"Salem" a new supernatural show that premiered on April 20, is dark, creepy and dramatic with haunting witches, possessed individuals, and public torture and killings.
Viewers revisit Salem, Mass., where citizens were accused of witchery and working with the devil. The events are dramatized, of course, to make this witch hunt and the interaction among the characters more entertaining. For instance, the witches are real in this show's Salem.
The story opens with a young woman, Mary (Janet Montgomery) who pregnant by her lover, John Alden (Shane West). Rather than keep the unborn child, she follows Tituba (Ashley Madekwe) into the woods and with a witch spell, Tituba calls upon a horrific and beastly creature to take away this child while Alden is sent away to fight a war.
Seven years later, Mary is one of the most powerful women in Salem as she marries and enslaves an old, extremely wealthy, and obnoxious Puritan man.
When Alden returns, viewers see that Mary is not what she appears to be. Her creepy expressions and actions are absolutely disturbing. Yet, even more unsettling is a possessed girl who has crazy eyes and demonic actions.
As the witch hunt continues, the witches and demons conjure up a plan to indirectly take over Salem. However, they are not suspected because they are prestigious, wealthy and religious members of society. No one believes that these characters, such as Mary, are capable of witchcraft.
The devils and their animals are displayed as ghastly freaks of nature. The blood, witches, devils and slight nudity create for an unusual but interesting form of entertainment. The creepy, mysterious atmosphere is similar to that in "American Horror Story," which has a bold and threatening mood. But this show has its flaws with some over-the-top scenes.
Yet "Salem" does have potential. In addition to its "creep" value, the story contains many mysteries and secrets, which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats waiting for answers. The deceitful witches, unmindful citizens, graphic violence, and eerie atmosphere makes for a show worth watching.
Nisha Desai can be reached at nisha.desai@student.shu.edu.
