Web of Darkness – S1E2 – Aliens, Witches, and Things
Web of Darkness by T+E just hit the second episode and boy is it a doozy. We’ve got a lot to unpack here in a spoiler-free review, so let’s get cracking!
The stories
Where do we start? This episode has a little bit for everyone. Revenge, for the most part, is the thread that holds this episode together. Revenge and fear go hand in hand like Nutella and Canadians. I did enjoy the setup for the revenge and, without spoiling anything, the payoffs are not always what one would consider fair – yet they are all fitting.
…a bit like training wheels for horrorJim on the target market
We can’t go too far into things without spoiling, but the other tying theme is that each episode raises more questions than it answers. This isn’t a bad thing, though. Not everything has to be wrapped up into a neat little bow. I enjoy how the show allows you to make those choices of the ‘why’ or ‘how’ yourself. In this aspect, it resembles the concept – an internet search that led to some weird stuff. We’ve all rabbit holed down the internet before and most of us don’t inch closer to the ‘why’ or ‘how’. Art reflects life.
Audience and Rating
T+E produces slick and smooth horror shows. Web of Darkness falls directly into this net. It’s well lit, acted, sound, graphics/CGI – it’s all slick. The weak spot is the writing. This comes into two places – the voice overs are distracting forms of exposition that explains things that are physically happening on screen. ‘I am going to get coffee’ he said in his mind as he walked to the coffeepot and poured a cup of coffee. Exposition, on a good day, is difficult and ugly. Putting it where it isn’t needed runs an unnecessary risk of alienating (no pun).
The second part of the writing that doesn’t fully click with me is the angle. I think Web of Darkness is more for preteens or early teens. This seems a marked departure from the rest of the channel programming that is teen and higher. That’s not a bad thing in itself, though. Even we have a kid horror podcast in the works. Variety is the spice of life (oh my!).
All that said, it’s still a T+E production and worth the watch to make your own opinion. It’s a bit like training wheels for horror. If you have someone who is a bit squeamish but you still want to share your love of horror with them then Web of Darkness might be your perfect solution.
(3 / 5)
Witches of East End is not a well-known show. At least, I hadn’t heard about it until I stumbled upon it while researching this series. Now that I’ve experienced it, I’m not sure why it wasn’t more popular. And with a 7.5 rating on IMDB, it’s clear that those who saw the show agree.
Just the facts
Launching in 2013 and running for just two seasons, Witches of East End is the story of the Beauchamp family. Wendy, Joanna, Freya and Ingrid are witches. Joanna, the mother of Freya and Ingrid, has kept this from them for their lives.
Or, at least their current lives.
But the enemies of their past lives catch up with them as Freya prepares to get married. Soon the girls have to learn how to use their powers before they are killed.
And stay dead.
What Witches of East End got right
I will be honest, this portion is going to be pretty short.
One thing I appreciated was Ingrid’s fascination with witchcraft before she knew she was a witch. While she thought it was all make-believe, she was fascinated by it.
This feels very true to life. While being raised in a high-control and patriarchal religion, I was fascinated with witchcraft. Whether this fascination led to my conversion or there was always something calling to me is up for debate. But this fascination feels very familiar.
I also liked the moment in the first episode when Ingrid finds a fertility spell on the internet. Because, in this very modern world, most spells we witches learn are from the internet. Most of my witchy education came from creators on the internet. And there’s nothing wrong with that. If a spell is going to work for you, it’s going to work no matter how you learned it.
Finally, there was a frightening part of this episode that feels true. Not just as a witch, but as someone who lives near the Appalachian forests.
If you see someone who looks like you, run away. Get as far away as possible.
What they got wrong
While I enjoyed this show, I have to say that it was not witchy accurate. Starting with Ingrid’s assumption that the fertility spell she does for her friend, Barb, is white magic, not black magic.
That’s not a thing. There is no white magic or black magic, there’s just magic. Practitioners might disagree about using baneful magic, but that’s a personal decision. But the prospect of good bad magic is based on outdated puritanical opinions about right and wrong.
To put it bluntly, there is little to no witchcraft in this show that is recognizable. It is all fiction magic, based on the assumption that witches are mythical creatures that look like but are not humans.
And that’s fine. It’s not claiming to be anything else.
Frankly, just because a show is heavy on realistic witchcraft doesn’t mean it’s a good show. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had plenty of real witchcraft, and it was still a horrible show. So if you’re ready to enjoy this show for the pure fantasy/horror that it is, then you’ll have a good witchy time.
While Witches of East End didn’t have much to do with Modern witchcraft, it was still a fun watch. Purely from a storytelling standpoint, I highly recommend it.
(4 / 5)
By the way, if you like this you might enjoy my haunted apartment novella, Quiet Apocalypse. The main character is a modern witch, and I share some real magic in this fictional story of an unexpected end of the world.
Doctor Who
The Modern Phoenix – Revisiting the first Regeneration in Doctor Who
In 1966 Television history changed forever as the Doctor changed from William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton. But how that came about, and the response is a very different story
Regeneration is one of the most distinctive elements of Doctor Who. For a series that has lasted for over sixty years, there’s been remarkably little change within “Doctor Who.” Yes, the cast changes routinely, and some seasons have an arc, but the bare bones of the series – a Time traveler travelling through time and space with human companion(s) exploring new worlds and helping people – remain as consistent in 1963-1964 as they are in 2024. A story like “The Daleks” or “The Aztecs” still covers the same ground that “The Giggle” or “Rosa” did sixty years later.
One of the few, and the most significant, exception to this, however, is regeneration. The idea that the Doctor can change his form when injured, or aged, was a significant shift in the series, and one that has become central to its longevity. I’d say only one other major change comes close to being as significant is the introduction of the Time Lords in 1969’s “The War Games.” However even that did not provide as much of an impact as regeneration.
Since the initial regeneration scene at the end of “The Tenth Planet” episode 4, we as fans have become used to it. Doctor Who fans go through the cycle when we hear of a new regeneration. First we are uncertain, accepting them, and then preparing for the time they too will regenerate. Regeneration is normal now – but what was it like for people back in 1966?
This article explores the multiple factors in Doctor Who that lead to the first Regeneration, or Renewal as it was initially known. In particular we will look at how audiences and texts of the time attempted to explain and understand the change.
Underling issues in 1965
The 1965-1966 season of Doctor Who was already a time of significant change. Verity Lambert, the original producer, left early in the third season. Most of the original cast of companions left throughout the second season. William Hartnell was now the longest running, and the most significant person involved in the making of Doctor Who. As a result, he had a certain ownership of the character of the Doctor, and the series itself.
According to a range of sources, William Hartnell had favourite people who could help manage his moods. Maureen O’Brien (Vicki) described her role as “laughing (Hartnell) out of his five or six tempers a day.” When William Hartnell had conflict with others, both William Russell (Ian) and Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) would mediate. According to Producers, Hartnell would be frustrated about the length of the script, and need to rehearse. According to castmates, Hartnell would be insisting on maintaining consistency in the series, such as by ensuring the TARDIS controls maintained the same use over all episodes.
During the third season, however, Hartnell began to slowly lose his supports throughout the cast. William Russell had already left the series in 1965 by choice. Other cast who shared Hartnell’s frustrations found their contracts not renewed. When Maureen O’Brien had her contract ended while she was on holiday. Peter Purves also had his contract not continued. Both actors had voices objections about the development of their characters, but were shocked to find this resulted in leaving the series. The abrupt nature of these exits further exacerbated conflict Hartnell felt towards the production crew.
This conflict came to a boil with 1966’s “The Celestial Toymaker.”
The Regeneration That Never Was
In “The Celestial Toymaker” the evil Toymaker forces the Doctor to play his games. Out of frustration for breaking rules, the Toymaker makes the Doctor invisible for most of the story. Producer John Wiles planned for the Doctor to be permanently changed in this process, with William Hartnell not returning. Only the objection of the Head of Serials, Gerald Savory, at the time prevented this plan from coming. John Wiles, and his script editor, Donald Tosh, finding the working relationship with Hartnell irreconcilable, resigned. They were replaced by Innes Lloyd and Gerry Pedler respectively.
Hartnell’s health was deteriorating also at the time, though it was not known. He had undiagnosed arteriosclerosis, a condition which restricted blood flow to the brain. This resulted in Hartnell experiencing difficulty remembering long passages and irritability from these memory gaps.
Hartnell disclosed some of these pressures in an interview to the Daily Mail on April 26, 1966. In this interview, Hartnell expressed feelings of irritation with people. Discussing the production team, Hartnell explained he knew his role and did not want their interruptions and alterations. The Producer at the time, John Wiles, was not aware of Hartnell’s illness. Subsequently, Wiles had seen Hartnell’s memory lapses and moods as an act, further antagonizing their relationship.
Despite these issues, Hartnell states in the interview the BBC would continue the series as long as Hartnell remained. Hartnell however wanted to have more time off, and more space to recover. Noticeably around 1966, Hartnell’s Doctor is frequently missing in episodes. Health issues and holidays meant Hartnell had a reduced role in most stories from “The Massacre” onwards.
Alongside these internal stressors, reviews externally began to criticize the program. The Daily Worker in 1966 described the series as “showing signs of age” and that “Youngsters are getting tired of it”
With Peter Purves leaving in June 1966, Anneke Wills as Polly and Michael Craze as Ben became the new companions. However, Hartnell did not establish a good relationship with his new co-stars. Interviews with the two actors reported Hartnell appearing very isolated and alone. Wills reported Hartnell would lose his temper quickly over ridiculous things, leaving her and the other cast very tense. She added the remaining cast supported each other apart from Hartnell. Reportedly, Hartnell complained about Wills sitting in his chair, and Wills responded by having her own chair available for all. By June 1966, the increased conflict in the production office and health concerns lead to discussions of replacing Hartnell. However, this time Producer Innes Lloyd had approval to look for a new Doctor. By 16th of July, Hartnell had told his wife that he had decided to leave the series.
But the way he was to change was still to be determined.
Introducing Regeneration
The term “Regeneration” itself did not occur at this time in the series. Two regenerations later in “Planet of the Spiders” this process was officially named as regeneration. Initially, in production discussions, the action was described as “Renewal.”
It is not exactly clear who first developed the idea of how the Doctor was to change form. However, it is most likely to have come from discussions between Innes Lloyd and Script Editor Gerry Davis. Production notes at the time focus mostly on the character of the new Doctor, with little about the change itself. What the Production team did envisage was a change which occurred every 900 years or so, feeling:
As if he has had the LSD drug and instead of experiencing the kicks, he has the hell and dank horror
Initial Interpretations of the First Regeneration
The Doctor Who Annual 1968 is a fascinating snap shot into how the change initially by the public of 1967. Annuals were produced around the middle of the year, to give to children at Christmas time. In the sixties, annuals were one of the few examples of Doctor Who media available. There were no books, very few novelizations, and definitely no audio plays. If you wanted further adventures with the Doctor, or to read about Doctor Who the series, the annual was almost your only option.
For the 1968 Annual, we have a few first ever events. It is the first time the Annuals would feature television companions alongside the Doctor, with Ben and Polly appearing. And of course, this is the first annual which featured Patrick Troughton’s Doctor as main character.
Reading through it, it seems the authors did watch Troughton’s first story “Power of the Daleks” but no further. Popular companion Jamie (Introduced in Troughton’s second story), does not appear. Troughton’s costume from his first story, features in all images, despite the costume not being used again.
Also in the annual, there is an article entitled “Phoenix in the TARDIS.” This article compares the mythological creature of the Phoenix from Arabic folklore, with the new Doctor as “Our Modern Phoenix.” The article describes the change as follows:
At the end of nine hundred years, a strange psychological storm rejuvenated his form, changing his character in many ways
The article describes the new Doctor as more “with it” and “switched on” to the 20th century. The Doctor is less likely to confide in companions, and more likely to be a man of action. Surprisingly, this article is the first time regeneration is used in Doctor Who, with the conclusion pondering “What lies ahead for the regenerated Doctor.”
What’s interesting about this article is how the act of regeneration isn’t seen as an event that will reoccur. Instead, this is an event that needs almost a millennia to actually come about. Troughton planned to leave the role longer than three years, but he also doubted the series would last this long. Troughton was interviewed later he admitted he thought the change to Hartnell would lead to a cancellation within a year. Even when Troughton did leave after three years, changing the Doctor again was only considered as an alternative to cancellation when suitable alternative series could not be found.
Audience reactions, gathered by the BBC were not positive to the change. Audience feedback during his first story reviewed Troughton as being miscast as the Doctor. The media, while initially curious about the change, became increasingly critical of Troughton during the first season. The Daily Worker on Janaury 25th 1967 reported that while Hartnell would bring dignity to the party in stories, Troughton’s clownish person only amplifies the nonsense. The radio times meanwhile interviewed a member of the public, decrying Troughton as turning the Doctor into “Coco the Clown”
Meanwhile, the ongoing Doctor Who comic strip in “Tv Comic” adapted to the change of incarnation but not mentioning it. The Doctor had been William Hartnell, and now was Patrick Troughton. He still travelled with the same companions of his Grandchidren John and Gillian, who did not seem to care that their Doctor was different, though no longer referred to him as “Grandfather” anymore.
Long Term Acceptance of Regeneration
Troughton’s Doctor was eventually accepted as his first season moved away from historical stories, and towards images of the future. The Cybermen’s return in “The Moonbase” in particular had some critics changing their appraisal of this new era. At the same time, cast changes, with Frazer Hines, joining the cast, added to reasons audiences enjoyed the series more.
However, that does not mean regeneration was accepted as normal. After three years, Troughton announced his departure from the program. With six full years completed, the BBC discussed completing the series, and replacing with something new, with an idea of being influenced by the new series “Star Trek” being discussed.
What saved “Doctor Who” at the point was lack of suitable options, with only Doctor who able to start relatively simpler and be adaptable to what the channel needed. However, budgets did need to be cut, leading to the Third Doctor’s era being largely earthbound for the first three years. This necessity of reduced exploration lead to a series with a larger regular cast, going beyond the Doctor and his companions, and including regular allies in UNIT, and a regular enemy in the Master. This regularity meant that when the Doctor faced his third regeneration, the first to be described as a regeneration, the threat of cancellation with actor departure was no longer considered.
Instead with “Planet of the Spiders” we have the first regeneration where the process was paid attention to. The idea of regeneration coming about when a body faces significant damage or trauma is first referenced in this story. The idea of being reborn rather than rejuvenated is expressly stated in this story.
Final Thoughts
Looking back at the production notes for Hartnell’s final story, it’s surprising how little information or consideration went into it. Even now, we’re not entirely sure who exactly came up with the idea of regeneration. Likely no single person can ever claim credit to the full idea. John Wiles original idea of the Doctor being transformed by the Celestial Toymaker undoubtedly had an influence by raising the idea of changing the Doctor but keeping the series, even though the change only occurred after he had resigned.
When looking at the past, it’s important to remember that while regeneration for the modern series is just a process of adapting to a cast change, in 1966, regeneration was a risk taken by a series trying to survive. The producers wanted little attention to be focused on the change, and instead to move on quickly with a new actor, and hence very little description or detail went into the change.
And that, in part, is why for Doctor Who regeneration was so successful, and determined the longevity of the series to this day. If William Hartnell had been replaced by the Celestial Toymaker, with the process being a consequence of running afoul of an evil God like character, such a precise process would have been difficult to repeat for later cast changes without being obviously repetitive. By keeping the idea of regeneration in Doctor Who vague it allowed mythology to develop around it as needed either by a production crew, or as needed for a story.
Regeneration was created for Doctor Who to respond to an actor’s decaying health, and intense conflict within a production team. But it continues by allowing a constant refresh and re-invigoration of the series, while keeping its base format the same.
With Season Two of Ann Rice’s Mayfair Witches coming out sometime later this year, I thought it was time for me to check it out. Though I’ve never been a big Ann Rice fan, I thought for sure that a story about witchcraft would be something different. Perhaps it would be less dull, less dramatic, and a bit more fun.
It was not
Just the facts
Released in January of 2023 on AMC, Mayfair Witches is based on the Ann Rice series, Lives of the Mayfair Witches. It follows the tale of Rowan Fielding. Adopted as a baby, Rowan discovers that she’s the heir to a powerful witch family. She’s eventually lured to New Orleans, where she learns more about her forgotten family and the secrets that she’s already a part of.
What Mayfair Witches got right
The first thing that I noticed about the show is the key necklace that several characters wear and carry throughout the show. I appreciated that. For those who don’t know, a key is one of the symbols of a deity known as Hekate. This is a goddess many witches hold a lot of fondness for, as She is considered the goddess of witches, among other things. So I liked seeing her represented.
I also liked that so much of this first season was set in New Orleans. There are many places in America that are strong in witch history and lore, but few are as well known for it as New Orleans. So they got that much right, at least.
What Mayfair Witches got wrong
Unfortunately, that was about all there was to enjoy about Mayfair Witches. I honestly struggled to get through it, if I’m being totally honest.
First, as I’ve mentioned before, witchcraft is not something that must be passed down from parent to child. While your ancestry can play a role in your magic, if you want it to, it’s not the only or even the most important factor. I am the first witch in my family, and I do just fine.
My second complaint is also a complaint about the show in general. Mayfair Witches is not a joyful show. It’s not a funny show. It is a show that takes itself very seriously as it talks about very serious things without a spark of levity or joy anywhere to be seen. Even the party scene in the first episode, The Witching Hour, seems more ominous than fun. No one seems like they’re having a good time. Rather, they all seem like they’re trying very hard to look like they’re having a good time.
This is a problem I have with Rice’s work in general, but it’s especially insulting when we’re talking about witchcraft. Witchcraft is joyful. It’s warm. It’s fiery and passionate. Sometimes it’s serious ritual work, but it’s also laughing when your tarot cards roast you. It’s getting together with friends over the sabbats and sharing good food. It’s making a tea with a spell whispered into it. It’s protecting and providing for yourself and those you love.
There was none of that in Mayfair Witches. There is no joy, or warmth, or giving oneself space and tools for healing. There is no happiness here. And that’s just not witchcraft to me.
Nor, frankly, is it entertaining television.
Finally, I have one last bone to pick with this show. It’s made clear during this season that Rowan has no choice about being a witch. But that’s the opposite of the whole point of witchcraft.
Being a witch is a choice like I said in my Supernatural review. You are not, cannot be a witch unless you decide that you are. No bloodline or initiation is more important to your craft than saying publicly or privately that you are a witch.
In the end, I can’t in good faith recommend Mayfair Witches to you. It’s dull, it takes itself too seriously, and it’s a rather grim depiction of magic in general. If you enjoyed it, I’m happy for you. But as for me, I’ll give it a pass. There are far more interesting stories being told.
(1.5 / 5)
