REVIEW: SECRET CIRCLE EPISODE 1 (PILOT)

Currently out on TV is a new supernatural teen drama from the creators of The Vampire Diaries. Based on books by the same author, L.J. Smith, The Secret Circle is set to run for 13 episodes.

Secret Circle
Director: Liz Friedlander
Based on the books by L.J. Smith
UK TV release date: September 2011
Genre: Witchcraft

The "Secret Circle" series follows 16-year-old Cassie, who moves from California to live with her grandmother in New Salem and falls in love with a mysterious boy named Adam. But, when she enrolls in high school there, she realizes that he, she and all the other elite students at the school are witches! She befriends their leader, Diana, but soon discovers that Adam and Diana are dating, which leads to a whole bunch of complicated drama.

What I like about this first episode is that there is an immediate sense of mystery and intrigue – why did Cassie’s mum leave Chance Habor, was she really killed in an accident, and what happened to everyone's parents so many years ago? And if you are new to the story completely, why are certain teenagers acting so strangely towards Cassie?

Having read the Initiation and The Captive Book 1, it was inevitable that I would compare the two different versions. One difference from the original text (if my poor memory serves me correctly) is that the circle’s parents are much more heavily involved in the TV series, bringing in a lot more intrigue and danger. We see a different side to what magic can do, with the adults' attempts to keep Ethan Conant (Adam's father) quiet and their desire to keep Cassie in town.

My favourite scene was when Adam showed Cassie that they could do magic. Water drops hung in the air, looking beautiful and magical. With the growing connection and forbidden feelings between the pair, this scene was just hot!

I also have to say on a completely irrelevant and personal note, that I loved the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on Cassie’s bedroom ceiling, left over from when her mum lived there. I just love those stars anyway and have always wanted my ceiling covered in them, but when they started to move and shift…so fab!

Probably my one downfall of the series so far is some of the acting. I liked lots of the characters, particularly Britt Robertson as Cassie, Thomas Dekker as Adam, and Adam Harrington as his father. But for me, Faye's character could have been so much darker, a hint of real danger and evil inside her waiting to be unleashed. Conjuring rain didn't really do it for me. Instead the real threat and danger came from Charles Meade, good girl Diana's dad, which is making me wonder what he is up to.

So far only three episodes have been aired in the US and one here in the UK, and in total their are thirteen in this first series. I was impressed to see that L.J. Smith was actually involved in writing some of the episodes, and I can't wait to watch the rest of the series although I really hope to see more darkness and edge to certain characters.

Have you started watching the series? What did you think?