If you’ve ever read Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles or Mayfair Witches books, you might remember the society of secret watchers of all things supernatural called the Talamasca. The author never wrote a book specifically about them, but Talamasca characters did appear occasionally. They often follow the exploits of vampires, witches, demons, and ghosts.
AMC+ just began releasing episodes of a new series based on this shadowy society called Talamasca: The Secret Order as part of their Immortal Universe franchise, which also includes Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches. The Talamasca in this series are portrayed as a spy network, more than a cult or group of scientists as the title might suggest.
The first two episodes aired together. Let’s take a look at them.
Talamasca Episode 101 review: "We Watch and We Are Always There"
The title of this episode is the actual motto of the Talamasca. As is normal for a series, the first episode introduces the world, current situation, and significant characters. We learn some of who the Talamasca are, where their various houses of operation are located, and what their basic mission is.
We are introduced to Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton), a recent law school grad who is broke and job hunting. During an interview, we get a glimpse into his supernatural powers.
Shortly after, he is approached by a woman named Helen (Elizabeth McGovern), who looks to recruit him into the Talamasca. He resists discussing anything with her until she offers him $5,000 just to listen to her.
We also see the death of a young woman running from several men. She hides a thick envelope before stepping into the path of a train. She is a Talamascan, and Helen wants Guy to replace her in London.
Talamasca Episode 102 review: "A Wilderness of Mirrors"
Guy accepts Helen’s offer. Hoping to alleviate his skepticism, she introduces him to the vampire Burton (Jason Schwartzman). A hint of who Guy’s birth mother is revealed, which only fuels his new willingness to join the order. He is told in an off-hand way that he is an immortal. When he asks Helen what the Talamasca influenced in his life, her answer is, “Everything.” Oh…that’s intriguing.
Once in London, Guy gets a job outside of a strip joint where he can watch for signs of contact. When he gets a bite, he is put onto the trail of the killer who was chasing down the young woman in the premiere. This guy, Jasper (William Fichtner), is obviously some kind of supernatural being since Guy hears his thoughts.
Guy also meets up with a girl at a pub. He later hooks up with her and encounters someone at a dance place who may be her mistress or handler. It’s unclear what kind of immortal either woman is, however the girl ends up murdered, deepening the plot for us and for Guy.
One tie-in to Interview with the Vampire is the appearance of Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), the author of the tell-all book recounting Louis' life with Lestat from that series. He gives Guy more clues about his origins.
Conclusion:
Talamasca: The Secret Order is a slow take off at first with many details remaining elusive. That fits for this series being in the vein of a spy thriller. It’s my hope that in the coming weeks, any reveals will bring about more questions than they answer.