Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters and Frances Conroy are all back from previous "American Horror" seasons and are joined by newcomers Kathy Bates and Angela Basset in what co-creator Ryan Murphy says "is his favorite season," according to USA Today.
"It's very odd and peculiar and very pop culture-y ... particularly after last year, which was so dark and grim and hard. I loved it, but this year was designed to be a little bit scary, but more fun," Murphy told USA Today. "I heard a lot last year, 'Oh, we love it, but it's hard to sit through.' So, I wanted this year to be not so hard to sit through, a little bit more light in tone."
The coven members, which consist of Horror alumnae Taissa Farmiga and Jamie Brewer and first-timers Gabourey Sidibe and Emma Roberts, play witches who all have ties to Salem and escaped over three hundred years ago; they possess a range of powers, including telekinesis, mind-reading and an undesired ability to kill via sex.
Harboring a secret agenda, Fiona Goode, played by Lange, the most powerful witch of their generation, returns to town, reigniting old rivalries with the Coven's deadly enemies, the Voodoo; she is aging and fears a new witch will soon take her place, leading her to meet with Voodoo witches Madame LaLaurie, played by Bates, and Marie Laveau, played by Bassett. The next Supreme's identity will be the season-long mystery.
The past two seasons have been filmed in LA studios, but Coven was filmed in New Orleans and trades the asylum and haunted house for a witch's coven set in the present day. Murphy told USA Today that he wanted to keep the historical connection to Salem, but didn't want to shoot there.
An important setting will be the boarding school for nascent witches, house in New Orleans; there is existing mythology surrounding New Orlean's Old Ursuline Convent, which was rumored to have been the home of a dozen teenage lady vampires back in the 18th century.
"American Horror Story: Coven" is set to premiere Wednesday at 10 p.m. on FX.
