Word came Friday night that ‘The Secret Circle’ would not be renewed for a second season. The news wasn’t a huge surprise to me – I had read that a lot of viewers didn’t come back after the winter hiatus – but it’s always strange when a show you enjoy is cancelled. Even for me, though, I thought the story lines got too dramatic too quickly.
When the show began, Cassie Blake didn’t even know she was a witch and had to be taught how to access her magic, but by the end of the season she was the most powerful in her Circle, thanks to her affinity for dark magic. I would have liked to see the arc with her father John Blackwell a bit more drawn out. Cassie is pretty wary of him when he shows up (and rightfully so), but before long she’s doing everything he tells her and trusting him not only with her life, but all of her friends’ lives. It might not have seemed like such a dramatic turnaround if Blackwell had slowly wormed his way into her life. Then again, most TV shows count on cliffhangers and overly stimulating plots to bring in viewers, so I also understand why that might not have been possible.
Cassie Blake might have been the main character of the show, but my interest was always in Faye Chamberlain, played by Phoebe Tonkin. Faye was outrageous, wild, and impetuous, and so much fun to watch. Phoebe is a beautiful lady, and her outfits were always something to see. My particular favorite was when she wore a string of beads as a top while looking for a Halloween costume.
Faye wasn’t just a one-note mean girl, though. She loved her best friend Melissa, even if she didn’t show it with hugs and BFF necklaces. In the episode “Beneath” we see a vulnerable Faye as a little girl who was adored by her grandfather…only to be the one who finds his dead body in the present. When Jake returns to town, we also see a different side of Faye – the spurned and dumped. Despite her hard exterior, Faye does have the soft and squishy insides of a young woman who just wants love, happiness, and independence, and that makes her particularly endearing. It doesn’t hurt that Faye usually gets the best quips in the show, too. Humor will always be the way to my heart.
Ultimately, I wish the show could have spent more time on the Circle’s personal stories before jumping into the Crystal Skull arc with John Blackwell. For me, it overshadowed the stories that I enjoyed most, which were the earlier episodes of the witchy teens in their everyday lives. The cast was fun and engaging and, unlike most shows nowadays, the parents were interesting in their own right (hell, even the grandparents!).
What would have happened with our beloved Circle? In my imagination I see Cassie and Adam back together, keeping each other from falling into dark magic. Faye and Jake start a fresh romance based on actually liking each other. Diana lives happily away from the others, performing “Bewitched” type magic in her otherwise normal life. And Melissa doesn’t stand for anyone treating her poorly. If you’re interested in reading what the writers had intended for season two, check out this interview on EW.com.
What would you have liked to have seen in future seasons? What characters will you miss most?
