Thirteen episodes is a decent chunk of time to figure out the broad and essential beats of the central narrative; and, heck, it's enough time to figure out the supporting characters and their various relationships. "Medallion" felt like an episode the writers weren't sure about, like it needed another story break, or a page one re-write by Andrew Miller. Oh, wait, Andrew Miller CO-WROTE "Medallion," so that's a bad sign. Well, then. Cassie's characterization's been inconsistent this season. We met her as a naive new-girl-in-town and watched her react to the incredible news that she's a witch. Cassie didn't want to deal with her true nature. Cassie changed, though, when Nick died and Jake moved to Chance Harbor. Now, Cassie didn't change after she saw the effects of magic on a peer, classmate, and fellow circle member; no, Cassie changed because she thought Jake was CUTE. Cassie quite fancied Jake, hung out with him in abandoned houses, whilst studying the history of the Blackwells, until she learned that Jake worked for the witch-hunters, but all was forgiven when he returned to town, repentant and contrite.
Ever since Cassie's self-discovery of dark magic, she's fluctuated between cold and unfeeling robot and selfish, egocentric teenage girl, with nary a redeeming quality. Cassie couldn't remember how to activate the medallion, thus the whole A story was about activating medallion. Jake assisted her. A treacherous tertiary character arrived in town, the same girl who recognized Cassie on the boat sixteen years ago, to help her crack the magical code for the medallion. Cassie conveniently couldn't remember the spell her father used until her and her circle were having magic sucked from them by the treacherous tertiary PSYCHIC character from sixteen years ago. The story didn't quite track, unless a moment of uncertainty, or unease, or panic, is necessary to activate the curse. Cassie just remembered, like the spell had been on the tip of her tongue; however, she devoted her time to figuring out how to use the medallion, and how to control dark magic. I suppose the journey continues; presently, she's able to control the power she extremely vexed, but there needs to be more depth.
The various teenage relationships are problems for the show. Characters are still defined by who they feel romantic feelings for. For instance, Cassie was mostly an irritated and cold person this week, treating the people who care about her like they're not worth much more than a glass in a bar. Jake and Adam were hurt. Jake reacted by inviting Faye over for a night of sex. Adam considered Diana once more, especially after she decorated the bar for his birthday, and filled a cupboard with cookies, just like she did a year ago, when they were one year younger and in love. Adam nearly wept when the cookies fell to the floor. Meanwhile, Melissa's going to be the stupid girl in the Kallum (or Callum) plot, not only involving herself with a bad apple, but also developing a drug habit to some mystical drug. One's investment in the show is contingent on one's investment in the characters and who they're with. The writing for the relationships is too hollow though.
Ethan's brief power trip ended. Dawn and Charles became friends again, after Charles saved her life with the crystal. Honestly, the only happening was Charles drugging Ethan so he could steal the crystal back. The treacherous tertiary character stabbed Dawn in the stomach as warning. The witch hunters don't like witches, which everyone watching already knew. The treacherous character was murdered by the witch-hunter we saw in the boat fire episode. The witch-hunter should be the new Big Bad.
Overall, nothing happened in "Medallion," unless you care about Cassie's feelings for Jake, or Diana's for Adam, in which case very minimal happened. If you wanted to see Cassie wield dark magic without understanding it again, you were in luck. The episode concluded with a question, "Daddy?" uttered by Cassie, alone in her father's basement, which she suggests she communicated with him, or just said it to see what happens. We'll find out soon. The reveal will be underwhelming.
Other Thoughts:
-Shelley Hennig is attractive.
-Andrew Miller and Andrea Newman wrote "Medallion." Liz Friedlander directed it.
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
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