Claim: American Horror Story stars Evan Peters.

American Horror Story : Coven is the third season of the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story . It premiered on October 9 , 2013 , and concluded on January 29 , 2014 . The season takes place in 2013 , in New Orleans , and follows a Coven of Salem witches as they fight for survival . It also features flashbacks to the 1830s , 1910s , and 1970s .   Returning cast members from the previous season of the series include : Robin Bartlett , Frances Conroy , Jessica Lange , Sarah Paulson , Evan Peters , and Lily Rabe . Taissa Farmiga , Jamie Brewer , Denis O'Hare , and Alexandra Breckenridge also make their returns to the series .   Like its predecessors , Coven was met with both mostly positive reviews , and strong ratings , with the premiere episode attracting a series high of 5.54 million viewers . The season garnered seventeen Emmy Award nominations , including Outstanding Miniseries and five acting nominations for Jessica Lange , Sarah Paulson , Angela Bassett , Frances Conroy , and Kathy Bates , with Lange and Bates winning their respective acting categories . In addition , Coven was nominated for Best Miniseries or TV Film at the Golden Globes .   In the series ' fifth cycle , Hotel , Gabourey Sidibe reprised her role as Queenie in the eleventh episode of the season .