After a pilot episode last week that had my face aching from a smile that could only be brought about by high school supernatural shows, AKA my guilty pleasures (a list that includes Teen Wolf and The Vampire Diaries), The Secret Circle does not quite cast a spell over me this week as the first episode did. Don’t worry, for the rest of this write up I will refrain from such cheesiness as that last sentence. I can almost 87.4% guarantee it.
The Opening Credit Sequence
Since Lost made a few seconds of title viewing all the rage, most shows have leaned this way instead of going the full credit sequence route, which in all honesty I am all for. Why the opening for The Secret Circle is important to note is that the song that Cassie hums in the last episode (as did her mother) and plays over scenes is only found here come episode two. Though this may be nothing, it is hard to believe that there would be so much attention given to it last week and none this week. Which is why I am going to start this thing running with Theory #1.
Back-story knowledge required: If you read my ramblings over the pilot episode over on havingsaidthat.net, then you will know that I think Cassie’s father’s death is a big, fat lie. She is still the only one to say the word “death” and it’s many incarnations in concern to her dad (such as in this episode when Adam lists off all the parents of the six who have died). Though I think saying Charles is going to be revealed as her father might have been reaching, this theme song would be a great thing for an intro. Dear ol’ Daddy just comes strolling back into Cassie’s life, revealing his connection by humming this song. Sounds pretty evil to me (which Adam’s father implied he was) so let’s make it happen!
Minor Character inclusion
Though Nick and Melissa are a necessary requirement for the circle to work, their importance to the show is still lacking. Sure, standing in a window minus a shirt is fun for many, but giving these two a hidden sexual relationship is hardly character development, or shocking for that matter. It may add tension down the road considering Faye has finally gone head first into the slutty adjective she was not fully embracing before, but based on the other secrets in the show, this one really isn’t worth keeping private. The point is, after two episodes all we know about these two is that Nick is probably a tool and watered down version of Faye, and Melissa knows how to look at someone in a possessive/jealous manner and has the potential to someday become more than just Faye’s shadow.
The Love Triangle
The attempts to get Cassie and Adam alone, the show continues its obvious attempts to keep the potential of what is “written in the stars” for them at a low simmer. Adam suggests that he help Cassie understand and control her power, so they’re already to the "going study" portion of their relationship. As an anecdotal side note, when I was little I thought “going steady” was “going study” and that a relationship’s first stage was when two people did their homework and studied together. Because of this, I may interpret a little more relationship potential in this scene than most, but as Buffy showed us when Willow and Tara did magic together, it is chock full of sexual tension. Plus every time someone says they were “practicing” magic it just sounds like a euphemism.
All I know is that I hope Diana goes crazy with jealousy and turns into the surprise “villain” of the group, replacing Faye’s red herring.
The Elders
At the beginning of this episode, Faye’s grandfather, Henry, arrives in town, and it is revealed that Ethan (Adam’s father) called him after Charles “drowned” him last week. I find it really odd that he never meets with Cassie’s grandmother considering they were a part of the same circle and probably have a lot to talk about in concern to what is currently going on, but we still get plenty of information from his visit. For one thing we learn that following the accident the remaining members of that circle were stripped of their powers.
He also mentions The Elders. Though no hard details are given about this group, the name implies that it includes the oldest generation of witches who decided to take the powers away from the parents. And if they hold the same beliefs as Henry does, this circle came to the decision that magic has no place in the world and have stopped practicing. They may not have gone as far as the witch trials or anything, but it isn’t a leap to say that this decision is going to come back to haunt them if the parents are planning what I think they are (again, I will admit that my thought trains sometimes get a little out of control).
Abusing Powers
After Faye brings on a torrential storm at the end of the last episode, one might assume that she would take a step back from pushing her powers to extremes. Well, that person would be wrong. In this episode, Faye’s location on the “deserves to be punched in the face” chart has gone up quite a bit as she disregards all need to keep her powers a secret. Not only that, but she allows her emotions to get the better of her, bringing about something far worse than rain. That’s right, we finally get a muggle in this episode (they mentioned Harry Potter so my reference is allowed!) and before you know it Faye kills her. Or at least almost does. Faye’s mom ends up reviving her (with a crystal), but I am really hoping that this extreme situation finally gets through to Faye. Right now she remains an obnoxious character, but I am still waiting for layers to be added to her considering she has the potential to be the most multifaceted of the six.
Bound Together
If this episode serves any function, it was simply to move the story from point A to point B; point B being the binding spell. As an anti-climactic ending with a minor flair up of a bonfire, it still presents some interesting possibilities for episodes to come. Starting with the preview for the next episode that shows our circle without their individual strength being hunted down like they’re in some campy horror film. However, what is more intriguing is how it connects to…
The Nefarious Plotting
Henry may believe that the powers have been drained from the parent’s circle, but obviously the way in which Cassie’s mother was murdered suggests otherwise. Turns out at some point Dawn (Faye’s mother) and Charles found a crystal that gave them their powers back, but it does not provide an endless supply. Because of this, I am still going with my theory that it is their goal to steal the powers from the kids. Obviously stripping witches of their powers is possible, so it is not unfathomable that they can be transferred. Dawn may have some morals, but they seem to cut off at not killing children. Children, no, that’s monstrous, but a father-in-law? Well, he was just asking for a heart attack. And he’s not related by blood, so it’s not really patricide… Point is, she seems pretty willing to do anything to keep on using magic, so stealing from the kids isn’t out of the question. Granted, apparently once they are bound they will be capable of doing great things, so maybe they will just simply bestow powers upon the parents and they will all live happily ever after. That’s possible, right?
Other Questions
With plenty of information still not given on what really happened to the parents, what Dawn and Charles have planned, the whereabouts of Cassie’s father (I am not letting this one go), etc, there is plenty still to come in future episodes. I know I am dying to find out what Charles meant by, “we can’t have Ethan running his mouth off about Amelia. He’d blow it for us.” What does Ethan know? What did Amelia know and was it worthy of being killed over? Apparently she believed so, or else she wouldn't have left a letter for Cassie that hints at the possibility that she believed she would be killed someday. Thoughts?
