Critic’s Rating: 2.3 / 5.0
2.3
Most of the time, I don’t put a lot of weight on the pilot episode of a series, but Talamasca: The Secret Order is different.
This series is part of another universe, and so, it should already have a base to jump into.
In fact, there’s even a direct connection to Interview with the Vampire with the use of Daniel Molloy, and we know that the secret organization, Talamasca, has been mentioned in both Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches.
(David Gennard/AMC)
So, I expected a little more from a series premiere than I got with Talamasca: The Secret Order.
Instead, this episode was filled with frustrating tropes that made me feel like I had to sit through it to get to what could otherwise be an enjoyable series.
Why Believe a Secret Order?
One of the biggest pet peeves in TV is a character who decides they have no choice but to join the secret order.
Sure, Guy is in a tough spot — just finally landed a job, but is currently three months behind on rent.
He has until Friday to get the rent, and that means the money a mysterious woman named Helen was offering him.
(David Gennard/AMC)
However, there are other options, and it gets annoying when characters just opt for this route, knowing full well that the chances of getting the answers they want aren’t going to happen.
Why would you believe a woman who has secretly been following you all your life?
Why believe someone who only offers information when she thinks it’s the right time?
Guy tries to take control of the entire situation, but fails each and every time, and I had to wonder how he was able to pass the bar in the first place.
(David Gennard/AMC)
Still Controlling Abilities
On top of that, Guy has spent his whole life knowing that he can read minds, and we see him use that ability during his interview with the law firm.
That suggests he’s skilled and has some idea of how his powers work.
And yet, he doesn’t, as Talamasca vampire Burlton points out rather quickly, and this just doesn’t make sense except to suggest that Guy is far more arrogant than he should be.
In fact, Burlton is a great addition to Talamasca: The Secret Order, bringing some comedic relief and pizzazz to what was becoming a rather depressing start to the series.
(David Gennard/AMC)
It’s clear that Burlton is up to something bigger, but he doesn’t want anyone else to know, and I can’t help but be drawn into this arc.
I also want to know the backstory between Burlton and Talamasca, as I don’t think he’s turned against his kind, but he isn’t quite working with the other vampires out there.
He does have a flair for the theatrics, though, which makes me think back to Armand and the theater vampires in Interview with the Vampire.
I do think there is a benefit of Talamasca: The Secret Order not being explicitly based on an Anne Rice book, as this opens up more intrigue and plot development.
However, this needs to be handled well, as there’s little source material, but it still needs to connect to the rest of Anne Rice’s world on AMC.
(David Gennard/AMC)
Good and Bad Are Not as They Seem
We briefly get a look at the villain for the story, in the form of Jasper, a vampire with a loyal following.
The Talamasca: The Secret Order Series Premiere opens with a woman stealing information and hiding it, only to face the threat of Jasper and his vampires.
But she steps in front of a train, taking her own life, rather than what the vampires will do to her.
This immediately tells me that Jasper is someone to watch out for and that he has powers that other vampires don’t have.
At the same time, I feel like it’s all a red herring.
(David Gennard/AMC)
There is so much focus on Jasper being a villain, but TV has moved on from the 1950s and 1960s, and even the 1990s, when there was a clear good vs. evil.
We now know that there is a fine line between the two, and that more often than not, a villain has become a villain for a good reason.
What has Talamasca done to Jasper to make him into the threat that he is, and is Jasper the real bad guy here?
Talamasca is supposed to be the organization that keeps the balance in society, and that should mean it’s inherently neutral, but why do I get the sense that that isn’t the case after all?
After all, in the wrong hands, these neutral organizations can end up falling on one side of good or evil, and Helen’s actions and secrets as she tries to lure Guy in make me think she is on the wrong side of this fight.
(David Gennard/AMC)
Daniel even adds to this idea when he shows Guy a picture of his mom.
This isn’t just some old picture that shows that he knew her back in the day, but it’s a current photo that makes it clear she’s still alive, despite apparently dying when Guy was just nine.
If Talamasca set Guy up with a family and with his life, what’s to say that they didn’t pay his mom off to fake her death?
This certainly allows the plot to thicken, but it’s cliché and overdone.
After the excellent stories that Interview with the Vampire has given us, I expected more from Talamasca: The Secret Order to get started.
(David Gennard/AMC)
I’m here for the rest of the season, though, as there are elements that I’m intrigued about, such as whether Jasper is actually evil.
It’s just a frustrating start to Talamasca: The Secret Order.
What did you think of the latest addition to the Anne Rice universe on AMC? Let us know in the comments below.
Talamasca: The Secret Order airs on Sundays at 9/8c on AMC and streams the following day on AMC+.
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What should be an exciting dive into Anne Rice’s supernatural world is clogged with tropes in the Talamasca: The Secret Order Series Premiere.
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Interview with the Vampire Season 2 just hit Netflix, and it’s time to check in! Or start a rewatch of the best vampire show out there.
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The Talamasca: The Secret Order is closing in on an AMC premiere date. Check out the trailer and premiere date and more Anne Rice scoop.
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