Thursday, January 09, 2014

Reviews | Pics American Horror Story: Coven Ep 10 "The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks"

Great show tonight... Stevie was really great and the two piano versions she played were beautiful!  Can't wait for finale night at the end of the month... She'll be back!  Here's are a few reviews from the show tonight.

 By Chuck Bowen
Slant Magazine

The episode's transition from a negligible slide show of CliffsNotes to something genuinely moving is best illustrated by the Nicks appearances that bookmark it. Nicks's first song, a performance of "Rhiannon," is an awkward cap to Misty's preoccupation with the legend's work, but her second performance at the end, a heartbreaking version of "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You," is a succinct embodiment of Fiona's unrelieved loneliness, which is poignant even as its understood to almost certainly be the font of her evil.

Read the full episode review at Slant



“The Magical Delights Of Stevie Nicks” is by far the best episode of this season of American Horror Story
By Todd VanDerWerff
AVClub.com

Stevie Nicks shows up, introduced as a powerful white witch, and her first line of dialogue is, “You must be Misty. I’m Stevie Nicks,” and it’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened on television, basically, because everybody is so agreeably self-aware about all of it. But then she just kind of hangs around and plays a few songs on the piano, and the novelty wears off (though I did enjoy her and Misty having a shawl-spin-off). Still, the weirdness of Stevie Nicks being there, constantly referred to with both names, and the show being smart enough to basically treat her as a Love Boat guest star made up for a lot.

"I so hope Stevie Nicks sticks around, so when the witch hunters descend upon the house, she can score it all to an acoustic cover of “Tusk.”

Read the full episode review at AVClub


Rhiannon
Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You


AHS: Coven Recap: If Anyone Falls
By Andy Patrick
TV Line

Although this week’s American Horror Story: Coven cues up “The Magical Delights of Stevie Nicks,” it isn’t all shawl twirls and platform boots. (I mean, there is a lotta that. But it’s not all that.) There’s also a visit from voodoo devil Papa Legba, two major deaths that seem likely to stick and an attempted murder that’s almost certainly destined to fail. Confused? You won’t be (hopefully) after reading this recap…


STAND BACK | When Cordelia tries to blame herself for Hank’s “heroic” suicide mission, Marie reveals both that he was a witch hunter and that he was on her payroll. At once, Fiona moves to strike — Marie, it looks like. Instead, Fiona slaps Cordelia — hard! — and shrieks, “You’re not just blind, you’re willfully blind!” Later, while Fiona and Marie continue to bond as they cast a spell to bankrupt Delphi, Fiona and Cordelia’s already awful mother/daughter relationship deteriorates further. No, you can’t help us, Fiona shrieks at Cordelia. (Come to think of it, she pretty much shrieks everything she says to Cordelia in this episode.) “You’re worthless! Hopeless!” Oh my. Afterwards, Myrtle tries to cheer up Cordelia by suggesting that maybe she could work on a cruise ship — you know, like that perky Julie McCoy — but this only results in the disgraced sorceress throwing a lot of pots and smashing a lot of beakers.

TALK TO ME | Meanwhile, since Fiona remains as intrigued as ever by Marie’s (extremely fetching) longevity, the voodoo queen finally explains to her new frenemy that she was given immortality by Papa Legba. The price? Her soul. First, the spirit (styled to resemble a kind of African-American cross between Slash from Guns N’ Roses and Gary Oldman in Dracula) took her baby, and ever since, he’s forced her to provide him with an innocent per year. This all sounds fine and dandy to Fiona, so she lays out some enchanted cocaine — what would you serve? Cookies and milk? — and summons Papa to the negotiating table. Unfortunately, when they seal the deal with a kiss, he calls the whole thing off. “You have nothing to sell,” he realizes. “You have no soul.” Back to Plan A, the Axeman suggests — do away with the new Supreme. Screw that, Fiona says. “I’ll just kill ’em all.

STOP DRAGGING MY HEART AROUND | After the teenage witches decide that Queenie is really, most sincerely dead (hmm… ), Nan finds out that not only has Joan killed Luke, she’s had him cremated as well. (No Mistyrection for you, bub!) In retaliation, the wannabe Supreme psychically forces the murderess to suck down a bottle of bleach. Recognizing that whether Nan is the new Supreme, she could still be a threat — especially after she offed Joan — Fiona suggests to Marie that she doesn’t have to make the newborn she’s abducted this year’s sacrifice to Papa Legba, they can give him Nan instead. So they drown her. Just like that. Emerging beside Papa, Nan frets that now she’ll be stuck wearing the same frumpy dress for all eternity. But he assures her, “The other side is filled with treats for a girl like you.” And that’s that — off they go to the other side.

I CAN’T WAIT | Before all that, however, Fiona interrupts Misty’s shawl-twirling practice to describe the Supremacy as a “skeleton key” — an all-access pass to anything she wants, including Fiona’s old friend, Stevie Nicks! “You owe me five bucks,” Fiona deadpans to Stevie when Misty faints at the sight of her idol (who, it bears mentioning, looks as great as she sounds — and she sounds fantastic!). Listening to Stevie sing “Rihannon” for Misty, Madison is so consumed by envy that she first tries to convince her rival that the superstar is just using her — “Players only love you when they’re playing,” she hints as if her knowledge of music history predates Ke$ha — and then clocks her with a brick and has her entombed in a cemetery! (Is the elimination of the competition one of the Seven Wonders? If so, check!) Finally, as the hour draws to a close, Stevie serenades Fiona with a lovely rendition of “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?”

Okay, your turn. What did you think of the episode? Were you surprised that Nan was killed? (She was starting to convince me that she really WAS the Supreme.) Do you believe that Queenie is dead? What about Marie and Fiona’s truce? You buying it? (That look on Marie’s face after she called Fiona an equal makes me wonder.) As much fun as Stevie was, Myrtle still takes the cake for me. Between her theremin-playing and her ideas for Cordelia’s future (“Your salad dressing is absolutely magic — maybe you could bottle it!”), she just cracks me up. 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

The ONLY reason I watched this show was to see Stevie Nicks. The beautiful version of "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" was worth the torture of watching this horrible show. I can't believe Stevie agreed to do this show at all. However, I wish she would do more guest appearances and songs on other shows. I loved seeing her attempt at acting too. Not too bad. Although her true art is her music.

Anonymous said...

The last scene was absolutely heartbreaking. The song, as always, draws the emotion right out of you. Even the soulless Fiona was moved to tears, which begs the question how could she be soulless and touched by Stevie's music so?
Lange nailed it with a great assist by Nicks.
I only started watchin Coven because I heard they were using Stevie's music, but have become addicted anyway. Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett are worth their screen time in gold. Emma Roberts slays me. She's got a huge future. The writing is wicked and wickedly funny. As it turns out Misty is my least favorite character, sans her Stevie obsession of course.
" She's a white witch and try as I may, I cannot get her to play in the shadows with me." Fiona Goode
Classic.

Anonymous said...

Stevie was actually very good on American Horror Story last night. Her scenes were the best part of the show. And "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" was a treat. Otherwise it's really a poorly written show with a very scattered plotline. Ryan Murphy has gotten a very good cast together though. It just shows that actors will do most anything to work. I can't believe a 2 time Academy Award winner like Jessica Lange is wasting her time on this rather stupid TV show though.

Anonymous said...

I'm the biggest Jessica Lange fan in the world. For 30 years she's been the only person whose movies I go see just because she's in them. I've been watching AH since the beginning. This is by far the best season. Love the witch theme and love the Fiona character. Jessica Lange is supreme! Then all of a sudden I hear Stevie's music; then I hear she's making an appearance. I've been a bigger fan of Stevie then even of Jessica so of course you can understand my excitement. This episode was no let down. Especially the final scene with just my two idols. As Jessica said to Stevie in that scene "a perfect ending to a long day". That was definitely the case for me. 
-Mark

Anonymous said...

For which she won an Emmy and will undoubtedly be nominated again for this season

Anonymous said...

surrealism! Great job Stevie!

Dawn's Designs said...

Loved Stevie as always show is poorly written and poorly acted. It would be nice if Jessica spoke instead of whispered through the entire show. Don't get the show But have gotten Stevie all my life

Anonymous said...

I didn't catch the show but just watched the musical clips. Rhiannon was rough, nasal, harsh and missing some higher notes that Stevie can indeed still hit if she'll get out of her own way. I wish Stevie would dial her voice down a little bit because it becomes flat and inexpressive when she pushes. Not terrible, but far from great or even good.

However, Has Anyone was wonderful - perhaps because it was a more intimate setting than Rhiannon - came off almost as a moving duet" between Stevie and Jessica Lange. Superb. I've never much liked this song - it has a strong opening but fizzles out fast without a strong 2nd and 3rd verse and that dreadful "poets, priests of nothing" line at the end. Stevie wisely edited it down to it's best parts. I always thought this was a song that could have been a hit had Stevie worked harder on it. Alas, it's from the darkest cocaine years....

Anonymous said...

Has Anyone Ever Written Anything was nice. Rhiannon - not so much. I vote for retiring that song for a while. It needs a re-working. Or something.

MplsMike said...

Love, love, love AHS!!!! Stevie's appearances were fantastic, though I agree "Rhiannon" needs a rework. "Has Anyone Ever..." was amazing. I was really hoping she would have done one of her more magical songs she doesn't do anymore. This would have been the PERFECT opportunity to do a stripped down piano version of "Rooms on Fire" or "Seven Wonders," both of which would have worked perfectly for the episode.

Anonymous said...

This is by far the best season!!! Bringing in Stevie Nick's music was spot on for this story line! Not sure about the haters and their comments. The characters on this show are fabulous! Jessica Lange kills it every episode. Couldn't wait to see how they brought Stevie in on the story line. It was PERFECT! Always luved Rhiannon but something about Has Anyone Every Written Anything For You goes deep into by heart and soul! It's always brought me to tears and seeing Fiona's tears shows how powerful Stevie Nicks music is!!! Rock on all you beautiful witches!!!!

Anonymous said...

Rhiannon was ok - not great. It sounds like it was edited and not very well. I think it was also due to the fact, as Stevie stated, she hadn't sat and played at a piano for quite some time and I am sure she was a little nervous. I have heard her sing prettier versions of Rhiannon. Stevie looked beautiful but a little tired. Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You was wonderful and not as "edited" as Rhiannon.

Anonymous said...

For someone who will turn 66 in two months, Stevie is beautiful. Yes, she is aging but she still looks beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Love Stevie, Jessica, & Kathy but the show is awful. They are better than that!

Anonymous said...

They shouldn't have edited Rhiannon. made it sound too chopped up. has anyone...was beautiful because she played it all the way through. brought tears to my eyes. Jessica is a wonderful actress. the rest of the cast & the show was bad. only watched for Stevie.

Anonymous said...

As I watched the episode again, Rhiannon wasn't bad at all. I think that the lyrics being sung so out of sequence is what made it sound "too choppy". That isn't the version that is on Enchanted, but it's similar but closer to the actual song. I am sure Stevie wasn't that comfortable singing it one way when she is used to another.

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