Talamasca: The Secret Order
By Sioph W. Leal
We’ve had vampires and witches, now is the time for the mysterious and ancient secret organisation that keeps the supernatural world in check. Talamasca: The Secret Order begins as your typical spy-thriller series with nods to the other parts of the Anne Rice Universe. Right from the opening moments of Talamasca: The Secret Order we delve into the atmospheric espionage plots with spy elements that are perfectly woven into the already established world. Introducing the viewer to this new world of the Talamasca through the eyes of Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton) was perfection and through Guy, we see the Talamasca mantra being tested. "We watch, and we are always there," they say throughout, but what happens when they take a more proactive approach to their world…
In a world filled with the supernatural, witches and vampires, it’s hard for a show to feel grounded, but that’s where Guy Anatole comes in. He feels relatable and grounded (despite being able to read minds) and with his very realistic economic struggles, he really does come across as an everyday sort of guy. His normalcy sets him apart in this world, but he refuses to be a passive character. Guy is bold, erratic and inquisitive but ,somehow, he isn’t reckless or aggressive in his approach as he dives into this secret world. Guy’s likability is a large part due to Denton’s charm and the subtlety in his performance. As Guy goes deeper into the world of The Talamasca and all the secrets, his yearning for answers and inherent charm is what helps bring the viewers along. Unfortunately, when the series starts to fall away from his perspective, there is a notable decline in some of the series.
As Talamasca: The Secret Order progresses, the narratives of the series shift, the overall plot becomes a little rushed and messy at the very end, breaking what would have been an almost perfect run. The last two episodes shift from being Guy’s story to Helen’s (Elizabeth McGovern) and while McGovern gives a great performance, the show is stronger when it makes the audience ask questions or wanting to dissect every decision, every plot for a greater answer (more so for fans of the books!). When the story shifts into more of Helen’s story, Guy feels a bit sidelined and his entire character arc paused until the closing moments of the season. Given that we were introduced to this world and its inner workings through him, it doesn’t feel like the best choice. His story takes you along, you piece together information as he does with enough intrigue for die-hard book fans to pick up on possible hints for reveals in future seasons. It caters to show and book fans with Guy opening the world up yet remaining a secret in more than one aspect.
The focus shifts make for some clunky reveals at the of the season that rushes through and feels almost detrimental to the foundation the series had been so close to perfecting, choosing to sacrifice for the sake of a reveal that comes out of the blue, almost as if it is trying to lead viewers (and book readers) to certain points with the intention of pulling the rug out from under them. Given the short six episode span, that could almost be blamed for the rushed change from Guy being the focus to Helen’s mystery but how great the series had been before that rules that out. It’s not so much that the series needed another episode but that the focus should have stayed on Guy and the mystery (particularly one at the end that ties directly to another main character) should have been revealed around him since he is the vital part of the story.
It would’ve been better if certain elements were excluded to save the clunky feel. One of which is the police involvement. It’s a sub-plot that feels overdone and irrelevant, out of place. Some of the writing and acting choices make it seem almost like a parody of a British crime drama and completely separate to the rest of the series, that they created an entire subplot to get one thing revealed and move the story to its closing arc but it doesn’t come across well.
Is it an Anne Rice series without the preternatural ? Have no fear, Talamasca: The Secret Order brings in Jasper (William Fichtner) who, from the first moment he’s on screen, draws you in. Fichtner has a commanding presence, able to lure you in with his magnetism and show of power without uttering a word. He is so easily charming with a cool attitude and almost rockstar-like attitude that makes him a perfect addition to Anne Rice’s Universe under AMC. Episode four is a highlight for the character, an impassioned speech that Fichtner delivers with an array of emotions and complexities that bring the episode (and series) back from its darker comedy moments to a searing tale of revenge that will, undoubtedly, bring about more theories. Any time Jasper and Guy share a scene, there’s an electricity and a lure between them that’s almost challenging and wanting to be trusted or see if they can outwit each other. With Guy, Jasper is surprisingly vulnerable and opens up more than we’ve seen this powerful, controlling, vampire do and each moment is heavy with all kinds of tension.
One of the great things about Talamasca: The Secret Order, is how you can come to the show as a completely new viewer who has not watched either Interview with the Vampire (or is it The Vampire Lestat now?) or Mayfair Witches but it ties together with almost perfect precision to IWTV. As for Mayfair…well, given the fans and the critics views on this show its hardly surprising that it's not much spoken about in this series but IWTV is. Fans rejoiced seeing familiar faces teased in the trailer and released images of IWTV’s Daniel Molloy(Eric Bogosian) and Raglan James (Justin Kirk) but what makes these more than an attempt of tying the shows together is that they are actively involved in the plot. In an officially released clip, Daniel warns Guy not to trust the Talamasca, staring him on the mystery of his mother who was featured in Molloy’s book because of the watchful agency which starts the entire story and Guy’s motivation to uncover the truth about his mother. As for Raglan James, book fans know there is more to this character but Kirk brings some much needed levity from a blood deal Raglan manages. There’s a lot of violence in his episode but it is one of the funniest and intriguing of the series that reveals more about the characters secrets and their motivations than any other. The inclusion of Daniel and Raglan deepen the story and ties it directly to IWTV without losing any of its own identity, it stands strong as a standalone with nothing sacrificed when the ties to other shows are revealed- something that Mayfair struggled with. If you’re looking for some Lestat nods to tie into the upcoming third season of IWTV then don’t worry, the series makes sure to include some.
There’s a lot to enjoy about Talamasca: The Secret Order, and most of that is down to Guy and when he is the focus. He’s an active character that does not get consumed by the mystery or the weight of the story but crashes straight into it with energy and a relatable charm to hook you into his struggles and tie you to his ambition. It’s a series that thrives in the hidden details, the nuance and the mysteries. Show only fans will devour it for the thriller mystery that it so perfectly captures and book fans will be fed with hints and details woven meticulously in to expand Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe. The slow burn and allowing the intrigue and secrets to build is where the show is at its best but it almost stumbles the ending when the shift is not in the mystery but in the reveal that hinders the biggest revelation of the series by a shift in pacing and breaking from the original plot. The atmosphere of the show keeps you hooked and the espionage brilliantly created that all will enjoy.
Talamasca: The Secret Order Premieres with two episodes on Sunday, October 26 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC and AMC+. Additional episodes will premiere weekly on Sundays on AMC and AMC+.