By Lisanne Cheizoo
Business Manager
“AHS Coven brought me here.”
“Like if you got here because of AHS Coven.”
Irrelevant, boring and very annoying. Usually, I do not even bother to look at YouTube comments: even more so when half of them convey an utterly pointless message. I do not care whether it was Glee, Breaking Bad or CSI that brought you to this particular music video. I am here because I choose to, not because some television show suddenly inspired me.
At least, that is my usual train of thoughts when browsing YouTube. However, when these comments are listed in reply to my favorite song by my favorite band, my interest is sparked. Especially when that song is “Seven Wonders” by Fleetwood Mac.
The show in question is American Horror Story. American Horror Story, or AHS, is an American television series created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (both known from the very popular television series ‘Glee’). The series premiered in 2011 on FX, and received critical acclaim for its innovative plot and brilliant cast. AHS is not your average television series: It was filmed as an anthology series. This means each season has a separate stock of characters and its own plot. No need to watch the entire series if all you want to see is season three, which is the case for me. It is namely the third and most recent season of AHS, which brought all of these people to the Fleetwood Mac music video.
This last season, called “Coven” (premiered in October 2013), focuses on an American coven of witches in present day New Orleans, and all of their magic manic witch troubles. The entire third season of AHS seems to be a tribute to
Fleetwood Mac and the band’s lead singer Stevie Nicks, as it is filled with references to the band’s successful music. A very clever thing to do, seeing that one of the main rumors surrounding Ms. Nicks, is that she in fact is, a witch. Stevie herself even makes two guest appearances and is simultaneously referred to as the ultimate witch throughout the series. Her hit “The Edge of Seventeen” opens the third episode. Fleetwood Mac’s megahit “Rhiannon” is played live on the piano by Stevie herself in episode ten. It goes on and on until in episode thirteen, the season finale, Stevie Nicks opens the episode with the song “Seven Wonders”, which then proves to be the ultimate opening of a very fine season of television.
While watching AHS’s “Coven” I realized what an amazing series it actually is. Even without the countless Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks references, I am pretty sure I would have still loved it. It is original, funny, slightly spooky, but most importantly: magical. So even if you hate everything that has to do with witchcraft or dislike Fleetwood Mac, American Horror Story is totally worth the many hours of procrastination you will spend on it.
Lisanne Cheizoo, class of 2015, is a Literature and Theatre & Media Studies major from Uden, The Netherlands.
