Sometimes the best revenge is revenge.
Here is our review of the Salem season 2 premiere.
The first season ended with the final touches of the Grand Rite about to be performed.
Salemreturns in the dark recesses of Knockers Hall.
This makes it a little more frightening.
The plague has come to Salem and with it accusations and a good doctor.
Dr. Wainwright, played by Stuart Townsend is a scientist in a world of creationists.
He knows that a pox on all your houses isnt fromThe Bible,its from ShakespearesRomeo and Juliet.
Mercurio says it after he gets stabbed.
That was the real reason the doctor piped up, it had nothing to do with politics.
He was a learned man and knew his pop culture.
Isaac Walton (Iddo Goldberg), the fornicator, is of course ground zero for the pox.
Ashley Madekwes Tituba is my favorite character.
I want her to roll my eyeballs up into my head so my mind is a rearview mirror too.
The crone witches sound like they are talking backwards.
Of course, that portrait of his father in his den is no help.
Why would anyone sit for a painting and glare that hard at the future?
Im sure the artist who painted it left the sitting a smaller, more frightened person.
It would be enough to put you off art forever.
The idea that Mary Sibley would have that much power is just more proof that shes a witch.
Lucy Lawless makes quite an entrance.
How could she not?
Even with the mottled scars on her back, its hard to avert your eyes.
The former warrior princess is true TV royalty.
But in the end, the Countess Marburg simply drains me.
Tonights episode ranked pretty high on the wince scale.
Anne Hale (Tamzin Merchant) slices her wrists in the bath.
The Seer, Petrus (Christopher Berry), rips out his own eyes.
Its not just that she didnt say thank you, but she never returned the Seers eyes.
As a matter of fact, I think she balled up her hands.
Thats going to hurt come winter, as Abe Simpson would say.
I have no problems with the Wince Factor.
I look forward to every gasp I can get on TV.
Its a basic rule of horror.
Groucho Marx said a basic rule of comedy is if youre not getting laughs, drop your pants.
Stephen King, in his horror-writing tell-allDanse Macabre(a must-read for every horror fan.
If that fails, rip off a nut.
Elise Eberle, as Mercy Lewis, is turning into quite a commanding presence.
Part cult leader, part wounded teen, she knows how to throw down.
For a witch show, theres not quite enough real witchcraft onSalem.
Most of what they do is words and gestures.
In the shadow of a giant dreamcatcher, the tribe throws the best parties.
They also have the best native tongue in New England.
West seems to have lost the smirk this season.
Salemis a supernatural soap opera, in the tradition ofDark Shadows.
This seasons opener promises a grander vision.
The closing shot of the burning declaration of war in the village center bodes happy forebodings.
Rating:
4 out of 5
