Secret Circle – Bad things happen when you mess with fate

Every time the end credits of The Secret Circle roll, the first thing that I want to write about is how creepy the da-da-da-da-da bit is. In fact, if I could write 500 words on the topic, I probably would, because it really freaks me out. This week, though, there is a whole lot more to talk about. Nick’s death has brought his brother Jake back to town, but his brother’s wake wasn’t the only reason for his return.

My biggest curiosity after last weeks’ episode was easily answered just by the existence of Jake … the circle is tied to the families bloodlines, and not necessarily the individuals that bound the magic. However, it seems that Jake’s “Witch Hunter” club will preempt his permanent position in the circle. That Jake had a history beyond Chance Harbor was predictable, but I didn’t see him becoming an antagonist, and so quickly. I think, though, that the jury is still out (and likely will be for some time) on whether or not he is evil, or just wrapped up in something bigger than himself.

I really thought that Adam and Diana would last longer than six episodes. While his and Cassie’s families’ destinies might be intertwined, there is quite a bit of history between him and Diana for either of them to be so quick to walk away. Now that Jake is thrown into the mix as a potential love interest for Cassie, things are even more complicated. Speaking of complicated … I am beginning to wonder about this whole “our families are fated” bit. If Ethan and Cassie’s mom were fated to be together, doesn’t that make things just a bit more creepy for Adam and Cassie? And it’s not the kind of creepy I think the show is going for.

Jake also made things more complicated for Faye and Jessica, or more properly, just for Faye, who had a hard time being there for her friend. She’s not exactly best friend material in the first place, but Faye is not so bad that you wouldn’t have expected her to step up here. Instead, she was distracted by Jake’s return. You’ve got to wonder exactly how bad of a guy he was before, and whether or not his new career as a witch hunter has made him better or worse.

Charles really hasn’t developed into the character I originally expected him to be. In the pilot he was all kinds of ruthless, killing Cassie’s mother. But as the season has progressed, we’re seeing that he is much less confident than he came across. Now that he is living with the guilt of Nick’s murder, he’s going even further down that path. It’s fun watching Gale Harold play the role, as it’s contrary to things I’ve seen him in before.

Notes & Quotes

• It was a subtle thing, but the way that Dawn drew the knife as Jane was confronting her about Nick’s death was pretty telling.
• I don’t know much about the Pacific Northwest, but it seems to me that Adam drives around with the top off of his truck much more than I would expect.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Oct 20, 2011 @ 23:32 EST5EDT