After nine seasons, it's hard to pick a character from American Horror Story that stands out amongst the rest. But, as fans know, Angela Bassett is one to watch out for. Her career began long before the FX show and has quite the movie career so far, but she's continued to make a mark for her powerful and female-driven characters on AHS.
Even though Bassett's stints on American Horror Story have been sporadic, there's no telling what creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk will hand to her next. Thus far, her four performances can be easily arranged by likability, even though they all have their own malicious quirks.
WORST: Monet Tumusiime (Roanoke)
Even though the sixth season of AHS wasn't as well-perceived as the other seasons of the show, it isn't the reason why Monet Tumusiime is the least-liked of Angela Bassett's roles. Monet is an actress that fully immerses herself into her role as Lee Harris (originally played by Adina Porter) and, thus, certain vices.
This is Bassett's smallest role on the show and is the blandest in the grand scheme of things. Monet is testy and angry, which doesn't allow her to jive with the rest of the cast in "My Roanoke Nightmare." Monet's hardened personality and skepticism don't give viewers a lot to like and almost downplays the role overall. Though Bassett does a tremendous job acting as Monet, there is simply less material to work with in this instance. Monet is by no means the least well-acted role, but in this case, good acting means being less likable overall.
Ramona Royale (Hotel)
Before Roanoke, Angela Bassett plays another actress in Hotel. What's different this time around is that Ramona Royale is established but is having a hard time finding work after The Countess (Lady Gaga) ruined her life. With that said, Ramona is bitter, she carries the vampire virus, and she had to kill her own father after trying to cure him of Alzheimer's.
Having nothing left to lose, she decides to go after her ex-lover and use others, like Donovan (Matt Bomer), along the way. Ramona's revenge plot blurs the lines of right and wrong, and she ends up killing innocent people to get to The Countess. Once she has the chance to play out her plan, her feelings for her are dug up, and she's seduced once again. In the end, she plots with James March (Evan Peters) and the rest of the serial killers on Devil's Night to threaten Billie Dean Howard (Sarah Paulson) never to return. Even though she's technically a villain, this redeems her in some way.
Marie Laveau (Coven)
Coven centers its story on the powerful witches of Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies. Even though Marie Laveau wasn't a witch, she was just as powerful and influential. Based on a real woman, Marie was a Voodoo practitioner, herbalist, and midwife that had it out for Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) as well as the vile Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates).
While her hatred is justifiable, she was also caring at times. She provided for her community and those that were fair and just. Even though she made a despicable deal with Papa Legba (Lance Reddick), she eventually rallied together with the witchy bunch to save what is left of her legacy. Bassett's depiction of Marie Laveau is one of her most recognizable performances on the show and provided her with a platform to display her true talent. Coven received almost 20 award nominations and is one of the most well-perceived seasons of American Horror Story ever. If viewers can't get enough of this season, or any season for that matter, there are several movies out there that can fill the void with dark themes and great acting.
BEST: Desiree Dupree (Freak Show)
Freak Show's Desiree Dupree has had a tough go at life and has consistently been called out for differences. All she desires is a loving husband, which is the opposite of Dell Toledo (Michael Chiklis), and she wants to be a normal woman with normal issues. Because she believes she'll never have a happy life, she shacks up with Dell, and even subjects herself to traveling circuses, to which Dell banks on.
After she has a miscarriage, she leaves Dell and his abusive ways and becomes friends with Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates) and the rest of the group at the circus. Even though Dell has awful to her, she's there to comfort him in hard times. Desiree is a strong woman who believes in justice and revenge and ends up surviving the carnage the group endures. By the end, she forms a plan with Jimmy (Evan Peters) and the Tattler twins (Sarah Paulson) to get rid of Dandy (Finn Wittrock), once and for all. There aren't many happy endings in this extremely grim series, but in Desiree's final line and scene, it's clear she's finally found her happy ending.