The TV Chick

I spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out exactly what I want to say about tonight’s episode of The Secret Circle and here’s what it comes down to: now that we’ve finally looked into the past maybe the story can move forward. Since Nick died all those episodes ago, the show has been at a stand-still. Stories happen each week and the witches quibble among themselves, but nothing ever really happens. The feeling I was most struck by when watching tonight’s flashback to 1995 is that I’d rather be watching that show. Those characters interest me; that story is compelling. Watching Adam pine over Cassie is not.

Harry Potter and the Trip into Jake’s Memory
Did the whole Cassie/Jake trip into Jake’s memory of the boat fire of 1995 remind anyone else of Harry’s trip into Riddle’s diary in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? Visually, it was awesome. Story-wise, it gave us an interesting jumping off point for the rest of the season: John Blackwell is alive! Can’t say I’m surprised, but it was a fun reveal nonetheless. Will Cassie and the others go looking for him? Will he magically appear in town now that we know he’s alive? How will Dawn, Ethan, and Charles react to learning Blackwell didn’t die in that fire? Maybe it’s best that they have that crystal. Wouldn’t want my favorite characters to die at the hands of their probably evil old circle-mate.

Also, who was that girl who saw Cassie in Jake’s memory? Was she a witch-hunter? Another witch? Demon? Just please let her be an enemy. I need someone to root against.

Sober Ethan one-ups Dawn
Conniving Dawn may have finally met her match. Sober Ethan is one hell of a player. (and maybe a little evil? Lying about his presence during that boat fire certainly isn’t a good sign) Proving to be less of a wimp than Charles, Ethan doesn’t seem to want to play Dawn’s games. I can’t wait to see what happens next with these two. Is it just me or does Natasha Henstridge have amazing chemistry with every (age-appropriate) guy that she appears on screen with?

Just say no to drugs, Faye
Faye continues to hang out with Lee at his sketchy voodoo lair. It seems like magic ingredients isn’t the only merchandise he sells. Drugs! Of course Faye couldn’t resist the offer of a special drug that’ll help her with her power from Lee’s friend, Callum. Lee opens up to Faye about his ex-girlfriend who’s in a coma after her addiction to that particular drug. I guess Faye hasn’t gotten the “Say NO to Drugs” talk from her mother, the principal of their local high school, so she just goes right ahead and takes the coma drugs from the sketchy guy who looks like a homeless man. Great decisions!

Melissa
Have the writers forgotten she exists?

And finally, just for fun I give you guys this: my useless suggestions for how to make this show better!

1. Expand the world
There’s a reason that shows like The Vampire Diaries and True Blood have more than one type of supernatural being. It expands the playground; there’s more story to tell and more villains to battle. More than anything else, those witches in Chance Harbor need someone to battle against. I don’t care if it’s a demon, John Blackwell, or even the other living parents, but those kids need a reason to unite and a reason to use their powers. This show has been at its best when there’s an enemy to conquer. Remember when Cassie woke up Heather and the circle had to battle the demon that possessed her? That was AWESOME. Let’s get some more of that going on.

2. Make the love triangle interesting to watch or ditch it
I’m as big a fan as the next girl of a good love triangle, but the Cassie/Adam/Jake situation is just boring. That’s a problem, especially on a CW show. The show hasn’t built a reason for me to care whether she ends up with either guy. Find a way to improve the romance, and the show will improve immensely.

3. The parents or the children?
Whose story is it? The show spends so much time on Charles/Dawn (and now Ethan) and when the focus isn’t on them the show is mostly about Cassie & the circle trying to figure out what happened when their parents were young. Basically, it’s all about the parents. The parents are compelling in a way the kids just aren’t. The writers need to bring the children and their parents into the same story arc or just make it all about Charles, Dawn, and Drunk Ethan.

This all comes from a place where I really like about half of the show and am just tired of dragging my way through the other half every week. This show should be FUN; it has the potential to be fun, but it isn’t. Not yet at least, and I’m not sure how much longer I want to wait.

The Secret Circle airs Thursday nights at 9 PM on the CW.