TV series based on the novel by Anne Rice and made by AMC and starring Rowan Fielding, an intuitive young neurosurgeon, who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches.
The first thing she discovers is that when she gets mad, she kills with her mind. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations.
Her search for answers takes her to New Orleans, home to her biological family and the evil spirit Lasher, who has haunted them for generations. Now, together with Ciprien Grieve, a devoted agent to the Talamasca, who is assigned to protect her, she has to battle the forces of Lasher, and as time progresses, she has to choose between family and power in this sinister, supernatural game.
A very up and down series which serves up plenty of sex and violence along the way, but is also at times hampered by a dull script and poor direction. One of the biggest problems with the series is the pacing; while some episodes are great and fast-paced, others just get bogged down in the lore.
Overall, it’s all a bit underwhelming; both seasons one and two have only 8 episodes, which is more than enough to cover the story. The lead actress, Alexandra Daddario, does her best in the role, and she makes the part her own, but is let down by the overall production’s mish-mash of ideas.
Sadly, the show is not frightening. It’s not even unsettling,apart from a few scenes and may disappoint horror fans, which is a pity as the potential was there to build up the tension and atmosphere.
The series has been released on Blu-Ray, and you have the choice of buying seasons 1 and 2 separately or as a package.
The image quality is excellent; some dark scenes are hard to make out at times, but I think that was the intention, which can be frustrating to watch.
Audio is very good, with excellent use of the surround sound mix. Bonus features are limited and include: Episode Insiders, Show Me More and Panel at Comic-Con.
Fans of the writer or the lead actress may get something out of the series; others may wonder why it just does not deliver its full potential.
SERIES – 5.5 PICTURE – 8 AUDIO – 9 EXTRAS – 3
CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE SERIES ON BLU-RAY
