Haunted houses, insane asylums and witches—oh my! No, I’m not talking about Halloween. It’s “American Horror Story” (AHS). Season three has begun, and just from the teasers viewers are hooked.
New Orleans is known for its dark side, so it’s not a shock that co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk chose the historic city as the new season’s backdrop. The newest installment, entitled “Coven,” focuses on Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies.
Witches are being persecuted much like during the Salem witch trials, and Cordelia Fox, headmistress of Miss Robichaux’s, is making sure that they will not become a dying breed. Zoe, the newcomer, joins a movie star, a human voodoo doll and an all-knowing girl at a finishing school that will teach them how to control their gifts.
AHS is known for using the same actors from previous seasons and changing the storyline for each new miniseries. Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters have carried over from previous seasons, and there are several newcomers to the anthology including Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts and Gabourey Sidibe.
Madame LaLaurie—who is said to be the first serial killer in the 1800s—brings new meaning to the word misery and who better to play that role than Kathy Bates. Recently, Bates spoke with Rolling Stone magazine about her new role and the dark character she is taking on.
“I just got so excited I said yes immediately. I’m thrilled and having an amazing time working on this character they’ve cooked up. She’s actually a real person, but of course they’ve got their own American Horror Story spin on her,” said Bates.
The series broke its record for the premiere with 5.5 million viewers which is up 44 percent from last season, according to Entertainment Weekly. Although the premiere was a hit, the second episode did slip with only 4.5 million viewers.
This season promises to bring out the dark side of New Orleans and will have viewers clammering for what’s next. “The show also has a really great thriller aspect to it this year. You really don’t find out until episode 12,” co-creator Murphy said to TV Guide. Witchy women are sure to stir up plenty of trouble this season, but don’t expect to see any twitching noses.
