Chalking up one more reason why I'm so glad I don't have kids! No fooling with parental controls. I just looked up the list of TV-MA shows. Some of them I would not be cool with my kids watching at all; some I might be OK with them watching with adult supervision; some, I'd be like, "Whatever. Watch it if you want." Parents have their work cut out for them in this day and age. I remember that my parents' hardest decision was whether to let me watch Roots because of all the whipping or the episode of Good Times where you find out Penny's mom has been abusing her.

Also, sorry for the tangent. On topic, I totally agree that Marie Leveau should have made sure Madame was well and truly dead. In all the years she's been alive, has she never seen a horror movie? Kill it, cut the head off, burn it up and salt the earth.

Well, she'd have to be pretty good at the precognition to have seen a horror movie in the 1830s.

It's possible that Madame LaLaurie's immortality was due to her Elizabeth Bathory-style beauty regimen rather than Marie Laveau's potion, or to some combination of the two.

Well, she'd have to be pretty good at the precognition to have seen a horror movie in the 1830s.

But she's still alive and I assume she knew where Madame was buried. She could've dug her up and finished the job sometime during the 20th or 21st century. Maybe she's just not a big horror movie fan? I can understand that.

Also true that Madame's immortality might have nothing to do with Marie LaVeau. Maybe she thought she'd killed her when she buried her. But if so, why chain her up like that? Perhaps that was a just in case.

Clearly, I just need to be allowed to meet with Angela Bassett to ask her all these questions about her character!

It's possible that Madame LaLaurie's immortality was due to her Elizabeth Bathory-style beauty regimen rather than Marie Laveau's potion, or to some combination of the two.

Well, all the folklore about bathing in blood isn't about immortality, but magical beauty, so there's not a solid foundation for that keeping her alive in her grave. I'm siding with the theory that Marie Laveau wanted Madame to suffer for eternity.

(Where are my books on Voudon and haunted New Orleans? I know I have some, where did they go? They're not on the occult bookshelf.)

They're not on the occult bookshelf.

I will never be as cool as Jilli.

Also, sorry for the tangent.

I enjoyed thinking about it. What does a show's time slot mean when so many people watch in different ways.

Also, one of Marie Laveau's daughters sort of took over for her after her death (they called her Marie Laveau II), so I'm not sure we're supposed to think Laveau survived all this time. Then again, with this show, who knows.

I can imagine she wanted LaLaurie to live on, because isn't that a fate worse than death? To be buried alive? The less believable thing to me is that LaLaurie isn't completely batshit at this point.

How would we be able to tell, based on what we saw of her pre-entombment?

Given that there are real witches with fairly extensive powers and Marie Laveau's fame as the "Witch Queen of New Orleans," I'm going to assume that the modern-day version from the previews is the same person as in the flashbacks.

Oh, I'm assuming LaLaurie is completely batshit. I'm hoping so.

Also, because this is the only place that I feel comfortable asking these sorts of questions: considering that the horrible racial violence in the opening was lifted from the reports about LaLaurie, is there a way the show could have presented it ... not better, but less charged? I know that AHS gleefully goes for as OTT as it can, but I'm trying to figure out if they crossed a line they shouldn't have.

I'm asking because I know I'm a well-intentioned white lady, but I don't know if the "discussion" I've seen on Tumblr is useful or not.