Mayfair Witches: Season 2
By Sioph W. Leal
Following where the first season left off, Rowan (Alexandra Daddario) is the new mother of Lasher (Jack Huston), who is growing up fast but with the twist that he has no recollection of who he is or what happened in the past. Rowan is trying to figure out the intentions of her child and her former lover, all while her power is tethered to him and something he wants back. As Lasher rapidly grows from baby to child to toddler to teen in the first episode, so do his urges. The more interesting aspect of the series is Lasher and his motivations. While he isn’t like the enthralling character of the books, Huston makes him compelling enough as Lasher tries to figure out what he wants. He’s drawn to Mayfair women and can pick them out by scent. Then, he seduces them, sleeps with them, and they die by haemorrhage. It's clear that this isn’t something he does on purpose, and his teenage self (Carter Shimp) captures that complexity well.
Anne Rice’s books, particularly the Mayfair series, are gripping gothic horror that has some taboo themes. Most notably, Rowan and Lasher’s relationship is that of lovers, then mother and son, and while the series hints at this at random times, it never commits. Only the teenage version of Lasher commits to this in performance and in writing that draws you into that crossed line when he tries to kiss Rowan, but she quickly scolds him and demands the end of that part of their relationship. It’s a shame because it is the most interesting of Rowan’s relationships (platonic and romantic) of the series but is erased away quickly. As teenage Lasher, Carter Shimp has a brief but memorable time that is a highlight of the season premiere and of the episodes granted for screening, and it’s a shame that his time is over so fast to make room for the adult Lasher.
With Lasher hunting Mayfair women, Rowan takes three episodes to decide something about it. Part of the problem with Rowan is a lack of energy and that she seems quite passive to what goes on around her and is stagnant in development and any action. She’s more than happy to let her father/great-uncle take charge when the Mayfair family is called at her request but doesn’t really do anything except get knocked out by a purple haze and become trapped. The build-up to the family reunion was interesting, as it is indicated there are many conflicts between Cortland (Harry Hamlin) and others, but it fizzles out faster than it starts. Considering the show is about the Mayfair Witches, little time is spent with them and their dynamic, which isn’t helped by a lead that has no energy.
Thankfully, all is not lost. The series introduces Moira Mayfair (Alyssa Jirrels), who brings some much-needed life into the show. The telepathic witch is everything Rowan isn’t. She’s proactive, has a compelling story that Jirrels carries well, and brings you in with ease and charisma. After death in her close family, she wants answers and wants to talk to the corporeal formed Lasher, but is kept away by Rowan. Moira is involved with every aspect of the show, and it never seems forced. She gives everything a main character should and promises to give even more with how the sixth episode ends. From her dynamic with Cortland, Ciprien (Tongayi Chirisa), and even Rowan, she brings in some much-needed links between the many plots and even some that we cannot talk about. Joining the series is also Julien Mayfair (Ted Levine), and even though his screentime is limited, he is easily a more interesting and engrossing character than Lasher and is clearly a villain who can twist things to his endgame and is willing to play the long game. He is able to bring out some interesting moments with Rowan but is more connected to everything than she is. Depending on how the series ends, he could salvage the show.
Some elements within the show do work. The horror aspect of Mayfair Witches teases works well, but it never commits. The power dynamic switch of Rowan and Lasher could have been interesting, but it falls so flat it's not even bad—it's boring. Too much time is spent standing around doing nothing or wasted on moments that have no impact while the truly interesting times suffer before they come to fruition. It's as if the show is lost in what it wants to explore, so it rushes through anything to get to the next point but, at the same time, has its characters do nothing with little exception. Episodes five and six have strong moments but overall, still don’t hit. Particularly episode five has an interesting concept headed by Julien, but it comes off a bit too Groundhog Day and has a similar feel to The Thrall of last season. Episode six is stronger, but there is a lot we cannot talk about, but the style is very reminiscent of the Wicker Man (1973), which works well with the Mayfair family and gives more plot and cohesion than the entirety of the other episodes.
After a tremendous second season of the Immortal Universe’ series, Interview with the Vampire, and a relatively disappointing first season of Mayfair Witches, fans and critics had hoped the series would come back stronger and more cohesive in its second season, but that is, unfortunately, not the case. There’s no focus, and despite the titular Mayfair family supposedly being at the centre of things, we barely get to see them outside the main characters, and there’s a lack of dynamic between the majority of the characters.
Interview with the Vampire dove straight into its themes and knew exactly what it wanted to be, but Mayfair Witches failed (again) to do anything close. It still seems lost in what it wants to do and lacks any cohesion or attempt at making things stick together. The Talamasca plotline detracts from the show but does carry through two strong moments in the seven episodes we watched. Of the episodes we have seen, two have the most interesting elements, but the series still fails to hit the mark.