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Mayfair Witches: WhereWhere horrorhorror isis personal—andpersonal—and terrifyingterrifying
I am very excited to get stuck into why this series blew away all expectations. The Mayfair Witches delivered a terrifying addition to the genre that gripped me in a way nothing had since The Haunting of Hill House!
Far from another supernatural drama that delivers more cheese than blood, here we find an impressive and clever take on the genre. From mysterious characters with hidden pasts to nail-biting action sequences as they face the threat of demons and magic, there is much more to commend about this newly released Netflix series. Let’s discuss.
WARNING: Spoilers below!
Characters discussed in order of first mention:
- Alexandra Daddario plays Rowan Fielding
- Erica Gimpel plays Elena Fielding
- Annabeth Gish plays Dierdre Mayfair
- Cameron Inman plays young Dierdre Mayfair
- Jack Huston plays Lasher
- Beth Grant plays Carlotta Mayfair
- Tongayi Chirisa plays Ciprien Grieve
Mayfair Witches: Unravelling the Past
Suspense is immediately established as we find Rowan Fielding, a gifted surgeon, struggling to come to terms with a newfound power which proves fatal to all she crosses. Elena, her mother (and, as we later learn, adoptive mother!) worries for her but knows more than she lets on. Dying and keen to safeguard her daughter’s future, she tries and fails to shield Rowan from her family’s past.
On the other hand, Deirdre journeys to explore the past and present. Her haunting relationship with the demon Lasher threatens Rowan. Escaping the entrapment of her mother, Carlotta, she almost reaches Rowan before being cruelly snatched from before her eyes. What follows is Rowan’s desperate search for the truth, and she faces the temptation of Lasher. Ciprien (Cip), another gifted individual, assists Rowan.
Mayfair Witches: Blood Curdling Action
Succeeding where others fail, this series keeps the supernatural elements of its story secondary to the characters and plot. This has another benefit: the payoff in action is that much more chill-inducing when it arrives! In one memorable example, Carlotta and Lasher engage in a fight for Rowan’s soul. The fight resorts to increasingly extreme and grisly measures to justify their means, and ultimately, the latter is the victor.
The sequence where Carlotta tries to burn the house down rather than let him claim Rowan had me grasping the remote with fear, especially as the heroic Cip ran in to save her. Every character feels fully realised, and we understand their motivation. So the transition from the comfort of following their separate strands in the story to seeing them go head-to-head in hellish scenarios is every bit as jarring and spine-tingling as it sounds.
This tension doesn’t let up; it pervades the entire series, leaving us reeling yet dying for more.
Lasting Mayfair impressions
I watched the entire series in barely a week, and I couldn’t get enough. The writers and cast deserve every praise for producing the kind of terrifying drama that we needed as we head towards Halloween, of a quality and calibre not seen since Hill House, Bly Manor and Midnight Mass. We are transported into an almost nostalgic world of suburban witchcraft. Yet, it offers no comfort and will have you grasping for lighter viewing before bed!
I, for one, hope that there is a season two, as Rowan seems poised to embrace her role as Lasher’s vessel and fall even deeper into a darkness that has been there within her all along.
Lastly, The Mayfair Witches is available to stream on Netflix.
Image credits: Alfonso Bresciani/AMC.
