AMC has come out with a new Anne Rice series, called Talamasca: The Secret Order. The series’ cast members are Elizabeth McGovern as Helen, William Fichtner as Jasper, and Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Olive. The series follows a secret society that tracks witches, vampires, and other supernatural beings. The show centers on Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton), a recent law school grad who discovers this hidden world and gets drawn into its mysteries.
The episode begins with a young woman walking into a mysterious building on the streets of East London. She grabs a key and enters a room, covering the security cameras. She begins looking for files and ends up hacking into the computer. She puts something in an envelope and leaves the building. As she’s walking, she notices someone following her, so she tries to hide the envelope, but then notices another person. She tries to hide wherever she can, successfully hiding the envelope before entering a garage. Unfortunately, her stalkers catch up to her, with a third arriving. Trying to escape capture, she’s killed by an oncoming train.
Next, in New York, Helen, who’s in charge of a secret organization, finds an eyeball, a gift from the vampire, Jasper, with a note that says “We see you.” Which means that the young girl in the beginning was working for Helen. Jasper is someone she’s trying to get information about.
Guy Anatole is at a job interview for a law firm. He can read minds, and during the interview, he becomes overwhelmed, the thoughts being too loud. Thankfully, he gets hired. Once he leaves the building, Helen follows him. She gives him her business card and offers him a job. She plans for them to meet later on, to hear her out on the offer.
Later on, Guy meets with Helen. She gives him money before talking to him. She tells him about her organization, based on academia and discoveries. The organization is called ‘Talamasca’. She tells him that they focus on the “world of the supernatural.” She knows about his gift.
He takes a flight out to visit his mom after getting an old note Helen found from when he was a child. His mom is afraid to tell him the truth about his adoption and gift. She tells him that Helen is the one who got her to foster him when he was a child. Talamasca has been helping Guy with his condition the whole time, but his mom has kept it a secret. Before she can say anything else, she leaves.
It’s now Guy’s turn to follow Helen after coming back home. He asks her how long she’s been involved with him and his family, and she tells him ever since he became an orphan. Helen takes him to meet a vampire, Burton (Jason Schwartzman). As they begin to talk, Burton starts having a conversation with Guy through their minds. After Burton intimidates him, Guy storms out. At night, Guy is asleep, and Burton talks to him, warning him to trust him and that the Talamasca is lying to him. He wakes up and sees his desk chair spinning. A book is placed there, Interview With The Vampire. He reads the highlighted part and sees a name circled, Anna Leamas.
Next, we see Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) from Interview With The Vampire, having a book signing. Guy attends the book signing and hands him a book, telling him about the page. Daniel notices the page and writes a note to meet him outside in the back. Guy waits for the event to finish, and Daniel comes out there. Guy tells Daniel that Anna was his biological mother, and then Guy begins to read his mind. Guy learns that the Talamasca wrote the page with his mother’s name. Daniel confesses that he only knew what they told him. Daniel also warns Guy about Talamasca, saying that they’re using him. He learns that his biological mother is alive.
Overall, this was a good episode to introduce Guy and the secret society, Talamasca. It will be enjoyable to see how this all relates to Interview With The Vampire and The Mayfair Witches. There have already been secrets found about Guy, his childhood, and what Helen really wants. It will be interesting to see William Fichtner playing a role as a vampire, while he’s mostly known for his famous role in Prison Break as Alexander Mahone. Although we don’t really know much about his character, Jasper, yet, we will get a start in the next episode.
Rating: 10/10