American Horror Story: Coven

Lore & Background

The season features an ensemble cast including Sarah Paulson, Taissa Farmiga, Frances Conroy, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Emma Roberts, Denis O'Hare, Kathy Bates, and Jessica Lange, with all returning from previous seasons except Roberts and Bates. It marks the first season not to feature cast mainstays Dylan McDermott and Zachary Quinto. The season's tone was described by executive producer Tim Minear as lighter with more humor, but its global themes include oppression of minorities, minority groups going after each other, and themes of family, especially mothers and daughters.

Reader's Guide

Coven was met with both positive reviews and strong ratings, with the premiere attracting a series high of 5.54 million viewers, which at the time was the most viewed episode of the series. The season garnered seventeen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Miniseries, and received nominations for Lange, Paulson, Bassett, Conroy, and Bates at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards, with Lange and Bates winning their respective categories. It was also nominated for Best Miniseries or TV Film at the Golden Globe Awards. In October 2016, Ryan Murphy stated that a future season would feature a return/continuation of Coven, which later materialized as the eighth season, Apocalypse, a crossover with Murder House.

Did You Know?

• The season was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana, with principal photography from July 23, 2013, to January 17, 2014.
• The Buckner Mansion in the Garden District was used for exterior shots of Miss Robichaux's Academy.
• Singer Stevie Nicks appeared in two episodes as herself.
• The season's premiere episode, 'Bitchcraft', was watched by 5.54 million viewers, a series high at the time.