing “Rhiannon,” I don’t see her cameo as anything more than a stunt Ryan Murphy felt like pulling. She didn’t do anything besides say, “I’m Stevie Nicks” and sing. If you’re going to bring her on, put her to good use! This could have been an amazing opportunity for Misty to talk to the “white witch,” the only witch who had kept her company until she found the coven. They could have made her actually be a witch and do some badass sorcery. They could have done a lot more than what they did.

In all the glory of getting Stevie Nicks to come on the show, the writers still managed to poke fun at its absurdity. “I’m a huge Eminem fan, when does he get here?” Madison (Emma Roberts) asks Fiona. “Marshall? You’re not his type,” Fiona retorts. The writing is genius every week.

Fiona, Cordelia and Marie discover Delphi Trust, and Fiona sets up a spell to ruin the business. Fiona chants an incantation and a scene of the police raiding the building parallels a maze with mice running its corridors. In the end, the business has essentially collapsed and Hank Sr. (Michael Cristofer) is not pleased.

The race to discover the new Supreme is heating up as Nan (Jamie Brewer) becomes more of a potential candidate with her new found ability of mind control. But a more interesting turn was taken when Madison reveals she no longer has a heart murmur as she did in her “first life.” Can a revived person really be the next Supreme? If she’s technically already dead, would a new Supreme ever happen again since she wouldn’t really die? It’s an incredibly interesting and theory-provoking discovery.

Since she’s back in the game, Madison is out to get Misty. The two follow a funeral parade down a street as they talk about the consequences of the powers of the Supreme; everything comes at a cost. They go all the way to the graveyard where Madison says she’ll prove she’s just as powerful as Misty and can raise the dead too. She opens the casket of the man whose funeral they’re crashing and revives him. He gets out of the casket and Misty stares into the empty space. Madison tells her to be her own witch, not a copy of Stevie Nicks, but the advice is cut short when Madison then hits Misty over the head with a brick and knocks her into the casket. She’s locked in a casket but I’m not sure if that means she’s dead. Who knows with this show? But can I just say that I did NOT see that coming.

But wait, there are even more surprises and twists. I know. I can barely handle just thinking about them again.

Nan discovers Luke has died so she and Zoe go over to Joan’s (Patti LuPone) to figure out where his body is so they can get Misty to bring him back. It turns out there’s more than one problem with that plan. Luke was cremated. Sweet, wonderful Nan flips at the news and forces Joan to “cleanse” herself and drink a gallon of bleach. That’s going to do terrible things to her vocal chords! Don’t mess with Patti’s voice — even if it’s pretend! I can also say that I did not see Nan as a murderer. This episode probably had the most twists and turns yet.

Fiona summons Papa Legba with some nice cocaine (I’m not kidding) and asks for the same deal as Marie, regardless of the cost. She accepts the price to give up someone she loves each year but the transaction cannot be completed. “You have no soul,” Papa Legba tells her. With no other option for survival, Fiona states, “I’ll just kill them all.” I don’t doubt her either.

Nan finds the baby Marie stole for this year’s payment to Papa Legba; the voodoo queen apparently couldn’t give it up. Fiona hatches up a plan to kill two birds with one stone. They drown Nan in the tub, handing her over as Marie’s innocent soul and helping Fiona by eliminating one more possibility for Supreme.

Twist after twist. My heart and mind cannot take it.

The episode ends with one last usage of Stevie Nicks and she sings — did Fiona just glue her to that piano for a day?! — to Fiona a song about giving a song to someone in their darkest hours. Fitting.

The amazingly thrilling rollercoaster of AHS has really just begun and I cannot wait to see which twists, turns and bumps in the road we face next.

Don’t you think Papa Legba is Murphy’s version of Dr. Facilier? Who do you think the next Supreme is? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ will leave you craving more after its midseason finale

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story will return to FX on January 8th
Rating: 5/5

The winter finale of American Horror Story: Coven aired tonight and I’m already aching for more. Ryan Murphy wasn’t kidding in an interview with Entertainment Weekly when he called it “some of the best work of the season.” This season of AHS is hands-down my favorite of all of them so far. The acting has been Emmy-worthy in nearly every aspect of every episode; the camera angles are interesting enough that even I notice them; and the dialogue is smart, sassy, hilarious and dark all at the same time. I’m absolutely in love with this season.

So many defining moments in these characters’ lives happened in this episode and I cannot wait to see how they unfold when the show returns in January. Join me as sit in anticipation until then. In the mean time, let’s talk about the insanity that happened tonight.

It’s 1991; say hello to baby Hank. In the time-honored tradition, his father takes him out on his first hunt. Except, it’s not for deer; it’s for witches. Young Hank hesitates, just enough time for the witch to throw a literal line of fire at him. His father pushes him aside as he shoots the witch, but he gets burned in the process. “Never forget what they are,” he says to his son.

Foreshadowing, kids. This show is great at it. I personally never realize it in the moment so the reviews are not only an outlet for my criticism, but also a way in which I can look back and analyze the story better.

Hank’s father (Michael Cristofer) — Jerry from Smash — runs Delphi Trust, a front company for the witch hunters who call themselves the Corporation. His father yells at him for essentially everything he’s done. He isn’t supposed to be a man of action; he’s supposed to just be on the inside. In all fairness, he has been with Cordelia (Paulson) for quite some time and hasn’t managed to do anything. Not even killing Alexandra Breckenridge’s character was correct because he left a lot of loose ends. Silly Hank. We also find out that the witch hunters were the ones who threw the acid at Cordelia!!

I like that ultimately it’s the witch hunters who are the main villains. Before the season premiered, we heard spoilers about The Axeman and The Minotaur being the sort of Rubber Man and Bloody Face of this season. Instead of one supernatural/ out of this world creature causing trouble, it’s a whole world against the characters we’re rooting for. I’m glad they changed it up.

Fiona (Jessica Lange) brings LaLaurie’s (Kathy Bates) head to Marie (Angela Bassett). “I have six more heads up front. That one you can keep.” The dialogue in this episode was spectacular. Fiona didn’t come to just drop off the old help. She wants to form an alliance with Marie’s tribe. But, as one would assume, Marie shrugs off the old white woman, to which Fiona responds, “You’re kidding yourself if, after us, you think they’re not coming for you.” Foreshadowing everywhere.

Myrtle (Frances Conroy) needlessly worries that Cordelia thinks she really did throw the acid in her face, but Delia assures her that she knows she would never hurt her, especially since she’s been like a mother to her.

The Council has returned and Myrtle makes them dinner, with melon balls to start. I guessed it from the moment this scene started: she puts something in their food and paralyzes them. But she won’t kill them until after the key lime pie, of course — Conroy’s monologue was absolutely delicious (no pun intended). But before she goes, she takes the melon scooper and scoops out one eye from each Council member!!!!

The eyes aren’t for toppings for the dessert though; she nabbed them so Cordelia could see again. But with the gift of regular sight, Cordelia has lost her “second sight” abilities and no longer has those visions when she touches another person. And Myrtle isn’t as nice as she seems. She ended up chopping up the Council members and melting their parts in acid.

This is absolutely the best role Ryan Murphy has given to Frances Conroy. Her resurgence was brilliant. I like her much more now than I ever did before. Now she has that sultry voice, is a thousand times sassier and is just more interesting. I love it.

Nan (Jamie Brewer) has been waiting at the hospital all night for Luke (Alexander Dreymon) but Joan (Patti LuPone) won’t let her see him. She does get in and tries to prove her clairvoyance to Joan by saying what Luke is telling her. Eventually, Joan believes her and sings the spiritual song Luke mentally requested. Way to work in a way for LuPone to sing!!!! Definitely required.

But the good times don’t last. Soon, Luke has Nan tell the story of how he knows Joan is the reason his father is dead. She knew her husband was cheating on her and that he wanted to leave so she put bees in his car since he’s allergic to them and killed him. After that cheerful story, Joan kicks Nan out. Later in the episode, Luke wakes up crying with that realization. Joan hushes him to go back to sleep and then she smothers him with a pillow!!!! Wasn’t the cleaning fluid enema enough? It pains me to say it but Patti’s character is not OK! I was rooting for LuPone’s guest appearance so much but she’s only brought sadness. She plays the villain very well. I was not expecting this storyline to take this turn. It kills me to think of how Nan will react. I also have to say how much I like that they didn’t make her character’s reaction all about associating witchcraft with Satan. That religious angle has been done and done. This was all about her reaction to the powers themselves and how they can expose her for her true self. Original and I like it.

Instead of throwing away LaLaurie’s head, Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) puts it on a TV stand upstairs and decides to teach her a lesson in black history and respect. How do you do that? Make her watch the entire miniseries, Roots.

How Kathy Bates managed to make this one of my favorite scenes of all time is beyond me. It is just her head on a side table and yet it goes to show you how great of an actress Bates is. Who else could really pull off that kind of scene? That “Dixie land” song she sang as she tried to drown out the TV was hilarious. I know I shouldn’t like LaLaurie but I really do.

Hank returns to the house to plead with Delia. “All I’ve ever wanted is to protect you,” he tells her. The worst thing is that I believe it. No wonder he hasn’t done anything for the Corporation. He has actual feelings for his wife. Thankfully — because she has sense — Cordelia tells him she wants a divorce.

Fiona has gotten a new female guard dog since females are more loyal and aggressive when it comes to protecting their families. Do I sense some double entendre?

The dog ends up finding Kyle (Evan Peters) and runs to him as Kyle plays with his toys on the floor. He says “Dog” as the dog licks his face and he beams like a child. Fiona thinks he’s just another one of the girls’ boy toys until Kyle accidentally breaks the dog’s neck. I can never handle any scene where a dog is injured. I am never OK with it. It makes me sadder than anything. Also, that was an adorable moment and the adorableness was just shattered. Harumph.

Fiona ends up “sprucing” Kyle up so that he’s functioning again — enough to even play gin rummy with her — so that he can be the new guard dog and “attack on command.” I cannot wait to see how this unfolds. Yes he has regained much more functionality than before but he’s still not himself. I really wonder what Fiona did to him and how she’ll use it. Plus, now that he’s fully conscious, what is going to happen between him, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) and Madison (Emma Roberts)?!

I’m also absolutely in love with seeing Peters and Lange together on screen again. Just seeing them makes my heart happy.

Queenie returns to find LaLaurie is unchanged. This time she puts on video of the Civil Rights fights and marches set to a spiritual gospel. We see LaLaurie being affected by the material — she even cries — but this scene is intermixed with Hank going on a killing spree in Cornrow City. YUP. He burst in the door and shot everyone, including Queenie. He almost killed Marie but Queenie was able to use her voodoo powers one last time to save her.

This scene was so much more powerful with the parallel to the Civil Rights video. It was quite unsettling to see the historical footage of blacks being hosed down while Hank shoots them down in the present. This is the first mass of killings that is definite. Before, everyone who died was simply brought back by Misty, but that won’t be happening this time. I’m pretty sure Queenie is probably gone for good. But, she was shot in the stomach so there’s hope.

Marie shows up at the academy, seeking help — just as she had mocked Fiona for doing so before.

Waiting until January 8th is going to be excruciating. Let me know what theories you concoct in the mean time! Tweet them to me @buzzlightmeryl

TV: In ‘American Horror Story,’ tensions come to a head

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 4/5

The two-week wait is over American Horror Story fans! (That reminds me; we need to think of a fandom name and fast). It was a hard break to bear but we muddled through. Now we can get back to screaming at our TVs in surprise or anger because tonight’s episode, titled “The Sacred Taking,” was filled with plenty of “OMG” and “WTF” moments.

Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) is officially on Marie Laveau’s (Angela Bassett) side. Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) and Madison (Emma Roberts) find her in a sketchy area as she kills a homeless serial rapist because Marie needs his “dark heart.” She literally reaches in his body and pulls it out. Gorss. Zoe uses a higher approach and pleads for her to return to the coven, even if it is a “sh–show.” Madison, on the other hand, remains her witty self and snaps off so many quick “Boo friggin hoo” remarks that I was reminded, yet again, of why I love her character.

Before she goes, Queenie warns the girls that a war is coming. That the world isn’t big enough for voodoo and witchcraft, and that they’re going to lose.

I’ve never seen Precious so I had no background knowledge to base Sidibe’s acting talents on, but the way she delivered those few lines sent chills down my spine. She’s proved herself incredibly worthwhile but this stepped her character up quite a bit. I like that she’s more than the coven outcast who has an incredibly cool power but doesn’t get much screen time. Now, she’s a middle sort of character between two conflicting worlds.

Fiona’s (Jessica Lange) cancer is starting to get worse. Her hair is truly falling out now, she’s in pain and she’s plagued with bouts of nausea and sickness. I find the parallels of Lange’s season three character to her season two AHS character incredibly interesting. In the first season, for the most part, she kept her power throughout the season. In the second, she has the utmost authority and then was beaten to nothing. There’s a similar kind of feel to the arc of Fiona. She started out on top of the world as the HBIC and now she’s shriveling into oblivion as someone younger takes over. I wonder if her season four character will possibly start with nothing and rise into power? Or maybe stay at nothing throughout that season? Who knows?!

Joan Ramsey (Patti LuPone) is back and crazy as ever. My heart did a special jump for joy when I saw Patti was back — I was and have been increasingly annoyed at the absence of LuPone on the show — and then I had to take a step back and realize what her character was doing. Her character is a crazy, conservative Christian. She’s abhorred to know that Luke (Alexander Dreymon) has been dealing with the witches next door so she gives him an Ajax enema. Seriously. She wants him to be “clean from the outside in” again. Hello, Mommie Dearest. Although, I wasn’t going to argue with the few minute scene of Dreymon with his shirt off. Hello handsome.

Fairly soon after she said “peace out” to the coven, Misty Day (Lily Rabe) has returned to the house for refuge from an assassin who stormed her house. Luckily, Myrtle Snow (Frances Conroy) woke up just in the nick of time to warn Misty about the stranger, whom she learned about because he stepped on her face in the garden. Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) assures them both the safety of the coven.

Before I continue, I have to take a moment to honor the great Frances Conroy. Myrtle’s revival is far better than the original. She is so incredibly hilarious and that sultry new voice ain’t too bad either. This is the best character Ryan Murphy has given Conroy and she has gone to infinity and beyond with her.

The biggest shock from the duo’s return to house came from Myrtle’s claim that Misty is the new Supreme. BOOM. Series over. Go home guys. No, I don’t believe it for a second. I am telling you that we will not be able to guess the Supreme like that. Nothing in AHS is ever that simple. Plus, Misty didn’t look too thrilled to be in that position, even if she has “brought back more people from the dead than Jesus Christ” — again, I LOVE Myrtle.

Anyway, this prompts the coven to do “the sacred taking,” which is the ritual for the ascension of the new Supreme. Unfortunately, it’s not just about their fashion statements, heavy breathing and blood oathing. They also need the current Supreme to sacrifice herself for the good of the coven. Ha, yeah I bet Fiona is super willing to kill herself and give up her powers. Good luck with that.

They realize the obstacle as well so they have Madison and Myrtle go one by one to Fiona to give her only two options: kill herself by an “accidental” extra handful of sleepy-time pills or burn at the stake for the crimes she’s committed. Fiona thinks she has a third option, which includes running away with the Axeman (Danny Huston). Instead, Myrtle plays on her greatest worry: that she’s not actually loved and that he’ll leave her and she’ll die alone. Lange’s performance is absolutely fantastic tonight.

Fiona prepares herself for death and takes the pills, only to be woken up by Spalding (Denis O’Hare) — after Myrtle steals all of her jewelry of course (seriously, Myrtle is now my favorite). Yes, our favorite doll drag-wearing butler is back in spirit form. He’s come to help his love and tells her the truth of the situation and gives her medicine that makes her regurgitate the medicine she took.

“I will avenge your murder,” she says. “Right after I avenge my own.” BAMF

Queenie feeds LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) a burger. See, they are best friends!! LaLaurie seems as though she’s thoroughly upset by Queenie’s “betrayal.” However, the attitude changes when Marie steps into the room. Now, she’s the cold, arrogant racist once again. She taunts Marie with, “What are you gonna do? Kill me? I can’t die!” True. So Marie just chops off her hand, saying, “We’ve only just begun.”

Here’s a prime example of an “OMG” and a “WTF” moment. I have to say I was interested to see what she would do to LaLaurie but I didn’t expect that. It’s nothing worse than what LaLaurie did to her slaves but for some reason it surprised me a lot. I think what I liked best about that situation is how LaLaurie knows she kind of has an advantage on Marie. She can’t die so how is she going to harm her? Well, we have our answer. Keep this mutilation in mind folks.

Nan (Jamie Brewer) runs out of the house after finding out that no one thinks she’s the next Supreme. She heads to Luke’s and plans to free him only to find that Joan has called the cops saying an intruder is in her house. Before much else can happen, Joan is shot to death and Luke takes a hit as well, leaving Nan crying over his body. Oh my poor baby. I just want Nan to be happy. She’s surprisingly a great minor character. I have to say that I found Addie a little annoying in season one so I’m glad Murphy has finally written a good supporting role for Brewer.

Everyone is surprised that no coven newbie has a surge of powers but then realize that’s because Fiona isn’t dead. Fiona comes in as calm as a cucumber but everyone seems anxious for some reason. Hmmm. Everyone is then distracted by the commotion next door. Fiona goes over to force Misty to revive Joan. Cordelia finds a silver bullet shell outside and realizes its from a witch hunter who just had incredibly poor aim.

While all the main drama is happening, Zoe tries to teach Kyle (Evan Peters) how to speak by using kid interactive learning tools. His reactions are literally the cutest when he tries to learn and that reaction when she put headphones on him was the best. But, Kyle doesn’t want to learn. He tries to kiss Zoe but she tells him he needs to learn so that he can function in society once more. Madison, however, intrudes and says to just let him be a regular boy and watch porn. I wonder if Geppetto had the same hopes for Pinocchio? She indulges in his sexual desires.

Later, Kyle hugs Zoe and tries to kiss her again. She declines again and this time he speaks! “This road goes two ways. … I love you.” OMG. I can’t take the adorableness! I ship them so hard. I LOVE Kyle. Peters has done so much with a character who honestly does very little. Unfortunately, Madison overheard and sulks in the corner. That tension is going to be the death of someone. I mean that literally.

Fiona says she is proud of her daughter for joining the whole coven together, evoking a joke from Cordelia that she would have tried to kill her years ago had she known that’s how she would make her mother proud. Haha, you two and your extremely non-Gilmore Girls relationship. It’s a little frightening sometimes.

It’s all fun and games until they receive a package at the front door. That’s no Christmas present, that’s LALAURIE’S HEAD. YUP, MARIE CHOPPED OF HER HEAD. BOOM. A “WTF” and “OMG” moment to top them all — although the Entertainment Weekly cover totally gave that plot point away! Here in lies the reason that the winter finale next week is titled “Head,” in which Ryan Murphy makes it seem that everything will go down and then some. I’m excited; are you?

How much are you freaking out? Did your neck hurt after that scene or was it just me having sympathy pains? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ visits “the dead”

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story: Coven airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 4.5/ 5

Man oh man. That’s all I have to say about tonight’s episode of American Horror Story: Coven, which is oh so appropriately titled “The Dead.” The episode deals with death in every way it could: facing an impending death, returning after death and a fresh killing. Buckle up kids; it’s going to be a morbid ride.

Flashback to when Kyle (Evan Peters) was still human and willingly singing Toto’s “Rosanna” at a tattoo parlor with his fraternity brothers. He forgoes the ink, but his friends get tattoos; one gets one on his leg and the other gets one on his arm. Coincidentally, zombie Kyle now has those same tattoos on his body.

I can’t even handle how amazing Peters is in this role. He actually says nothing but acts circles around countless other performances I’ve seen — cough Mulholland Drive, cough Lady in the Water. He groans and whimpers and steals my heart.

Madison (Emma Roberts) is the self-proclaimed face of the millennial generation. She’s narcissistic and numb to the world. She used to live her life in a way that would allow her to purposefully not feel anything. Now, she’d do just about anything to feel something. On the other side, she laments there’s nothing. It’s only cold and dark.

I heard Ryan Murphy was making Madison what he called “the poster person for the millennial generation,” and I have to say that I’m not entirely for this idea. Though her monologue was incredibly well written, it was actually more so depressing than anything. I can understand this point of view from someone in her position, but I’m not really OK with the writers generalizing that attitude to the entire millennial generation. I think instead of being numb to the world, we are more open to an array of emotions. Constantly linked in, we are always in a social interaction and thus always in situations that will conjure up reactions within us. But I digress…

Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) are bffls, and I LOVE their friendship. It blossomed even more as they bonded over the drive-thru food they got at 3 a.m. Nothing makes people greater friends than a good burger in the early morning. It’s all fun and games until LaLaurie starts talking about how the other girls in the coven — Queenie’s “sisters” — won’t accept her not because of her weight but because of her race.  This is going to be important. It’s not just LaLaurie’s old racist ways popping back up in modern day.

Fiona (Jessica Lange) and the Axeman (Danny Huston) have a weird sexual chemistry. They are GREAT together, but the relationship is more than complex. He’s watched her grow up and his love has evolved from a fatherly love into the love of a man; creepy. He’s in love with her but she’s hesitant and I’m pretty sure it’s not just because her hair is falling out — a moment that is always followed by some “dun dun dun” type of music, you know, for added effect.

Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) tries to teach Kyle how to communicate. It’s just a minute-long scene but my goodness was it adorable. I can’t stress enough how much I love Peters. I mean look at him. Come on! Adorable.

Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) runs into Madison and “sees” that Fiona was her killer. Delia then calls in Zoe to talk about how they need to kill her mother, especially if Zoe’s powers continue to grow and she becomes even more of a “hot shot witch.”

First, they need a confession. Zoe ties Spalding (Denis O’Hare) to his bed and puts his tongue back in his mouth! After all these years, Myrtle’s enchantment still works. Because he has to, he admits that Fiona is the one who killed Madison and admits again that he is in love with and worships her. You think, Zoe would just let him go, but nope. She stabs him!!! Every character is going dark but I kind of love it.

Queenie asks LaLaurie what was the worst thing she had ever done because she should know both her good side and the other if they are to be “true friends.” LaLaurie tells her grim tale. A black servant had a child by her husband so she killed that baby and used its blood for her anti-aging beauty products. The woman killed herself in response.

Kathy Bates is a terrifyingly good actress. I love her as a villain.

Madison bonds with Kyle over the fact that they’ve both died and now wonder whether or not it was worth anyone’s bother to bring them back. That connection turns quickly turns into a quickie. Probably my favorite Tumblr reaction to this is the question of how Kyle can barely hold a spoon yet he’s totally capable of screwing Madison? But really though.

The worst part of it all? Zoe saw it and she’s not too happy. Awh don’t worry girl. Just join them. Yup. It happened. The poster was true. We got a three-way. Zoe just got out of the shower, Madison invites her to the bedroom with her and Kyle and Kyle reaches out for her — oh, now he’s super civilized. Did Madison train him with sex? Zoe’s towel drops and they get to it.

I cannot wait for this to blow up. All the repercussions.

And here’s an observation for you to ponder: Evan Peters and Emma Roberts are dating in real life. Evan Peters and Taissa Farmiga are actual soulmates and have beautiful chemistry but only date on screen. The three of them just had a three way. Oh the irony. I love it.

Our interracial bffls may not actually be bffls. Queenie had gone to Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett) earlier looking for a place to fit in. Marie says Queenie can join her world only if she brings LaLaurie to her. Oh no. Say it ain’t so!!!!! So Queenie tricks LaLaurie by making her think she’s taking her to get her hair done but instead takes LaLaurie to Cornrow City to turn her over to Marie! LaLaurie looks absolutely betrayed and heartbroken — in other words, the way I felt. I’m devastated their bff status is kaput. I’m only deducting points from the overall rating because I’m sad about the demise of their friendship.

Marie locks LaLaurie in a cage, and Queenie accepts the offer to “make the first cut.” We end with Marie mocking LaLaurie’s beauty techniques by painting blood on her face. All she says is “Beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excuse me, I need a Xanax. I cannot take how absolutely amazing Bassett is. She is so intense and so sassy, but mostly intense.

Tonight’s episode was great but I have bad news folks. Coven isn’t returning until Dec. 4. That’s a two week delay. Not ok. I need more story now.

How will you handle your Coven withdrawal? What did you think of that three-way? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: Stevie Nicks preps for her role on ‘American Horror Story: Coven’

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story: Coven airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX

Stevie Nicks has played a monumental role in American Horror Story: Coven, and she hasn’t even appeared on-screen yet. But that’s all about to change soon.

Show creator Ryan Murphy tweeted a picture of the singer Tuesday night and said, “She’s here! Stevie Nicks on the set of Coven!”

Nicks will appear in episode 10, according to an interview with Murphy in Entertainment Weekly. Unfortunately, though the seventh episode is set to air tonight, the tenth episode will not air until after the show’s winter break. And that may be because we’ll be left on a cliffhanger. According to Murphy, Nicks won’t just be used in some off-handed cameo for Misty’s (Lily Rabe) pure enjoyment. She’ll be much more important than that.

“She appears as herself,” Murphy said. “It’s part of Fiona’s ruse in that Fiona is trying to get the true Supreme to reveal herself because she needs to stay alive. So she tells Misty Day that the Supreme gets so many great things in life, like tickets to the Oscars and Met Ball tickets. So she brings Stevie Nicks in as a gift to Misty to prove to her that if she exhibits more power she’ll get that and more. Then the other girls come home and see Stevie and Misty singing and it starts them trying to move much quicker to prove that they are the Supreme.”

Even though Rabe’s character is the ultra Nicks fan, the actress herself is excited for the singer’s visit.

“It definitely makes my heart race a little!” Rabe told Yahoo! TV. “I don’t know what Misty would do if she met Stevie — I’m a little bit more worried about Misty surviving that encounter. … I’d like to think that she’s fond of Misty. I can’t talk specifics or plans, but it’s such an honor to garner Stevie’s interest. It’s really cool; I definitely think she likes the show, and what an impact she has on Misty.”

“(To prepare for) Misty I definitely spent a lot of time saturating myself with Stevie videos, and I even have a photo of Stevie as the background on my phone screen,” Rabe added. “When I play someone who is madly in love or obsessed with someone, I try to have that person around me as much as possible. It was already kind of there, because I really love Stevie anyway, but I learned to turn the dial up and have as much Stevie around me as possible.”

Needless to say, I am more than excited for this episode. You know it’s going to be amazing and probably extremely important to the overall story, especially since it will be episode 10 of a 13-episode season. It has to include things that will set up the conclusion.

I can’t say it enough: This season of AHS is my absolute favorite. There has not been one episode in which I am not sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next, laughing at the incredibly sassy dialogue or being mesmerized at the twists and turns in the story.

How is Coven shaping up for you? Are you excited for Stevie Nicks? Let me know @buzzlightmeryl

TV: ‘American Horror Story’ introduces The Axeman, a killer and a lover

By Meryl Gottlieb| mg986611@ohiou.edu| @buzzlightmeryl
American Horror Story airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX
Rating: 4/5

American Horror Story is adding a new villain to rank in league with The Rubber Man and Bloody Face. Let’s welcome The Axeman, played Danny Huston. This villain, however, is very different; he was real. The Axeman was a serial killer who terrorized New Orleans from May 1918 until October 1919. The show did a phenomenal job paralleling the true horror with the fictional terror.

It’s 1919 in New Orleans and the town is in a frantic as the Axeman continues his terror. Huston’s monologue is chilling as he reads a letter he wrote to the town saying how he will murder the occupants of homes who do not have a jazz band “in full swing” at 12:15 a.m. next Tuesday night. This takes having a music obsession to a whole new level. He even carries his axe in a saxophone case.

Fun fact: That letter the Axeman wrote in the episode was actually written by the real Axeman. This is what I mean by saying they mixed reality and fiction perfectly.

Just like in real life, the Axeman’s terror ends in October 1919, but in reality, no one knows why it ended so abruptly. In the AHS universe, it’s because the girls of Miss Robichaux’s Academy had enough and took matters into their own hands, led by Meryl Streep’s daughter of course (Grace Gummer for those of you who didn’t recognize her). Instead of jazz, they played opera and lured in the killer but instead, he was the one who was greeted with blades. The entire academy repeatedly stabbed him. I think he got the point a little earlier — pun most certainly intended.

Back in the present, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) is rummaging and is led to a secret closet in which she finds several artifacts from the past, including an old Ouija board and photos of past classes of witches, including the group who killed the Axeman. As she looks through the photos, Zoe sees how the numbers have been dwindling and says they can’t afford to lose one more, meaning they need to find Madison (Emma Roberts). But first, they all take shots of absinthe. Because, you know, logic.

Zoe, Nan (Jamie Brewer) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) use the Ouija board and just so happen to come into contact with the Axeman’s spirit. Queenie is not about that, so she slaps the shot glass to the ground — yes they were using a shot glass on the Ouija board. Class.

Fiona (Jessica Lange) is having cancer treatments with an unlikely side effect: telepathy. She hears the thoughts of fellow patients, says she’s only doing the treatment for Cordelia’s (Sarah Paulson) sake and confesses all she wants is one more great love affair in her life.

There’s a surprising lack of Lange in this episode, which is a crime, but the very few moments she’s in the episode are — as one could expect — fantastic.

With Nan and Queenie out, Zoe turns to the Ouija board herself to get answers. She’s directed to the attic where she finds Madison’s body in Spalding’s (Denis O’Hare) room. How that man has kept his doll cave a secret for so long is unbelievable. Did no one ever see him transport hundreds of dolls upstairs? Anyone?

Zoe and Queenie interrogate Spalding as Nan hears his thoughts, which are creepy. He eloquently lies about killing Madison and plotting to have sexual relations with her corpse.

Cordelia returns and any time anyone touches her, she flashes on something scandalous from said person’s past. For Hank (Josh Hamilton), she sees his relation with the redhead again and finally kicks him out. Even when Fiona touches her, she sees Myrtle’s (Frances Conroy) burning and is not pleased to hear the news about “auntie Myrtle.”

“Anything else you want to tell me now because I will see it sooner or later. I had to go blind to see things about you I couldn’t see before. A bad cosmic joke,” Cordelia scoffs at Hank.

I’ve said this every week, but I cannot wait to keep seeing this storyline develop.

We finally see how Misty (Lily Rabe) revives the dead: she buries them in a flowerbed of sorts and waters them until they have healed. Resurgence: Extreme Mudbath Edition.

Our favorite local Frankenstein, Kyle (Evan Peters), ran away to her house! Kyle’s storyline was my absolute favorite part about tonight’s episode, here’s why.

After triumphing over his abusive mother, Kyle ran to the first place he could probably remember where he felt safe. When he showed up in Misty’s garden, he looked so in need of help and a hug. I am AMAZED at Peters’ acting capabilities. He says nothing and simply grunts every now and then, yet his performance could certainly beat out others in a race for the Emmy. This is most evident in the way Kyle yearns for Zoe. Every time she comes into the room he turns to her and reaches out — in the case of tonight’s episode, he runs and hugs her — and it’s heart-wrenching. He’s in love with her, yet she has not reciprocated one feeling. Why does she not see it?!

Misty tries to help Kyle and wash him, since he’s still covered in blood, but when she is giving him a bath, he recalls moments of his abuse and has a meltdown and destroys just about everything in Misty’s home, including the radio and Stevie Nicks tapes.

“You broke Stevie,” Misty cried. That was the final straw.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the fact that Peters was naked this entire time, and we often got glimpses of his wonderful tush and it was splendid. More please.

Zoe comes in the nick of time and takes them both to the Academy. She chains Kyle to the wall — oh the look on his face! Seriously, can Peters just take the Emmy now? Zoe enlists Misty to revive Madison. After pushing out the death inside of her — which apparently meant just getting the bugs out of her — Misty brings Madison back to life. And then we have the greatest welcome back line: “I need a cigarette.”

I cackled so loudly. Even after death, Madison is still Madison, and I love it. I’m glad she’s back. I’ve missed the hilarity and sass.

Madison doesn’t remember who killed her though; she can only remember seeing red.

In other mind-blowing news, Hank is a witch hunter who’s been working for Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett)!!!! His mission for the past six years has been to kill Salem descendants, and he was just using Cordelia to gain access. That redhead, Kaylee (Alexandra Breckenridge)? She was a girl who considered coming to Miss Robichaux’s but instead aspired for a normal life with romance, so he snuck his way in to kill her. However, Marie is not happy with Hank’s performance and with all that’s been going on lately. When she buries “a fat ass cracker,” she expects her to stay in the ground; the witches are just waltzing into her territory and he’s gone soft. So she gives him an ultimatum: She’ll let him live only if he brings her back the heads of everyone in the house and burns the house to ground. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

If Bassett does not receive recognition for her work on this show, then I will write a strongly worded letter to the Academy of Arts and Sciences. That monologue was perfect and she is excellent as Marie.

As Cordelia undresses and attempts to find her way around her room, she meets the Axeman’s spirit who terrorizes her until she agrees to release him since Zoe backed out on the deal they had made — he told her where to find Madison and she would set his spirit free. Zoe and the girls hear Cordelia scream and race to find a spell to make him go away. They succeeded in getting him to leave Cordelia alone, however they didn’t squash his spirit, instead they released him.

Here I’ll mention the main reason why I consistently say I’m excited to see more from Cordelia: Sarah Paulson is a phenomenal actress. Though this scene did mostly consist of her falling into many a furniture piece, it was quite Wait Until Dark-esque and that’s a terrifying but great story. Also that scream of hers makes my spine shiver ever time.

He is now out on the town, and whom of all people does he run into at a bar where jazz music is played in the background? Fiona, who if you remember, mentioned earlier in the episode that she was looking for love. Oh, this is going to be interesting.

While it may not have been as much of an edge-of-your-seat type of episode, “The Axeman Cometh” certainly set up a ton of interesting plot points and still managed to be just as entertaining and intriguing as the next episode. Major kudos to the writers this season. I can’t explain how amazed I am each week that Coven simply gets better and better.