The Secret Circle "Curse" Review

I love the thrill of watching storylines pay off, the slow realization that the slow build was entirely worth the nonsense in between. Buffy, ANGEL and LOST made the viewer feel like the wait was worth it. Of course, television shouldn't be about the wait, or if the wait was worth it. Someone shouldn't judge a series based on the number of questions answered by series end; rather, a series should be judged by the storytelling alone, or in other words, the integrity of the storytelling. If a series struggles to find its voice, one shouldn't kill it. If a series finds it voice and it still sucks, well, that's a different matter. The integrity of storytelling can be affected in a myriad of ways--plot holes, lazy choices, poor characterization, inconsistency, etc. It's not enough for a writer, or writers, to introduce a major relationship or mythological piece early in the series if the writing isn't good enough to support the supposed significance of the relationship or mythological piece. Introducing such a thing early doesn't automatically earn what happens in an episode six months later. Arcs paid off in "Curse." Things from the past were brought back to importance. The endgame of the season came into focus through the interactions of the adults. Grandma Jane finally returned. I should feel renewed faith in The Secret Circle because of these story choices, but I don't. The storytelling seemed forced rather than organic, a product presumably of the writers realizing the few episodes left in the season to coherently wrap up this mess.

The action began and ended with Cassie and Adam. Their passionate 'destined-by-the-stars' fate and subsequent sexual encounter supposedly activated a deadly curse. Faye dismissed it as an old Puritan tale designed to scare teenagers away from sex. The Blake-Conant curse had a horrible explanation from Jane. One could've labeled her an unreliable narrator because of her memory issues, but Blackwell is responsible for the lousy explanation. The Blake-Conant curse when activated results in the death of a circle member. The other ladies dismissed the danger immediately after they learned about Cassie and Adam's lovemaking. Jake was left alone as the poor bastard who suffered because of uncontrollable teenage hormones. He awoke with a fever and odd veins in his arm. Hallucinations started. Jake remembered murdering the shop owner Calvin. The memory and Calvin's ghost haunted him so much so that he felt unworthy of beating the sickness by receiving the magical elixir created to cure he and others doomed by sex between two peers.

Cassie, Adam and Jake traveled into the Chance Harbor woods. Adam and Jake were at odds. Jake felt jealous of Adam. Adam just doesn't trust Jake. Cassie, as always, stood between the men. She needed to find an ingredient for the elixir in the woods. The crappy triangle received this screentime to set-up the dramatic denouement and, also, to enlighten both Cassie and Adam about the murder Jake committed. The elixir carried a devastating effect for the destined lovers: a loss of memory re their feelings for one another. They'd remember loving one another, just not why. Nothing worked about their tragic fate. The writing for their relationship has been atrocious, harmed further by the poor chemistry between Britt Robertson and Thomas Dekker. The kiss between Cassie and Adam on Valentine's Day felt abrupt. Before the kiss, Adam continued to pine for Diana, and he envied other boys who flirted with her; meanwhile, Cassie couldn't keep her eyes off Jake. "Curse" cast these characters into the roles of Romeo and Juliet. Who didn't think of the fated lovers of Verona during the scene in which Cassie and Adam drank the potion? Their scene wasn't the only nod to Shakespeare either. Lady Macbeth has been thrown around in Walking Dead reviews because of Lori (or really any woman) talking into their man's ear about murdering someone. I won't digress too much, but I suggest TV critics re-read Macbeth to get the reference right. Jake reminded me of Lady Macbeth as he hallucinated and remembered what he did to Calvin. I thought of the lines, "Here's the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!" which Lady Macbeth utters when she's crazed with guilt of the murders on her hand. Jake needed this Calvin storyline to help break down the final barrier between him and the audience from a sympathetic standpoint. He needed to suffer and be remorseful to truly progress as a believable good guy.

Blackwell used what little power he has to orchestrate the curse. Indeed, he's responsible for the birds, the Jake sickness, the cure, the decision to keep his daughter and Adam apart. His reasons are rooted in good intentions. Dawn confronts him about his purpose in town to which he tells her about the witch hunters and the threat they present to everyone. As for the curse, he believes Amelia and Ethan's love led to the boat fire. The circle lost two of its members which made them vulnerable to attack. Blackwell wants to protect Cassie, and if it means ruining her happiness with her destined lover, then so be it. Blackwell's prominent role in the construction of the curse was great. I haven't been a fan of the character, but I bought him as a powerful witch in his scene with Dawn. That was absolutely necessary for the character.

Blackwell's still a polarizing figure. His role in the curse won't be in the dark forever. Cassie is bound to find out. Charles hates Blackwell. Yes, the adults returned after a strange and unexplained absence, and they were in full possession of their memory. Dawn used Amelia's murder against Charles. Charles continued to use the crystal to control Jane. I'm convinced of one thing happening in the finale: Charles' demise. He's been a true bastard to too many characters who don't even know it yet: Jake and Cassie most notably. Charles’ comeuppance won't happen for, at least, five episodes. In the meantime, he's going to try to kill Blackwell with the help of a brainwashed Jane.

"Curse" would've worked if the writing was better and more consistent earlier in the season. Characters disappeared. Storylines were seemingly dropped. It created a sense of disruption and chaos, like the writers were literally throwing leftover food on the wall in trying to figure out how they screwed up. At least the rest of the season is finally focused.

Other Thoughts:

-The Eva arc weakly fizzled out. Faye, Diana and Melissa bonded more because of the experience. Eva's story had potential. I don't fault the writers. I thought the acting was dreadful.

-Cassie's dark magic wasn't emphasized but the magic remains an issue. Cassie almost fatally hurt Jake as he strangled Adam. Adam brought Cassie's eyesight to his to re-direct her power and join with his. If the writers had more scenes like this, the relationship could've worked. The duo remembered their first spell together; literally, that was the only significant moment between the two between the "Pilot" and "Curse."

-Don Whitehead & Holly Henderson were the credited writers. John Fawcett directed it.

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