Lindsay Sperling’s Top 10 TV Shows Of 2013

10. American Horror Story: Coven

FX chose to concentrate on a more fantastical premise for the third installment of its horror anthology series, American Horror Story. This season is set in historic New Orleans and makes full use of the superstitions and rich mythology that envelop the unique city. Shows with a supernatural premise like this one aren’t new to television by any means, but the team behind Coven has found a way to make the content appeal to a more mature audience. This is one of the best translations of the concept of witchcraft I’ve seen grace the small screen in recent memory. It’s also maintained a ‘witch-only’ motif which long-running supernatural series are forced to stray from.

American Horror Story: Coven brings back some of the actors that have helped cement the show on the network line-up over the past two seasons, but it’s also introduced us to some great new faces – notably Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, Gabourey Sidibe, and Emma Roberts. One of the most exceptional things that AHS boast in round 3 is an almost entirely female cast. Not only does it set the series apart from its contemporaries purely based on the dominance of female actors, but the ensemble is filled with well-established talents, which is rare on television.

I’m especially attracted to series that are set in real enough terms yet at the same time provide viewers with a sense of escapism that separates them from it. Coven does an exceptional job at that and I’m anxious to see that remaining episodes that will be airing at the beginning of 2014.