Spoilers for Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches Episode 2, “The Dark Place”
Last week’s season one premiere introduced us to Rowan, Lasher, Deirdre, and the Mayfair clan of witches. In Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches episode 2, “The Dark Place“ (which could have been titled “The Awakening” for a few different reasons), we dig deeper into the family lore, with a flashback and an uneasy sense that things are about to get much worse for Rowan before they get better.
The death of Ellie (Erica Gimpel) left Rowan (Alexandra Daddario) in a terrible place. Unable to work, she drinks to forget but has an uneasy feeling she is being followed. This is true, though not by Lasher (Jack Huston) as one might expect, but by Cipiren Grieves (Tongayi Chirisa), who happens to be a member of the mysterious Order of the Talamasca. The Talamasca is an ancient secret society that watches and investigates all things supernatural. They only get involved under particular circumstances, and Rowan’s situation is just one of those occurrences.
Meanwhile, Deirdre (Annabeth Gish) awakens from her comatose slumber with help from the ever-mysterious Lasher. As she explores her new freedom, she reaches out to find her daughter Rowan. Deirdre and Lasher hatch a plan to try and bring her home. A mix of surprise, happiness, and awe greets Cortland Mayfair (Harry Hamlin, chewing up this roll with glee) as he gives her shelter. This allows Deirdre to find her feet and stretch out her long-dormant powers.
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As it turns out, though, Deirdre didn’t need to work so hard to bring Rowan home. Still lost and stumbling after Ellie’s death, she searches for who she is and where she came from. Cipiren begins to follow her, observing her erratic behavior and chooses to make contact. Each member of the Talamasca has a specific gift, and Cipiren’s skill involves visions when he touches someone. However, he is not prepared for Rowan’s dormant power. While unconscious, she finds a clue to her past on his phone and heads to Deirdre.
Besides the heavy character and story building in Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches episode 2, there is a certain feeling of wanting to root for Rowan, who is struggling, confused about who she is, and suffering from a terrible loss. While coming across as an innocent victim, the writers are making it known that there might be a good reason she has been separated from her family for all these years. Therefore it was another kick to the proverbial heartstrings watching what transpired at the end of “The Dark Place,” making that ‘root for the underdog’ feeling take hold even more.
The show spreads its supernatural wings while trying to be firmly planted in a spooky atmosphere. While I appreciate the slow build of the series so far, some scenes try a bit too hard to make the viewer feel something. This often backfires and plays out more superficially. There is a fight between the gloss and the goth, and at this point, I’m not sure what will come out on top.
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Everything is wrapped in a mystery right now. Anyone who has read the books knows that the stories are vast, and being a family of witches, some secrets are kept for a reason. Deirdre, Rowan, and Lasher are mysterious characters, all very powerful and interesting in different ways. Growing the stories and characters at an intriguing and somewhat brisk pace is the challenge for Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches. Two episodes in, the show is succeeding but needs to move things along in a timely manner.
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches episode 2, “The Dark Place,” airs on January 15th on AMC and AMC+.
